Chiappa Rhino Revolvers

[Rekrab]

I have shot these and tested them fairly extensively. I must respectfully disagree with Mr. Ayoob. While the felt recoil is significantly less, there are two problems. One, if you use a thumbs forward grip, you will be losing some skin from your left thumb. Two, they are mechanically garbage. I had four, (yes four, no exaggeration) go down mechanically with less than 300 rounds through each. The cylinders ended up rotating in an oblong shape instead of a true circle. This led to consistent misfires on all four brand new guns. The cylinders also developed an unhealthy amount of slop front to back, to the point of my gunsmith telling me to stop shooting it immediately.

Bottom line, great idea, really poor execution.

Your experience has been significantly different than mine. My Rhino has a few hundred rounds through it with no failures at all. Low recoil and great accuracy from mine.

Had you read the manual, you would know that Chiappa specifically mentions that the revolver must be handled in a certain way or your thumb will hurt at the end of the day.

http://mkschiappa.com/PDFs/Rhino_manual.pdf

[Sunday]

I would like to try one out.

[Gurney]

"One, if you use a thumbs forward grip, you will be losing some skin from your left thumb."

Ayoob discussed this at some length, since thumbs-forward puts your skin alongside the firing chamber and cylinder/forcing cone gap. Training, training, training.

Have other owners reported mechanical issues?

[Todosi]

I don't shoot revolvers thumbs forward, but have seen people do it. The mechanical issues were the things that truly concerned me.

[Danz la Nuit]

Are these CA legal?

How do I check?

[Danz la Nuit]

Are these CA legal?

How do I check?

///////

[Quiet]

I kinda want a Rhino in .45

Are these CA legal?

How do I check?

Nothing about it makes it illegal in CA.

However, they are not on the CA DOJ Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale.

Therefore, a CA FFL dealer can only transfer them via LEO sale [PC 32000(b)(4)], PPT [PC 32110(a)], out-of-state intra-familial gift [PC 32110(b)] or as a dimensionally compliant single-action revolver/single shot pistol [PC 32100].

Dimensional & mechanical problems have arose by those that have attempted it and it is very difficult to make the Rhino into a dimensionally compliant single-action revolver or dimensionally compliant single shot pistol.
The 6" barrel length Rhino's overall length does not meet the 10.5" or greater requirement. [PC 32100(b)]
The Rhino's double-action trigger mechanism is proving to be too complicated to modify into a single-action only method of operation. It may be possible, but it looks like the necessary mods would permanently damage it and prevent it from being rendered by into a double-action revolver and Chiappa Firearms would void the warranty if this was attempted.

In order to get on the Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale, it needs to meet the requirements set forth by CA law [PC 31910(a)] and be submitted by Chiappa Firearms for testing. So far, Chiappa Firearms seems to not be interested in getting the Rhino on the Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale.


Penal Code 31910
As used in this part, "unsafe handgun" means any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person, for which any of the following is true:
(a) For a revolver:
(1) It does not have a safety device that, either automatically in the case of a double-action firing mechanism, or by manual operation in the case of a single-action firing mechanism, causes the hammer to retract to a point where the firing pin does not rest upon the primer of the cartridge.
(2) It does not meet the firing requirement for handguns.
(3) It does not meet the drop safety requirement for handguns.

Penal Code 32100

[Danz la Nuit]

I kinda want a Rhino in .45



Nothing about it makes it illegal in CA.

However, they are not on the CA DOJ Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale.

Therefore, a CA FFL dealer can only transfer them via LEO sale [PC 32000(b)(4)], PPT [PC 32110(a)], out-of-state intra-familial gift [PC 32110(b)] or as a dimensionally compliant single-action revolver/single shot pistol [PC 32100].

Dimensional & mechanical problems have arose by those that have attempted it and it is very difficult to make the Rhino into a dimensionally compliant single-action revolver or dimensionally compliant single shot pistol.
The 6" barrel length Rhino's overall length does not meet the 10.5" or greater requirement. [PC 32100(b)]
The Rhino's double-action trigger mechanism is proving to be too complicated to modify into a single-action only method of operation. It may be possible, but it looks like the necessary mods would permanently damage it and prevent it from being rendered by into a double-action revolver and Chiappa Firearms would void the warranty if this was attempted.

In order to get on the Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale, it needs to meet the requirements set forth by CA law [PC 31910(a)] and be submitted by Chiappa Firearms for testing. So far, Chiappa Firearms seems to not be interested in getting the Rhino on the Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale.


Penal Code 31910
As used in this part, "unsafe handgun" means any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person, for which any of the following is true:
(a) For a revolver:
(1) It does not have a safety device that, either automatically in the case of a double-action firing mechanism, or by manual operation in the case of a single-action firing mechanism, causes the hammer to retract to a point where the firing pin does not rest upon the primer of the cartridge.
(2) It does not meet the firing requirement for handguns.
(3) It does not meet the drop safety requirement for handguns.

Penal Code 32100

Thank you for clarifying that!