Rossi Rifleman

I have ordered a Model 98, 22lr, blued, 6in barrel. I have wanted a 22 suitable for target shooting. I have a Model 851 38sp, and really enjoy it. It looks good, fires well and accurate. I'm looking forward to using this new addition. When I was a kid I had an H&R 999, good memories go with that. I'll let you all know how this goes. So far my Rossi experiences are good.

This one had my interest keepp us posted.

Pictures!

I'm a sucker for rimfires.
Let us know how this works out.

Raffael,
I'm going to recommend the $700 Smith since I have shot them and they are great guns.
(My Smith .22 isn't a $700 gun as it has seen hard use and prior to my ownership some flat out abuse.
I don't think I'd take $700 for my LNIB .22 Mag Smith however.)

I'm neither really going to recommend nor poo poo the Taurus. AFAIK they are decent guns. BUT since I haven't shot their .22 I can't endorse them.

I will say their snubby .38 lightweight revolver impressed me a bit. Especially at the price my father paid for his. (Found it on the side of the road and called the local LEOs to come pick it up with the understanding that if nobody claimed it he wanted it back. Got the call to come down to the station and fill out the paperwork. Had two or three LEOs offer to buy it off him immediately afterward on his way out.)

I've got a buddy who often states he'd RATHER have a Taurus than a Smith even as a gift. Three of us who know him thinks he's a bit nuts but that's his opinion and his choice. We ALL have our opinions.

My current revolver stable IS Colts and Smiths with one Ruger but I purchased them used (except for the GP100). I think the most I paid for one of them AVERAGED at ~$360 (NOT counting the Python). (I picked up 4 revolvers in a single buy from an estate and while I recall the total paid I don't recall my individual calculations per each.) I will admit I've gotten VERY lucky on my revolver acquisitions over the years. I wouldn't turn down a Taurus but haven't run up on one that was calling my name (or one that was abandoned in the street...)

My recommendations remains the same as I"ve been telling folks for 15 years:
1) Buy what works for you.
2) Better to save your money, in order to follow 1) above, than to settle on something you are not satisfied with.
3) Buy something that feels good in your hand.
4) If you can try out a particular model either through a friend or a rental range before you buy it is usually worth the effort.

Raffael wrote:There are a lot of firearm purists out there and if you start reading forums, you will find many people saying, “You get what you pay for. Only buy a Smith & Wesson or a Colt.” A Smith & Wesson or a Colt revolver, undoubtedly is going to be an excellent gun, however both carry a hefty price tag. In my opinion, it takes guts to announce you aren’t a gun snob. There is nothing wrong with wanting an affordable gun. Honestly, I admire the guy who stands by his Hi-Point. There are plenty of handguns out there under $400 that are reliable, shoot straight, and are good looking. If you are considering your very first revolver I am not going to recommend a $700 Smith & Wesson .22 LR. I won’t recommend a piece of junk either.

Love it! I'm a Front Sight shooter and have taken some strange handguns to training. I even took a Jimenez Arms JA-Nine. It did as well as any of the others. The range instructions are always true to their byline of "any gun will do" and I've seen them take a stand that it is the shooter that makes the difference when someone starts knocking a Hi-Point, Kel-tec, or other. During the four day training, I have seen them all fail. The only two KABOOMS I've witness are Glocks. I'm a Taurus shooter and they survive the 800 to 1000 round event without issue. I haven't been brave enough to take a revolver yet, that is a lot of speed loading. I would love to take the Rossi 351 just to upset a bunch of guys... and then out shoot them.

I had one real cowboy in my class once. Everyone was snickering about his "six gun", a 45 Colt and the manufacture escapes me. At the end of day one, everyone simply left him alone. I've never seen anybody load a cowboy gun so fast and shoot so well.