ok i am going to be able to do alot of woods roaming ,small game hunting and shooting in the near future. i have decided to buy myself a new winchester 1892 in 357 magnum. my question is this. if i can find one is the winchester rifle worth the extra $600 then the rossi 1892. the winchesters are selling for around $1100.00 while the rossi is selling for around $500-$600. What do you guys think.

Not into Cowboy Shooting matches myself, but frequent a range that has an entire "town" for such matches and many there use the Rossi or similar lever guns and they get a real work out during a season. Some do use the Winchester current versions but most do not. Reasons given are the Rossi is less expensive and simply work well.

The Winchester will be easier to cycle and smoother out of the box. The Rossi can be made very smooth.

I use a Rossi for CAS that I converted to 38-40; they are a bit rough from the factory but respond well to smoothing and tuning. I would not pay the extra money for a knock around rifle.

I am not really a collector as such, but I have an original 1892 Winchester in 44-40, a recent 1892 in 44 Magnum and a Rossi Trapper 16" in stainless in 44 Magnum.
Of the 3, the Rossi gets the most use, I have modified it to be very smooth, easy to load and cycles very quickly with no hesitation, unlike when it was new.
The Rossi's are very good if you alter a few things, such as stoning all running surfaces, cutting and changing springs, especially the mag tube spring to lighten it, and the trigger spring and ejector spring.
Steve's pages has extensive instructions on how to do this correctly.

Hope this helps.

Cheers.

Yes it does help 416 you all have helped . Thankyou

Mmm, ?
In reading the above, it seems to me that if you want and can afford a new Model 1892 that works right from the get-go, you buy the Winchester.
If you cannot afford the new Winchester, want to spread out your spending, and like tinkering on your rifles, then buy a Rossi or other clone.

Yes, I shoot a very well used (some might say worn out) M1892 Winchester in .357 Mag and have never had a need for another such rifle. The rifle is old and will not be sold or traded while I am alive; it will be willed to one of my descendants.
You will enjoy shooting any good 1892!

I have had three Rossi 92's and there is nothing wrong with them (- they were not even stiff to work from new either)
I like the Winchesters bcause I am a traditionalist and like having the name on the rifle, but the Rossi lever action is a good rifle.
Something to think about; Rossi have been making the 92 for longer than Winchester now.

The Winchester will always have a better resale value if that's a consideration..

I have a Win. mod. 92 in 38-40 serial number 150 that my graddad carried in the Texas Ranger service and shot and killed a notorious bank Robber with in Presidio, Texas...The bore is rough as a cob but it still shoots 2.5 to 3 inch 3 shot groups at 100 yards with the original irons. Its slick. I shot a couple of deer with it years ago and a ranch we had in Mexico, With factory soft point ammo its not much of a deer rifle unless you get very close and place your shot. I actually preferred a 22 L.R. HP..

For your purpose, the Rossi would probably be just fine. Time and use will smooth it up, and you would be surprised what working the action briskly 500 or so times will do for smoothness on that gun..

You could get a 92, by Turnbull. This is a case finished 92 takedown in 44-40. I do use it for Cowboy Action shooting with black powder and deer hunting on occasion with smokeless.

http://s296.photobucket.com/us...jpg.html?sort=3&o=43

I have a Rossi & Win, both .45 & 16 inch barrels.
The Win is a much more substantial gun in weight. Both are accurate.