*sigh* Rossi, I'm done with you. (brand disappointment)

[WVGunman]

I periodically find myself with more guns than I ever really have time to shoot. The magic number seems to be about a dozen, split 50-50 between long guns and handguns. So when my total gets north of that I haul the guns I shoot the least to my local pawnshop and see what kind of deal I can work out.
Last time out I traded three guns for a Ruger Security Six .357 mag. in excellent shape. One of the three traded was my Rossi 971, which I had thrown into the car with some trepidation as it was the only 38/357 I owned, and that is a caliber I reload. But after handling that Ruger I realized I'd been wasting my time with that Rossi. The metal work, the finish, the tolerances ... there was just no comparison. Even the factory grips were nicer.

This is a bit of a comedown for me, as the first handgun I ever bought was a Rossi snub-nose .38, and I've had a soft spot for the company's wares ever since. I knew Rossi was not an A-list brand, I always knew I could do better, but it has now been made plain to me and I gotta admit: I can do a lot better. You know that feeling when you finally beat your dad at basketball or Trivial Pursuit, and realize he's just a guy like everyone else? It's like that.
The dealer showed me the difference in the amount of play in the cylinder and lockwork between the Ruger and the Rossi, and it was both surprising and depressing. I'm no gun snob, but damned if this doesn't explain why that Rossi was never very accurate, no matter what I shot through it.
Well, the Rossi is gone, and I now have this rad Ruger to play with. Looking forward to it.

Anyone else ever been disappointed enough with an entire brand you'd once liked to give it up for good?

 

[czhen]

Sorry to heard that,
Old rossi ok, new rossi = taurus rebranded. The new ones looks nice, but they don't get my coins. Even if I was thinking in the 357 winchester clone, I convinced to myself to do not get it. For the fact of their horrendous customer service.

 

[natman]

Anyone else ever been disappointed enough with an entire brand you'd once liked to give it up for good?

Yes. Rossi.

At one time I had 5 Rossis; a 357 92 carbine, a 357 92 rifle, a 22 pump, a 20 ga coach gun and a stainless 22 revolver. The finish on the 92's wood was either old shoe polish or used motor oil. I put hours into smoothing them so they'd function acceptably and finally achieved it, only to discover accuracy on both was disappointing. The pump never fed reliably. I finally came to the conclusion that life was too short to try to make a silk purse out of this particular sow's ear. I got rid of all of them except the 22 revolver, which I kept as a reminder in case I ever got the urge to by another Rossi.

 

[MedWheeler]

Anyone else ever been disappointed enough with an entire brand you'd once liked to give it up for good?

To answer this question, yes.

But not me.

 

[wild cat mccane]

I found my 972 to have an infinitely better trigger than my Ruger GP100.

The 972 is also small frame vs medium frame on the Ruger.


I mean, I'm talking that 972 beat my PPQ in single action, and the GP100 wasn't even close to the PPQ.

 

[rugerdude29]

Had a Rossi 971 some 20 years ago and it was a good little gun. Tight, accurate and smooth. Traded it off for a stainless Ruger SBH. Loved the Rossi, but just too good of a trade to turn down. Guy still has the Rossi and loves it. But, I've handled a few new Rossis and I haven't been impressed. Just not as good of quality as they were.

 

[Shaq]

It's never happened to me because I learned many years ago that you get what you pay for. That especially applies to goods that are expensive to manufacture & require fitting, precision & quality materials....like a firearm. A gun is basically a bomb that you detonate repeatedly while it's held close to your face. To keep you safe, the explosion has to occur when everything is in place & the materials are designed to withstand the pressure generated. A revolver with excess play in the cylinder is not only inaccurate, it's dangerous to the shooter as well as other people nearby because it will spit lead particles & unburned powder out of the flash gap at high velocity.

Along those lines, I've never owned a Rossi, Taurus, Jennings, Raven, Bryco, etc. I've also learned not be near shooters with those guns at the range for my own safety. People who shoot cheap autos are frequently clearing malfunctions & losing track of where the muzzle is pointed.

As you've learned, the money spent on a cheap, poor quality gun can go towards a quality gun. Buying a cheap gun actually wastes more money when the gun starts falling apart & needs constant repairs. In today's dollars, there is NO WAY to manufacture an inexpensive gun without taking serious shortcuts in quality.

The cheapest quality gun I've ever owned was a Harrington & Richardson Model 999 22 revolver. And that one wasn't much cheaper than a S&W.

 

[Waveski]

I too wrote off Rossi. My first handgun was a Rossi 38 special; model number escapes me , stainless w/ full lug and vented rib. Very handsome and absolutely reliable. I loved it. Then I got Rossi snub , and yet a second snub. All were Interarms era. First one , then the other snub had mechanical failures. The seller of one of the snubs offered me full price credit towards an old 36 Chief. What an eye opener.

Now I have a bunch of Smiths in my safe , but not a single Rossi.

 

[VoodooMountain]

I wrote off Rossi as well. Had a 38 sp. with a 3" barrel I believe. It was wearing out after 150 rounds. Junk.

Also wrote off heritage after using the 22 mag cylinder just one time managed to cause excessive wear. Of course it would pattern with 22lr and the pattern was 2 feet left after the front birdshead sight was adjusted as much as I dared without it breaking off. Sent it back to heritage for these and another issue I have since forgotten. It was returned with a note many weeks later stating it passed qc. Go figure.

