When Chiappa Firearms unveiled the next evolution of the Rhino line in larger calibers at this year’s SHOT Show, I was eager to get my hands on one. I love the look of the Rhino and have never owned any revolvers larger than .357 Magnum or 38 Special. So, I was excited for the opportunity to run the Chiappa Rhino 60DS in .44 Mag.
The .44 Mag Chiappa Rhino 60DS
I was sent the Rhino Revolver L-Frame 60 DS, chambered in .44 Magnum and finished in Chrome. I couldn’t have had more fun shooting this gun. Not only did I shoot it as is from the factory, but I also mounted an optic and a bipod, and now I’m ready to go hunting with it.
Let’s dive in!
Bottom Cylinder Bore Axis
The Chiappa Firearms Rhino is known for its low recoil and minimal muzzle flip because of its bore axis. The Rhino has a bottom-cylinder bore axis, which can take some getting used to, even for a revolver enthusiast. I’m used to the leftmost top round in the cylinder being the next cartridge to fire (on a right-rotating cylinder).
When I loaded three rounds into the Rhino to start, I had to remember to rotate the cylinder until the first round was in the lowest-right position before closing it to lock it in place. The bottom cylinder bore axis, paired with the overall weight of the gun (1.4 pounds), makes the .44 Magnum fun to shoot. I even found the Rhino fun to shoot one-handed.
The Rhino 60DS Action
The DS in the gun’s title stands for Double/Single. The Rhino Revolver L-Frame 60 DS can fire in both double-action and single-action modes. With the external hammer forward, the revolver will fire in double-action with a single pull of the trigger. The double-action trigger pull weight is about nine pounds.
The external hammer can then be cocked to fire in single-action mode, and the trigger pull weight is reduced to about five pounds. If you do not want to fire the gun after manually cocking the hammer, you can lower it as you would other revolvers, by lowering the hammer with your thumb while pinning the trigger to the rear. I highly recommend practicing this technique with an unloaded gun.
One of the unique features of the Chiappa Rhino is a red indicator that pops up on the rear of the gun, by the rear sight, when the hammer is cocked for single-action firing. This is similar to how some striker-fired handguns are designed with red indicators on the rear of the slide to indicate that the trigger has been reset and the gun is ready to fire.
You will notice the red indicator disappear when the single-action trigger is pulled or when the hammer is manually lowered.
New Finger Stops
The all-new 60DS L-Frame has an enlarged frame and twin finger stops (or thumb rests, as I call them) for a secure grip. If you are familiar with revolvers, you know that you can’t always grip a revolver the same way you do a semi-automatic pistol. This is due to the cylinder gap and the cylinder’s rotation.
Hot gases and metal particles can be expelled from the space between the cylinder and barrel, and higher-pressure calibers can increase the exposure. You can pinch a finger at the least or be burned or cut at the worst. The finger stops on both sides of the cylinder keep you from extending any fingers into this danger zone.
Rhino 60DS Iron Sights and Optic Mounting
Chiappa Firearms outfits the Rhino with a fixed fiber optic front sight and an adjustable elevation and windage fiber optic rear sight. My friend TC and I made a slight adjustment to the rear sight when we sighted this gun in with Super Vel ammunition on a Caldwell Orange Peel Bullseye Target.
Whether you plan to use the Rhino as a fun range gun or for defensive or hunting use, be sure to sight in the iron sights with the ammunition you plan to use.
The Rhino was intentionally designed with a full-length optic rail, allowing numerous types of optics to be mounted. I’ve seen many people hunt with revolvers, but I don’t know anyone who has taken one on a thermal hunt.
I decided to mount the Holosun DRS-TH optic, which has both a daytime red dot and a 256×192 thermal sensor. You can switch between white-hot, black-hot, outline, and highlight modes. The red dot portion uses the multi-reticle system. It includes a 2 MOA dot, a 65 MOA circle, or a circle/dot combo.
There are eight daylight and four night vision brightness settings. It also allows for video recording. TC and I zeroed the Holosun thermal optic at 20 yards, then shot a Caldwell B/C zone steel target at 50 yards with it.
