Wheelgunner49
Inactive
I recently purchased a Chiappa White Rhino 4". Very nice gun in many ways, though I have some concerns. Nice trigger, finish, function, etc. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Shoots very well. Same recoil as a similar sized .357mag but of course less barrel jump. Now the problems:
1. When I shoot .357, I get a very distinct bulge in the cases all the way around a little ways up from the rim. Nothing close to case failure, but I like to reload and I don't like to shoot magnum loads in resized brass that has bulged, even if it's minor. I measured the cylinder chambers in the Rhino and found them to be approximately: .387". For comparison I measured several other revolvers and found the following: Ruger = .382", S&W = .382, Taurus = .381, Rossi = .381. Clearly the Rhino is larger than the rest. That may account for the bulging. I contacted Chiappa with the info and they said right now all their techs were at a conference and they'd get back with me as soon as the techs return. Anyone have similar case bulging in a revolver? Any comments on the diameter of the cylinder chambers? Is .387 too large?
2. Earlier today I shot some 38 Special in my Rhino and something very strange happened. On the sixth round I thought I had a squib. Was shooting reloads, but in thousands of rounds of my own reloads, I've never undercharged a round...never a squib. Anyway, it sent the projectile about half-way down the barrel. I later removed it with a wooden dowel and some oil. What is interesting, though, is the case shows the hot gas burned the outside of the case on one side all the way down to the rim. It's not just black from carbon. The brass itself is quite discolored. I'm thinking now the extra room in the cylinder chamber caused this problem. Anything like this ever happen to anyone else?
No more shooting the Rhino until something gets fixed.
1. When I shoot .357, I get a very distinct bulge in the cases all the way around a little ways up from the rim. Nothing close to case failure, but I like to reload and I don't like to shoot magnum loads in resized brass that has bulged, even if it's minor. I measured the cylinder chambers in the Rhino and found them to be approximately: .387". For comparison I measured several other revolvers and found the following: Ruger = .382", S&W = .382, Taurus = .381, Rossi = .381. Clearly the Rhino is larger than the rest. That may account for the bulging. I contacted Chiappa with the info and they said right now all their techs were at a conference and they'd get back with me as soon as the techs return. Anyone have similar case bulging in a revolver? Any comments on the diameter of the cylinder chambers? Is .387 too large?
2. Earlier today I shot some 38 Special in my Rhino and something very strange happened. On the sixth round I thought I had a squib. Was shooting reloads, but in thousands of rounds of my own reloads, I've never undercharged a round...never a squib. Anyway, it sent the projectile about half-way down the barrel. I later removed it with a wooden dowel and some oil. What is interesting, though, is the case shows the hot gas burned the outside of the case on one side all the way down to the rim. It's not just black from carbon. The brass itself is quite discolored. I'm thinking now the extra room in the cylinder chamber caused this problem. Anything like this ever happen to anyone else?
No more shooting the Rhino until something gets fixed.
