Why do people absolutely hate the Chiappa Rhino?

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I like the forward thinking that went into the rhino, got to try new things to make advancements. The 357 revolver has been around a long time, not much has changed. Considering that , I don't see a need for the efforts that went into the rhino. I understand lowering the bore axis but 357 is what I'd consider a mild recoiling cartridge (in a normal sized gun), I think it's a case of no need to redesign something that just works.

I dislike the hammer (cocking spur thing), I want an exposed hammer that remains back when cocked. I'm not a fan of the looks and don't think the handling characteristics justify the form. To sum it up, a bunch of doo dads for a little less muzzle flip in a chambering that doesn't need tricks to make it shootable. Rhino isn't for me, even at half it's MSRP
 
I would like to have one of the lightweight ones, but I’m not willing to pay what they are asking. I might if it were made by S&W or Ruger. I’m not bother by the unusual looks and the concept makes a lot of sense to me, but the price does not.

If I’m spending that kind of money I want it to come out of a US factory.
 
I don't hate them but have no interest in owning one. There are plenty of nice looking 357's out there I don't own yet, and life is too short for ugly guns

Pretty much sums up my opinion, but I don't "hate" them. If you want one, it's OK with me.

Oh, and I have handled one at least. It felt pretty good in my hand, but I still don't want one.
 
Only saw a Chiappa Rhino once at a range, I was picking up the brass the shooter was chucking out....
Man that gun was ugly. Dog-ugly.
Smiths and Colts are beautiful.
Rugers doubles are strong and good looking.
Ruger singles are really strong, and good working guns. They look OK.

Chiappa Rhinos are Butt ugly. Do they offer anything besides ugliness? My guess is not enough of a difference.
People also argue the utility and reliability of Hi-Point Products. And they are entitled to do so.
 
Its pretty entertaining how some will allow "ugly looks" to override actual performance and all they see and base everything on, is "ugly".

Glocks are like that too. Like the Rhino, they may not be the prettiest looking guns (and that tends to grow on you), but they do seem to often surpass the "prettier" looking guns in performance and abuse (hence the "grows on you" :)).

And you dont mind doing things with/to them, that you would never think of doing, with some of those safe queens you often see posted. :)
 
Its pretty entertaining how some will allow "ugly looks" to override actual performance and all they see and base everything on, is "ugly".

Glocks are like that too. Like the Rhino, they may not be the prettiest looking guns (and that tends to grow on you), but they do seem to often surpass the "prettier" looking guns in performance and abuse (hence the "grows on you" :)).

And you dont mind doing things with/to them, that you would never think of doing, with some of those safe queens you often see posted. :)
Please tell us what they do that others do not. Tell me why I should retire my model 27 in favor of a Rhino. Tell us what attributes we should appreciate enough to overlook the ugly......and the price tag.

It's pretty entertaining when people use condescending terms like "safe queen" to take the moral superiority approach to a discussion.


Chiappa Rhinos are Butt ugly. Do they offer anything besides ugliness? My guess is not enough of a difference.
That's where I'm at with it. I'm not averse to ugly. I just have to have a good reason to tolerate it.
 
Please tell us what they do that others do not. Tell me why I should retire my model 27 in favor of a Rhino. Tell us what attributes we should appreciate enough to overlook the ugly......and the price tag.

It's pretty entertaining when people use condescending terms like "safe queen" to take the moral superiority approach to a discussion.



That's where I'm at with it. I'm not averse to ugly. I just have to have a good reason to tolerate it.
Didnt mean to hurt your feelings with the safe queen thing. Didnt know it was condescending, as you hear it a lot, and it seems a lot of people around here have them and dont seem to be embarrassed by saying so.

I shoot everything I have a good bit, so theres no thrones in the safe here. :)

I could care less what you do with your 27 nor am I telling to do anything with it, I have a 28, and as much as I like it, I actually shot the Rhino a bit better, especially when shooting it quickly. I have a number of S&W 357's, and the Rhino was quicker in recovery like that than any of them. Its also moon clip ready, and comes with good sights, right out of the box, and is probably about a pound lighter.

I bought mine because it was different, and I was bored and wanted something new to learn and figure out. It wasnt disappointing there either. It was a fun and accurate gun to shoot, and maybe contrary to the way it looks, a very natural gun to shoot with.

But I know, its ugly, so who would want it? Especially someone who has no experience with it to know what its like, other than they dislike the way it looks.

And compared to condescending safe queens, its a straight up, hairy butt ugly brute. :D
 
My feelings don't get hurt by the words of an anonymous stranger on the internet. I'm not going to take it any further than this, suffice to say that passive-aggressive is one of my triggers.

