6/15/2010

Brazil is known for Carnival, rain forests and agriculture, but the fifth largest country in the world also boasts more than 120 years of firearms manufacturing through a company started near Sao Leopoldo—Rossi Firearms.

Amadeo Rossi built his company on quality, affordable firearms, and his legacy has continued over the years. In 1997, Rossi signed an agreement for BRAZTech to become its sole North American importer and for Taurus International to manufacture several revolvers under the Rossi name. Since then, these relationships have naturally expanded.

Rossi and Taurus worked together to improve product lines, and to create new lines such as the highly popular Matched Pairs and Matched Sets. Then, after a decade of partnering, Taurus purchased the rights to manufacture and distribute firearms under the Rossi name, providing Taurus with a ready made, long-gun producing brand from which to introduce several new offerings.

Whether combining the legacies of Rossi and Taurus will work in the long run is yet to be known for certain, but the evidence screams a resounding: “Yes.” And with Rossi’s latest introductions, most would have to agree. Or as Bob Morrison, Taurus’ president and CEO, put it: “If you bring out cool guns, it’s just a runaway.”

The Wizard
The Wizard is Rossi’s latest entry into the single-shot market, and like the Matched Pairs and Sets, the Wizard can be used with more than just one barrel. In fact, the magic of the Wizard is that it lets shooters choose among 18 different rifle, shotgun and muzzleloader calibers.

In a matter of seconds, shooters can go from hunting whitetails with a muzzleloader .50 to popping squirrels with a .22 LR, or reaching out to touch antelope with a .270 Win. by simply unscrewing the front swing swivel, removing the fore-end and opening the action.

“The Wizard allows purchase of only one receiver, while having multiple barrels for different applications,” said David Blenker, executive vice president, CFO and COO of Taurus.

The Wizard features a high-comb Monte Carlo stock in either rich Brazilian hardwood or Realtree APG camouflage with a cushioned pad for taming recoil, and will soon be offered in both youth-sized versions and calibers.

While every 23-inch rifle and muzzleloader barrel comes with fiber-optic front and rear sights for high visibility in all lighting situations, each one also comes with a Weaver rail section for mounting optics. This allows scopes to be left on barrels intended for specific uses without losing the point of aim.

For safety, the Wizard contains a manual safety, Taurus’ Security System—which renders the gun inoperable with a key—and a transfer bar system that makes the breech unable to be opened or closed when the hammer is cocked.

Considering its features, accuracy and price, the Wizard would make an excellent first rifle for a beginner or a great way to increase the number of calibers you have in the house.

Caliber: multiple (18 different chamberings)
Action: break-open, single-shot
Receiver: investment cast steel
Finish: bright blue
Capacity: one round
Overall Length: 38.5” to 43.5” depending on barrel
Barrel Length: 23” to 28” depending on chambering
Rifling: button-rifled, six-groove 1:9” RH twist
Weight: 7 lbs.
Sights: adjustable fiber optics, Weaver scope base
Trigger: non-adjustable single-stage 2 lbs. 6 ozs.
Stock: Brazilian hardwood or Realtree APG HD
Accessories: manual, safety lock
Suggested Retail Price: $336 (hardwood), $391 (Realtree)

The Circuit Judge
With the popularity of the Judge, it wasn’t a stretch to imagine a long-barrel version. It was just a question of when, where and how. When Taurus purchased Rossi, all of those questions were answered with the new Circuit Judge.

Just like the original, the Circuit Judge handles .45 Colt pistol cartridges and up to 3-inch Magnum .410 shot shells. The rifled barrel is backbored and, when used with the straight-rifled choke, delivers tight patterns. With .45 Colt, the bullet obturates in the bore and grips the rifling, and a thread guard protects the choke’s threads.

The blued barrel and hardwood stock brings to mind revolver carbines of the past, but Rossi improved on the design with a shield on the cylinder to allow shooters to reach past the action. On older models, shooters ran the risk of being burned by escaping gases around the forcing cone. The new Judge also comes with fiber-optic sights, an integral scope base and Taurus’ Security System.

With a choice of two different types of ammunition, along with single-action for accuracy and double-action for speed, the Circuit Judge can easily go from varmint eradication to home self defense for only $618.

Caliber: .410 bore/.45 Colt
Action: SA/DA revolver
Receiver: forged steel
Finish: bright blue
Capacity: five rounds
Overall Length: 38”
Barrel Length: 18.5”
Rifling: six groove 1:30” RH twist (smoothbore available)
Weight: 4 lbs., 13 ozs.
Sights: fiber optic
Trigger Pull: 3 lbs. 8 ozs. SA; 11 lbs. DA
Stock: Brazilian hardwood
Accessories: manual, safety lock
Suggested Retail Price: $618

The Rio Grande
Because of its light weight, rapid-fire capability and game-stopping power, one of the most popular firearm/cartridge combinations has long been the lever-action .30-.30 Win. While the lever-action has changed somewhat over the years, the basic design is still similar to the original.

Named for the county in Brazil where it’s made, the Rio Grande has features of the classic American lever-action rifle such as adjustable buckhorn sights and side ejection. It has been updated for today’s use with button rifling, cushioned pad with spacer, scope mount base, hammer extension, cross-bolt safety and Taurus’ Security System. It’s currently available in .30-.30 Win., though other calibers may be coming, in either blued or stainless with a hardwood or Realtree APG camouflage stock.

Caliber: .30-.30 Win.
Action: lever-action repeater
Receiver: investment cast steel
Finish: bright blue or stainless
Magazine Capacity: six rounds
Overall Length: 40”
Barrel Length: 20”
Rifling: button rifled, six-groove 1:12” RH twist
Weight: 7 lbs.
Sights: milled post front, adjustable buckhorn rear
Trigger: non-adjustable single-stage 3 lbs. 9 ozs.
Stock: Brazilian hardwood
Accessories: manual, safety lock
Suggested Retail Price: $499 (blued), $549 (stainless)

The Ranch Hand
Pistol cartridge lever-actions have had attention of the American public since the days of the Old West when having a rifle and pistol that shoot the same caliber just made sense.

There are numerous variations―rifles, carbines, standard loop, oversized loop—including Rossi’s Model ’92 hybrid—the Ranch Hand. This Mare’s Leg version (think Steve McQueen in “Wanted: Dead or Alive”) is a short, 24-inch carbine, available in three popular pistol rounds— .38 Spl./.357 Mag., .44 Mag. and .45 Colt.