Later, when chronographing, I obtained mixed results on 25 yard targets, ranging from poor to excellent five-shot groups. I discovered that the fluorescent red front sight insert is too good. When the sunlight hit it just right I couldn't make out a sharp outline of the front sight. An application of black Magic Marker quickly cured this.

Moving closer to the backstop, I then fired a few cylinders of magnum and .38 Special factory ammo, shooting double action in random bursts. The gun worked just fine. I was also pleasantly surprised at how well the combination of full-length barrel underlug and the well-contoured rubber grips allowed quick follow-up shots, since muzzle rise was not severe.

Worth mentioning is the lack of gas and bullet fragments coming out sideways from between the cylinder and barrel interface upon firing. Also, the cylinder indexed properly with fast double-action firing and empty cases were easy to extract, important qualities in a sidearm for self-defense.

I also found my HKS K-frame S&W speedloaders work with the Rossi. (They work even better if you use .38 Special ammo; less of the loader body is pushed against the rubber grips.)

The 9710 is handy. It's easy to grab and fire from a DeSantis holster made for an N frame. It fills the needs and wants of a large group of handgun buyers looking for a reasonably priced, accurate, reliable revolver chambered for an effective self-defense cartridge. Best yet, Rossi now offers a lifetime warranty.