I found a used 45 Colt chambered Rossi. The price was right and they are sometimes hard to find. However, it is 20". I've tried to like it, but I've had my 16" trapper in .357 for years. It's just the perfect size for what I want a carbine for.

So I figure I have two options:

Take it to a smith and get the work done

See if anyone is wanting to trade their 16" for my 20".

Two considerations:

How much will the work cost?

How likely am I to find that trade.

Any experience or expertise would be appreciated.

Cut the barrel down, move the sight, and replace the mag tube with one off a 16". Should be fairly cheap.

Class III machining will do it.

I’d shorten it by melting it down into something useful.

Beat me to it

Whatchu talkin bout!! The Rossi 92 action is a perfect mate for the 45 Colt.

Then again I’m a 45 Colt fan and the 92 will take the top published Ruger loads with ease.

I’ll take your word for it. The only Rossi’s I’ve handled were better off as scrap metal.

That seems like the best deal.

I’ve always thought it would be cool to buy one of the ranch hands, SBR it, and buy a stock.

I would just keep looking until you find what you want. There are several on GB now, what seems to be coming into the country now are stainless rifles but the blued rifles are out there. You might have to buy the rifle you want and sell the rifle that you have.

I've been a Rossi shooter for quite a while, thousands of rounds through my rifles without issues, there has been a truckload of deer taken with them and hundreds of hogs dead because of them. I own them chambered in 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, and 480 Ruger; all 20" barrels.

Yep, the Rossi 454 Casull is a great rifle, we have 2 or them, by each manufacturer.

Sneaky is a funny S.O.B. in very few words!

How difficult is the barrel to get off?

Once off, it's no large project to cut it to a new length.

The 92s are actually very well made. Especially if you get a pre-safety model.

I’ll admit I’ve never handled a 92, so maybe they are.

My vote is trade for 16". I would bet there are dudes out there with the 16" version that woukd prefer the ammo capacity of a 20" rifle.

Thanks for the good advice from every one.

My son has, what he considers the best option. Give my 20" to him and find myself a trapper. I guess that makes the most sense.

Can’t go wrong with that plan. My current 45 Colt is a 20” but I prefer the 16” for the ease of handling.

And always dead on accurate!

I think Morgan at Class 3 Machining has shortened a few lever rifles. Don’t know the cost involved might want to reach out to him.

I do a bunch of them, 10 or more a week.

It would be cheapest to find one already that length.

Shortening them is a big job, have to recut sight dovetail, recut slots on the barrel, dimple it again etc.

Sometimes the band won't go back on since barrel tapers, so have to bore out the band.