Puma lever-action had Chris Redlich reaching for his wallet
My first question to the dealer was: “Is it really a 20-inch barrel?” “That’s what it says on the box,” he told me. Fair enough, though I certainly didn’t expect the Rossi Puma to be so short. Yet it shouldn’t have come as a surprise, since the review rifle was chambered for the small .357 Magnum/.38 Special calibre. Pure in their simplicity, at first glance the new line of Rossi Puma lever-actions are actually an age-old engineering masterpiece, based on a design dating back more than 130 years.
Many famous levers have their origins in the late 19th century, including the most notable Winchester 94 and Marlin 1894, both of which have enjoyed a loyal following. While US, South American and Australian shooters comprise the bulk of the audience for legacy model lever guns, the lesser known Rossi brand (to me at least) have the Puma to rival the big hats of cowboy town. The Brazilian firm has been making guns since 1889 so must been doing something right to have remained competitive with their North American counterparts.
I don’t own a lever rifle but my brother Charlie’s had a weakness for them as long as I can remember, his Model 94 Winchesters in .44/40 and .22LR having done their fair share of chores around the farm. When I told him I was reviewing a brand-new stainless steel Rossi Puma in .357 Magnum, an enthusiastic invite was extended to field test the gun at his place where he could add his two-bob’s worth. I’ll spare you the detail on the workings of a lever rifle for fear of reader fatigue as the topic has been covered many times, so I’ll focus on the gun as I see it and how it performed.
The Rossi Puma is the ‘classic’ based on that time-proven R92 lever-action. This model is almost entirely made from stainless steel, which not only provides superior weather resistance but mates aesthetically to the rich-coloured hardwood stock. Like most lever rifles the Puma doesn’t discriminate against ‘lefties’ due to its streamlined ambidextrous design, making it appealing to all shooters.
Bearing strong resemblance to that 1890s pedigree, the stock has no curved pistol grip, no checkering and the comb is straight, allowing for fast lever operation and easy scabbard carriage on modern steel horses (bikes, quads, ATVs) as used by cattlemen. The butt end is deeply curved and includes a nice stainless butt plate designed for swift shouldering, while the omission of a recoil pad is justified due the low-recoiling chambering.
Two barrel bands adorn the fore-end, one binding barrel to magazine and the other sandwiching the fore-wood to both magazine and barrel. At just shy of a metre long, the little Rossi with its 20” barrel is one heck of a compact rifle and, as expected with an 1890s-era design, the Puma’s open sights are superb for rapid target acquisition.
The tapered rear and aptly-named Buckhorn-style sight blades draw the eye to accurate alignment between foresight post and target. The rear sight is ramp-slide adjustable which we set at 50 yards. Standard optic sights aren’t an option due to the typical top ejection port where cases are thrown well clear above the head. However two threaded barrel holes are concealed below the rear sight for a single Weaver-style base mount. Accessing the holes is by removing the rear sight from its dovetail mount in the barrel.
Unlike standard optics, a compact red dot or reflex-style sight can sit forward of the ejection port comfortably, where eye relief won’t be affected and the addition of such optics will improve targeting running game in low-light situations. The right-side feed gate allows for easy loading into the 10-round tube magazine and eight for the 16” model.
It was time for a field outing on Charlie’s property and by all reports we’d be unlucky not to bring home the bacon based on recent activity. Following our obligatory target session I subjected the rifle to a ‘can’ test. Shooting an open sight lever rifle on paper is necessary to ensure you’re ‘in the ball park’, but the age-old can test is a basic yet more practical method of testing reactive offhand shooting at a target size similar to a pig’s heart.
Setting up my camera and tripod to remotely film the test, I filled the can with water and prepared for the shot. The first round destroyed it spectacularly at 50 yards and was the confidence booster I need to target pigs at close range. More offhand practice by myself, Charlie and my son Carl produced outstanding results and praise for the little rifle and its accuracy.
The full lever cycle when chambering and ejecting was slick through the entire action and not at all clunky like some levers of yesteryear. This can be attested to modern machining methods which have refined and improved the old action design. Additionally, the fixed yet modest trigger pressure of 4.5lbs felt entirely crisp, making it perfect for the gun’s purpose.
Improving on quality further is Rossi’s finishing process, removing burrs and buffing sharp metal edges which previously would have found no favour with the soft hands of ‘weekend warriors’. Sharp edges wouldn’t usually bother US hunters who glove-up for the cold, yet here in Oz where we encounter more flies than snowflakes, I applaud Rossi’s attention to detail nonetheless.
As is standard with most lever guns, the hammer can be drawn to either half or full cock and the Puma’s operation between the positions was easily controlled by the thumb. Likewise, the manual hammer block safety is flicked smoothy between both modes by the trigger finger.
We didn’t have to wait long for further evidence of the Puma’s hunting credentials, when it was used to bring down a good-sized boar by the creek line. Furthermore, the supplied Hornady Critical Defense 125-grain FTX loads also proved perfect medicine on feral swine. During testing I’d run Hornady .357 Magnum loads over my chronograph and recorded an average muzzle velocity of 1800fps. That may not sound much compared to the popular pig-busting .308 Win cartridge, but it’s a lot more grunt than you’d expect from the little pistol round leaving the Puma’s 20” barrel.
The sectional density of the .357 FTX hollow-point bullets coupled with an approximate 700f/lb of energy at 50 yards (45m), proved plenty for quick and humane killing power. It’s important to note that despite the Puma’s flexibility in sharing dual chamberings, .38 Special is the lower velocity cartridge of the two and should be taken into consideration when shopping for ammunition.
Not surprisingly, Rossi levers have a solid reputation among bush hunters on western properties where pigs are plentiful and it’s no coincidence that my cattleman mate owns the same model in .357 Magnum/.38 Special. Mark has taken numerous pigs and wild dogs on their property thanks to the little Puma (and much to the delight of his boss)
Conclusion
I can’t speak for all states, though I’m sure most Queensland members will be aware of the request for further information by Weapons Licencing when obtaining a category ‘B’ permit. This was the case when applying for a permit for the review rifle and my email to them is exactly how I’d describe the Puma and it’s intended purpose. I submitted the following: “I’m seeking to acquire a new lever-action in .357 Mag as a low-velocity alternative to my current Cat B rifles for the humane destruction of numerous feral pigs in confined patches of dense farmland on a friend’s property”.
That pretty much sums up this nice little lever-action and the proof of pigs shot in confined patches of farmland supports my argument. Retailing for around $1700 at time of writing isn’t unexpected for a quality stainless steel rifle by today’s standard. After my recent exposure to lever rifles I’m now appreciating their merits more and more and I enjoyed my time with the Puma so much I ended up buying it from the supplier. Furthermore, another mate has just ordered a 16” model based on my recommendation for feral pig control. More at www.osaaustralia.com.au