The Rossi Rio Grande lever action rifle is now available chambered in .45-70 and .410 shotshell. The .45-70's magazine holds six rounds and the .410 holds five.
The rifles have a 20" barrel and weigh 5.8 lbs. The MSRP $536 - $583.
Actually, Rossi is onto a good thing here. The 336 action is basically the same for all the cartridges Marlin chambers from .30-30 on up. Marlin even made a few pistol-caliber rifles on the 336 action. By copying it — and keeping their QC standards high — Rossi has virtually guaranteed themselves a good market share. I wouldn’t be surprised to see cowboy action versions, pistol-caliber versions, and other variations in future.
1 
0After perusing the Rossi site, apparently then .45-70 and the .410 are sold as two separate models. The .45-70 is currently only available in Blued steel, and comes standard with the large lever loop. The .410 is available in both Blued and Stainless steel, with a regular lever.
For the record, I love my marlin 30-30, but ever since Remington bought them out, I’ve honestly only heard complaints from people I know who’ve bought the newer model. Mine was purchased back in 1985/86 and I’ve never had a problem.
Considering that Marlin (currently owned by Remington) has halted production of all lever actions until they get their Quality Control back to where it should be, I find my self interested in these Rossi models. Particularly the .410.
I’ve personally never been a fan of the recoil on the .45-70, and between encroaching old age and back problems, I don’t see myself changing my mind any time in the future. Your mileage and personal choice in firearms calibers may vary. LOL!!
As for the shorter barrels, it’d be nice, but to take 2 to 4 inches off the barrel would mean taking the same length off of the magazine tube, which would cut back on the capacity.
As I said, my interest is piqued by the .410.
1 0I’m going to pick mine up tonight. Got it in 410. It only shoots 2 1/2 inch shells. If the quality of this gun is the same as my marlin 3361895 in 219 zipper I am sure I will be very happy with it.
1 0I’ve just gotten one of these in 45-70. The action jammed while “playing” with it just hours after I picked it up… 
So I decided to take it apart and unjam it. Turns out, the gate which locks the bolt was stuck in the bolt. There was crud in most parts of the action which I cleaned out. The gun looked minimally used, but was expected to be NIB.
It disassembled quite easily. 4 screws were necessary to be removed, and nothing exploded out of the assembly. I got the gate unstuck and cleaned it up with silicon lube, and the action is working very well now.
Of note, the action does not function upside down. It does chamber the 2.5″ 410 shells (3″ are too long), but only 1 at a time.
The big loop makes this look just like The Rifleman’s weapon.
Here’s photos..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71264013@N03/
1 0Turns out it really was brand new, and the silicone wasn’t the right choice for lube. Real gun oil is working even better. Silicone is good on the exterior blued parts though.
This puppy can really pack a whollop!
1 0I forgot to add that most of the Rossi guns are shootable out of the box AFTER you thoroughly clean the barrel, magazine tube and action of an accumulation of a mix of cosmoline, rust, machining shavings & grindings, mud, grit I call GUNK that looks like dried cacca. I haven’t seen a new Rossi yet that wasn’t covered in the stuff inside & out. The stuff looked bad but after I cleaned my Rossis up there was no permanent corrosion or pitting and they are slick as well as good shooters.
**Don’t try & cycle a Rossi Rio Grande action when the rifle is upside down…….it won’t work & you might jam something.
0 0I recently purchased the Rossi Rio Grand 410. Right out of the box the the gun jammed when loading the ammo. I went back to the gun shop and after working on it thay said the loading gate was bent. Once I got to the range it will cock the hammer only after the first level cock. Each shot after that I have to mannually cock the hammer. This thing is going back.
Tom H.
0 0j- that bottom part is the magazine, where the rounds are stored. Not a barrel. Because that’s the only sensible way I can interpret your question.
I’d love one. Arg. Too many nice guns, not nearly enough disposable income.
