Rossi .454 lever action?

I have Marlins in .44 magnum and .45 Colt..just sold my .45-70 to a friend as I could no longer shoot it comfortably from the bench...product of global shoulder reconstruction...nothing wrong with either the rifle or caliber...just the operator.

I'd feel fine with Buffalo Bore in either my remaining pistol caliber Marlins for deer or hogs but not bear as primary game.

No experience with .454 caliber or Rossi rifles but a lot with Marlins in the calibers I've owned...ease of top scope mounting and side ejection couple of pluses.
 
I like it a lot, I have several different apertures and usually use the biggest. My son killed a fine hog with that rifle a keith bullet that I cast out of recovered shot and the load I mentioned above. Hammered him from about 40 yds, Elmer knew of what he spoke, that big wide flat nose will do the job. Chris
 
I have been trying , unsuccesfuly so far, to find the ballistics for a 454 fired from a 20" barrel. I would wager they are impressive and right up there with the big bore rifle cartridges.
 
I've been pouring over info on the .454 myself as well as the .45 colt, hard decision given all the data available. There's just something about carrying a good old fashioned iron sighted lever gun without the worries of dinging my scoped rifles that has always appealed to me.
 
Gunblast had an awesome write up on the Rossi 454 and they include chrono data, see it here http://www.gunblast.com/Paco_Legacy_454.htm , after I bought my alaskan, I ended up buying the rossi 454 to go with it, then a 460. If wild west guns releases the 460 lever, I will be on it like a fat kid on cake. The rossi is a great little piece of hardware. Seriously I have carried the 454 during the elk hunt since the rossi is a great deal lighter than my Marlins. But if I had to pick ONE caliber for rifle protection, it would be a 45-70, but if I had to be able to use the same thing between revolver and rifle, it would be the 454 with a 357 coming in a good solid second. Im in the process of moving otherwise I would weight the difference between my 454 and the 45-70, but my calibrated dyk skinner (military for hand) says the rossi is much lighter. Wish you the best of luck in picking your choice, but if you do go with the rossi, stop by steve (rossi) guns website, and get the follower and his action kit. I also removed the safety on mine with his plug. Plus considering the 2 Rossi 454s I bought, the most I paid for one was $350 for the 16" stainless which I sold to a friend for a little more, but the cheapest Marlin 45-70 will cost twice that.

As you see the Rossi is not as refined to pretty as the Marlins, but it will get most jobs done.
levers3.JPG
 
I guess they did come out with a custom lever for the 500 S&W Magnum but it is ($$$$$$). If you are set on an affordable carbine/pistol combination the 454 Casull is a good choice and offers more energy than the 45 Colt or the 44 Mag.. I think the 500 S&W will give as much power in a pistol as the 454 in a carbine so a single firearm is viable.
 
nakadnu said:
This is a quote from the book Cartridges of the world. Page 293
10th edition, revised and expanded.

Auother Frank c. Barnes/ Edited by Stan Skinner

Kp Krause publications
Library of congress catalog # 00-104630 ISBN 0-87349-605-1

Quote; Firing lead 45 colt loads ina 454 can leave a “lead-ring” deposit in front of the chamber. If this deposit is not removed before chambering and firing full power 454 loads with the unusually hard bullets used in such rounds, the cylinder can be damaged beyond repair. This is not conjecture - it has happened. Unquote;

I am not trying to be an a- hole just trying to help a guy out and maybe avoid damaging his gun or worse. Maybe Kaboom is too strong of a word, maybe kapow or poof or kabang is more appropriate.
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no problem. I was just going by some 30 years of using both. I suppose though, anything is possible.
 
Update! Just found a website called stevesgunz that carries lots of goodies for Rossi lever gun owners, check it out.
 
Hi, since you found stevesgunz i would highly recommend you let him do a action job on the gun before you get it. The rossi is a tough little gun but rough as hell inside a good action job from him makes it smooth as a swiss watch. I love having a pistol and rifle in the same caliber and the 454 is a good one.

I can't recommend steve highly enough he's a great guy and does high quality work.

take it easy
cricket
 
I have a Rossi 92 in 44 mag..It was used for cowboy action shooting three or four years before I bought it....Then I used it for cowboy action shooting another year and it has never given me any problems...I also have three Marlins..A 44mag , 444 and a 45-70...If I needed a light pack rifle I'd chose the Rossi 92, its smaller and lighter than the Marlins and performs great..I believe mine holds 8 or 9 rounds also...

If weight wasn't an issue I'd grab a Marlin every time...The Rossi was my first lever-action type rifle,, its much smaller and lighter than the Marlins and has never given me any problems...Thats why its still in my safe
 
August West said:
The only thing I sacrifice with my 45s is trajectory. Rossi makes a fine rifle and can't see what benefit you would get with the marlin or the 45/70. Been shooting my pre safety rossi with buffalo bore and heavy reloads and lots of my favorite, 20gr of 2400 and a 255 keith, for over 10 years with no problems. Chris

12218Picture_357.jpg
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VERY NICE collection. I love the Rugers! What caliber is the bottom one?
 
Thank you, it is a 45 colt, the redhawk is a 44 mag the rest are 45. Chris

EDIT: The bisley and the birdshead were customized by Jim Stroh, both have had the barrel set back for minimum cylinder gap, chambers re cut and polished, the bisley has smith sights, the birdshead has a dovetailed front sight and a douglas barrel. Chris
 
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August West said:
Thank you, it is a 45 colt, the redhawk is a 44 mag the rest are 45. Chris

EDIT: The bisley and the birdshead were customized by Jim Stroh, both have had the barrel set back for minimum cylinder gap, chambers re cut and polished, the bisley has smith sights, the birdshead has a dovetailed front sight and a douglas barrel. Chris
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This whole thread has got me wanting some cowboy guns again...oh yeah.
 
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