Chiapa Rhino

[Babalooie]

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to buy a Chiapa Rhino with 2" barrel in .357 Magnum caliber. After looking it over I put it on lay away. Scarey looking creature. Would appreciate input from anyone who has first hand experience with this beast.

 

[Erich]

I love the heck out of mine - bought the first one I saw at full retail in December and have shot it a ton.

http://www.handgunsandammunition.com/showthread.php?t=8384

Please feel free to email me any Qs you might have.

 

[handejector]

That's cuter than a 3.5" Reg Mag factory engraved with ivory grips in a carved Myres holster.

 

[dkees]

Every once in a while I'll get an almost irresistible urge to buy a firearm. I usually have no use for it (SW 500 mag, Snake Charmer .410, Browning Hi-Power, M97 Winchester in 16 ga., etc.).

I really have a hankering for this gun. It reminds of when I bought a new Pontiac Aztec, they are both so ugly they're attractive. But, I'm not paying what they're going for......I don't think.

 

[Erich]

If an Aztec performed like this, I'd be driving one.

 

[redlevel]

That's uglier than my old brogans.

 

[A10]

A. Ugly
B. Works surprisingly well
C. Glock revolver???

 

[35Rem]

yeah, but can you shoot +P's in it?

 

[Babalooie]

I love the heck out of mine - bought the first one I saw at full retail in December and have shot it a ton.

Charged a Rhino - Handguns and Ammunition Forums

Please feel free to email me any Qs you might have.

Erich, Thanks for your input. The information you provided is what I was looking for.

The one I put on lay away looks just like yours. I had mixed feelings about buying this gun-never even heard about it until yesterday. It is not inexpensive by any means, but there's something about it, like an ugly puppy, that just hit me in the heart. I'm getting ready for work (gun shop, of course) and will email you later.

Are you still a connoisseur of fine hot peppers?

 

[Erich]

One does what one can, amigo.

I hope you like it as much as I do - I am finding that it's a perfect gun for shooting .357s fast. This month's American Rifleman has a revelatory article, where the author was able to shoot 180-grain .357s more rapid-fire from a Rhino than he was able to fire 125-grain .38s from a heavier gun.

What I've been doing is taking the Rhino to the range with two other guns, the similarly sized and weighing Detective Special and the much larger and heavier GP-100 4". I first load the DS with 6 FBI Load clones, and then have the person shoot them. They are somewhat sharp. I then load the Rhino with the same ammo and have them shoot it - they feel like .22s from my K-frame. (Seriously.) Next, I take some rather warm .357 158-grain handloads and put them in the GP-100. You know you've shot something - the GP's stocks handle the recoil well, but it's there and the blast and concussion are pretty amazing. I then load the Rhino with the same load - and the person is stunned to find that it recoils less out of the tiny Rhino than out of the large/heavy GP. They know it's the same thing, though, because the blast and flash are still there.

Here is a range report from an out-of-town friend who shot the Rhino:

Borepatch: Range Report - Chiappa Rhino

 

[Babalooie]

That's cuter than a 3.5" Reg Mag factory engraved with ivory grips in a carved Myres holster.

I don't know about cute......

This is cute (my "Franken-Smith"):

 

[Babalooie]

I work part time in a gun shop. Looks like I'll be working for "free" until I get this bad boy paid off.

 

[GKC]

I saw a Rhino in a gun shop today...and I must say, I have seldom seen a less..."attractive" revolver. Not for me! No offense meant to those who have them and like them.

Of course, I went to the gun shop to buy a Governor, and in fact I did, so take that into account with regard to my opinion expressed above.

 

[ditrina]

That's cuter than a 3.5" Reg Mag factory engraved with ivory grips in a carved Myres holster.

BACK AWAY from the beer tap....your flagged...

 

[rags]

That's cuter than a 3.5" Reg Mag factory engraved with ivory grips in a carved Myres holster.

Ahh yes. Sarcasm! Don't go a day without it...

rags

 

[mod34]

What are these going for at the LGS's?

 

[BuckeyeChuck]

I like the way it looks. I got permission today from the wife to take the concealed carry class in two weeks, so thereafter I'll be looking for a carry piece. (My M&P9 FS ain't gonna cut it, especially not on my 5' 11" 165 lb frame.) The Chiappa Rhino is on the list, especially after I handled one at the LGS last week.

 

[Onomea]

Dammit, Erich! I had convinced myself there was no way I was gonna go near that thing...

 

[Will Carry]

I saw a cut away of the internal mechanism. It looks like a Swiss watch. Uber complex. I want one with 4 inch barrel. Ugliest gun I have ever seen, uglier than a Hi Point. It kind of reminds me of me.......

 

[Erich]

Onomea, in the words of Flip Wilson (as the Devil), "You owe yourself a try-on!"

Will, in the first link I posted there's a link to Grant Cunningham's blog (or just google "Grant Cunningham Rhino") where he goes into pretty good detail about the workings. Lots of pix.