Bryan was kind enough to leave a question…
Before we answer that, we have to explore which gun is at the heart of the question.
Chiappa Firearms is sort of an odd duck when it comes to firearms manufacturers. Based in Italy, it started out by making replicas of famous guns, such as cowboy arms. Most of those were chambered for the .22 Long Rifle cartridge.
They also offer shotguns, air guns, blank firing guns, and a whole lot more. But for our purposes today, we need to focus on what is probably their most famous gun. That would be the Rhino, a really nifty and innovative revolver.
There are a lot of interesting features about the Rhino, but the one thing that seems to surprise people the most is that the barrel is slung down low on the frame. Instead of the top chamber in the cylinder firing, the bottom chamber is the one where all the bang happens.
(Picture source.)
The idea behind this is that the majority of the recoil will be pushed straight back in to the hand of the shooter, keeping muzzle flip to a minimum. In theory, this should allow for faster follow up shots and greater accuracy.
But wait, there’s more! The cylinder is squared off, though I’m not sure why. Cutouts that function as mounting platforms similar to a picatinny rail allow one to mount a variety of accessories, the standard factory sights are highly visible, the gun can be had in a wide variety of configurations and finishes, and one can find models chambered for an interesting array of cartridges. (9x21mm in a revolver? Really?)
By all accounts, the good people at Chiappa have come out with an innovative, finely made revolver that functions very well indeed. So what is my opinion on the gun?
Well, I really don’t have any opinion concerning the Rhino at all. You see, I have never fired one. In fact, I have never even seen one except for pictures on the Internet.
How can this possibly be? Am I not an expert? Did I not accrue a quarter century of experience in the shooting sports? Have I not shot everything to be found under the sun? (Am I not, Did I not, Have I not! Not not not!)
Nope, haven’t. Sorry to disappoint.
One of the major reasons why I never came across a Rhino is because we don’t run in the same circles. My experience is with low income folks who are operating under extremely limited means. As of this writing, a bargain basement Chiappa Rhino retails for about $750 USD (£520, or €665). This is a bit more than twice the price of a no-frills revolver from Taurus.
To put it another way, you can buy two self defense revolvers from Taurus, as well as a box or two of ammo. Or you can buy one Chiappa Rhino and throw it at the bad guys because you can’t afford any gun food.
So where to go to find out about the Rhino? I would start here. The author seems to know his stuff, and he has actual hands-on time with the gun. That certainly puts him head and shoulders above me!
The gun isn’t hype. It’s actually fun to shoot. (Snubby version)
Not interested. The grip sucks. I tried handling and dry firing three different Rhinos one day, there was no consistency between the triggers, each was markedly different from the others.
Geeky reference: it also (or at least a look-alike) cropped up in the computer game ‘Alien: Isolation.’ Decent game IMHO, and, also JIMHO, a much better “prequel” than the movie ‘Prometheus.’
I’ve been meaning to play that one.
Well, three years later I discovered you answered my question. I do appreciate your well thought out response. Thank you very much for entertaining my curiosity.