Are you a revolver snob?

[Bill.68]

I am for sure, without question. But...
Back in the late '90s I had a Rossi 357 I picked up at a local pawn shop. I dont remember the model but it was a damn nice gun that I shot the snot out of and had no issue with. Sadly I sold it and of course I regretted it because they quit making them soon after.
Last year Rossi (Taurus) started back up with the revolvers and I have to say, for $370 Im really looking hard at one. I understand that theyre not going to be the same as the one I had but all reviews I seen and read have been predominantly very positive.
They appear to be even smaller than a K frame but still with 6 rounds of 357mag. If nothing else it would serve as a training gun that I wouldnt need to worry about babying like I do my vintage S&Ws.
Does anybody have one of the RP63 models?

[daytime dave]

I don't have any experience with the current Rossi offerings. An acquaintance had a Rossi .38 special years and years ago. It was a sound and inexpensive gun. The RP63 that you are thinking about looks like a decent revolver for the money.

I am a revolver snob. I just recently ended a self imposed boycott of the revolvers from Ruger. That was just based on looks.

I'd be interested in your thoughts if you get it.

[North Country Gal]

By all means, go for it. My advice, though, is to always do a thorough inspection before buying, regardless of brand or price. I've seen lemons that never should have left the factory with all major revolver brands. You're not safe buying sight unseen by brand until you move up to something like a Korth or FA.

Given my tendency to buy and sell and trade so much, I avoid budget brands simply because budget brands just don't hold their value as well when it comes time to trade or sell and they have zilch for value as collectibles. I have nothing against such brands as shooters.

[Vaquero]

I am a revolver fan, but mostly of the single-action type.
They just go so naturally with the lever guns.

RP

[Mags]

Perhaps when it comes to certain 19th century models like the Remington 1858 and some of the Colts. Though I do not care for the top break actions.
I do not like modern snub nose nor any revolver with a rhino-horn backstrap.

[GFK]

I got one. I like it! The one negative that I have is my finger next to the trigger guard gets sore, after about 6 rounds of .357s. Would I buy it again? Probably. For $350, it is not a bad deal. Plus, I can shoot .38 Special +P, when I want to have an extended shooting session. I do a similar thing, when I want to have an extended shooting session with my S&W M360 Airweight. I can shoot about 4 rounds of .357 from it, before my palm starts to get sore. So, these firearms are not design for a shoot-out. Seems more suitable for a close encountered self-defense situation, which works for me.

RP63.JPG

M360-4.JPG

[Ozarkwoodswalker]

Who doesn't like a revolver?... they are nice.....

[Hatchdog]

I’ve always been a revolver snob mostly owning S&W’s with a few Rugers sprinkled in. Not that I’m in the buying mode these days but I’m liking the Rossi’s I’m seeing advertised here locally. I recently paid a premium for a classic S&W revolver and just last week a similar Rossi was listed for sale at more than half the price. While I treasure owning the classic Smith that Rossi would have fit me needs just fine.

[GFK]

I agree. I paid a little more than twice as much for the S&W M360 than the Rossi RP63. Yet, they both shoot .357s just fine.

[Vaquero]

I've only owned 2 Rossi revolvers, one was an early Judge.
The other is this little 22, it's a S&W clone also, but I couldn't tell you which as I know little about Smiths.

20250106_094312.jpg

RP

[fortyshooter]

I have a good mix of SA and DA revolvers. Right now the best one I like is my S&W 686+ 3 inch 7 shooter. Bought it a year or so ago and everything was right on this one and it shoots very well.

[Bill.68]

I don't have any experience with the current Rossi offerings. An acquaintance had a Rossi .38 special years and years ago. It was a sound and inexpensive gun. The RP63 that you are thinking about looks like a decent revolver for the money.

I am a revolver snob. I just recently ended a self imposed boycott of the revolvers from Ruger. That was just based on looks.

I'd be interested in your thoughts if you get it.

Rugers are NOT pretty guns, no question but Bill Rugers design genius can be denied. Last night I completely disassembled my '87 vintage Redhawk for a deep clean and all thats needed is a single slotted driver to remove the grips. Theyre well engineered firearms no question.
Alot of folks believe the Rugers to be so much stronger and durable than say S&W but the metallurgical fact is that theyre not, not by very much if at all. Castings are not as strong as forging so the Ruger frames are necessarily larger . Yes there are Ruger and Contender only loads but I think those are due mainly to the lengths of the chambers of the latter guns, theyre longer so they can take those more powerful, LONGER loadings

[Bill.68]

By all means, go for it. My advice, though, is to always do a thorough inspection before buying, regardless of brand or price. I've seen lemons that never should have left the factory with all major revolver brands. You're not safe buying sight unseen by brand until you move up to something like a Korth or FA.

Given my tendency to buy and sell and trade so much, I avoid budget brands simply because budget brands just don't hold their value as well when it comes time to trade or sell and they have zilch for value as collectibles. I have nothing against such brands as shooters.

