as adventurous as Taurus is, I still believe that if Chiappa didn't have an airtight patent on the "underbarrel" design, we would already see more big names doing small batches to see how it goes, at the very least high end customs. I do think in another umpteen years when the patent expires or someone can make it differently enough to circumvent the Chiappa design, we will see some other makers and I am excited to see what others could do with the design. I'll take an underbarrell R8 in .460 please....
I do disagree some with the well versed post above, yes revolvers are great at handling large and interesting cartridge's that would prove too problematic with a working combustion engine which is the semi-auto pistol..... but the stature of the Rhino along with the flattened faces of the cylinder combined with manageable recoil, makes the Rhino design more appealing to CC buyers than competitive or sport shooting, I see very few people doing speed type competitions with revolvers these day, not saying it isn't a cool thing and a great sport, just seems that combat revolver use is down and silhouette is what's in atm. so I find 9mm, 40, 38spl/357mag chambering's very appealing since that it was I would likely be using for a CC caliber due to the availability of sensible sized cartridges that are affordable for lots of practice and have the benefit of super-competitive bullet designs that all seem to do what's "needed". In all honesty, I think if the Rhino had a better sales team and really exaggerated the benefits of the design along with a 25% or more reduction in price, it COULD be a big seller. But they aren't going to toss the idea away any time soon, they seem to be embracing it and are still expanding. I am hoping the 38spl "polylite" version comes with a pricetag that would seem reasonable to average people and get the conversation about the design started up again. Let's see the moon clips get nixed, get the weight down closer to the 1# side and get the price down(even it requires cutting some corners, the Rhino's I have seen are beautifully finished wood and steel, great if you can afford that kind of detail). I would own one right now, but I want it to simply experience the design for myself and see if it's viable for ME, and for a prototype platform that I am unsure about, I can toss 7-800$ at one on a whim.
I have long wondered why the handgun hasn't been totally redesigned with using as little of the design of the "gun" as we know it. A pistol that can be gripped top and bottom with a center-line bore and some ingenious way to feed and eject the shells, I respect them more than any maker right now for having the guts to put out a totally non-traditional design and pretty much make it their flagship(okay, Tuarus did the Curve, but c'mon.....I need some sights). kudo's to Chiappa, because I haven't seen an employed gun writer that didn't woo the degree of muzzle control offered by a simple upside down barrel.