Got me a Rossi 461

[FergusonTO35]

All the shops here sell tons of 85's and report few problems with them. I think the .38 and .357 revolvers are Taurus' best products. They've been making them forever and those guns see alot of police and military use south of the border.

A five shot 9mm thats the same size as a .44? Yeah, I wouldn't be too impressed either. Now, the Police Undercover is a six shot .38 built on the same frame and it is a sweet shooter. I had one and sold it like a dummy.

Shot some 146 grain SWC over 3.4 grains Bullseye today out of the 461. To my surprise they were pretty close to point of aim. I was using a small log as a target so I don't know how close they actually are. I'do.load some more and set up a real target soon and see how they do. If the 461 likes these boolits that will be good as the 125's need alot of powder to get up to respectable velocity out of the .38 Special.

[shoot-n-lead]

I have had such miserable service from Taurus revolvers until I would never buy another. I hope that yours is better. I don't think they will hold up long, if you start putting a 1000rds a year through them. Matter of fact, I have never had one make it to 1000rds, the most rounds that I have put through one was about 500...light loads...and the problems, started. At any rate, enjoy it, while it lasts...hopefully, a long time.

[Lefty Red]

Last Taurus I personally owned was way back when they were still made on actual S&W machinery in Brazil. Two 85s, and a 82. Great weapons and never knew why they moved away from the simple line they had.

Don't know why it's so hard to find a 6 shot short barrel wheelgun, that is able to be carried. At least under $650!

Lefty

[FergusonTO35]

Shoot-n-lead, I too am apprehensive about Taurus. Still, I can't argue with how popular their .38's and .357's are around here. My local dealer is as honest as the day is long and stands behind every gun he sells 100%, even if the factory won't. He sells bunches of them and says that he gets very few complaints.

Lefty Red, I have no idea why compact six shot wheelguns just aren't that popular, although big five shot guns are. The Ruger SP-101 is about the same size and weight as a Detective Special and has a rabid fanbase. Same for the S&W 60. I bought a used Fobus paddle holster for the SP-101 to try on the Rossi. In stock form it works well enough, I modified the area around the trigger guard and above the retention screw with a soldering iron last night and now it fits quite well. Soon as I get the ammo straightened out I'll add it to the carry rotation.

[FergusonTO35]

I'm going to order some Remington HTP .38 Special +P 125 grain SJHP for the 461. I used to shoot it in my 3" SP-101 back in the day and it penetrates and expands quite well, comparable to the pricey stuff that everyone insists you should carry. At $20.00 a box it's only a few bucks more than basic lead round nose.

[Lefty Red]

Found an old model Rossi M33 today at a pawn shop, while the son was getting his braces on. Was tempted to ask what they would take OTD for it, was priced $249.

[magimerlin]

With any of the older style Rossi revolvers that have the firing pun on the hammer..... be very careful with them.... they are NOT availible any longer... had a
.38 special Rossi revolver.... one day it just went click and no bang.... broke the firing pin... there was 1 person I found on the Internet that had a pin.. I bought the pin then sold the gun... oh and finding, by luck, that 1 pin took almost 6 months of searching... so fair warning if any of y'alls is this style..

sent from what use to be a great country...

[shoot-n-lead]

With any of the older style Rossi revolvers that have the firing pun on the hammer..... be very careful with them.... they are NOT availible any longer... had a
.38 special Rossi revolver.... one day it just went click and no bang.... broke the firing pin... there was 1 person I found on the Internet that had a pin.. I bought the pin then sold the gun... oh and finding, by luck, that 1 pin took almost 6 months of searching... so fair warning if any of y'alls is this style..

sent from what use to be a great country...

Good advice...they are unobtanium.

[FergusonTO35]

The current ones still have the pin on the hammer, I think it interchanges with S&W. Speaking of compact six shooters, my local guy has a newer Colt Cobra for $350.00. Looks like it hasn't been fired much although there is a fair amount of bluing loss on the cylinder. I can give you the dealer's contact info if anyone is interested.

[Lefty Red]

With any of the older style Rossi revolvers that have the firing pun on the hammer..... be very careful with them.... they are NOT availible any longer... had a
.38 special Rossi revolver.... one day it just went click and no bang.... broke the firing pin... there was 1 person I found on the Internet that had a pin.. I bought the pin then sold the gun... oh and finding, by luck, that 1 pin took almost 6 months of searching... so fair warning if any of y'alls is this style..

sent from what use to be a great country...

Handled three new Rossis yesterday in between doctor visits yesterday and all had the old SW type firing pin on the hammer.

i understand everyone's opinion of Rossi and Taurus snubnose revolvers. In the past, they have not been of good quaility. But it seems that every major brand of firearms has had issues. I just traded off a Colt Defender after it had two trips back Colt for the takedown pin falling out. Last email I got from Colt said quit shooting +P 9mm in it! The loss I took still keeps me up at night! I have a Taurus TCP 738 that has over 1000 rounds in it this year and never missed a beat with factory ammo, even steel cases TulAmmo! And I have spent twice the pistol's worth on ammo for it! Yet, I could have bought two TCPs for the difference in the loss I took on that Colt!

