I figured the Taurus/Rossi bashing would start.
The Rossi is a decent gun for a real decent price. The Victoria Academy has 'em for that price, too, their regular price on the gun. The stainless version is only about $290.
I had an SP101 for a while and wouldn't mind another one, but this time with a 3" barrel. The SP101/Rossi weight guns are about the lightest .357s I wanna fire much. Neither is light enough for a pocket, so I have a Taurus M85UL stainless for carry as well as a little Kel Tec P11 and I carry them all year in a pocket. I rarely wear anything more'n a T shirt for a cover garment, even a vest can be too much. If you are in Corpus, you know why, even this time of year. Pocket carry suits me the best.
I haven't replaced that SP101 because I found a great used Taurus 66 3" at a gun show some time back for $180. The Smith and Wesson snobs have run the price of used K frames out the roof and, frankly, I prefer the Taurus 66's beefier frame in the forcing cone area and ROUND forcing cone. I've had a K frame crack a forcing cone before. I also prefer the frame mounted firing pin to the hammer mounted. I've had a hammer mounted pin break before on a Rossi 971. Also, my two Taurus 66s are more accurate than the two K frames I've owned, a 19 and the 10 I still have.
I don't know about comments that the Rossi won't last. I have a M68 that's fantastic, great shooting gun, tight as a drum, perfect timing, and I bought it in 1981. It seems to have lasted quite a while. This one particular gun is of very high quality fit and finish which Rossi seemed to get lax on in the late 80s, early 90s, but has come back lately. Smith and Wesson has had its ups and downs over the years, too. Right now, IMHO, it's down.
Anyway, don't let the Smith snobs pee in your Cherrios. It's a good little gun and will serve you well. Most of the people that bash Taurus and Rossi have no clue, have never owned one, would be below them to do so. Might have to get their noses out of the air and face reality. I've gotten completely away from Smith and Wesson, stupid pricing. Back when I could get a 642 for $305 less than a decade ago, I thought about getting one, lock and all, but my Taurus 85 is a better gun for me. I prefer the hammer spur and prefer the smoother, lighter DA trigger it has to any J frame I've ever handled. My Rossi trigger is smooth, but stiffer. That Taurus is budda, a real pleasure to shoot DA and very accurate. Frankly, it's a better gun for less money than a 642. If you refuse to believe that, it's your prerogative. We've been down this road before in every Taurus/Rossi thread that has ever been created. I don't go into 642 threads and bash 642s, but then I have some manors and ain't so pissy.