The Rossi R95 Triple Black Pistol .45-70 is what happens when someone asks, “What if we took one of the hardest-hitting rifle cartridges, one that people historically used for bison, and put it in a handgun?” The answer is violence. Pure, unadulterated violence that will rearrange your understanding of recoil. I’ve been a fan of the R95 series since they first arrived, and I reviewed one. I own a .30-30 Triple Black Rifle that I also reviewed. The action is solid, the build quality is there, and they’re just fun guns. But this .45-70 pistol version? This is something else entirely.
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Specifications: Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol
The gun comes with a threaded barrel and a full-length Picatinny rail. No iron sights are included – you’ll need to mount an optic.
- 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
At $1,418.99, this gun sits in an awkward spot. You’re paying premium money for what’s essentially a novelty item that most people won’t enjoy shooting. The build quality justifies some of the cost, but unless you’re committed to the SBR route or just want the ultimate conversation starter, I hate to say it this early, but there are better ways to spend fourteen hundred bucks on firearms you’ll actually want to shoot more than once.
“The legendary R95 Triple Black goes compact. The new lever-action TBP lineup delivers the same rugged black Cerakote finish, paracord-wrapped medium loop, and threaded barrel—now in a pistol format. Available in hard-hitting calibers like .454 Casull, .45-70 Govt, .44 Mag, and .357 Mag. Compact, capable, and ready for anything.”
First Look: Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol
This thing is a behemoth. At 88 ounces unloaded, it’s got serious heft, but when you pick it up, you immediately understand why they kept the standard R95 tang design and went with that raptor-style grip. There wasn’t room to redesign the whole platform, so they worked with what they had.
The Cerakote finish is well-executed, and the threaded barrel is a nice touch for those wanting to run a suppressor. The rail system is solid and provides plenty of real estate for mounting optics. Build quality is exactly what I’ve come to expect from the R95 line – solid, well-fitted, and ready for work.
Range Time: Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol
Here’s where things get interesting, and by interesting, I mean terrifying. I fired roughly 12 rounds total – six with standard Hornady LEVERevolution ammo and six with some subsonic handloads I put together specifically for this gun.
Even sitting at a bench with the gun properly supported and an optic mounted, this thing is absolutely brutal to shoot. The recoil isn’t the rotational flip you might expect from a big-bore handgun. It’s a straight-back rifle recoil concentrated into a handgun platform. It’s violent in a way that’s hard to describe until you experience it.
I’ve shot plenty of hard-kicking guns in my life, including the Mossberg Shockwave, which you could agree shares a similar layout. If the Shockwave is an 8 out of 10 on the violence scale, this R95 .45-70 is a solid 10. Even with the subsonic loads, it was still a handful and frankly a bit scary. The raptor grip doesn’t help with control – it’s harder to maintain a solid purchase when this thing wants to launch itself out of your hands. I considered trying some hip shots, but decided that wasn’t responsible at my local range, given the uncertainty of actually hitting my target.
As it sits, this gun is more novelty than practical tool. Could you hunt with it? Sure, but there are easier ways to deliver .45-70 performance. The real potential I see here is as an entry point for someone wanting a short .45-70 SBR. The beauty of the R95 platform is that it accepts stocks designed for the Marlin 336. Midwest Industries and others make plenty of options that will bolt right up. Add the proper paperwork and tax stamp, and you’d have a legitimately useful short-barreled rifle in .45-70.
The threaded barrel really shines with subsonic loads and a suppressor. That deep, empty “thump” is something special, even if the recoil management doesn’t improve much with the added weight.
The R95 platform itself is excellent – proven action, solid construction, and good attention to detail. The threaded barrel and rail system show Rossi was thinking about versatility. The Cerakote finish should provide excellent durability. The recoil is simply too much for average shooters to handle effectively in this configuration. The grip design, while understandable given the platform constraints, doesn’t provide adequate control for the power on tap.
Final Thoughts: Rossi R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol
The Rossi R95 .45-70 pistol is extremely well-made and represents the pinnacle of “because we can” engineering that showcases what’s possible when you push the boundaries of traditional firearms design. The classic 1895 action works perfectly, the safety is intuitive, loading is straightforward, and the rail system is well-executed.
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.
In closing, I want to thank Rossi for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their R95 .45-70 Triple Black Pistol. What do you think? Is this the kind of raw power that appeals to you, or would you rather stick with more manageable calibers? Have you considered the SBR route for something like this? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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