1 0I have a Stainless steel Rossi lever action in 45LC. This rifle is great, it just works, reliable and accurate. I was first skeptical but compared to what I have recently seen come from Marlin, the Rossi’s are superb. The only isuue I am concerned about is the mag tube follower which is plastic, but still no problems after 1500 roungs fired. The quality control at Marlin is almost non existant, I recently picked up a marlin 45-70 at a local gunshop, It was new in stainless steel, although very appealling, the weapon would not cycle correctly and the factory front sight was mounted approximatly 30 degrees off center, How does that happen? People that dont give a cr__, thats how! I am looking forward to buying a Rossi 45-70. Just my opinion, and I am still a amatuer with less that 90 guns for 40 years. thats only a little over two a year. I am still attempting to convince the wife about the one gun a month investment program, Ha.
0 0The quality of Marlins went for a nosedive after Remington bought the company.
Get one of the older pre Remington acquisition Marlins if you want the quality we have grown to expect over the years from that once great brand.
The Rossi Rio Grande lever action rifle which is based on the classic Marlin 336 action is a well built, accurate rifle right out of the box.
0 0Does the Rio Grande 410 chamber 3″ 410 shells?
0 0@Frank: Hmm…no clue, but that’s a good question. You could try emailing their customer support or something, and see if you can get an answer from them.
0 0im only 14 about to be 15 and i just got one of the rossi 45-70 gove and thats wat iv wanted since i got my 308 last year
0 0I also have just bought the rio grande 410 and havnt had nothing but trouble. its very hard to load and when you try to chamber a shell the lever jams tight. I took it back to the dealer and they said it could take a week or who knows how long for rossi to make good on the gun. has anyone else had this problem.
0 0Just purchased a Rossi Rio Grande 410 bore shotgun. Comments about it jaming all the time by readers here give me great concern. The dealer gave me a box of 36 guage Rio shells but they do not fit properly and stuck in the barrel. I had to break the shell up to get it out. I went toWalmart and purchased Remington 410 shells and they load perfectly and shoots well. Don’t use Rio 410 shells in this weapon.
0 0I bought a Rio Grande 410SS and it was mildly dirty, not a problem.
The loading gate spring is so tight that I can’t load it without using a dowel to jam in the shell. It is UNUSABLE!
I have seen other complaints like this and wonder if anyone has a solution. Please help!
Thanks, Jerry
0 0Hello all. I used to load and shoot years ago and have forgotten most of what I knew. Most of it was shot gun reloading and .30-06. Now I’m interested in hunting white tails and prefer a lever action in .45 long colt, .454, or something close. I think .45-70 may be overkill. I’ve looked at Rossi’s guns in this area but don’t know much about their ballistics. So ~~ would some of you fellows talk about these two rifle’s ballistic data, accuracy, reliability, etc., and suggestions? I currently own a .30-06, .454 Casull x 7″ (Freedom Arms) and several .22′s.
Thanks for your help.
0 0Well, a .45-70 does seem like it would be overkill, but you could still use it if you wanted to, I’m sure. The universal choice seems to be .30-30 Win., although, I’ve talked to plenty of people who use other calibers, including .357 Magnum, .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, and I think a couple who use .30-06 Sprg. or .270 Win. I believe one of my uncles has a .30-06 that he uses for deer hunting. Personally, I’d go with either .30-30 Win., or .357 Magnum if you want a pistol caliber lever action. You could probably go with .44 Magnum too, but the .357′s cheaper and gets the job done, as long as you’re not TOO far away.
0 0@blackthorn: Ah, yeah, I don’t get why they curve them inwards, either. Maybe it’s a symmetry thing? I don’t know. I like the large lever loops too, but not ones that are overly large. I believe Marlin has a few with the large loops I’m talking about. I’d love to get one, once they get their quality control issues fixed.
0 0My Rossi Rio in 410 jams about every 3rd shell. It is a real pain to get it unjammed. Do not try a 3 inch. It will close and fire, but it is not intended and eventually you will get hurt. Back to the jamming, it seems like the extractor doesn’t grab.
0 0My Rossi Rio Grande in .30-30 WCF was absolutely filthy when I got it. I used a aerosol degreaser/solvent to wash GUNK (cosmoline, machining cuttings, rust, dirt) out of the bore and action. It took an hour with nylon bristle brushes on the end of a cleaning rod and a variable speed electric drill and a whole can of solvent to scrub the bore out until it was clean. If I had done it by hand (without the drill) it would have taken a week. When the clean up job was done there was no permanent corrosion or pitting either on or in the gun. If there had been it would have went right back for a refund.
