Rossi Is Getting Back in the Revolver Business With 3 New Guns

1. I am always happy when there are moar gunms. But I am now well settled on the G43X/48 as my final daily carry gunms. For that reason I’m out 😉

2. Who is Rossi owned by nowadays?

   And who owned Rossi way back when?

   And more importantly, who put the bam in the ‘Bama-lama ding-dong’?

   (Weird things percolate around inside my so-called brain… 😉 )

   • Taurus I believe. I’ve a rossi r92 lever that says by Taurus on it

     • I think Rossi was always a Brazilian company, but they were absorbed by Taurus at some point. These new revolvers say made in Brazil on the side. Taurus already has a ton of revolvers including their upscale Executive grade, so these seem to compete with other segments of the overall company. But maybe some people like one brand name over the other?

       • All I can say is that their Winchester 1873 clone is quite popular in SASS, and comes in three different calibers.

   • blind blake in ’28, redone here by van vliet.
     

     • “How they love in Diddy wah diidy”.

       I can dig it… 😉

3. dibs on the review

   • Need any help with that review?

4. BrazTech? Eff that. You’d better hope you don’t have to send it in for repair.

5. How about some more about that “match grade trigger”? I have an older Rossi, M88 I think it is, and it’s a nice piece.

   • Speaking of “match grade triggers”, I don’t understand why all revolver companies fail to manufacture all of their revolvers with match-grade triggers. All it takes for a match-grade trigger (assuming proper design in the first place) is a few extra minutes of polishing and/or lubricating relevant surfaces during the manufacturing process. Just bump up the sale price of the revolver that extra $20 or so to cover the added labor expense.

     • “I don’t understand why all revolver companies fail to manufacture all of their revolvers with match-grade triggers. ”

       Time. That’s expensive, and it usually requires more than a “few extra minutes”. If you have a Colt or S&W revolver (or Colt Auto), go out and biuy a Kuhnhausen manual and start messing with your own handgun. You may discover something(s).

   • Know next to nothing about revolvers. If people here could have one revolver for self defense what would it be? Belt carry not pocket carry.

     • any good brand of revolver 4in in .357 will do most anything needed

     • small .38, like a model 60 or detective.
       small .357 like sp101. they made those .38 but tough to find.
       lcr is priced well.

     • Good thing we’re not limited to just one or else I’d have to ditch a dozen. lol

       My go-to is a Ruger SP101 3″ .357 Mag with Pachmyer grips. #2 would be the S&W Model 19-3, 4″

     • Imaho,

       Since you mention “belt carry not pocket carry”, I assume that you mean for everyday carry while you are “out and about”.

       If you only intend to carry concealed and want the greatest probability that no one will ever be able to tell that you are carrying, I really like smaller revolvers with 3-inch barrels chambered in either .327 Federal Magnum or .38 Special P.

       I like .327 Federal Magnum because “small-frame” revolvers which are intended for concealed carry have cylinders which hold 6 cartridges. And the manufacturer Taurus has a new-ish model 856 revolver which has a “small frame” and yet its cylinder holds 6 cartridges.

       I specifically mentioned Taurus’ model 856 because it is available with a 3-inch barrel and full length grip–versus the popular “snub-nose” revolver platform which has 2-inch barrels and almost universally has shortened grips without any meaningful surface for your pinky finger to grasp the grip. Better still, the Taurus model 856 revolver cylinder holds 6 cartridges rather than the 5-cartridge capacity of almost all small-frame revolvers. And it is made of stainless steel–which means the optimum weight in my opinion. (At something like 24 ounces, it is light enough to carry on your belt and yet heavy enough to keep recoil reasonable.) All the while it is a “small frame” revolver with a thin cylinder (as far as revolvers go anyway) and therefore reasonably concealable. Last but not least, it is chambered in .38 Special “plus P” which has respectable self-defense loadings available.

