I’ve been drooling after Taylor’s (Chiappa) 16 inch Alaskan Takedown in 357 for a long time but I’m having a hard time getting over their price point. This is going to be my first lever gun.

At $1200-$1300 should I just be looking for a Winchester/Miroku 1892? The 16 inch ones are impossible to find even on the auction sites (Gunbroker, Armslist, etc.).

Anyone have any thoughts or recommendations?

1st off, while the '92 in 357mag is a great choice, the barrel length you're after isn't.  The balance of the carbine is all wrong with the 16" barrel.  I have both a 20" rd bbl carbine and a 24" oct bbl rifle and the carbine feels on the the light side of perfect while the heavier barreled rifle 'hangs' perfectly for accurate shooting when you shoulder it.

Further, I handload for mine and my 24" bbl rifle produces 33fps faster velocities than my 20" carbine so any argument that the 16" barrel is where you get max velocities is not supported by chrono data.  I know the 16" trappers are all the rage now but do yourself a favor and for your first, get what has proven to the the best; a 20" rd bbl carbine.  You'll be glad you did.

I would do a tour of 5 or 6 local gun shops and see what they have used in the $300 to $600 range.

So going from 20 to 24 inches gives you 33 FPS increase?  According to online ballistics calculators, 16 to 20 inches will give an increase of 30 FPS (depending on many factors).   Some calculators have the FPS decreasing (again lot of factors).

I would not want an extra 4 inches of barrel just to get 1.5-2% increase in velocity (2050 vs 2080) for a gun that’s meant to be carried.  I’d go under 16 inches in 357 magnum if SBR / NFA laws didn’t stipulate that.

Edit.  In fact I did.   I forgot.   I have an AR15 variant in 357 magnum, it sports a 12 inch barrel.

To me 16" is perfect for a .357.  Granted you do give up a little velocity and get more muzzle blast but you save a little weight and the whole thing is just easier to handle. If Marlin makes any more stainless 357s I'm going to convert one to a Trapper like I did to one of my 44s.

Lol good luck finding a .357 lever gun for $300 these days.

Thanks for the replies.

Yea, I fully expect to pay upwards of $1,000 if I can find a clean condition Winchester in 357. The issue is finding one.

The Rossi safety just bugs me, even with a plug. If I put a sight where the Rossi safety is, then I gotta put a plug on the barrel.  It just seems off to me. But post some pics if you disagree

No pics but I have one I did just that to.  They sell dovetail filler blanks that really clean up the appearance.

Plugged the safety hole and used the factory drilled & tapped holes to mount the scope rail.  

@Kingstrider absolutely unreal work.

Can you share some details on that front rail and iron sight set up? With no optics on the rail are the iron sights still usable?

Lots more info here but yes the sights can see over the rail and a 1.375" OD can.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/Armory/Stainless-Rossi-92-SBR-in-357-magnum/51-488171/

Now this I wanna see

Yes, Ballistics by the Inch shows that, however, and it's a big however, they are using commercial pistol ammo specifically developed for pistol length barrels (4"- 6").  If you look at Buffalo Bore's 357mag Heavy ammo or even better, handloaded ammo using Magnum pistol powders like H110/296 or Lil'Gun, you'll see that they perform significantly better in longer barreled guns.

My normal, full power 158grn 357mag loads using SAAMI spec 16.5grns of H110 develop 1,382fps in a 7.5" barreled SA, 1,789fps in my 20" Rossi carbine, and 1,822fps in my 24" Rossi rifle.  That's 407fps better in the 20" carbine vs the 7.5" pistol and 440fps more in the 24" rifle definitely showing that the longer, 24" barrel isn't slowing the bullet down as they suggest but rather still increasing the velocities.  Remember, I recommended that the OP get the 20" carbine over the 16" one, not the 24" rifle.

Further, I didn't get the rifle for 33fps more velocity.  I got it so that I could get a 30" sight radius by adding a tang and globe set of sights vs the 16" sight radius from the sights on my carbine.  Why?  I use my rifle length Rossi with my Zero 158grn JSP bullets and H110 powder loads to shoot at steel plates at 300yds . . . . . . . . . iron sights and a pistol bullet.  That's why.

Winchester does now have available again in 2018, a new 16" Trapper in .357mag..  It has an octagon barrel, and case hardened frame.  The cost however, is ridiculous. http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/rifles/model-1892/model-1892-current-products/model-1892-trapper-takedown.html

Even the used 20" carbines with the Winchester name, are too high for me.

Does it NEED to be a take down?   If not.....then......

As for a carbine .357 Mag/.38 Special.....for me.....I'd be looking into a Marlin 1894 (pre-Remington) with 18.5 inch barrel.  The magazine spring can be modified so it'll accept 10 rounds of .357 Mag ammo.   Scope mounting is much easier.  Side eject out the right side (left handers beware).  Lever work/smoothing up, is available as a DIY option or send it off to a Marlin Guru.

Normally.....I've found the Winchester 1892 (clones anyway) to be slower to manipulate (the lever)* vs. a Marlin.  But, that's me.

Aloha, Mark

PS.....*based on the ownership of three 1892s.  A used Rossi in .357 Mag and a new EMF SS in .357 Mag and another new EMF SS in 45 LC.

There is a tri lug adapter under it.   Notice the magazine.

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