Gun enthusiasts will forever revere lever-action rifles. They’re iconic and a representation of American heritage. For many of us, the lever-action rifle was either our first long gun purchase or a family heirloom that has been passed down for generations. For my family, it’s been both. My dad’s first gun was a 30-30 lever-action rifle, which I’ve taken deer hunting, and it’s a firearm I look forward to inheriting mainly for its sentimental value. This older model 30-30 is quite limited in its features, as the barrel isn’t threaded, there is no adjustability in the stock, and it is extremely restricted by the narrow range of scopes that can be mounted to it. Nowadays, I’m more interested in lever-action rifles that come threaded to be suppressor-ready and are compatible with aftermarket parts, allowing me to customize the gun to my liking. While it might make some relatives roll over in their graves, modernizing lever-action rifles makes them more practical.
Rossi sent me the R95 Triple Black lever-action rifle in 30-30 Win, which comes more modernized straight from the factory than most lever-actions on the market today. The barrel is threaded, making it a great suppressor host, and it features a long Picatinny rail on top, ready for mounting a wide variety of scopes and optics. Rossi produces an incredible product at a reasonable price point, considering the value of the guns from the factory. Their lever-action rifles are also very accurate, which is what ultimately attracted me to setting this gun up for hunting.
I had a vision of what I ultimately wanted this rifle to look like and how I wanted to customize it to meet my needs. There was one brand that could make that happen, and that was Midwest Industries. They are a manufacturer of American-made products for a multitude of platforms. When they opened in 2003, their primary focus was the AR-15 platform, but after listening to consumer needs, they started to serve more neglected platforms in the industry. The modernized parts they design for AKs, shotguns, and lever-action rifles are what bring these outdated firearms into the 21st century, enabling them to be used in more practical ways. Let me walk you through the simple upgrades I made to the Rossi R95 using Midwest Industries parts that had a massive impact on the practicality of the build.
Rossi 95 Extended Sight System – 30-30
The first upgrade I made was swapping the Rossi handguard for the Midwest Industries extended sight system. This is a total replacement, featuring a modern M-LOK compatible handguard design with a full-length Picatinny rail, a steel rear aperture and front sight post, and a 5-slot M-LOK rail section. The rear sight features a heavy-duty ghost ring for better target acquisition. Midwest includes its sight adjustment tool, and with this package, you can make wide adjustments to the windage and elevation.
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The Rossi R95 handguard comes stock with a sling swivel stud for most hunting slings, so Midwest Industries retained this feature on the extended sight system to ensure consumers wouldn’t lose that compatibility. The full-length top Picatinny rail is a dream for mounting scopes, lights, lasers, or other accessories. And you cannot beat M-LOK compatibility on a rifle. That upgrade alone is worth its weight in gold. I used the 5-slot M-LOK rail section at the 6 o’clock position on the handguard for use with my bipod.
I haven’t used iron sights in years, and with a dedicated hunting rifle, I knew I wanted to mount a scope. The EOTech Vudu 1-10 FFP scope is one of my favorite scopes, offering various reticle options, push-button illumination, and an easy-to-use throw lever. EOTech is a brand known for its quality and durability, so it is always my go-to choice for hard-use rifles that will be used in the field and extreme environments. Paired with the Warne Scope Mounts 34mm tube mount, this duo was perfect to mount on the Rossi lever-action.
G10 M-LOK Panel – OD Black
I mounted four G10 M-LOK panels on each side of the handguard for added grip texture. With my background as a competitive shooter, I prefer to have some texture or marker as an indexing spot for my support hand or support hand thumb. On pistols, that could mean a thumb shelf, thumb rest, or stippling. On rifles, grip panels are the easiest way to create this indexing spot; however, other shooters use skateboard-style or other types of grip tape. If you’re hunting in a cold environment and wearing gloves, the added texture from these panels keeps your hand in place.
