Well, I thought I'd raise this thread from near death. I bought a 3" Rossi 38spl, Made by Taurus as part of the Brazil tech LLC outa Miami.
These aren't listed on the Rossi website as they are a distributor special. Sure they'll match anyones price coz nobody save Academy Sports carries them.
Actually for $229 sale price and $249 regular it didn't seem to be that bad of a deal. Thes appear in all likelyhood to be Taurus 85 clones.
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/
21_50_494/products_id/31337
Trigger and hammer seem to be slightly different in the pic, but otherwise a dead ringer, exception to Taurus goodyear vs Rossi rubber, and they want $327 delivered.
http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details.cfm?id=135&category=1&toggle=&breadcrumbseries=
Note that the thumb release pictured didn't come on the gun. The one that's on the previous Taurus pic is the style used. Mix n match I reckon.
It wouldn't be worth for me to pay shipping for a firing pin fix if I encounter that problem.
I'd take to my gunsmith 1st.
However, for those that do ship I think the trick is to buy two and shoot the other one while you're waiting on the first one to be fixed. Make sure the fixed one functions then put it up and keep shooting the spare till it fails.
I haven't shot it. but the guys in Miami say it'll shoot +P as long as it's a steel revolver. Comes kinda dripping of oil and I figure some might be on the sear & hammer coz the SA is a hair trigger.
Anywho, for under 250 OTD, 5-rnd, steel 38spl w/3" brl seems OK.
YMMV