I was out looking for a first gun to give one of my nephews today and stumbled across the coolest little combo: a Rossi matched pair 22/20 . The entire lineup can be seen here

I snagged one - pretty decent trigger, better than most sights, great safety features, carrying case for both barrels and the broken-down action, and a trigger lock. They are drilled and tapped for a scope - standard TC Contender bases fit, I read. The price was so low I'm not gonna repeat it here, but it was a LOT less than MSRP. Then I read some reviews and found that 1) it's been out for a while 2) they are accurate 3) folks really like them Doh! I'm getting behind the times...

I am SERIOUSLY considering getting one - at that price, even a youth model (I can lengthen the stock). Talk about a sweet little game getter when packing!

After I got one for my nephew (they are coming here for turkey day) I came home and researched it. This one is very cool - wish I had seen one at the store.

And this looks like it's worth keeping an eye on!

I've got rifles that cost 10 times more than these, but these are really interesting to me. Anyone have one? I expect that I'll be at the range Friday with a grinning young man and will post my first impressions after shooting it. Hmmm, I could get it sighted in for him before he comes down here...

I need more nephews... this is fun! No, Bountyhunter, you're too old to be my adopted nephew... <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Tom

AyersTG:

Let me see if I can help straighten you out on this.

Since anyone with common sense knows, The Garden of Eden was really located somewhere in the rich fertile grape growing soils of Italy. Eden must have had some grape vineyards back then, and Adam must have known how to make wine, otherwise how can you account for Eve being silly enough to listen to a snake if she was not somewhat buzzed with "Summer Wine".

Now follow closely as this may be somewhat shocking in its concept. Since I was born on Italian soil, fed by the proucts of Italian soil through which the eons of history shed their blood, drank the water that spread to the world over, breathed the air which carried the voices of great men as well as great despots, so therefore I and my brothers and sisters of Italy (An Italian surname don't count for squat among us if you weren't born there.) are the mothers and fathers of humanity throughout the world even though they may be born after us.

So basically you are saying you wouldn't buy your dear old daddy a nice Rossi (Which is Italian by the way.) combo gun? <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

How quickly you children forget all we have sacrificed so that you could succeed. You have hurt me to the quick and no bandage will ever stop the bleeding, although I understand there are some really, really, neat "medications" out there that will stop any pain. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Just for that, I ban you from coming to my funeral.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

(I love this morning grape juice I have been buying at a local roadside stand. I was lucky enough to score a couple gallons while the bathtub was full so that I don't have to filter it too much before drinking. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />)

Reminds me of my first gun which was a H&R single shot 20ga, only this gun is about 10 times cooler because its got the 22lr conversion.

Tom,

It looks like a really great gun package for the boy. Ur...Uhhh...Well don't forget it really is for your nephew.

All kidding aside, you may actually want to test it for him. A 5# shotgun, even in 20 ga. might have more recoil than is desirable for a younger boy. (Of course I am assuming you are not from one of those interesting families where the nephews are older than their uncles!)

If the recoil seems a little heavy, options include: Installing weights in the stock; installing a mercury recoil reducer (I assume they work); installing a Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad (they're the best I have used); and installing an gas, hydraulic, or spring shock absorber. The absolute worst case analysis is you have new gun project to work out for him. Your fertile mind probably has more and better thoughts than I have come up with.

Whatever you do, please keep us apprised of how everything works.

Good luck,

John

John,

Recoil is going to be way too sharp for him with just about any factory 20 gauge load - and I didn't get the 410 version because it has a brisk recoil impulse in that light of a gun. Plus I don't load 410... plus it's a bit more of an expert's gauge (although I was intrigued to see that the 410 is a modified choke instead of the usual full).

Practice and very light reloads are the solution for now - 28 gauge upland game equivalents.

Got your PM - more later.

Tom

I dont know how big this kid is but I was 8yrs old when I got my H&R 20ga. Recoil was a bit painful out of the box if I remember correctly. But Dad remedied that with the stock cut down and an enormous pad put on the end in addition to the shoulder pad on my hunting and shooting vests and then it was more than managable. Although it's not like I was out shooting 25 round boxes of BBs in under half an hour at that age. That would have left a bruise and a headache for sure. That was a great gun. I wouldn't get a 410 for my son. If I really wanted to reduce recoil I'd go with one of the lightwieght wingmaster autos in 20ga. Those kick like a 22.

I bought my oldest son, 12, a Rossi 20 ga./.243 combo about a month ago for his first deer season. I put a scope on it and a hammer extender to allow easy cocking with the scope so close to the hammer. The first time we took it out to sight in the .243, the gun worked fine. Later, I tested the 20 ga. and it worked fine as well (heavy recoil). A week later, I took the .243 out for a final check (day before deer season) and the rifle wouldn't fire a round. It was "light Striking" the primer.
I tore the gun apart, cleaned it and tried everything to get the gun to shoot... no luck. A friend of mine happened to have a Rossi muzzleloader in his truck, so I tried to fire the weapon with his lower receiver... still no luck. The last thing I tried was removing the hammer extender, thinking that might decrease the weight of the hammer and speed up the strike... worked like a charm. I fired about 10 rounds with no failure. When I put the extender back on, the gun woudn't fire again.

First day of season, my son and I finally spot about 10 deer on a ridge. After a struggle, he gets the rifle cocked and aims in on the biggest deer about 70 yards away. He applies a slow steady squeeze... click. Luckily the deer were still looking at us, so he recocks the rifle. This time the rifle fires and he puts a textbook heart shot on a nice doe, who drops after about 3 steps.

Needless to say, this gun will not be going back to the woods with us. I am now eyeing the .243 barrel as a jack handle for my 12 ton hydraulic jack. It looks plenty sturdy for that task. I sincerely hope you have better luck with your gun.

Semper Fi, George

Bad luck. How much did you spend on it?

I think it was about $220.00, but that includes a Bushnell 4X scope, scope mount, a box of 20 .243 rounds and the now infamous "hammer extender". I've been taken for more than that before, but I went against my own rule not to skimp on guns/knives. I've been carrying the same Winchester Model 70 .308 for over 30 years and it's never left me hanging.

Semper Fi, George

Virginian:

Try cutting out a coil at a time from the firing pin spring.

I am not familiar with the Rossi, but if it has a movable block that rises to transfer impact to the firing pin, you might want to check that for burrs before messing with the firing pin spring.

The only other thing that may be causing you problems is headspace due to an improperly reamed chamber. That is a warranty item and actually a safety item that will probably be replaced for free.

If you haven't jacked up your Humvee with it yet, give the management a chance to fix your problem.

Rossi is a subsidary of Taurus firearms of Brazil, and their reputation for customer service is great.

Good luck!

Bountyhunter