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Lever Stock Rossi Pistol Grip
I was extremely eager to change the stock on the Rossi R95 so that I could mount additional parts to customize the gun to my needs. The Midwest Industries lever stock pistol grip was the key upgrade I needed to make the others possible. The length of pull is the same as the Rossi stock; however, Midwest Industries offers spacers to add length to the rifle if needed. Just like the handguard, Midwest Industries retained the standard sling swivel stud on the stock for that second hunting sling mounting point. This stock also features several anti-rotation QD swivel sockets, making the gun compatible with modern slings.
My biggest complaint about lever-action rifles and even some bolt-action rifles is the lack of an adjustable cheek riser. When you mount a scope or red dot optic to one of these guns, it’s typically impossible to have your cheek on the stock and look through the scope or red dot window because they’re mounted too high. With a fixed stock height, you must lower the stock into your shoulder or lift your head off the stock until you can look through the scope or find the red dot. With no resting place for your cheek, there’s no way to mount the gun in the same way every time and pick up the reticle. This is why the adjustable cheek piece on the Lever Stock Rossi Pistol Grip was an essential upgrade for me. Now, my crosshairs are immediately lined up on target every time I mount the gun, thanks to the adjustable cheek weld.
Lever Stock G10 Pistol Grip – OD Black
The G10 pistol grip panels were a nice upgrade from the stock R95 grip. The added texture is especially desirable for use in rainy or humid environments. They utilize the existing grip hardware, making them easy to change out. I had to match the G10 M-LOK panels, tying the black and OD green look all together.
Lever Stock Shell Holder Plate & Shell Holders
The last upgrade I made was adding the lever stock shell holder plate and shell holders to the Midwest Industries stock. The shell holders can be oriented vertically or horizontally. The six universal shell holders allowed me to attach 12 rounds of 30-30 Win to the stock. Talk about hunting made easy.
Installation
One thing about Midwest Industries parts is that they are easy to install and come with both paper instructions and YouTube installation videos on each product page. You do need some basic armorer tools that allow you to tighten screws to specific torque specifications. I used the Real Avid Smart-Torq & Driver Master Set to install everything on the Rossi R95. The Master Gun Vise is my vise of choice, as it allows me to rotate a gun in any direction and angle, providing easy access to wherever I need to install a set screw. I also highly recommend the Smart-Jaws Multi-Fit when working on a lever rifle to avoid marring the gun’s finis
Topping it Off With the Thunder Beast Arms Magnus Suppressor
If a gun is threaded for a suppressor, you can bet I plan to mount one on it. I use suppressors in shooting competitions such as the Precision Rifle Series (PRS). I teach new shooters how to shoot with suppressed firearms. I also hunt suppressed, and I hope I will never hunt with an unsuppressed firearm ever again (or sit with anyone whose gun isn’t suppressed).
The final piece to my build was topping off the Rossi R95 with the Magnus suppressor. This is one of the quietest .30-cal suppressors on the market for almost every caliber from .223 to 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, and .30s up to .300 Norma Magnum. I chose the CB model so the Magnus would be compatible with the CB muzzle brake, which Thunder Beast manufactures with various threat pitch patterns. I have the CB muzzle brake installed on my 6mm Creedmoor PRS rifle, which is what I use the Magnus-CB suppressor on the most. By adding a CB brake to the R95 lever-action, I can easily install the suppressor on it in seconds, while still being able to shoot both guns unsuppressed with some recoil reduction. The amount of noise reduction on the Rossi R95 30-30 with the Magnus-CB is unbelievable. It’s so quiet that it’s easy to forget you’re shooting a 30-30 and not a subsonic 300 BLK or similar.
Ready for Jurassic Park
I have dubbed this rifle my “Dino Rifle,” as it looks like something straight out of Jurassic Park. While I have justified the practical use for each upgrade I made, the rifle also looks cool. I think it’s ready for a Hollywood debut. In all seriousness, I’m looking forward to hopefully harvesting a whitetail deer with it.
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