Interarms Rossi 685 .38 Spl

[MP1983]

Interarms Rossi 685 .38 Spl

Anyone ever own one new? I'm curious when the Rossi 685 was made. I found a very clean example at my local pawn and got it for grins (never owned one).

It looks like a 2" J-frame, no ejector shroud, fixed sights, blued, square butt (more squared than round anyway) w/ original Rossi checkered grips. The hammer is a little wider than standard S&W J-frames, as is the trigger (little wider & grooved).

It's an Interarms import, and has hardly been shot. Timing is perfect, and it's a tight, well finished gun (ser. no. D 857XXX). I don't plan on using +P's however, just as a precaution.

I've seen different model numbers from the 1990's on Rossi's, and think the 685 is perhaps from the 80's -- any feedback would be welcomed.

Also, does anyone know if Rossi ever stole/borrowed tech data from S&W in making some of their J-frame clones?

Thanks.

 

[BC38]

I own a Rossi M971 which it a stainless K-frame sized 2-1/2" snubby. Also from the 80's as I understand it. Nice gun. Decent fit & finish, trigger feels pretty good. Not quite up to S&W quality, and not quite as pretty, but close enough as far as I'm concerned. Especially since what I paid for it is about 1/2 what I'd expect to pay for a similar model 66.

Dunno if it helps any, but that's my experience with Rossi revolvers.

 

[shouldazagged]

Rossi revolvers from that era seem to have been good guns for the money. I briefly owned and carried a J-frame (M60) clone, a Model 87, at a time when I couldn't afford a Smith. Perfectly satisfactory. I liked it, but naturally replaced it with a Smith when I could.

I paid about $190 for it NIB in the late 1990's, but it wasn't cheaply made.

 

[revho]

My Father in law always had Rossi's in .357 and swore by them. They seemed to be well built and performed well for him.

Oddly enough, I found a set of Rossi wood grips at a pawn shop today (cheap) that sound like would fit your new gun. I was thinking about swinging back to save them tomorrow and posting them up for sale in case anyone needed them. They looked as new to me and I thought they were S&W J-frame grips until he got them out of the case..

Congrats on your new purchase, may it perform well for you!

 

[indie_rocker]

I have an early 80's era Interarms-Rossi M355 .38 special, spitting image of a snub nose J-frame. It was an impulse buy at a local gun shop for just over $200, if I remember right. I sometimes wonder what it's history is because it has just a little bit of holster wear but otherwise remarkable condition for its age. Tight lockup and a very smooth action/trigger.

 

[MP1983]

I have an early 80's era Interarms-Rossi M355 .38 special, spitting image of a snub nose J-frame. It was an impulse buy at a local gun shop for just over $200, if I remember right. I sometimes wonder what it's history is because it has just a little bit of holster wear but otherwise remarkable condition for its age. Tight lockup and a very smooth action/trigger.

Mine looks pretty much identical to that, and I was wrong in my original post...mine is a 2" barrel, not 3".

Is your's an alloy frame?

 

[indie_rocker]

No alloy here, all steel.

Mine also has a born on date under one of the grip panels near the butt. Yours might have the same, it's worth checking.

 

[MP1983]

No alloy here, all steel.

Mine also has a born on date under one of the grip panels near the butt. Yours might have the same, it's worth checking.

No such luck on mine.

It is all steel as well, but nothing on grip panels to help id anything. There is a "VIII" w/ something else following on the steel surface beneath the grip, but could be anything.

 

[Double-O-Dave]

I own a Rossi Model 720, which is a DAO, fixed sight, .44 Special. It has J-frame sized butt, and uses a coil spring mainspring like a J-frame. It's very reliable, and a lot of fun to shoot. One thing I've always been told about the Rossi revolvers is to never dry fire them - unless you want to break the firing pin on the hammer.

Regards,

Dave

 

[indie_rocker]

There is a "VIII" w/ something else following on the steel surface beneath the grip, but could be anything.

I think you're right, I took another look at mine tonight. It has "IX.87" stamped under the grips on the left side and I immediately assumed that it was made in 1987. But now that I think of it, IX = 9 doesn't it, lol. When I bought it, the salesman said it was late 70's or 80's and everything I've read points to it being made then rather than in the later 80's.

It did come with the original box, and paperwork! I was shocked to see specific spaces inside the box to store a few rounds... Such a different mentality back then I guess.

One thing I've always been told about the Rossi revolvers is to never dry fire them - unless you want to break the firing pin on the hammer.

Thanks for the reminder! I read the same thing when I purchased mine, something about the firing pin being physically attached to the hammer making it more prone to breakage. Nothing a pack of snap-caps didn't solve.

 

[MP1983]

Trying to date my Rossi M685

I think you're right, I took another look at mine tonight. It has "IX.87" stamped under the grips on the left side and I immediately assumed that it was made in 1987. But now that I think of it, IX = 9 doesn't it, lol. When I bought it, the salesman said it was late 70's or 80's and everything I've read points to it being made then rather than in the later 80's.

It did come with the original box, and paperwork! I was shocked to see specific spaces inside the box to store a few rounds... Such a different mentality back then I guess.




Thanks for the reminder! I read the same thing when I purchased mine, something about the firing pin being physically attached to the hammer making it more prone to breakage. Nothing a pack of snap-caps didn't solve.

Thanks fellas for the head's up on the "no dry firing".

I wish I could narrow down when the M685's were made. I've read at several places that Interarms imported Rossi's from 1978-1998 (roughly). I checked a couple of pistol catalogs from the 1990's that I have, and in 1994 they advertised the Rossi blue steel model I have as the 68, and the stainless version as 88. Then, in a 1996 catalog I have it showed them with full shrouds for the ejector rods on these little 5 shot .Rossi .38's (which mine doesn't have).

So I'm guessing the M685 was produced somewhere between 1978 - 1994. But it's just a guess.

UPDATE: After a number of google searches on M68 & M685, I finally stumbled upon references to M885's (the stainless version of 685). Seems the 685 & 885 were made in between different runs of the 68 & 88 (between 1989 & 1993 roughly, as best I can guess).

Some of the early 1980 versions of the 68 & 88 I saw referenced on line and in old advertisements had the near-flat, rectangular thumb ejectors like the 1950's J-frames (they also had a crude adjustable rear sight & were primarily 3" barrels). Mine has the thumb ejector that is actually shaped like a thumb (you know, like S&W used from 1960's thru til the early 1990's on all their revolvers), and is a standard 2" snubby barrel w/ fixed front & rear sights.

I do know it's very clean and tight, perfect timing, very light drag line on the cylinder, and was not shot much. Once I check it out at the range, I think it will make a good "kit" gun.

 

[dogngun]

I have owned several Rossi revolvers since the early 1990's, and I recommend them. They are OWNED by Taurus now, but are different guns and made in their own factory...IMO the Rossi is a better design and more accurate and reliable. I own a 6" stainless Rossi .357 revolver right now as well as a Rossi M92 lever action rifle, also in .357. I have NEVER had any problem with any Rossi I have owned, at least 6, over the last 20+ years. I have carried them and have not been nervous about it. I REALLY like their front lock up system, and IMO it is stronger than anyone else's.

 

[G-Mac]

Owned two Rossi revolvers in the late 80s. Stainless Chief's Special J-frame look-alikes. Both junk. Never again.