I just bought a Rossi .38 Special ser # 302493 at a gunshow.
I didn't have my glasses with me and didn't notice a crack in the frame that runs from the hammer to the cylinder.
I am wondering if this makes the gun unsafe?
Comments?
Is it just me or are there two cracks? I see the one you are talking about but I think I see one running from the grip to the trigger guard... I could be mistaken though.
__________________
Thomas
"If you find yourself in a fair fight... your tactics SUCK!"
That thought occurred to me as well. The more I look at it the more it seems like it IS just an inspection plate. I'll have a gunsmith look at it before I fire it. Thanks for all the feedback from everyone.
I see something like a jagged scratch, plus a curved line that runs from the hammer to the back of the cylinder. If the curved line is what is in question, that isn't a crack, that's the side plate of the revolver and is normal. Might be a bit more of a gap than you'd see on a higher priced gun, but it's a side plate for sure.
That thought occurred to me as well. The more I look at it the more it seems like it IS just an inspection plate. I'll have a gunsmith look at it before I fire it. Thanks for all the feedback from everyone.
My verry first pistol was a Lama .22 cal. Revolver and was cleaning it before shooting and noticed a crack or what I thought was a crack.It was brand new so took it back to the store,the fellow looked at it and said it was a sideplate to get into the internals,it was just a hairline crack all the way around the sideplate,it was kind of funny I did'nt notice it and had showed it to my Dad and some friends,they all thought it was a fracture.I still have the pistol and it shoots dead on.I shoot it sometimes but like my Ruger MK2 auto alot better.Bought it back in 1971 for$75.00.
Last edited by Dakoma; 03-03-2009 at 02:02 AM.
Reason: spelling
Thanks Dakoma and to all who replied. I took the gun to a gunsmith and Dakoma (and others) was right. It isn't a crack at all, but a line where the inspection plate attaches to the rest of the frame. The gunsmith looked it over carefully and assured me that the gun is safe to fire. I bought a box of WIN 38 SPL and took the gun out and fired it. Can't hit s**t with it but it shoots safely enough. At 15 ft. I missed a Pepsi can twice. Maybe I'm just getting old (????) (Don't agree with me!!!!)
Thanks again to all who repied.
Aren't all guns made to kill? The gun is perfectly safe. What I had thought was a crack is NOT. Why should I get rid of it? I bought the gun for private protection. With the economy going south and burglaries and home invasions on the rise, I'm keeping it!
Years ago, one of my shooting buddies bought a five shot, two inch Rossi snub.
Of course my other shooting buddies made fun of it....
Until we found out that it outshot our Taurus and Smith and Ruger .38 snubs, LOL.....
In the old days, everybody was familiar with the sideplate on revolvers.
Back then (early 80s) some Chairborn Ranger would buy a new wheelgun, then he would give in to the siren call of the gun magazines and gun books to take that sideplate off and polish up the internals.....
This of course led to the "Baggie Gun" phenomenon, when, the next day said victim of marketing showed up at the gunshop with his new K frame in a paper bag to be reassembled by the gunsmith or sent back to the factory.
Never let anybody but a gunsmith under your sideplate.
get rid of it this a gun that was made to kill !!
it is not a toy even a small malfunction could be fatal,
dont ever use it ,
and buy a new one
We get one like you every now and then and really appreciate your input.Thanks for reminding us why we love firearms and do so much shooting.(to be sure we are efficient at hitting what we shoot at,so it doesn't suffer unnecessarily.) sam.
My second try with this gun was a little better. At 20 feet I put 5 out of 5 in a circle about 6" in diameter. Guess I'm not getting old after all!!!
The gun shoots good and I intend to keep it, at least until I can afford a better one.
(OldFart2)
My second try with this gun was a little better. At 20 feet I put 5 out of 5 in a circle about 6" in diameter. Guess I'm not getting old after all!!!
The gun shoots good and I intend to keep it, at least until I can afford a better one.
(OldFart2)
Don't ever get rid of it. He who dies with the most toys wins.
Rossi Cracked frame 
... But if possible post a pic and we can get a better idea of what we're dealing with. Cracks are never good though...
Bought it back in 1971 for$75.00.