You’d think Rossi warehoused their guns a big mud puddle before boxing them and shipping them to customers. There is no excuse for that in my opinion & unnecessarily downgrades an otherwise good product.
After the clean up and a good lubrication with clean oil the Rossi Rio Grande is the slickest levergun I have ever had in my hands.
0 0@EPWrangler: Rossi has a lever action rifle in .308? And do you mean a box magazine, or something? I mean, of course it’s magazine fed. The typical tube is still considered a magazine. But I didn’t know they had a .308. I’ve never seen it on their site. Also, I’ve considered the stainless models, but the stainless just doesn’t look as nice as the blued steel, in my opinion. It’s too bad they can’t blue stainless steel, huh?
0 0I own a Rossi shotgun & 3 of their knock off model 92s & they are solid no frills guns that nostalgia aside are better than the originals.
I would expect the Rio Grande acorn didn’t fall far from the tree in the solid, no frills quality department.
0 0Oh yeah, I think I’m definitely going to be getting one of these. I wish it had a straight grip, though.
0 0Would this Rossi .45-70 / 410 also shoot a .45 LC
0 0Well, Jeremiah, the patent on the 336 may have expired by now. Why reinvent the wheel. A whole bunch of manufacturers ‘copy’ other rifle and pistol designs.
0 0Looks like a total marlin 336 rip off to me.
0 0So do they fire at the same time?
0 0If you are wanting a decent lever action rifle… Rossi is the way to go right now. Marlin’s troubling QC issues mean your taking a risk buying one. Rossi beating Marlin – I could cry.
0 0I bought a Henry .22LR carbine with the 16.25″ barrel, and the large loop lever back around Jan/Feb of 2010. Frankly, I LOVE the large loops. I’ve never really understood why the loops on the pistol grip stocked Marlins are curved inwards on the side where the back of your hand makes contact. Obviously the inward curve on the side that mates to the grip has to be that way, but there is no reason for the outward facing side to be curved inwards.
Even if the outward side was straight, like on the old Winchesters, it would be more comfortable.
Ah well, such is life!
0 0Bear gun anyone? I want a 45-70 in stainless steel. Actually, I wanting a 308, a 270, 30-06 and a 243 in stainless , too. I am going today to try to get the 30-30 stainless. what a great gun.
0 0@blackthorn: I find myself browsing Rossi’s website nearly every day, wishing I could afford to buy a rifle or two. I know some people don’t like the large lever loops, but I like the loop on their .45-70 Rio Grande. I like to wear gloves, and I have large hands, so it would accommodate me better. As for Marlin, I hope they get their quality control back in line, because I’d love to get their 1895 Cowboy, or maybe one of their Guide Guns.
@pricedo: I think Greg knows the bottom tube is the magazine. I think he just thought that the .45-70 could chamber/fire the .45 Colt, too, which it can’t, of course. I’m guessing he figured it was a similar case as Taurus’s Judge, which chambers both .410 shells and .45 Colt cartridges, and he probably thought that the Rio Grande was one gun that shoots both .45-70 and .410 shells.
0 0I bought the 30-30 stainless and i do like it very much. I still wonder about a magazine fed lever action in 308 from Rossi.
0 0I don’t think Rossi has ever made something I wouldn’t buy. I’d prefer it without the Big Loop though.
0 0“Gregon 24 Aug 2011 at 9:01 am link comment
Would this Rossi .45-70 / 410 also shoot a .45 LC”
Shoot much ??
You’re discussing two different guns.
The tube underneath the barrel is not another barrel……it’s a tubular magazine.
1 1@pricedo: They do have a couple lever action models in .454 Casull, but they aren’t part of their Rio Grande line. It’d be really nice if they made one in .500 S&W Magnum too. It’d probably have a pretty mean kick, though.
0 0How about a 16 or 18 inch carbine version? I want one.
0 0How about one in the .454, .460 or .500 pistol rounds?
