Questions re Chiappa Rhino .357

P

Panoply

New member
Hello All,

I came across these pistols quite by accident ( remember, I am slf teaching myself about firearms as I know no one well enough to solicit their opinions. The ones who do often don't recognize/have any input on the guns I am looking at).

So Chiappa. What do y'all think of it. PLEASE first hand knowledge only! On the gun forums I use I often get what sound suspiciously like second/third/fourth hand info; if not that it's and/or the 'No gun unless it's _____ - that you need, usually a firearms that costs itself way out of my budget. These Chiappa's push it enough already!

You see, after my imminent shotgun buy, the next firearms will be a NAA MAG WITH CONV 1 5/8" BARREL PORTED. yes, that was cut and paste.

My next weapon isn't an absolute decision as it will be quite some time before I can add to my firearm collection. Maybe as long as a year. So much can change in that time. This is why I'm interested in the unique revolver.

Thanks & God Bless,
Pan
 
First hand experience: I broke one while dry-firing at the sales counter of the largest gun store within a hundred miles. I apologized and then the salesman apologized -- and noted that he was happier it broke at the counter than on some new owner's first range trip.

Also hands on: a buddy of mine bought a lightly used one and we shot it together. It did not break. It absolutely handles muzzle flip and felt recoil better than a traditional .357 Mag revolver does. And the truth-- we both enjoyed the experience but he keeps it in the safe, worried that shooting it is going to break it.

If you can find an image of the guts of a Rhino you will see how complicated and frail it appears.

My opinion? I hold out hope that this outfit goes belly-up and some major gun maker buys the rights to the bottom-barrel concept so that someone can bring to market a similar revolver that is BETTER than the Rhino.

Perhaps this is not fair, but it is no less true...
If you pick up and inspect some other Chiappa offerings, you may be royally underwhelmed at their extremely cheap nature.
 
First hand experience. I have actually owned one for four years. I have put a steady diet of 357mag handloads through it with no issues. It is the fastest to get back on target with out of my 357mags. Some of my loads are moving a 125gr hp at 1610fps and they have stout recoil in my other pistols. The Rhino handles them easily and it has been a pleasure to shoot. My SP101 has alot more snap to it and it has 6 in the cylinder as opposed the the Rugers 5.

I used harder Russian primers in some of my reloads during the latest shortages and got a few light primer strikes. I load it with Hornaday or Gold
Dots when carrying it. I have never had a light primer strike with commercial ammo.I have the 200DS and the supplied holster makes it conceal very easily. The holster is really high quality leather and I also had a custom IWB holster made for it.

The gun is obviously not for everyone. Lots of opinions, especially from people who have never owned or shot one. I like the look and handling of mine and it is in my regular rotation of carry guns. It gets alot of attention at the range and I always let others shoot a few cylinders. Women really appreciate the lower recoil.
 
I broke one while dry-firing at the sales counter of the largest gun store within a hundred miles. I apologized and then the salesman apologized -- and noted that he was happier it broke at the counter than on some new owner's first range trip.
Click to expand...

Broke in what way?
 
I had a chance to check out and shoot one. Meh. It didn't seem particularly well-made nor did it have a particularly smooth action. And though I rarely shoot single action, I was astounded that it was as tough as it was to cock the hammer.

As far as muzzle flip, it seemed to have a bit less, but it's a solution to the wrong problem: Muzzle flip itself isn't what causes people to shoot slower - having to re-establish a new sight picture after each shot because the muzzle returns to a different place each time is what causes people to shoot slowly between shots. That's a technique (grip) issue, not a gun issue.

I'm all for innovation, but IMO, the Chiappa Rhino's largely a gimmick. And I've read too many accounts of poor reliability to not believe it's a poorly-made/designed one to boot. If you're interested in a revolver, IMO, you'd be far better off avoiding gimmicks, and sticking with a traditional DA/SA brand-name (e.g. S&W or Ruger) revolver instead.
 
GP100 vs the Rhino.
The GP100 is more solid of a gun; it points more naturally, IMO. GP100 benefits from having rubber grips, especially with hotter loads.

Rhino has some good looks, IMO. It shoots well and is plenty accurate; it's a 6 inch. Fiber optic sights make it easy to find when at the range. The forced forward angle on the grip is my major complaint- but it does help reduce muzzle flip. The other complaint is that the grips are small although they are called medium. My hands are not overly large, but I still had to order the large grips to get a better purchase on the gun. It is lightweight for sporting a 6 inch barrel. Rubber grips might help it some; hot loads do feel hot.. I like the looks more than anything; it's big and bold, and would scare the crap out of someone if they had it pointed in their direction- on looks alone.

Hands down, I'd say that the Ruger is a better, more durable gun. The Chiappa Rhino is not a bad gun; it might need to mature some; it's fun to shoot, but then most .357's are .. If you are looking for a fun range gun, the Chiappa certainly is different, and one can easily get used to its unique handling. Would I buy it again ? Yeah, I do like the looks; I do like how it shoots, although other guns point better than it does, it's still a bold unique gun that will sit in my collection for the meantime.
 
I have two of them. They're not going to break. That was an incident that happened years ago with the first generation models and doesn't apply to what you would currently buy.
It was my first revolver purchase and I would not want a revolver any other way. There is no muzzle flip. I can fire .357 magnum one handed...even offhand and still maintain accuracy. The strange thing about the one time I tried single hand offhand shooting was that it pulled to the side. That was probably an operator issue due to unfamiliarity with that hand. I fire it right handed one hand and it doesn't do that.
The one negative is that, although they have lightened the trigger pull, it's still more than I would like. Cocking the hammer is still hard. They do have a stage 2 trigger kit that lightens it. I've read good about it, but they advised against it when I was on the phone with them. They did a little trigger work for free and it is lightening up with use. I might be developing better trigger skill as well. I don't have to worry about the front sight pulling up any more.
I have the 200D in black and a 400DS in nickle. I replaced the rear sight with the rear sight from a 600 model. The green fiber optic rods stand out amazingly.
 
I'm still trying to figure out about chiappa. If you would've asked a year ago I probably would've sworn by the rhino. But we'll see how things play out. Feel free to read about my experience here-http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=558677
 
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