EMF Hartford rifle

[jimster]

I just ordered a EMF Hartford rifle in .45 with the 24" octagon barrel.
If I could be so bold as to ask some Cowboy Action shooters what they think of this rifle, I'd like to get some comments on what you think. I'm sure you give them a work out much more than I would.  I have read they don't have any of the safeties but the hammer safety which I hope is the case. 

Thanks ahead of time for any replies.

Jim

[PlacitasSlim]

I have no experience with these, so I can't comment on them but give us a range report when you get to shoot it.

[Graybeard]

I had one with the 20" octagon barrel and it was super accurate. I let it go mostly cuz I thought I'd rather have a 24" barrel. Mine did not have any add on safety but I've heard the recent ones do just like all the other Rossi M92s do. I now own one with 24" barrel but haven't shot it yet. It's not the EMF imported one but otherwise same gun. It does have the silly safety and while I don't like that I can live with it.

[FourBee]

I don't have the EMF, but I do have the  '92' ROSSI 20" round barrel which I got only because of my preference towards the round, from Legacy Sports International, I bought back in April.    I've heard the EMF is a fine rifle.  It and the LSI may be the same.  I bought a Stagecoach Shotgun from EMF recently, and it is the very same gun as the TTN, even has the TTN Stamp.
   
My Rossi 92 needed a good cleaning to loosen up the stiff action.   On the range it only needed minor adjusting to the rear sight and she was right on.   It's a beautiful little rifle and fun to shoot.   Hope you'll enjoy yours too.

   

[jimster]

Well gang, I got the rifle this last Thurs, and I think it's pretty nice for the price, can't complain. It does have the little safety right on the bolt. I'm thinking if I get a receiver sight it might interfere I'm not sure, but it looks like it. Anyway, took it to the range yesterday and spent the whole morning with it. The 24" barrel makes it a heavy rifle for sure. It shoots nice, but the trigger is pretty heavy so I have to take it somewhere to get that fixed, but I got some nice groups with it with my loads, and I like the way the barrel cleaned up, no leading problems at all with the cast bullets I had with me. I guess if I go with a tang sight I can forget the receiver sight maybe interfering with the safety.  I just had to bump the rear sight a little bit to get it centered, and I like the big bead on the front too.  I'm pretty happy with it, the action isn't as stiff now that I've cleaned and lubed it ..but that trigger aint helping me any, I might just get a trigger job and a tang sight and leave it alone and just shoot it a lot for awhile. 
It looks like Rossi has a pretty good deal going there with lever actions and the price, and I have to say the EMF Hartford does look pretty neat.  I'm going to get a carbine in a few months, but I might just buy one from Steve's guns,   I've been told for a bit more money he slicks them up there before you get it and I guess he can take off the little safety too. 

[FourBee]

     jimster, that's a great report.   Guess that octagon barrel is a little heavier than the round one.

[ggeilman]

Steve Young is about the best there is when it come to a Rossi 1892. I don't think he will remove the safety though. We bought a used one from him a month or so ago and it is sweet. Steve is just recovering from rotator cuff surgery, so he may be a bit backed up, with it is worth the wait.

[leverfan]

Steve Young is about the best there is when it come to a Rossi 1892. I don't think he will remove the safety though. We bought a used one from him a month or so ago and it is sweet. Steve is just recovering from rotator cuff surgery, so he may be a bit backed up, with it is worth the wait.

Steve has been taking those ugly little safeties off of Rossi '92s for a while now, and I'm pretty sure he's still willing to do it, when he's up to it again.  He installs a purpose made replacement part that takes the place of the safety, leaving only the original combination of half cock notch and the shooter's gray matter.  The price is listed on his site, the last time I checked.  I bought an EMF Hartford in 44 mag, with a 24" octagon barrel, direct from Steve a couple of years ago.  He did a nice job slicking it up, and replaced the plastic magazine follower with a metal one.

He also cut down a double barrel shotgun for me, and installed an oversize bead front site.  '92s are his specialty, but he works on shotguns, revolvers, and what have you.

Edit to add:  Steve charges $40 to replace the safety with a non-functioning plug that sits flush with the top of the bolt. 

[jimster]

I'm pretty serious about buying a Rossi from him with a action job, I think I read where the safety being replaced by the plug is part of the deal, I'd also want a steel magazine plug and have him put a receiver sight on it too.  If I do this this Winter (if he is healed up and caught up) I'd have him send me home a magazine plug and a safety plug for the Rossi I already have.   I think i also read if he sends you a plug for the safety, it's not quite flush with the bolt, it's a home gunsmith job you can do, but if he takes off the safety himself he does it flush with the bolt.  I got a few chances over the past few weeks to put around 200 more rounds through the one I have and this 24" inch Hartford model is really fun.  The trigger is not quite as bad as I thought, I think it's just that the coil type hammer spring is too heavy.  Somebody probably makes a replacement somewhere, or maybe I can get brave a cut a coil off.  Sure would be nice to have both the 24" and the short rifle sitting next to each other.