Nor or do I think that Ferg or I are so inept in firearm knowledge that we are led astray. I think I can pick out a good or bad firearm. I know when I feel it if it's made right. I don't go by brand names alone. But I am always leery, just my nature. I have spoke to three gun shop owners this week about the new Taurus revolvers and that fact that they are even in their shops says something.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming........

[Lefty Red]

The current ones still have the pin on the hammer, I think it interchanges with S&W. Speaking of compact six shooters, my local guy has a newer Colt Cobra for $350.00. Looks like it hasn't been fired much although there is a fair amount of bluing loss on the cylinder. I can give you the dealer's contact info if anyone is interested.

yes, please PM the info! I'm still licking my wounds from the Defender, but if I can't swing it my buddy would want it.

Thanks!

[FergusonTO35]

PM sent, good luck. The gun looks very nice other than the bluing loss on the cylinder. The owner said he thinks it slid around in a drawer to cause it.

[FergusonTO35]

Finally got the chamce to do some more shooting with the 461 today. I discovered the revolver really likes my 146 grain SWC slugs with Bullseye powder.These bullets are from a Lee C358-158-SWC that I had modified by Buckshot. He milled off the top of the mold where the gas check shank is, now it drops plain base 146 grain slugs. I tried 3.4 and 3.8 grains Bullseye and got excellent accuracy just slight above POA at 20 feet. The 3.8's didn't produce much more recoil than the 3.4's and accuracy was the same. The Pachmayr Compac grips really help keep the revolver under control, Rossi should make them standard. I'll roll up some more of the 3.8's and chrono 'em.


So far I really like this revolver and I'm very glad I bought it.

[warboar_21]

I think my friend has the same model or had the same model. It was a short little 357 Mag made by Rossi. When he first got it the trigger was a bit gritty and heavy but once he broke it in it seemed to improve. He carried it in his car/truck for when he went into Indy.

I have a late 80's Taurus model 66 that has 10,000+ rounds through it. Most of which are factory Winchester White Box 110gr JHP. I bought it used from a buddy that shot the heck out of it and then fell on hard times and sold it to me. I proceeded to shoot the heck out of it for many many years. It wasn't until I got out of the Army that it saw any of my reduced power reloads. That gun has given me zero problems since I have owned it.

Now the newer ones I wouldn't be as confident about.

[FergusonTO35]

I've long observed that .38 and .357 revolvers are Taurus' best priducts. They see alot of military and police use south o' the border and my local guy sells bunches of them with very few complaints.

[rugerdude]

With any of the older style Rossi revolvers that have the firing pun on the hammer..... be very careful with them.... they are NOT availible any longer... had a
.38 special Rossi revolver.... one day it just went click and no bang.... broke the firing pin... there was 1 person I found on the Internet that had a pin.. I bought the pin then sold the gun... oh and finding, by luck, that 1 pin took almost 6 months of searching... so fair warning if any of y'alls is this style..

sent from what use to be a great country...

Broke the hammer mounted firing pin on my Taurus 84 some time back. Numrich had them in stock in volume. Took 30 minutes to install including fitting. If those hadn't been in stock a S&W pin could easily be modified to work. And if all else failed an hour or so with a thin piece of O2 tool steel, a grinder and a file and voila, new firing pin!

[FergusonTO35]

Very few makers actually list a holster for the 461. I found a new Triple K leather thumbsnap holster for the Ruger SP-101 with 3" barrel on Fleabay for $20.00 so I decided to try it, seeing how close in size these guns are. I'm happy to report that this holster seems to fit well. It is as stiff as a board and the thumbsnap could stand to be about 1/8" longer but I think it will break in just fine. I soaked it in silicone spray and shoved the revolver in there as hard as I could a few times, I could feel the leather stretching as I did so. I'll store the gun and holster together for awhile to let them get used to each other.

[Lefty Red]

Very few makers actually list a holster for the 461. I found a new Triple K leather thumbsnap holster for the Ruger SP-101 with 3" barrel on Fleabay for $20.00 so I decided to try it, seeing how close in size these guns are. I'm happy to report that this holster seems to fit well. It is as stiff as a board and the thumbsnap could stand to be about 1/8" longer but I think it will break in just fine. I soaked it in silicone spray and shoved the revolver in there as hard as I could a few times, I could feel the leather stretching as I did so. I'll store the gun and holster together for awhile to let them get used to each other.

My friend had a Taurus 856 and it fits in my Remora holster for my SP101.

[Lefty Red]

I've long observed that .38 and .357 revolvers are Taurus' best priducts. They see alot of military and police use south o' the border and my local guy sells bunches of them with very few complaints.

I've said it before, but I know of three very reputable shop owners that are now carrying Taurus revolvers. And they stand by their products. So if they say they are good, then they are.

[FergusonTO35]

My local guy carries the Taurus snub .38 revolvers and the Millenium Pro (or whatever the current version is called) autos. He doesn't carry any of their other products. I suspect there just isn't any demand for them.