I didn't ask you to talk me into anything. I asked what the benefits were. Seems that's a tad too tough to answer.

As I said, I stated my preferences for my own uses and preferences. I have little need for a .357 at all, let alone one that's tailored to shooting fast. If that's the only feather in its cap, then I stand by my previous position that it has nothing to offer......for me. I don't need to own one to understand this.
 
Hey, you did ask, and I did answer your question, at least with the positives I saw in it.

If it has nothing to offer to you, thats fine, but you seem to have a habit of weighing in on things you have no experience with, and then get annoyed when you dont like the answers from those who do. What you have little need or use for is irrelevant. And if thats the case, why weigh in at all?

The only way I know to gain experience and actually know whats what with anything, is to get one and put the time and effort in and wring it out. If Id listened to all the people who bitch about things they have no experience with, and yet seemingly know all about them, Id have missed out on a lot of things.
 
Why does "everybody" seeking an opinion on something they are in favor of accuse "everyone" else of hate? Seems to be a trend. In almost every case (note the non-exclusivity there) the opinions are mixed. I see this one of post about weekly.
Or, is it a trolling technique? Always gets spirited responses.

Why do people gotta come in here trying to be a hero over nothing?

I already mentioned that "hate" is an exaggeration.

A lot of of revolver people have a strong dislike of this gun. Almost every non revolver person I've met thinks it's by far the coolest looking revolver ever. That "everyone" isn't for them though. It's for revolver people.

Anyways, this gun should be way more popular than it actually is. I don't understand how it isn't...even with a lot of traditional revolver people thinking it's ugly. Functionally, it's the lightest shooting 357 you'll find for it's size and weight. It's as accurate as any person shooting it, and it's quality made. It's expensive but we'll made quality revolvers are generally expensive.

The 3in model (and probably even the 2in but I've never shot one) shoots 357 softer than my steel frame new Colt Cobra shoots 38 white box. That's gotta count for something.
 
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A guy who owns a local shop, and who knows me well, got a couple Chiappas in, and was thinking of returning them. One was a 9mm 4"; he showed it to me, and offered my one heck of a deal. Bought it, and really liked it. It shot straight and was really easy to manage.
Buddy got a short barreled .357 Mag and it was really easy to shoot; stumbled on to a used 3" Magnum and bought it. The recoil difference between it, and say, a Smith 66 is simply amazing.
Faults? Well, they are weird, (they look like a cartoon gun drawn by an artist who knows absolutely nothing about guns) and seem to have some extra screws and such that feel like an afterthought.
But they have great sights and double action pull. Grab one if you get a chance.
Moon
 
Re-iterating my post above, the difference in recoil is really pretty startling. It's especially noticeable shooting the 3" Chiappa and the 2.5" M66 with the same magnum loads.
Had I not gotten a heck of a deal on the first one, doubt I'd have taken the leap. But a bunch of us get together to shoot on Sunday nights, we share guns, and the Chiappas are contagious.
Moon
 
Hey, you did ask, and I did answer your question, at least with the positives I saw in it.
I asked for an honest assessment of the positives, without the extra sauce on top. I see you're incapable of leaving the sauce off. :scrutiny:


If it has nothing to offer to you, thats fine, but you seem to have a habit of weighing in on things you have no experience with, and then get annoyed when you dont like the answers from those who do. What you have little need or use for is irrelevant. And if thats the case, why weigh in at all?
I think you need to re-read the OP. Hell, read the subject line. I'm sorry that my opinion hurt your feelings.


The only way I know to gain experience and actually know whats what with anything, is to get one and put the time and effort in and wring it out. If Id listened to all the people who bitch about things they have no experience with, and yet seemingly know all about them, Id have missed out on a lot of things.
We're getting back to the Benjamin Franklin quote in my signature. I prefer to rely on my ability to gather evidence, think about it critically and make a judgment call based on experience. Rather than having to buy and "experience" every single cotton-picking thing. You have told us outright that it has less muzzle rise, is faster in recovery and directs the recoil more straight back than up. One with half a lick of sense can ascertain all that from just looking at it, which I did and spelled out in my first response. I have all the information I need to make a decision, without buying one. I also know that those attributes do not benefit me at all. So there is no reason under the sun for me to buy one, just so I can speak from experience. IMHO, that would be stupid. If the gun appeals to you and you enjoy its attributes, more power to you. I don't have to buy one to know I don't want one. I just bought my 110th revolver, don't need any help. :confused:
 
I asked for an honest assessment of the positives, without the extra sauce on top. I see you're incapable of leaving the sauce off. :scrutiny:
Ahh, you know you like sauce. Pepper sauce is the best too! I put it on everything but my hot cakes. :p



I think you need to re-read the OP. Hell, read the subject line. I'm sorry that my opinion hurt your feelings.
Didnt hurt my feelings at all, and I did re-read the topic. I just wonder how you can hate and have an opinion on something youve never tried and actually shot. Other than that, oh yea, its ugly. Ugly tells us a lot.



