Rossi .357 Mag
Got an email from a buddy of mine, Who is pcsing from Ft Campbell to Germany. He asked me if I would like to buy his Rossi .357 Mag. I do not know much about the Rossi Brand at all. I have always been either a Springfield, Colt or S&W guy, As far as my handguns go. I am leaning towards no, Just cause Rossi is not an American made firearm. Now I'll wait to see what the rest of yall think.
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mdm71379.....thanks for your question and welcome to the GB ATE Forum. I know you will hear from others after me, both pro and con on Rossi, but I have quite a few Rossi's and like them a lot. They are what they are....cheaper "clones" if you will of Smiths...which, of course, they are not! Just yesterday I used my Rossi 58 (that I keep on my workbench loaded with snakeshot) to send a large snake into RaptureLand. I CC a Rossi Titanium (Gold) sometimes as I like its lightweight and stopping power with .38+p's. I have a Rossi rifle in .357 which I like also and a 971 pistol in .357 (kinda like a Smith 66). But I know that others on this Forum have different views of Rossi (read negative) and I, too, would never compare my Rossi's to my Smith's as far as quality/finish/etc...just not in the same ballpark. If memory serves me correct, Taurus now owns the Rossi rights and the "old" Rossi is not more I believe. Anyway, I like mine[:)]Hope this helps 0 -
There have been multiple Rossi .357 models; without knowing which one, we can't advise much.
Rossi is now a Taurus product; if it is not stamped "Braztech", it is orphaned & Taurus will not provide parts or service.
I have owned several Rossi's & they have always worked well & provided good service. Fit & finish is adequate, triggers are heavy, & sharp corners are, well, sharp.
I like US-made guns, but will not throw away a Sig Sauer, Browning, Beretta, or Walther.
If the price is cheap, go for it.
Neal0 -
If it is a revolver, and in not made on USA soil, leave it alone. There is only one revolver that I might buy made outside of the USA, and that is a KORTH. However, if I had my choice between that, or a Colt Python I wold take the Colt. Stay away from the Rossi, and Taurus...you will have fewer head, and butt aches.
Best
EDIT 1
quote:Also, for what its worth, the newer "Braztech" (Taurus distributed) Rossi guns are probably better than the older ones.
Thats not saying a whole lot if they are bringing them to taurus standards.
EDIT 2
gunnut505,
A pigs ear, is a pigs ear, no matter how you slice it, or how much silk you cover it in. There is a REASON, that USA made revolvers from Colt, Ruger, and S&W are the worlds PREMIER revolver's. That is not because they make lots of junk, or wannabe's. Facts, are facts...just like the pigs ear...no matter how you slice it, at any price.
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quote: anyone with a screwdriver, a file, and a hard Arkansas stone can make their Rossi feel like any model of any other more expensive piece of metal.
It's a great deal at $250, so why not get it?
This is supposed to be an EXPERTS forum for expert advice. A couple things I suggest...
1. If your Rossi's are so great, why do they need slicked up.
2. please don't advise "anyone", which in your statment included those with little or no experience, to home gunsmith something, that if out of time, can blow up in their face. It is their face, not yours!
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EDIT 3
You still don't get it. You are advocating, to have someone who might not have the skills needed, to do something they shouldn't. Taking a revolver apart, and polishing the internals, should be done by someone skilled with doing so, and knows how to make sure the revolver is still timed. Having a chamber go off when not properly aligned with the barrel is disasterous in a revolver, and can have grave consequences. The work you describe above, can in some instances(and yes I have had Taurus, and Rossi's apart), effect the timing.
Also, I have shot Rossi or two, and have decided not to own them. I have owned and shot Taurus revolvers, but not owned them for long after I shot them. So yes, I am familiar with your beloved Rossi's. I am glad they work for you.
Best0 -
quote:Originally posted by tsr1965
If it is a revolver, and in not made on USA soil, leave it alone. There is only one revolver that I might buy made outside of the USA, and that is a KORTH.
I pretty much agree with that, but like everything else its a question of price.
For $150 (and really not more), I'd be willing to buy a Rossi snubnose as a "drawer" or "glovebox" gun *IF* I could inspect it, and make sure it was OK first.
For any more than that, I'd rather kick in another $100 and get a Smith or Ruger.
Also, for what its worth, the newer "Braztech" (Taurus distributed) Rossi guns are probably better than the older ones.
quote:
Thats not saying a whole lot if they are bringing them to taurus standards.
No, probably not. [;)] But the older Rossi guns were pretty lousy.
Edit #2.
I'm not stepping further into this "debate" about the quality of Rossi guns.
But as a point of reference, good to excellent condition Ruger .357 revolvers are available used on the auction site here for $300-350.
Going rate on excellent condition Smith revolvers appears to be about $450, though plenty of the auctions (especially fixed sight models) close under $400 with a few as low as $350.
To me, these things made a $250 Rossi a non-starter.0 -
Thanks to everyone for thier comments, He was wanting to sell for 250.00 so I'll say no thanks. also I forget what madel he said it was, but I do know it was made prior to the Rossi/Taurus merger. once again thanks to everyone. 0 -
It sounds like you are swayed by opinions, and like everyone else; I have one.
You should contact your friend and ask him if it's a 97 series (971, 972, etc.)before you let just any poster make up your mind.
I have 3 Rossi 97 series revolvers in 357 that I have de-burred, smoothed and slicked up to where if you closed your eyes and pulled the trigger; you couldn't tell if it was a Smiff, Colt or Korth.
ALSO- since everyone "knows" Rossi's are simply foreign-made clones of Smiffs & Colts; absolutely anyone with a screwdriver, a file, and a hard Arkansas stone can make their Rossi feel like any model of any other more expensive piece of metal.
It's a great deal at $250, so why not get it?
EDIT-TSR; if you don't want to buy it, you really shouldn't. The OP is a relative noob as are most folks that don't know the difference twixt a Rossi and a Taurus (prior to their merger), and there are bound to be several hundred thousands of both guns floating around out there that won't explode in anyone's face, regardless of how you feel personally about them. Ordnance steel has been around a very long time, and especially in South America, otherwise why would all those Argentine FALs be worth so much money? Bad example? How about all those 1911s from down there?
You yourself have no idea how well something made outside our borders can be with your simplistic statement about choosing a picky, overpriced, "name brand" Python over a fabulously well-made and fitted Korth (worth every penny over what that clunker Colt costs), and you won't have to get it timed, or shimmed as often as the Colt.
This "is" the Experts forum, and as an unabashed authority on Rossi/Taurus (having actually OWNED and SHOT many of both; something you've never done), I gave what I conclude to be the best advice so far concerning the purchase.
I may have been a little tongue-in-cheek when I suggested that "anyone" could apply simple hand tools to accomplish what you say cannot be done safely, but I stick by what I posted. Stoning and smoothing should be done on any gun to improve its' handling and reliability IF the owner thinks it is needed to bring the gun up to his standards.0 -
"Caveat Emptor", "You get what you pay for" etc.. If it's at the top of your price range and it works reliably, go for it. Maybe he'll drop the price to 200 or even 185 or so. If not, walk away. You'll probably find something as good or better for 250.
I bought a used Interarms-marked 2" Rossi SS .38 years ago. The cylinder was a tiny bit crooked on it's axis and one of the chamber faces would rub the forcing cone. I probably could have had it shimmed to line up correctly, but I didn't want to invest anything into it. I bought it for about 100, sold it for about 100. I wouldn't buy one again, but that's just me.
Good luck, and safe shooting!0
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