Im just the opposite in that I rarely trade or sale a firearm so I necessarily take my time with a selection or purchase, Im very specific in my choices. Ill read and research, weigh the loading aspect (will I have to buy new powders, bullets, primers etc). Aesthetics plays a big role.
I dont buy cheap firearms either but lately Ive sort of softened on that, I currently own 2 rossi lever guns, a 357 and a 454casull. One has been fantastic one was a nightmare at the beginning but I have taken it to a new level and am happy with it, both actually.
Im extremely reluctant to buy a "cheap" revolver, a revolver especially. But like I said I owned an older one and it was fine. Not the same firearms though.
Ill definitely give it a thorough inspection before taking delivery. I have an entire toolkit just for inspecting revolvers.
Im still considering it but I definitely cant afford a $4000 Spohr now can I?

[Bill.68]

I got one. I like it! The one negative that I have is my finger next to the trigger guard gets sore, after about 6 rounds of .357s. Would I buy it again? Probably. For $350, it is not a bad deal. Plus, I can shoot .38 Special +P, when I want to have an extended shooting session. I do a similar thing, when I want to have an extended shooting session with my S&W M360 Airweight. I can shoot about 4 rounds of .357 from it, before my palm starts to get sore. So, these firearms are not design for a shoot-out. Seems more suitable for a close encountered self-defense situation, which works for me.


RP63.JPG

Nice. How many rounds of 357 has it seen? Theyre a good looking gun arent they? The grips have to go. Would you care to remive the grips and show me the grip frame? Please? Have you slugged the bore and throats? Id be very interested in hearing about those.
Youre right, the price is very attractive and if the quality is anything like my old one Id be very happy to have one.
Im really looking at this as a training gun so I dont have to continue abusing my precious S&Ws.
Again, congratulations, nice gun.

M360-4.JPG

[Bill.68]

There is another "cheap" good firearm that has caught my attention. A completely different direction, a hi-power clone. Lordy, Lordy what have I done? These cheap guns are getting better and better these days.
South American or Turks, which way does he go?

[GFK]

I got one. I like it! The one negative that I have is my finger next to the trigger guard gets sore, after about 6 rounds of .357s. Would I buy it again? Probably. For $350, it is not a bad deal. Plus, I can shoot .38 Special +P, when I want to have an extended shooting session. I do a similar thing, when I want to have an extended shooting session with my S&W M360 Airweight. I can shoot about 4 rounds of .357 from it, before my palm starts to get sore. So, these firearms are not design for a shoot-out. Seems more suitable for a close encountered self-defense situation, which works for me.


Nice. How many rounds of 357 has it seen? Theyre a good looking gun arent they? The grips have to go. Would you care to remive the grips and show me the grip frame? Please? Have you slugged the bore and throats? Id be very interested in hearing about those.
Youre right, the price is very attractive and if the quality is anything like my old one Id be very happy to have one.
Im really looking at this as a training gun so I dont have to continue abusing my precious S&Ws.
Again, congratulations, nice gun.

I agree that the grips are not the best. I called Rossi about replacements (first part of last year). At that time, none was available. Later that year, it came out with a set that is about 1/3 of what I paid for the revolver, rubber: (https://shoprossi.com/new-items/lok-gri ... ell-veloce). Really? Now, it has some wooden type that are priced better (https://shoprossi.com/revolver/?_bc_fsn ... 5B%5D=RP63). Yet, I prefer a rubber type.

As for rounds fired, I fired about 25 rounds, to get a feel for the firearm. As for slugging the bore, that is beyond me. I just clean and shoot them. If I have an issue with one, I send it back or try and resolve it myself. So far, that has worked for me. Below is a picture without the grips:

RP63-1.JPG

[Bill.68]

What!!?? $12= for those grips? Then I saw who makes them, LOK. OK. Maybe but most lokely not. LOK does make nice grips but not that nice. Come on its all done by a compiter. At most they lay a block of g10 in the cnc bed. Whatever. Those MBT grips look very nice and at a decent price but I didnt see where they say what kind of wood. Im a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to grips and if I can make my own you better bet I am. So....

Thanks for that pic sans grips, I was curious about the shape of the grip frame. And they still use the same spring arrangement as before. Pretty sure Galloway has different springs for this gun so you can check them out if you want.
¹⁷⁷⁶

Still very, very very curious about the throats and bore diameters. I shoot alot of cast bullets and sizing is the name of the game, also very important with jacketed but maybe not quite as much.
Really nice looking gun

[BrokenolMarine]

I love revolvers, and own one or three. I recently bought a Taurus 856 For Miss Tina because she could get that one new for the cost of a used Smith Five Shot Snubbie. She liked it fine, but the trigger was a bit stiff, hard to pull. I installed a trigger spring kit in the gun and then it was greatly improved.

(That was a year or so ago, see the info on that here: http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 56#p241165 )

She liked the gun, carried it until just recently, until she downsized the purse, and went back to her old Airweight Smith 642.

[Bill.68]

Is that rhe name of the outfit selling springs and stuff for taurus guns, Galloway??

[BrokenolMarine]

Is that rhe name of the outfit selling springs and stuff for taurus guns, Galloway??

Yup, there are others, just google Reduced power spring kits for Taurus Revolvers, but the video I saw, and later followed, was Galloway.

https://gallowayprecision.com/reduced-p ... -revolvers

Wolff Also makes kits for Taurus...

https://www.gunsprings.com/TAURUS/SMALL ... D65/dID290