looking for info about Rossi 357 Cyclops
Robert Gibson
Rene Hugo <hu...@usa.net> asks....
# I would appreciate if if anyone could give me info about the rossi
# cyclops.
Good evening Rene,
Like the pistol, hate the name! I prefer to just call it a Rossi 988.
I've been mulling over buying one of these hefty .357Mag revolvers since
they first hit the retail market....a local gunshop had the 8" barreled
variant in stock until just recently. I talked myself in and out of buying
it several times over the last few months <Wry Smile>. Saturday the mail
contained my latest issue of the NRA's _AMERICAN RIFLEMAN_ magazine....
one of the firearms evaluated in their DOPE BAG section was the Rossi 988
Cyclops. The judgement was that overall they were pleased with the fit
and finish....and that performance was *quite* impressive. Using only the
Cyclop's iron sights ...."five-shot groups fired at 50 yds. with <Hornady's
158grXTP> ammo averaged an impressive 1.45", with the smallest group being
.90" in size. This performance makes the Cyclops one of the most accurate
center-fire revolvers we have tested, and indicates that the gun has suf-
ficient acccuracy for PPC and other target competions as well as for hunt-
ing use out to 75-100 yds."
Also mentioned is the weight of the Cyclops, especially 8" barreled model.
Some 51 ozs....this *isn't* a likely candidate for concealed carry users!
On the other hand the one I've handled at a local gunshop balanced quite
nicely indeed, even with that big, slab-sided 8" barrel stuck out front.
The all important trigger action is described...."both the double-action
and single-action pulls were slightly heavier than we've become accustomed
to in revolvers of this type, though the former was smooth throughout and
the latter quite crisp."
The NRA staff close with the following that sums up this pistol very nicely
indeed...."All in all, the Cyclops is well-made and well-conceived, and
will find its adherents among handgun hunters, handgun metallic silhouette
shooters and PPC shooters, as well as those who simply seek an unusual look-
ing, accurate and reasonably-priced wheelgun."
This is the second evaluation I've read on the Rossi 988 Cyclops that gives
it quite good ratings....including extremely good remarks on the trigger's
performance and overall accuracy achieved during firing tests.
This pistol, like all recent Rossi revolvers, is simply head and shoulders
above the Rossi products from a decade ago....they just keep getting better.
Some think that Rossi should've jumped up to a .44Mag for a dedicated hunt-
ing and/or <dare I say it?> match-shooting pistol. The other side of this
coin is the simple fact that Rossi's "bread and butter" has been their .357
Mag stainless-steel revolvers in recent years...why change your horse in
mid-stream when what you're doing is working so well? Makes sense to me.
The NRA review shows the suggested price is $429.....in point of fact the
real price at my local gunshop is $369, including a hard-shell pistol case,
scope base and 1" rings <in the assumption many will indeed mount a scope>.
I've hinted quite strongly to my wife concerning the Rossi Cyclops in the
hopes that Santa will leave me one come Christmas. If this doesn't come to
pass then I'll probably just buy one outright come January '98 <Wry Smile>.
Just my 2-cents worth.
Robert Gibson