Question from the new guy

[RBS]

I found this forum while searching for info on an Interarms Rossi .38 Special I picked up at a local pawn shop. I can find stuff on Rossi and Interarms, but, not together. Anyone know about this?

 

[Confederate]

I have a Rossi .38 5-shot stainless steel revolver with rounded Pacymayr grips. It's not a slicked up Smith & Wesson, but the 3-inch barrel is nice and the gun is tight and serves for a good protection/kit gun. I like mine a great deal. Got me out of a tight spot in Washington, D.C., a few years ago. (Yes, I was carrying it illegally, but there were no police officers in the underground garage at the time and I doubt the 4-5 thugs approaching me wanted to make a citizen's arrest.)

 

[p35]

Interarms was a major firearms importer for a long time- I think they're out of business now. I don't think they ever actually manufactured guns. They imported the Rossis from Brazil and had to add their stamp as the importer under Federal regulations. My understanding is that Rossi is now owned and imported by Taurus (the other big Brazilian firearms maker).

Rossis don't get a lot of respect for some reason but IMHO they're a lot of gun for the money. My .22 Rossi revolver is a kick to shoot.

 

[weregunner]

RBS, Does the snub have markings of any kind and if so what are they? These guys are right. Interarms is out of business and Taurus aquired Rossi years ago. Rossi early .38s were either model 38, 68 or 88. The newer ones are the 351 and 352 models. The older models were not recommended to have +P ammo shot through them. 351 and 352 models are +P tolerant. Have a gunsmith check your example over just to be safe. The +Ps in the older models can stretch the frame or batter the cylinder, out of alignment if used to much. Some use +Ps for carry and standard pressure loads for practice in the older 38s. There are standard 110gr.JHPs that would be a good ballance between low pressure and a good self defense load. Some will say nay to that. But with all the .380 and 38 carriers out there the .38 special does throw a heavier bullet. Slight advantage, but it is there. .380s have 90 to 102grain bullet weights. These two calibers are the minimumn that a lot of professional gun packers as well as civilians carry. Chose what load you want. Winchester Silvertips or Federal Hydrashoks, as well as other loads will work well in actual encounters. Some may sneer at your pick. If the revolver works for you don't let " conventional wisdom" or opinion say otherwise. Lots of Rossis are out there. I have Taurus revolvers as well as other makes of pistols. The Taurus revolvers I have are the 1980s manufacture and have served well. All companies go through a rough patch. Other users or claimed to be users may have had bad examples and will be right over to crash the party. I can hear them breathing out there. So,enjoy your purchase.

 

[RBS]

weregunner, the left side of the barrel is stamped AMADEO ROSSI S.A. When you flip out the cylinder stamped on the inside of the frame is M685. The right side has a Rossi stamp and between the cylinder and trigger is an Interarms stamp. .38 SPECIAL is stamped on the left side of the barrel.
I don't get to caught up in what everyone else thinks. Hell, I own a Hi-Point.

 

[weregunner]

Now for the other question I should have asked earlier,what is the barrel length, 2or 3inches? The model 88 is probably wha tyou have if it is the 2incher.The model 68 weighs 21-23 ounces. 88 models weigh 21 ounces exactly. Few 68 models still exist so it seems that you have a 88 model.The 685 number seems to confirm that. I'll be honest. When the first Hipoints came out a gent brought one to a competition. The model he had had everything wrong with it a pistol could have. Jamming,failure to fire,etc. This confirmed for us "experts" just how right we were in condemning the HI-point. Later versions seem to have made this a moot point and made us doubters wrong. If you have an early model and it is working form the git go that is great. As a owner of H&R and NEF revolvers in the past. Hey I still have one. I should be a little more receptive to low cost do work guns. After all,Jennings and othe rmakers have made reliable cheap functional guns for years.

 

[RBS]

The .38 has a two inch barrel.
I bought the HiPoint after reading an article in Shooting Times, I think, just to check it out. I got the .40 and it's a big sucker. I've put around 250 rds thru it with no problems.

 

[weregunner]

I'm willing to say you have a model 88. All the data point to it. Good luck with both revolver and pistols.