0 0@Greg: First of all, I believe they manufacture the .45-70 and .410 as separate guns. Second, I highly doubt you could (safely) chamber and fire .45 Colt rounds in the .45-70. The bullet diameter on the .45-70 is .458″, and it has a tapered casing from .505-.480″ (base-neck). The bullet diameter of the .45 Colt is .451″, and it has a straight, non-tapered case with a .480″ diameter.
0 2
I bought a Rio Grande 410SS and it was mildly dirty, not a problem.
The loading gate spring is so tight that I can’t load it without using a dowel to jam in the shell. It is UNUSABLE!
I have seen other complaints like this and wonder if anyone has a solution. Please help!
Thanks, Jerry
Just purchased a Rossi Rio Grande 410 bore shotgun. Comments about it jaming all the time by readers here give me great concern. The dealer gave me a box of 36 guage Rio shells but they do not fit properly and stuck in the barrel. I had to break the shell up to get it out. I went toWalmart and purchased Remington 410 shells and they load perfectly and shoots well. Don’t use Rio 410 shells in this weapon.
Hello all. I used to load and shoot years ago and have forgotten most of what I knew. Most of it was shot gun reloading and .30-06. Now I’m interested in hunting white tails and prefer a lever action in .45 long colt, .454, or something close. I think .45-70 may be overkill. I’ve looked at Rossi’s guns in this area but don’t know much about their ballistics. So ~~ would some of you fellows talk about these two rifle’s ballistic data, accuracy, reliability, etc., and suggestions? I currently own a .30-06, .454 Casull x 7″ (Freedom Arms) and several .22′s.
Thanks for your help.
Well, a .45-70 does seem like it would be overkill, but you could still use it if you wanted to, I’m sure. The universal choice seems to be .30-30 Win., although, I’ve talked to plenty of people who use other calibers, including .357 Magnum, .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, and I think a couple who use .30-06 Sprg. or .270 Win. I believe one of my uncles has a .30-06 that he uses for deer hunting. Personally, I’d go with either .30-30 Win., or .357 Magnum if you want a pistol caliber lever action. You could probably go with .44 Magnum too, but the .357′s cheaper and gets the job done, as long as you’re not TOO far away.
My Rossi Rio Grande in .30-30 WCF was absolutely filthy when I got it. I used a aerosol degreaser/solvent to wash GUNK (cosmoline, machining cuttings, rust, dirt) out of the bore and action. It took an hour with nylon bristle brushes on the end of a cleaning rod and a variable speed electric drill and a whole can of solvent to scrub the bore out until it was clean. If I had done it by hand (without the drill) it would have taken a week. When the clean up job was done there was no permanent corrosion or pitting either on or in the gun. If there had been it would have went right back for a refund.
You’d think Rossi warehoused their guns a big mud puddle before boxing them and shipping them to customers. There is no excuse for that in my opinion & unnecessarily downgrades an otherwise good product.
After the clean up and a good lubrication with clean oil the Rossi Rio Grande is the slickest levergun I have ever had in my hands.
My Rossi Rio in 410 jams about every 3rd shell. It is a real pain to get it unjammed. Do not try a 3 inch. It will close and fire, but it is not intended and eventually you will get hurt. Back to the jamming, it seems like the extractor doesn’t grab.
I also have just bought the rio grande 410 and havnt had nothing but trouble. its very hard to load and when you try to chamber a shell the lever jams tight. I took it back to the dealer and they said it could take a week or who knows how long for rossi to make good on the gun. has anyone else had this problem.
I’ve just gotten one of these in 45-70. The action jammed while “playing” with it just hours after I picked it up…
So I decided to take it apart and unjam it. Turns out, the gate which locks the bolt was stuck in the bolt. There was crud in most parts of the action which I cleaned out. The gun looked minimally used, but was expected to be NIB.
It disassembled quite easily. 4 screws were necessary to be removed, and nothing exploded out of the assembly. I got the gate unstuck and cleaned it up with silicon lube, and the action is working very well now.
Of note, the action does not function upside down. It does chamber the 2.5″ 410 shells (3″ are too long), but only 1 at a time.
The big loop makes this look just like The Rifleman’s weapon.
Here’s photos..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71264013@N03/
Turns out it really was brand new, and the silicone wasn’t the right choice for lube. Real gun oil is working even better. Silicone is good on the exterior blued parts though.
