Rossi R92 No Cost Bolt Safety Mod

[Sharps40]

The Rossi R92 has a much maligned, and deservedly so, rotating bolt safety. I find it to be in exactly the wrong position for in hand carry. Its tiny ball and spring are too easily wiped on and off accidentally. Fortunatly, the R92 has a perfectly suitable Quarter Cock notch safety, just like the Winchesters we grew up with.

Rather than lay out almost $30 for a replacement hole filler or waste time machining a new hole filler, leaving a giant hole with two wings and markings and potentially worrying over the engraved and filled markings on the bolt, (ad nauseum the derogatory safety commentary from all of your favorite complaint forums).....there is a reversible no cost fix.

 

[Sharps40]

Disassemble the safety from the bolt by driving out its retention pin, right to left, as you are facing the butt. (Left side of pin is knurled for retention and must not be driven thru and out the other side of the bolt.)

You then have these parts on your bench, if your ball and spring didn't fly off into the dustiest corner of the shop.

 

[Sharps40]

Secure the ball and spring for later reuse should you wish to return to a bolt safety function. Or, write off the loss if one or both parts launched themselves into your own special messy place.

On the right is a 1/16" diameter section of steel drill rod and a bit of plastic, any malleable plastic will do.

The outer end of the pin is tapered to fit into the safety detente drilled into the bolt body. The pin is about .020" short of being able to fully lock the safety from turning. e.g. its not a snug fit.

Cut a small disc of that malleable plastic to fit into the hole of the safety drum. (Easily removed later with a small scribe or drill bit turned by hand.) In this case, a sliver is cut from the button side of a decorative phillips/hex head screw cap. A small disc cut from a used shotgun wad petal will work as well.

Insert the pin over the plastic disc, tapered end facing out.

Add a drop of super glue to the pin hole or not, e.g. optional step. (easily broken down with a soldering iron later should you wish to replace the spring and ball)

Align the safety in the fire position, tap lightly into place with a brass or nylon hammer. The plastic will compress lightly under the pin and the pin will lock solidly into the bolt.

Reinstall the safety cross pin, left to right, knurled end on the left side as you face the butt.

 

[Sharps40]

If you didn't loose or have located your original spring and ball, package them in cellophane tape.

 

[Sharps40]

Remove the butt plate and drill a suitable shallow hole in the wood. Insert the taped bundle of parts into the hole. Reinstall the butt plate.

 

[Sharps40]

The final assembly. Reversible but not without disassembly, your original parts won't get lost, no accidental on/off for the safety (the most common complaint i read on the web.). Looks factory original. Allows you to have that Winchester functionality you grew up with. No grinding, paint removal, rebluing or money spent.

 

[keepcalmandcarryon]

Interesting and clever mod.
I wonder if you could replace the safety with a peep sight? That would be a cool mod.

 

[Sharps40]

Waste of money. Skinner and similar bolt mount peeps are typically corse thread and the smallest adjustment is 1/2 turn. Often causing one to have to settle for too hi or to low at many ranges. No windage. Front sight fileing often still only results in dead on at a single predetermined range. Mounted on a moving part. Poor value per dollar. If you want a fine sight, buy and install quality to get it nearest dead on and know you can quickly move up or down very finely to dead on at other ranges.

 

[keepcalmandcarryon]

Waste of money. Skinner and similar bolt mount peeps are typically corse thread and the smallest adjustment is 1/2 turn. Often causing one to have to settle for too hi or too low at many ranges. No windage. Front sight fileing often still only results in dead on at a single predetermined range. Mounted on a moving part. Poor value per dollar. If you want a fine sight, buy and install quality to get it nearest dead on and know you can quickly move up or down very finely to dead on at other ranges.

I didn’t say anything about a screw style adjustment. Replace the safety with a base adaptable to a fully adjustable sight.
A little wobble on this type of rifle is not going to effect the practical accuracy on a 100 yard gun like this.

 

[keepcalmandcarryon]

Skinner and similar bolt mount peeps are typically corse thread and the smallest adjustment is 1/2 turn.

doing a bit of math with a 32 pitch thread (10-32 would be a great size) half a turn would change the height 1/64” of an inch. Assuming a 2’ sight radius (approximately). that would work out to 1/64 x (300/2). or 2 1/4 MOA. worse case you are going to be 1 1/8“ off high or low. Well within the accuracy of that rifle.

 

[Sharps40]

Ok. Very good. Appreciate the math, rendering good "proof" of the coarseness of a sight of that type. 1 1/8" off is a lot (figuring about a .015" elevation change per half turn) when as little as .003" to .005 sight elevation change can equate to nearly an inch at range (dependent on several variables, natch.). However, for the purposes of a safety modification thread, the discussion of sighting is non sequitur.