Rossi Rifleman

Man, I have been looking since late last year, and now close to being March, and no-one seems to have the Stainless RG in 45-70 (heck, not even the blued one). This is a great site that checks like 10 sites for inventory - nobody has one:
http://www.shooting.org/Guns/Rossi/Rio_Grande_3

Is this "normal"? Perhaps Rossi only imports a few of these per year, and only once a year?

My only other option is one of the Marlins with the Big Loop, but unless I can find an older JM, I am stuck rolling the dice with the "new" Remlin, with hit-miss quality (some are perfect, some are atrocious). So my thinking has been that since I am a machinist, I rather get the Rossi, dismantle, clean, de-burr, etc. (I have Steve's CD), and save the money over the Marlin for upgrades for the Rossi.

Will

wquiles wrote:Man, I have been looking since late last year, and now close to being March, and no-one seems to have the Stainless RG in 45-70 (heck, not even the blued one). This is a great site that checks like 10 sites for inventory - nobody has one:
http://www.shooting.org/Guns/Rossi/Rio_Grande_3

Is this "normal"? Perhaps Rossi only imports a few of these per year, and only once a year?

My only other option is one of the Marlins with the Big Loop, but unless I can find an older JM, I am stuck rolling the dice with the "new" Remlin, with hit-miss quality (some are perfect, some are atrocious). So my thinking has been that since I am a machinist, I rather get the Rossi, dismantle, clean, de-burr, etc. (I have Steve's CD), and save the money over the Marlin for upgrades for the Rossi.

If you find one you better buy it Will as Rossi discontinued the Rio Grande series. At this point, the only place you are going to find one is on GunBroker. I kind of figured this had happened as by mid year they had disappeared from retailers in my area with their orders being unfilled.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Lever-Action-R ... ossi+45-70

Wow, that would certainly explain things (me not finding any new ones).

That brings a new angle though. If they have in fact been discontinued, what are the hopes there would be support for them? Parts?

I hate to even say it in this Rossi forum, but if Rossi has discontinued the Rio Grande, wouldn't I be better off trying to find an used JM Big Loop, or even take a chance on a new Big Loop since at least I will always have the chance to send it to the factory here in the USA for repairs/warranty problems?

Will

wquiles wrote:Wow, that would certainly explain things (me not finding any new ones).

That brings a new angle though. If they have in fact been discontinued, what are the hopes there would be support for them? Parts?

I hate to even say it in this Rossi forum, but if Rossi has discontinued the Rio Grande, wouldn't I be better off trying to find an used JM Big Loop, or even take a chance on a new Big Loop since at least I will always have the chance to send it to the factory here in the USA for repairs/warranty problems?

Parts will become an issue down the road but many of the Marlin 336 parts fit the RG. The lever would be the hardest one to replace but a place like Mule Man Gun Works could repair anything that would be needed.

An 1895 is an 1895 so that is always an option. I like what Rossi offered; a 336 based action chambered in 45-70 Govt.

I went to a local, large gun show today, hoping to find a Rio Grande. I however found a Marlin which I could not pass up. The Marlin 45-70 rifle is in very good shape, and comes with the big loop conversion (which I wanted), an excellent trigger job, scout scope mount ($50), and Weaver K-4 scout scope ($200), all for $680 out the door, Serial number is 0003xxxx, which puts it as a year 2000 manufacture:



I still want to get a Rossi 20" 44Magnum, but there were none on the show today, and the Marlin grabbed my attention and budget.

Will

That is a heck of a deal!

That is the correct big loop. Just large enough for a gloved hand but not the moronic hula hoop loop they tend to put on for show.

Nice find

Thank you guys

I had gotten Steve's CD for working on the Rossi, so I have been already smoothing/polishing the action/friction points, and now the action is lighter and smoother. Now that I am back from camp I will be casting and loading some new rounds (using RD 300gr and 355gr designed) bullets to see how it does from the bench in the next week or so.

Will

I think you did better than the rio grande really.
Guess I got lucky. Got this Marlin Guide Gun around Jan. 10th 2015. Brand new. Installed the new mounts and scope, bore sighted it, and had it dialed in 2.5 inches high at 100 yards in 3 shots.