This puppy can really pack a whollop!
I recently purchased the Rossi Rio Grand 410. Right out of the box the the gun jammed when loading the ammo. I went back to the gun shop and after working on it thay said the loading gate was bent. Once I got to the range it will cock the hammer only after the first level cock. Each shot after that I have to mannually cock the hammer. This thing is going back.
Tom H.
I forgot to add that most of the Rossi guns are shootable out of the box AFTER you thoroughly clean the barrel, magazine tube and action of an accumulation of a mix of cosmoline, rust, machining shavings & grindings, mud, grit I call GUNK that looks like dried cacca. I haven’t seen a new Rossi yet that wasn’t covered in the stuff inside & out. The stuff looked bad but after I cleaned my Rossis up there was no permanent corrosion or pitting and they are slick as well as good shooters.
**Don’t try & cycle a Rossi Rio Grande action when the rifle is upside down…….it won’t work & you might jam something.
I’m going to pick mine up tonight. Got it in 410. It only shoots 2 1/2 inch shells. If the quality of this gun is the same as my marlin 3361895 in 219 zipper I am sure I will be very happy with it.
I have a Stainless steel Rossi lever action in 45LC. This rifle is great, it just works, reliable and accurate. I was first skeptical but compared to what I have recently seen come from Marlin, the Rossi’s are superb. The only isuue I am concerned about is the mag tube follower which is plastic, but still no problems after 1500 roungs fired. The quality control at Marlin is almost non existant, I recently picked up a marlin 45-70 at a local gunshop, It was new in stainless steel, although very appealling, the weapon would not cycle correctly and the factory front sight was mounted approximatly 30 degrees off center, How does that happen? People that dont give a cr__, thats how! I am looking forward to buying a Rossi 45-70. Just my opinion, and I am still a amatuer with less that 90 guns for 40 years. thats only a little over two a year. I am still attempting to convince the wife about the one gun a month investment program, Ha.
The quality of Marlins went for a nosedive after Remington bought the company.
Get one of the older pre Remington acquisition Marlins if you want the quality we have grown to expect over the years from that once great brand.
The Rossi Rio Grande lever action rifle which is based on the classic Marlin 336 action is a well built, accurate rifle right out of the box.
im only 14 about to be 15 and i just got one of the rossi 45-70 gove and thats wat iv wanted since i got my 308 last year
@Frank: Hmm…no clue, but that’s a good question. You could try emailing their customer support or something, and see if you can get an answer from them.
Does the Rio Grande 410 chamber 3″ 410 shells?
@blackthorn: Ah, yeah, I don’t get why they curve them inwards, either. Maybe it’s a symmetry thing? I don’t know. I like the large lever loops too, but not ones that are overly large. I believe Marlin has a few with the large loops I’m talking about. I’d love to get one, once they get their quality control issues fixed.
I bought a Henry .22LR carbine with the 16.25″ barrel, and the large loop lever back around Jan/Feb of 2010. Frankly, I LOVE the large loops. I’ve never really understood why the loops on the pistol grip stocked Marlins are curved inwards on the side where the back of your hand makes contact. Obviously the inward curve on the side that mates to the grip has to be that way, but there is no reason for the outward facing side to be curved inwards.
Even if the outward side was straight, like on the old Winchesters, it would be more comfortable.
Ah well, such is life!
@EPWrangler: Rossi has a lever action rifle in .308? And do you mean a box magazine, or something? I mean, of course it’s magazine fed. The typical tube is still considered a magazine. But I didn’t know they had a .308. I’ve never seen it on their site. Also, I’ve considered the stainless models, but the stainless just doesn’t look as nice as the blued steel, in my opinion. It’s too bad they can’t blue stainless steel, huh?
I bought the 30-30 stainless and i do like it very much. I still wonder about a magazine fed lever action in 308 from Rossi.
@blackthorn: I find myself browsing Rossi’s website nearly every day, wishing I could afford to buy a rifle or two. I know some people don’t like the large lever loops, but I like the loop on their .45-70 Rio Grande. I like to wear gloves, and I have large hands, so it would accommodate me better. As for Marlin, I hope they get their quality control back in line, because I’d love to get their 1895 Cowboy, or maybe one of their Guide Guns.