     • lmaho,

       Perhaps you noticed a common theme developing in the responses to your question. And that common theme is a revolver with a 3-inch barrel. While the other responses pointed specifically to the Ruger SP-101 which is chambered in .357 Magnum, note that you can shoot .38 Special (and .38 Special Plus P) out of revolvers chambered for .357 Magnum and avoid the excessive recoil and muzzle-blast of .357 Magnum.

       For reference I believe the Ruger SP-101 is an excellent revolver. I only gave the hat-tip to Taurus’ model 856 because it is a bit smaller than the Ruger SP-101.

       • Thanks for all replies 😀

       • …and a lot more expensive. I don’t own one, but I would if I could. But I am a big fan of 4″ barrels.

     • Ruger gp 100-7. If I could have only one I would keep that one. I really like my Smiths but if limited to just one belt gun the Ruger gets the nod.

     • “If people here could have one revolver for self defense what would it be?”

       From human varmints, about any good, portable one in .38 Spl on up would be fine, IMO. J Frame of some sort, which I carried at first years ago. Hammer arrangement would be up to the carrier. I even know an ex-cop who swears by his .32 S&W J frame.

       Now, for 4 legged critters it would be a different choice for me. Probably minimum of .44 Mag, I’d likely pack my Freedom Arms .454 Casull.

6. If that 4″ hits the street at a 500.00 retail, I will take the chance. Love me a affordable, hopefully reliable wheelie.

   • Ditto. For that price it is worth the risk of poor manufacture. I cringe at the cost of many revolvers that are priced over $1000, and no matter how good the new Cobra is supposed to be, $1500 is too high for my budget.

7. I fancy myself as a rank-amateur revolver aficionado. I love revolvers and have more than one. My personal opinion: a revolver with a 5-inch barrel is the optimum choice if your intended application is home-defense. And yet there are almost no revolvers available with 5-inch barrels.

   I like a 5-inch barrel over a 4-inch barrel because:
   It increases sight radius and muzzle velocity. The added weight–especially out front–also reduces muzzle flip. And yet you do not sacrifice any significant maneuverability.

   I like a 5-inch barrel over a 6-inch barrel because:
   Revolvers with 6-inch barrels are starting to become cumbersome to handle (especially one-handed as that long barrel is starting to make them “front heavy”) and reduce maneuverability. And their is no utility in the extra sight radius and muzzle velocity compared to a 5-inch barrel.

   I understand the usefulness of revolvers with 2-inch and 3-inch barrels for everyday concealed carry. And I understand the usefulness of revolvers with 6-inch barrels (or longer) for target practice and hunting. I am having a hard time seeing a revolver with a 4-inch barrel as somehow being the best all-around choice for everyday concealed carry, home defense, target shooting, and hunting. That is why I like 2-inch and 3-inch barrels for concealed carry and a 5-inch barrel for home-defense. And I would argue that a 5-inch barrel is that much better (than a 4-inch barrel) for hunting if you had to press your revolver into service for that role.

   • 4 9/32″

     • tsbhoa.p.jr,

       I don’t understand your reply.

       It looks like you were saying something about 4 and 9/32 inches (which is a hair over 4.25 inches). Assuming that is correct, what is the significance of that measurement?

       • uncommon_sense:
         “I don’t understand your reply.”
         Where’s your sense of humor? He’s just pulling your chain.

     • 4n3/4’s

       • 115mm

       • Bingo. I have three 1873 clones with 4.75″ barrels. Love shooting them. Not exactly a concealed carry gun, but solid for home defense.

       • …. Canada has a minimum barrel length of “over 100mm”, so most manufacturers have lengthened “4 inch” gun barrels. I believe Rugers measure 4.2″ for that reason, even domestic US sales.

   • Depending on loadings you can easily see relevant revolver velocity increases by barrel length to 10 inches but the rest of the issues with being able to handle it very much applies. Haven’t messed with 357 in a while but I remember a 4 inch sw was easy enough to handle with one hand.

8. Rossi = Taurus, pass. Also did you notice the extra 2 inches of barrel cost an additional $160, so they charge $ 80 an inch for just the barrel of a cheap gun? WTF…

   • You missed the adjustable sights, and it’s 3 inches longer.

