[ArchAngelCD]

A friend wants to buy a 6 shot snub nose revolver in .38 or even .357 as a gift for a family member. The problem is he is on a tight budget and can only spend between $300 and maybe $400. Taurus and Colt don't have the above gun for sale. S&W has a 3" 6 round M64 .38 +P but it lists for $632. S&W has a 2.5" 6 round M686 .357/.38 but that lists for $766. Both are great but out of his price range. Ruger's 3" 6 shot GP100 .357 is also a good choice but that lists for $597. That leaves ONLY Rossi's Model R46202 which is a 2" 6 round .357 with a list price of only $325 ($375 for the chrome version) This revolver is only 25 oz. too while the others I listed are between 33 & 35 oz.

Now for the big question.... Does Rossi make a product worth buying?? Is there quality there? He asked me but I have no idea since I have never had any dealing with Rossi revolvers. OH, ONE LAST THING... He wants to buy NEW so all the suggestions of older S&W and Colt 6 shooters I made were rejected.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give him.

[yongxingfreesty]

yes, they are fine. lifetime warranrty, cant go wrong. use to own one but upgraded to a sw.

[erich w]

I've seen some gp100's for sale on gunsamerica for 400 shipping included, I'd recomend taking a browzse on there.

[dbarale]

There are of course other options if he doesn't mind used. But if he wants new, Rossi is fine. Try to buy one that you cna handle first and don't listen to the gun snobs telling you they are POS.

[the pistolero]

The $597 is the 3" GP-100's MSRP, not necessarily what you'd pay for it; gun shop prices are always cheaper than what you see on the manufacturer's website, to varying extents. My NIB 4" GP-100 (MSRP $615) was about $475 after tax, and if you can find a used one it might well be right in line with what your friend has to spend. I know you said he didn't want to buy a used gun, but I've no doubt that Ruger of mine will outlast my great-grandkids. :D
That said, I've heard Rossi makes a good revolver as well...

[Jim March]

Rossi has improved some after being bought by Taurus, but they're still the Taurus "budget line".

There are SO many good used wheelguns out there. And Ruger treats all of theirs as fully warranteed regardless...

[AirForceShooter]

I have a second hand .357 2" snubby.
It shoots well and it's relaible.
As has been said if it's a newer Rossi Taurus will fix it for free forever.

AFS

[ATAShooter]

My wife carries a Rossi M-85 snubby .38spl CCW. It's function has been flawless, and dependability great. It's design, and guts are based on a S&W j frame. I would recommend it to all....So would she.

[308win]

Perhaps you might review the 642Club thread on this forum. 642's can be had new on sale for $319+tax on up. I have never owned a Rossi handgun but I have a Rossi Gallery Rifle that while the workmanship is "functional" is a reliable accurate firearm.

[MCgunner]

Rossis are fine, functional guns and a good bargain. I'd go for it. I have owned 7 of 'em over the years, still have a couple, and if I find a decent .357 short barrel Rossi at the gun show this weekend, I might own another. They aren't as refined as a Smith, of course, but they work. The DA trigger isn't all that great, but usable.

I wouldn't give a USED gun as a present, a little tacky, like saying "You ain't worth a new one." LOL! The Rossi is a fine, functional revolver that will last. It ain't junk.

A little OT, but who was it that posted here sometime back that he had his dad's Rossi 68? His dad had been in central America, CIA or something, and his M16 had jammed and the Rossi had saved his bacon. I thought that was a neat story.

[ArchAngelCD]

I thank everyone who took the time to respond. I will pass on the information and I'm betting he will buy a Rossi.

Thanks again...

[hurrakane212]

My rossi 6 shot .357 snubbie had a better DA than my 642 and a great single action. It was a very good gun but at 23 oz it was a bit heavy for pocket carry. I sold it for moe than I paid for it though.
I found the gun to be excellent in fit, finish, and function. Well worth the 200$ I paid for it NIB>~Nathan

[ronto]

I bought a NIB Ruger .357 SP101 for $375 from my local gun shop...MSRP is $530...Consider the
SP101...You'll never regret it.

[10-Ring]

I have a shooting buddy w/ only one wheelgun in his collection...and it's a Rossi. He has had it for more than a decade (his brothers bought it for him when he turned 21) and he seems very satisfied w/ it.

[strat81]

http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?id=260&category=Revolver

Will 7 shots do? List is $417. Model 617SS2

[ArchAngelCD]

Will 7 shots do? List is $417. Model 617SS2
Thank you but he really wants a 6 shooter. Besides, that Taurus is even heavier than the Rossi.

He's going to get the Rossi Model R46202 and was able to find the chrome model which lists for $375 for $295 out the door. It's NIB so it will make a proper gift.

Thanks again everyone...

[TonyB]

I have one of these...it's a great little gun..cost me $150 used....Accuracy is great and it's reliable(I'm a sucker for cheap handguns anyway)
FYI..it will use speedloaders and holsters for a s and w mod. 10.
Every time I shoot this gun in IDPA,everyone wants to see what kind it is..they are usually surprised it's a Rossi.

[New_geezer]

I have a 2 year old Rossi 971 that I've put about 1000 rounds thru with no problems so far. Very accurate out of the box. It's not as tight as the S&W model 10 I bought used but I'm very happy with it and would not hesitate to recommend one to someone looking for a solid basic handgun.

[charby]

Is your friend set on a new firearm? Like mentioned above you can find some real gems on the used firearm market.

-C

[BigO01]

ArchAngelCD I have a Rossi 971 .357 if the model your friend is buying is designed the same "I imagine it is" tell whoever is going to own the weapon to make sure they remove the Most forward screw in the side plate and then reinstall it with some locktite on it using the correct size screw driver head and snug it down well .

