Gun Of The Week: Rossi USA R95

by
posted on December 13, 2024
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

When it comes to lever-action rifles, Rossi USA is no stranger to the platform and has been in business crafting cowboy guns for quite some time. So that brings us here to the range where we’re greeted with a classic rendition of its R95, and it comes chambered for a classic, all-American deer-hunting round, .30-30 Winchester. Watch our video above to see the Rossi R95 in use on the range.

GUN OF THE WEEK text box overlay Rossi USA R95 lever-action rifle right-side view

This Rossi R95 is just one example of a number of guns that have kept the quintessentially American lever-action platform alive. In particular, the company pays homage to the Marlin designs that emerged in the final years of the 19th century. Although Rossi opted to add a few modern appointments to its R95 design, mechanically, this particular model is a faithful copy of Marlin’s 1895 repeater and made available at nearly half the cost. The original design came chambered for heavy-hitting, big-bore pistol-caliber cartridges and the historic .45-70 Gov’t, but today’s 1895 from Rossi is dialed down a bit to include the .30-30 Winchester. This rimmed, tapered, bottlenecked cartridge was made specifically for repeating actions of this type, and the round continues to be a great performer in the deer woods to this day, more than a century after its introduction.

Aside from being a practical design chambered for a great hunting round, this Rossi R95 is a looker, too. Our sample sports a 20” barrel and comes fitted with dark-stained wood furniture. And considering this is a gun meant for the modern era, the R95’s steel receiver comes drilled-and-tapped for optics, which is a boon to hunters wanting to improve accuracy or avoid looking down the gun’s buckhorn sights with tired eyes. There’s also a set of sling studs and a soft rubber recoil pad to diminish the felt recoil from of hot-loaded .30-30s.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN PRESENTS GUN OF THE WEEK text overlay mosic tiles arrangement nine images Rossi USA R95 lever-action rifle men shooting

You’ll find textured panels on either side of the stock’s wrist and fore-end that help with user purchase, especially on those cold hunting days when hands are gloved. Rossi incorporates a standard-profile under-lever, which preserves the traditional lines of the guns as opposed to the big-loop levers we’re used to seeing today. There’s still plenty of room to get your hand in to operate the action, though.

On the range, the R95 manual of arms was easy to master. A notable feature of the Rossi R95 was the crossbolt safety located at the rear of the receiver, just underneath the spur hammer. Pushing this button to the left allows the gun to fire. Our testers also enjoyed the lightweight, quick-handling nature of the R95 and we believe this is a gun that has the ability to be a capable hunting arm for the woods, as well as a great casual plinker. If you’re looking for a more compact, carbine-type version of the same gun, Rossi also offers a version of its R95 with a 16.5” barrel.

GUN OF THE WEEK text overlay Rossi USA R95 lever-action rifle left-side view wood stock gun

Rossi USA R95 Specifications
Importer: Rossi USA
Action Type: lever-action, centerfire, repeating rifle
Chambering: .30-30 Win.
Receiver: alloy steel; black oxide finish
Barrel: 16.5" alloy steel; black oxide finish
Magazine: tubular; five-round
Sights: fully adjustable semi-buckhorn-style rear, post front
Stock: wood
Overall Length: 39"
Weight: 6 lbs., 13.6 ozs.
MSRP: $985

Latest

Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Compact 3.5" AOS black pistol handgun right-side view
Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Compact 3.5" AOS black pistol handgun right-side view

Gun Of The Week: Springfield Armory Prodigy Compact 3.5” AOS

For this episode, we’re on the range with a double-stack, M1911-style handgun that’s more compact and lightweight than we’re used to seeing. This is the Springfield Armory Prodigy Compact 3.5” AOS chambered for 9 mm Luger.

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 1, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Budget Pistol Rigs With AIM Surplus

It's still possible to pull together a budget-friendly, name-brand pistol rig for $300 to $400, if you play your cards right.

Nextorch Celebrating 20th Anniversary—A Timely Preparedness Reminder

Nextorch North America is celebrating the company’s 20 years of providing lighting solutions for consumers, law enforcement professionals and military forces around the world.

Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson M&P 22 Magnum

One of Smith & Wesson's recent additions to its M&P handgun line is the M&P 22 Magnum, and there's a lot more going on in this gun, technologically, than it appears at first glance.

New For 2025: Beretta BRX1 Ranch

Beretta has expanded its BRX1 straight-pull action into a "ranch rifle" configuration, providing a handy, lightweight platform that still includes some of the groundbreaking features of the original BRX1 rifle.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.