Recently, Rossi has been known primarily for its long arms, notably its lever-action rifles, bolt-action rimfires and single-shot designs. However, the company returned to its roots with several new introductions in 2023. That year, Rossi debuted three new revolvers. In our "American Rifleman Television" Rifleman Review segment above, we take a closer look at the Rossi RP63, one of these latest models.
"You know, back even toward the end of the 20th century, Rossi was a really big name in revolvers," American Rifleman Executive Editor Evan Brune said. "But then Rossi and Taurus merged, and Taurus continued on the revolver track while Rossi ended up focusing primarily on single-shot rifles. You know, you had like, the Circuit Judge, some of those unique models, but one thing they didn't make anymore was revolvers. Well, I'm happy to say that that is no longer the case because, for 2023, Rossi is back and they're back big."
The new guns, consisting of the RM66, RM64 and the RP63, covered the gamut of most major revolver uses, ranging from the target-style configuration of the RM66 to the compact design of the RP63.
"This is the most compact, most concealable, most carry-ready model in the new Rossi revolver lineup," Brune said. "And, you know, style-wise, it's, it's pretty reminiscent of some of those early Rossi guns, like the 971. That one had a 4" barrel, this one has a 3" barrel. But, you know, it's got that matte, stainless finish. It's got, you know, a really nice ergonomic grip here, but there's just something about these Rossi revolvers that bring back that old-school cool."
Despite its small size, the Rossi RP63 is equipped with a six-round cylinder and is chambered for .357 Magnum, giving it quite a punch for its compact size. Some of that punch is soaked up by the gun's all-stainless-steel construction, which ultimately means this gun comes out at about 27 ozs., unloaded.
"The other thing that's nice about this on the butt end of the gun, this is really designed to be a carry revolver. So it's got some rounded contours here, so you won't have anything printing," Brune said. "It's got some nice ergonomic touches here. So you get a nice decent grip around that. And it's also got some pebble-style texturing here. It's not as aggressive as we see on some of the other guns, even particularly the Taurus guns of the same size."
In keeping with the gun's defensive-oriented design, the Rossi RP63 features a pinned front ramp sight that's serrated to reduce glare, and that sight is viewed through a traditional groove cut into the revolver's topstrap.
"What Rossi's done in returning these models to the market is they've aimed for a niche, price-wise, that just gives you a really nicely finished and really finely fit and a really nice revolver to shoot," Brune said.
Rossi RP63 Specifications
Importer: Braztech Intl.
Manufacturer: Taurus Armas (Brazil)
Action Type: double-action, centerfire revolver
Chambering: .357 Magnum
Barrel: 3" stainless steel
Frame: stainless steel
Sights: fixed square-notch rear; ramped blade front
Cylinder Capacity: six-round
Trigger: 12-lb., 15-oz. double-action pull; 5-lb., 4-oz. single-action pull
Overall Length: 7.95"
Height: 5.20"
Width: 1.46"
Weight: 27.3 ozs.
Accessories: owner's manual, lock
MSRP: $470
To watch complete segments of past episodes of American Rifleman TV, go to americanrifleman.org/artv. For all-new episodes of ARTV, tune in Wednesday nights to Outdoor Channel 8:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. EST.