This screw holds the arm "called either the Crane or Yoke depending on manufacture" which in turn has the cylinder mounted on it and holds it in place in the frame as well as holding the sideplate in it's place . If this screw comes loose the cylinder will have some play in it and the hand that turns the cylinder wont contact the little star in the middle correctly .

What will happen is the cylinder will NOT be turned all the way to line up a round with the barrel and you will get a misfire . This was happening to me with my 971 until I looked at the guns schematic and realized the problem and used locktite on the screw and snugged it down well . Apparently they failed to tighten the screw enough at the factory . Now it is not a problem with my gun .

Having your cylinder not turn all the way in a defensive situation would be a BAD thing indeed and at the range it will quickly get old and make your lose all confidence in you weapon .

[johndoe1027]

I have a Rossi second-hand snub 38 spl in SS that has been very reliable (as long as it is clean) and has had some work but the action is nicer than either the Taurus or the speed-six I have.

[Ala Dan]

Read my post here:

Rossi Model 88 snubbie, any experiences?

[SJshooter]

My own personal vote is to stay away from crappy guns. "Cheap gun" has "problem" written all over it.

If he can just barely afford the gun, how is he going to afford the ammo to shoot it? Or the range time? Or the cleaning supplies? The cost of the gun is just the first cost in gun ownership.

Think long term and get a gun that will outlive you. A year from now you will be glad you did, even if you have to save a little longer to get it.

[GaryP]

Not so bad these days, but there are better options in the $400 price range that warrant consideration.

:evil:

[ArchAngelCD]

My own personal vote is to stay away from crappy guns. "Cheap gun" has "problem" written all over it.

If he can just barely afford the gun, how is he going to afford the ammo to shoot it? Or the range time? Or the cleaning supplies? The cost of the gun is just the first cost in gun ownership.
I hardly think Rossi can be considered a "cheap" gun.
Now for the rest, please re-read my original post. I never said the owner of the gun was on a tight budget, just the person who was buying it as a gift. Some older folks on a fixed income still want to buy their son a nice gift. You sound like a snob in your post SJshooter even though you made some very valid points. Are you telling me poor people shouldn't own guns?

[ozarkhillbilly]

I have had a Rossi 461 for several years now and while it's not equal to my S&Ws but they are great little guns, I have never had problem mine.

[MCgunner]

When I see a snob post, I just take it for what it's worth. :rolleyes: nothing cheaply made on a Rossi that I've ever owned. They all fired reliably and accurately. The only problem I ever had was on the M971 I had that snapped a couple of improperly fitted firing pins off the hammer. A good gunsmith fixed it up, though. he told me it just needed fitting. I'm not sure how you fit a firing pin, but hey, it never broke again. I sorta want another 971 stainless, but would like a 3" barrel. That gun was light and easy to tote. It was more accurate with .38s than my previous Security Six and M19, but a little less accurate with .357s, still put 'em in around 2" at 25 yards, though with both .38s and .357s and that was acceptable for an outdoor revolver, which is what I was using it for. I traded it on a Ruger .45 Colt Blackhawk which I really, really wanted and didn't quite have the cash for.

That Rossi was easy to carry, sort of midway between a J and a K frame, and only a tick over 30 ounces in stainless. That's why I'd like another one, another IWB carry option. At this point, I have all the handguns I "need", just hard to quit wanting more. :D And, I'm partially retired, work out of my shop here for chump change and have retirement income, so I like quality affordable firearms and I've owned 7 Rossis and that's how I'd describe 'em. If you've never owned one and trash 'em as "cheap", then what's your opinion worth, anyway? That sorta defines a gun snob, to me. Ravens are "cheap", Rossis are "affordable". :D

[jad0110]

Like any manufacturer (Taurus, S&W, Ruger, Colt, Charter Arms, etc), Rossi churns out their turds now and then. But by and large, it seems most people have good experiences with them.

I would say that it never hurts to keep your eyes open on the used market. To me personally, I would love to receive a used, mint condition Ruger Single Six, S&W M66 2.5", or S&W M&P!

[AJMBLAZER]

My sig line on another forum is, "Gun snobs purposely blind themselves."

My only large calibre handgun right now is a Rock Island Armory M1911A1 .45 clone. GREAT GUN. Especially considering I paid $330 for it including state and transfer fees. It's been reliable and shoots better than I can. The 1911 forum I read is full of people with custom 1911's and big name 1911's and some of them will bash my gun right off the bat for any number of reasons. It's just stupidity and/or ignorance. If you read the different manufacturor forums you see that they all have issues...but don't tell the snobs that.

I've heard of Les Baurer custom 1911's that go for more than a perfectly good working vehicle having problems and having to be sent back. That doesn't mean I bash them every time I see a post about them.

Sorry, off my soap box now.

[magsnubby]

I picked up a Rossi 461 (blued 2" 6 shot .357) awhile back to add to my snubby collection. I was suprised at how good the fit and finish was. The S/A trigger pull wasn't to bad but the D/A was kind of gritty and fairly heavy. After about 500 rounds and lots of dry firing (1,000 times) it smoothed up quit a bit. It's still a little heavy but nothing i can't live with. I bobbed the hammer, converted it to D/A A only and added Pachmayer grips.

It's alot of gun for the price. I wouldn't hesitate to depend on it if it was the only gun close at hand.

[philbo]

If it fills their need and fits their budget, nothing wrong w/a Rossi. Bought a stainless 5 shot for my little sister over 23 years ago for about $115. It's been shot a little, and carried a lot. It's been utterly reliable, more than accurate enough at defense distances, easy to maintain, and has suited her needs for the entire period. What more could you ask for?