Haven't had luck with anything associated with Taurus and I won't even consider them anymore for any use

 

[SwampWolf]

QUOTE: "...You know that feeling when you finally beat your dad at basketball or Trivial Pursuit, and realize he's just a guy like everyone else?..."

Not really-but then my dad has been known to cheat to keep from getting beat. Happy Father's Day Dad-you're the best!

 

[jmorris]

So when my total gets north of that I haul the guns I shoot the least to my local pawnshop and see what kind of deal I can work out.

Next time you do that take the time to send me a pm on what you have and what they offered, I bet I beat them.

 

[Panzerschwein]

Anyone else ever been disappointed enough with an entire brand you'd once liked to give it up for good?

Yes. Bersa.

After hearing nothing but good things about the Bersa Thunder 380, I got one brand new in the box never fired.

60 rounds later, I had a locked up gun with the slide release lever in two pieces. Took a closer look and it appeared to be made from some powdered monkey metal crap. If I had been in a defensive scenario, I would have been dead. It occurred with just over 50 rounds fired.

I sold it after repair and swore off the brand. Some more research showed that this isn't an uncommon problem, among other breakages with Bersa guns. I instead bought a Makarov PM, and it's been absolutely fantastic.

I'm really not impressed with any of these South American makers. Call me racist.

 

[beag_nut]

Luckily for me, I never owned a Rossi (followed the forums). But, I stupidly bought a Charter Arms Mag Pull, without checking first. What a POS. Can't wait for the next "buy back" from the local police, because the thing is so bad I wouldn't want anyone else to ever own it, it's so unreliable.

 

[midland man]

well now i'm depressed as I own two rossi 92's in 45c both are 16in barrel one standard loop the other large loop and I yet to have a problem with either one! infact I love both of these and I even cast my own bullet with a bullet mold made by lyman its an old single cavity part# 454 190 it drops a .460 using 16-1 alloy and I size it with a lee .457 and I use lee alox on this bullet with 6.8gr greendot and shoot this in these two rifles and I have zero leading and super accurate loads, and very tight groups! but I hope nothing goes wrong with these two rifles plus I also own a heritage big bore 45c revolver with 4 3/4in barrel and it just loves this load I use in these rifles! infact I have another exact same pistol in layway as we speak!! but so I hate to hear everyone having issues with rossi and I hope mine dosent fail me!

 

[Overkill870]

Rossi is a junk brand and I predict you won't miss it now that you have the ruger.

 

[Swing]

Ditto that, wild cat mccane. I've put a ton of rounds through my 972, with zero trouble, and I have found it to be a damn fine wheelgun. And the cost was surprisingly low.

 

[ilbob]

I have not shot a Rossi in years, but the few that I have shot seem to hold up okay. I don't recall that they were especially accurate, but they are not Target pistols. I have a Charter Arms Bulldog that was cut back to 2 inches from 3 inches. The bullets come out sideways somehow and by the time they get to the Target 10 feet down range they put a nasty-looking hole in the paper. It kicks like a mule in 44 special and I put about maybe a hundred rounds through it before a part broke on it. And this is an old model one from early eighties when they have supposedly made really good guns.

 

[midland man]

hmm that's strange as I reload my own shells and I get very tight groups and super accuracy so you guys that don't get good shots on paper must not be reloading your own! as reloading you can taylor the loads for a particular gun to shoot accurately plus I cast my own bullets and for my rifles this works perfect, I even have witness to prove it!!

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I had a M68 .38 25 years ago. The firing pin cracked. 8 bucks for a new one and it was fixed. It was a decent little gun.

I recently bought a stainless M92 in .357. I honestly didn't expect much. Right of the box, it cycled great with any kind of ammo I tried. It was fairly smooth. An hours worth of kitchen table gunsmithING and it is slick. Fit and finish were very good. Accuracy is impressive. The wood was bland. I stripped, stained, and varnished it. I have put about 3500 rounds thru it. It is my favorite plinker rifle.

 

[evan price]

Taurus. Therefore, also Rossi.

 

[Tallball]

I own a few Interarms Rossi revolvers from the early 90's. I bought the 44 special after it was recommended several times, and eventually bought a 22 and 357 from the same era because I liked the first one.

I like them. They are just range toys, so if they give me problems NBD.

I haven't handled or shot a newer one, so I have no idea what they're like.

 

[shafter]

Comparing a Rossi to a Security Six just isn't fair. The Security Six will hold it's own against just about anything. Very, very nice do-it-all revolver.

The Rossi lever actions seem to be nicer in my opinion.

 

[stchman]

I guess there is a huge disparity between Rossi and Taurus revolvers. My Model 66 is just as tight and accurate as my buddy's GP100.

Here is an example at 7 yards.

 

[gotboostvr]

My Rossi 92 carbine was my first experience with Rossi. While the Stainless steel carbine isn't the most finely furnished firearm, it's functionally beautiful. Great action, feeds SWC's and special length cases (and specials loaded with SWC's!) The trigger is smooth, light and very crisp and it'll put XTP's into five shot one hole groups VERY repeatably at 50 yards.
Worth every penny.
I had another rossi, a snub 44mag five shot revolver. The trigger was smooth with a nice break, just a little heavy. Very much like a S&W, just heavier. It's lock work was very "Smithesque".
POI was slightly left, and unadjustable.
I sold it due to lack of use, but thought highly of it.

I don't avoid them obviously, but tend to prefer the "nicer" gun.

 

[Dan-O]

Nope, I love both mine.