     • My mistake…. old eyes… LOL

   • Rossi literally existed before Taurus and was bought by them but are separate companies https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amadeo_Rossi

9. Yawn, I’m not a cowboy so don’t need a revolver.

   Where did their long gun series with the interchangeable barrels go?

   • neiowa:
     “Yawn, I’m not a cowboy so don’t need a revolver.”
     I’m not a cowboy either, but revolvers are fun to shoot. .357 magnum revolvers are probably the most utilitarian of revolvers out there, because of the wide range of loads available for them. And… revolvers are FUN to shoot.
     Anyway, you’d have to have a Colt Single Action Army, if you were a cowboy. Anybody who’s ever seen a western movie knows that. (Snicker.)

     • I like S&W #3 better than Colt..

10. I’ll check ’em out. Especially in ILLANNOY I need more power to blast baddies n “other’s”. 10mm pistol is beckoning too. I do agree a 2″ barrel is fairly worthless on a revolver. 3-4″ helps optimize power. Had 2 Taurus 2″ barrels that ran perfectly too…

11. Revolving doesn’t poop on floor.
    Revolving holds less then autoe.
    I had .44 Rossi with 4inch barrel
    with magnaport copy muzzle brake.
    Sold with guarantee “that no one will pull anything out of their pocket that’s louder.”
    Owner will not sale it back
    Now to by .357Mag DA revolving
    Rossi or Taurus?
    Ruger is to xpensive.
    I got a gubment cost of living wage, which means if they give me $40 and take away $49 of gubment freebies and my low rent housing rent increase $35.
    I could probably walk to Brazil?
    America is getting to expensive to live in , good luck illegal immigrants, and thanx for leaving me that house in Ecuador.

    • “I could probably walk to Brazil?”

      Hole up in a freighter carrying produce…

    • “…that house in Ecuador.”

      Moneywise, a gringo could retire to Parador and live pretty comfortably. Crimewise however, dying ain’t much of a living, boy. Better off in Costa Rica, or mayhap Belize, but ain’t many folks running away from those two places, and leaving their places behind.

12. When did they stop making the judge? I love mine, since I am a fair size boy I can conceal it. I have a model 66 that holds 7 .357 mag. I love that one too. What is the difference between Rossi and Taurus? Love both of my RP 92.

13. With the hammer mounted firing pin, the internals of the Rossi will be different from the Taurus

14. I’m curious about 3in revolvers shooting 38 spec. I always see comparisons of 2 and 4inch. The 2inch often showing inadequate velocity and expansion in all but a few select premium loads. Is 3inch the sweet spot?

    • At arm’s length, who’d care?

    • Opinion?

      Yes. 3” is the Sweet Spot. At least for me it is. Sweet Spot in the sense- it carry’s sooo much nicer, without the typical IWB “Roll” that the 2” guns are known for.

      Expect to pick up about 50fps more velocity over the 2” guns. Doubt the bad guy would know the difference, but it makes me feel 50fps more confident.

      My crony tells me that a .357 snub burning 125gr loads typically run around 1150fps out of my several snubs. The few 3” .357s I own, all are hitting in the 1225fps area. That’s mimicking a 9mm +p from a 4” pipe. This is acceptable to me for defensive use for a 3” magnum revolver.

      Try carrying a 3” over a snub. It makes no sense, but they do carry much nicer, while getting better ballistics and sighting plane increase potential.

      All of this is opinion, everyone is different though..

15. Aw, man. I was interested until that I saw that butt-ugly matte stainless. Can’t stand a matte finish on a revolver; looks too much like cheap plastic.

    • Get some 2000 grit wet/dry paper and go to town. I did the sides of a slide on a Kahr that way. Left the top matte on purpose.

16. That video is so campy … IT’S AWESOME! Drama! Excitement! Straight up entertainment with no woke garbage. More like this please!

17. I’ll consider the RM66 … love me a 6″ .357 magnum.

18. I wonder if they will submit this to California to add to the dreaded Roster. If it passes safety testing, I will look for the 4″ when it arrives.