We're getting back to the Benjamin Franklin quote in my signature. I prefer to rely on my ability to gather evidence, think about it critically and make a judgment call based on experience. Rather than having to buy and "experience" every single cotton-picking thing. You have told us outright that it has less muzzle rise, is faster in recovery and directs the recoil more straight back than up. One with half a lick of sense can ascertain all that from just looking at it, which I did and spelled out in my first response. I have all the information I need to make a decision, without buying one. I also know that those attributes do not benefit me at all. So there is no reason under the sun for me to buy one, just so I can speak from experience. IMHO, that would be stupid. If the gun appeals to you and you enjoy its attributes, more power to you. I don't have to buy one to know I don't want one. I just bought my 110th revolver, don't need any help. :confused:
Well, if you and Ben have it all figured out, why even bother chiming in here at all then? You know it all, sorta. :)

And good for you on 110. :thumbup: I have a rough idea of the different types Ive had over the years, but never really kept an accurate count. Things have come and gone, and lots of things and lessons learned, good and bad, but "I" actually learned them. I keep and have multiples of those I like, need, and use, only have a couple of sentimental guns, and turn the rest around to feed the habit. I can think of three Ive owned, that would easily have bought you your 110 too, so Im not all that impressed, if that was your reason for telling us. ;)

And if you really want to impress, the guns are actually just the small number there $$$ wise, and the cheap part of that whole equation, so 110 guns really isnt saying much. If you arent trying your best to wear them out, you really must not like the gun much. The cost of the ammo that started to wear out my one Glock (another ugly gun) alone, would have allowed me to buy about 50 more brand new 17s in the time it took to shoot it. And Im still shooting it. And all that now on a fixed income! :thumbup: Well, some of those come and gone's and a bit of blood, sweat, and tears, helped there too. :)

Oh, wait, that isnt "sauce" again, is it? :p
 
I don't hate. It's just a gun. The OP asked for opinions, I gave mine. Sorry it doesn't gain your approval but that's not really a requirement. I'm also sorry that I didn't have to buy one of the damned things to figure it out. I asked you point blank what I was missing and your answer is literally, "nothing". I don't deny that its attributes may appeal to some but I don't have to buy one to figure out that it doesn't appeal to me. If you have to "experience" everything first hand, then maybe your critical thinking, deductive reasoning or judgment needs some work. It's good to have something to work to improve.

No, the intent of sharing the sum total revolvers I've bought in my life was not to brag but the fact that you took it that way tells me something. The point that you missed or ignored is that it speaks of experience. Enough experience to know I don't have to buy everything in hell's creation to render judgment. I don't have to spend six months wearing thong underwear to know that I don't want to spend all day with a string up my crack. There's that deductive reasoning again.

For the record, I can quantify the number of guns I own and have bought/sold/traded because it's contained in a spreadsheet. Somehow my OCD does not dictate I do the same for round count but I do try to keep the dust knocked off my four reloading presses.
 
I have a 40DS and I had trouble with it. Light strikes. Had to send it back twice. I'll shoot 38spl out of it but not mags. Makes me nervous, it seems like a loose rattletrap to me. I don't hate it, but I am not fond of it either.
 
It’s different for sure. But I can buy two glocks for the price of one Rhino. I’m interested in shooting one. Buying one is a different story.
 
I've heard the lockwork is relatively delicate as compared to a Ruger, Smith or even colt.

I'm not sure local gunsmiths could repair, and my gut tells me they likely won't hold up to regular magnum use but that could be informed by the above statement.

Apologists, I would love to hear of heavy magnum use and how everything is holding up..
 
I put north of 2 thousand rounds or so of my reloads through mine while I had it. Not screamers, by any means, but you know youre shooting them when they go off. 158 grainers running around 1000-1100, depending on the bullets. Never had any issues.
 
I've read enough folks who said they hated the look of the Rhino until they had a chance to actually fire one. I guess they shoot better than they look.

As it is, I have a Ruger Security Six 4" in .357, my Rossi snub and my late wife's Taurus snub in .38, and a Rossi '92 leveraction rifle that handles most .357 and .38 rounds just fine. I have no real need for another .38/.357 revolver and could join the crowd bashing the ugly duckling Rhino but that would be unnecessarily mean.

Besides I could end up trying it, and liking it. And figuring out how to buy one.
 
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