When I reviewed the Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol, I called it basically unusable, as is, for the average shooter. I meant it. But the platform was too good to leave alone. I saw the potential. So I filed a Form 1, waited it out, and SBR’d it.
A quick thank-you to Federal Ammunition for sending over a few boxes of their 250th Anniversary USA Rifle .45-70 Government 300-grain JSP loads just in time for this session, and to Hornady for supplying their 45-70 410-grain Sub-X Subsonic rounds. .45-70 isn’t cheap, and both companies came through when I needed them. I highly recommend checking both out.
Rossi on TFB:
- NEW Rossi RS22 Pistol in .22 LR – With or Without a Brace, You Choose!
- TFB Review: Rossi R95 Triple Black 30-30 Lever Action
- Rossi Brawler Goes Modern: New 5.56 and .300 BLK Options
- Rossi Shrinks the R95 Triple Black into Pistol Form
- Rossi LWC: Lightweight, Simple Single Shot
Specifications: Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol
The R95 Triple Black Pistol ships exactly as the name suggests – all black Cerakote on steel, paracord-wrapped lever loop, threaded barrel, and a full-length Picatinny rail up top. No iron sights included, so an optic isn’t optional. The pistol configuration means no stock from the factory either, which is, of course, the whole point of this project.
The R95 TBP specs are as follows:
- Caliber: .45-70 Government
- Capacity: 4 Rounds
- Action: Lever Action
- Barrel Length: 13.25 inches
- Overall Length: 23.15 inches
- Overall Height: 6.20 inches
- Overall Width: 1.65 inches
- Weight: 88.00 oz (unloaded)
- Twist Rate: 1:12″ RH
- Grooves: 6
- Frame Material: Steel
- Barrel Material: Steel
- Frame Finish: Cerakote
- Barrel Finish: Cerakote
- Safety: Cross-bolt safety
- Front Sight: None
- Rear Sight: Picatinny Rail
- MSRP: $1,418.99
At $1,418.99, the base gun is already a commitment. The SBR build adds to that. My wood stock and forend set came off eBay, so pricing varies, but figure on a few hundred dollars depending on what surfaces and when. The AT3 Tactical ACE green dot was provided for this review, but retails in a very accessible $199.99 sweet spot and punches above its price point. I should mention it does not come with the QD RMR mount. I picked it up for real cheap long ago, and it could just be an Amazon special; still, no issues have popped up.
The Dead Air Primal (hands down the best 46 cal can in my opinion) is the big-ticket item ($899) on the build – suppressors are suppressors, and a quality 46-cal can that can handle short barrels isn’t cheap. Add a sling, and you have a sense of the all-in number. None of this is budget territory, but the platform justifies it if you’re committed to the concept.
If you haven’t been paying attention, the current $0 tax stamp on Form 1 applications has made builds like this a lot more accessible. Same paperwork process as always, just without the $200. That’s not nothing when you’re already spending money on a stock, optic, and suppressor.
The Build: SBR-ing the Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol
I could have gone tactical. Most people taking this route reach for a Midwest Industries stock or something with M-LOK all over it. I went the other direction. I tracked down a genuine Rossi R95 wood stock and forend set on eBay. People are so into the tacticool builds that actual wood sets keep surfacing for sale, and I grabbed one when it did.
At SHOT, a Rossi associate mentioned I could have just contacted them directly for parts in this case. Good to know, and genuinely kind of them to offer. I’m still waiting to hear back on a separate Brawler SBR project through them, but the door being open at all is appreciated.
For anyone wanting to try this build: a Marlin 336 stock will fit the R95. I had a spare and confirmed it. The capped handguard system is another matter entirely – a 336 forend may need fitting or may not work at all. I didn’t test it, so I can’t say for certain either way. The R95 has a different capped method than the Marlin stuff.
Beyond the wood, I added an Amazon sling and mounted the AT3 Tactical ACE red dot I mentioned earlier, thank you to AT3 for kindly providing it for the build. It handled everything this gun threw at it without complaint. The Dead Air Primal can I ran on this build is my go-to in 46-cal. Real talk, the Primal checks every box 90% of the time, and can handle a build like this without issue. I have looked into other cans with curiosity, and many other 46 cal can have barrel length restrictions and so on.
Range Time: Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol SBR
I ran one box of the Federal 300-grain supers and one box of the Hornady Sub-X loads. Sighting in the AT3 ate through most of the Federal right away, so my supersonic round count was lighter than I’d have liked. Still enough.
With a stock behind it, this gun is a different animal. In pistol form, the R95 .45-70 is genuinely violent – I said so in my original review. Put a proper stock on it and get a cheek weld, and you can actually run it. That alone is the biggest argument for this build.
“But shooting this thing in its stock configuration simply isn’t enjoyable. The recoil is so violent that it becomes a chore rather than entertainment, and unless you’re planning to SBR it with a proper stock, I can’t recommend it as anything more than an expensive conversation piece. The recoil is simply too brutal to make shooting enjoyable, and at nearly $1,500, there are better ways to spend your money on firearms that you’ll actually want to shoot regularly.
This isn’t a criticism of the gun’s quality – it’s exactly what it claims to be. If you’re considering one as a novelty or want to experience .45-70 in a short package, I’d strongly recommend finding someone who owns one and trying it first. Just know what you’re getting into before you pull that trigger.”
The Federal 300-grain loads are still stout. This isn’t a full-size Marlin 1895 soaking up recoil through a long barrel and full-size stock. Think 12-gauge slugs – controllable, but it demands your attention on every shot. I do plan to add a Dead Air Keymo brake for that reason. It’ll also let me run the Primal between this R95 (5/8×24) and my Marlin (11/16×24) using a Keymo adapter, without swapping threads every time. Two guns, one can, cleaner workflow.
Switch to the Hornady Sub-X loads, and the whole experience shifts. With the Primal on the muzzle, felt recoil drops to somewhere around .308 territory. It’s quiet. Comfortable. The combination of a subsonic .45-70 and a quality suppressor turns what was a genuinely unpleasant handgun into something you actually want to keep shooting. That’s the best version of this gun.
I have dubbed this lil guy “Thumper”. I’ve since sewn a black rabbit’s foot into the sling. Draw your own conclusions. Sorry Bambi.
Final Thoughts: SBR-ing the Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol
Compact, hard-hitting, and with the right load, it’s hearing-safe without hearing protection. If you’re a brush hunter who runs thick cover, this rig makes a genuine case for itself. Personally, it lives in the fun gun category. A legitimate thumper with factory ammo and a surprisingly pleasant shooter with subs.
If I were taking it deer hunting, I’d probably swap the red dot for a scope. A longer optics mount and a scout scope might be the right call – but I’d love to hear what you guys and gals think would work best on a rig like this.
In closing, thank you to Rossi for the original opportunity that brought me this gun, Federal for the anniversary ammo, Hornady for the Sub-X loads, and AT3 Tactical for the ACE red dot. Have any of you SBR’d a pistol-format lever gun? What optic setup would you run on a build like this? And with the $0 Form 1 stamp, are any of you looking at SBR projects of your own? Let us know in the comments below!