@pricedo: I think Greg knows the bottom tube is the magazine. I think he just thought that the .45-70 could chamber/fire the .45 Colt, too, which it can’t, of course. I’m guessing he figured it was a similar case as Taurus’s Judge, which chambers both .410 shells and .45 Colt cartridges, and he probably thought that the Rio Grande was one gun that shoots both .45-70 and .410 shells.
“Gregon 24 Aug 2011 at 9:01 am link comment
Would this Rossi .45-70 / 410 also shoot a .45 LC”
Shoot much ??
You’re discussing two different guns.
The tube underneath the barrel is not another barrel……it’s a tubular magazine.
After perusing the Rossi site, apparently then .45-70 and the .410 are sold as two separate models. The .45-70 is currently only available in Blued steel, and comes standard with the large lever loop. The .410 is available in both Blued and Stainless steel, with a regular lever.
For the record, I love my marlin 30-30, but ever since Remington bought them out, I’ve honestly only heard complaints from people I know who’ve bought the newer model. Mine was purchased back in 1985/86 and I’ve never had a problem.
Considering that Marlin (currently owned by Remington) has halted production of all lever actions until they get their Quality Control back to where it should be, I find my self interested in these Rossi models. Particularly the .410.
I’ve personally never been a fan of the recoil on the .45-70, and between encroaching old age and back problems, I don’t see myself changing my mind any time in the future. Your mileage and personal choice in firearms calibers may vary. LOL!!
As for the shorter barrels, it’d be nice, but to take 2 to 4 inches off the barrel would mean taking the same length off of the magazine tube, which would cut back on the capacity.
As I said, my interest is piqued by the .410.
@pricedo: They do have a couple lever action models in .454 Casull, but they aren’t part of their Rio Grande line. It’d be really nice if they made one in .500 S&W Magnum too. It’d probably have a pretty mean kick, though.
How about one in the .454, .460 or .500 pistol rounds?
How about a 16 or 18 inch carbine version? I want one.
Bear gun anyone? I want a 45-70 in stainless steel. Actually, I wanting a 308, a 270, 30-06 and a 243 in stainless , too. I am going today to try to get the 30-30 stainless. what a great gun.
@Greg: First of all, I believe they manufacture the .45-70 and .410 as separate guns. Second, I highly doubt you could (safely) chamber and fire .45 Colt rounds in the .45-70. The bullet diameter on the .45-70 is .458″, and it has a tapered casing from .505-.480″ (base-neck). The bullet diameter of the .45 Colt is .451″, and it has a straight, non-tapered case with a .480″ diameter.
Would this Rossi .45-70 / 410 also shoot a .45 LC
Oh yeah, I think I’m definitely going to be getting one of these. I wish it had a straight grip, though.
I own a Rossi shotgun & 3 of their knock off model 92s & they are solid no frills guns that nostalgia aside are better than the originals.
I would expect the Rio Grande acorn didn’t fall far from the tree in the solid, no frills quality department.
Actually, Rossi is onto a good thing here. The 336 action is basically the same for all the cartridges Marlin chambers from .30-30 on up. Marlin even made a few pistol-caliber rifles on the 336 action. By copying it — and keeping their QC standards high — Rossi has virtually guaranteed themselves a good market share. I wouldn’t be surprised to see cowboy action versions, pistol-caliber versions, and other variations in future.
Well, Jeremiah, the patent on the 336 may have expired by now. Why reinvent the wheel. A whole bunch of manufacturers ‘copy’ other rifle and pistol designs.
Looks like a total marlin 336 rip off to me.
If you are wanting a decent lever action rifle… Rossi is the way to go right now. Marlin’s troubling QC issues mean your taking a risk buying one. Rossi beating Marlin – I could cry.
j- that bottom part is the magazine, where the rounds are stored. Not a barrel. Because that’s the only sensible way I can interpret your question.
I’d love one. Arg. Too many nice guns, not nearly enough disposable income.
So do they fire at the same time?
I don’t think Rossi has ever made something I wouldn’t buy. I’d prefer it without the Big Loop though.