Picatinny Rail
The Rhino Revolver L-Frame 60DS has a Picatinny rail to mount accessories. Instead of using a bag or a lead sled to sight this gun in, I mounted the TBAC Bipod to the rail for maximum stability.
What’s wild is that this bipod is rated for field shooting up to .50 BMG. So, I knew it would be up to the task of being used on a .44 Magnum revolver. The legs deploy without the push of a button. You simply sweep them down. Once you deploy the legs to 90 degrees, you can then set them to 45 degrees.
There are optional tool-less leg extensions and tool-less QD feet (rubber and spike available). This bipod also has set-and-forget cant tension with just one lever. The ADM Picatinny QD mount makes it easy to attach and detach the bipod. If I had a Picatinny ball head on my tripod, I would have tried shooting the Rhino off that as well.
On the Range with the Rhino 60DS in .44 Mag
I was eager to shoot the Chiappa Rhino. However, before hitting the range, I made sure to have the proper eyewear and hearing protection.
I tried a set of ear protection from PROHEAR that I hadn’t tried before. These earmuffs are electronic and powered by two AAA batteries. You can easily adjust the volume with the side-adjustment knob.
One of the reasons I liked these muffs is that they come with gel ear pads that can be snapped into place or permanently placed by removing the 3M tape on the back. Finally, these muffs meet ANSI S3.19 noise-reduction standards with an NRR of 23dB, which is safe for use on a shooting range.
My eyewear of choice is Hunters HD Gold lenses. These lenses are manufactured in the USA and made of Trivex, which is thinner and more impact-resistant than plastic or polycarbonate. Hunters HD Gold lenses also block 100% of UVA, UVB, and Blue light. Additionally, they are photochromic, so they darken or lighten based on exposure to light. Hunters HD Gold is ANSI Z87+1-2020 rated and tested, providing protection against a 0.25-inch steel ball traveling at 150 feet per second.
The ammunition I used with the Rhino was the 180-grain solid-copper hollow-point 44 Magnum from Super Vel. The hollow point expands to double-caliber while deploying six sharp-cutting petals. They advertise a velocity of 1,650 fps, and my chronograph data averaged 1,640 fps out of the 6-inch Rhino barrel.
This ammo delivers over 1,000 foot-pounds of muzzle energy, more than enough to take down an invasive hog. The ammo shot great on paper and rang steel out to 50 yards.
The Rhino 60DS .44 Mag: Low Recoil, Big Power, Max Fun
I already wish I had more ammo so I can shoot the Rhino even more. The overall weight of the gun, plus the bottom cylinder bore axis, paired with the weight of the Holosun thermal, makes the gun pleasurable to shoot. I found the ergonomics and even the Hogue overmolded rubber grip to be extremely comfortable.
Now I’m just itching to take this revolver out thermal hunting. If you’re in the market for a unique revolver that is both fun to shoot and accurate enough to hunt with, look no further than the Chiappa Rhino.
Chiappa Rhino 60DS .44 Mag Specs
| Caliber | .44 Magnum |
| Action | Single/Double |
| Capacity | 6 Rounds |
| Barrel Length | 6 inches |
| Weight | 1.4 pounds |
| Overall Length | 11 inches |
| Safety | Cylinder Block, Cylinder Rotation, Hammer Block |
| Sights | Fixed Fiber Optic Front Sight, Adjustable Elevation & Windage Fiber Optic Rear Sight |
| Grip | Hogue Overmolded Rubber |
| Finish | Chrome |
| MSRP | $1,545.00 |
Performance
| Super Vel 44 Magnum 180 Grain SCHP | |
| Velocity | 1,640 fps |
| Accuracy | 1.16 inches |
(3 Rounds Shot at 20 yards and Chronographed using the Garmin Xero C1 Pro)
WHY OUR ARTICLES/REVIEWS DO NOT HAVE AFFILIATE LINKS
Affiliate links create a financial incentive for writers to promote certain products, which can lead to biased recommendations. This blurs the line between genuine advice and marketing, reducing trust in the content.
The post Not Your Typical Wheelgun: The Chiappa Rhino 60DS in .44 Mag appeared first on Athlon Outdoors Exclusive Firearm Updates, Reviews & News.