19. I had a 3 inch rossi 357 that cracked in half and barfed the barrel out the front while shooting it. It took Taurus a year and a half and a lot of me screaming at them on the phone to send me a replacement which I immediately traded for an old model 19 and never looked back.

    I am… less than enthusiastic… about this.

    • It doesn’t do any good to get angry on the phone. At one time I worked in telemarketing(Trump had investments in that company) all we do is sit back and let you rant, maybe laugh a bit, then continue.

      • Actually, screaming at them and refusing to hang up for 2 hours is the only thing that made them cave and send me a new one. They had been stringing me along for literally a year and a half and I finally refused to budge until they made me right.

        I did phone tech support for 2 years. Sometimes the screaming asshole on the phone is 100% correct.

20. As long as I am able to afford Smith & Wesson and Ruger damn if I will trust my life to Taurus or Rossi.

    Not that I am enthralled with Smith’s MIM parts and Hillary Lock

21. Price is good. Say what you will – I’ve had great luck with my rossi m92 (.357/.38). Eats/feeds/ejects everything. Nice little tack driver.

22. what’s the third gun?

    • One with a four inch barrel. Should be 4.5″ to really split the middle… and with a price exactly half way between.

23. Hammer mounted firing pin? Sweet! Might cause an issue with the California drop test roster, but I bet they know what they’re doing by now. I do have a Taurus 856 that is surprisingly nice, and I snagged a Taurus 65 stainless that has been great for the money. Would I buy another Brazilian revolver? Hell to the yes I would.

    • Nate in CA:

      How is the recoil on that Taurus 856 (.38 Special right)? I ask because it (the 2″ barrel version) is my choice for my sister, it’ll be her first gun, of course I’ll do a trigger and hammer spring job before shipping it to her FFL. I don’t want her getting discouraged after just a few cylinders worth of ammo.

      As for Rossi revolvers I have the “J”-frame sized Rossi 685 .38 Special w/2-1/4″ barrel and factory wood grips, it’s a great piece especially for concealed carry but just wish there was a hammer and trigger spring kit for it so the fiancee’ could fire more than three (3) cylinders without her hand giving out. Right now my girl uses the Ruger SP101 .38 Special which I performed a hammer and trigger spring job on, even with her MS she can shoot that all day long unlike with the Rossi 685.

24. I have a few revolvers, my favorites are A Ruger sp101 in .38 special with a 3 inch barrel and a taurus tracker with 5 inch barrel in .41 mag. The .41 has a ported barrel. If I miss, what ever I am shooting at will at least have permanant hearing damage. It is LOUD!

25. TAURUS THINK HAVE TO RETURN TO THEM , CAN’T REPAIR YOURSELF OR TAKE TO YOUR GUNSMITH … HAVE TARUAS 410 PISTOL JUDGE IT’ OK , PROBAILITY WON,T BUY ANOTHER , AS LATER GOT INTO S&W REVOLVERS … WHAT A DIFF ….
    NOTICED TAURUS MAKES 380 NO HAMMER PISTOL … THINKING ABOUT IT AS HAVE
    WRITTEN TO RUGER AN S&W ASKING THEM TO MAKE 380 REVOLVER WITH HAMMER ,
    LIKE SEE 380 LIKE THE S&W 638-3 , 38 + P, AIRWEIGHT WITH SCROUDED HAMMER …
    LIKE THE STEEL CYLINDER IN RUGER 22 LCR , LCRX WMR , MAYBE SOME DAY …
    380 REVOLVERS

26. I’ve had 2 Rossi products, a .44mag revolver and a .44 Puma rifle. I got rid of the revolver when it started to shoot the cylinder loose- lots of play and “shake”. My Puma .44 rifle , well the stock busted at the wrist. I called Rossi and bought a new buttstock. No problems there, nice people on the phone and it shipped quick. Problem is, it doesnt fit- no bueno for a “drop-in part”… Now I have to pay a stock-maker to set it up for me (hopefully!).

Comments are closed.