Chiappa Rhino 9mm Mini-Review

[Sim G]

And that blued Taurus without the rib is nice. I like that.

[shugie]

That owes more than a little in the design to the Mateba Grifone, although I suspect it doesn't have the self-cocking ability the original had outside the UK. Be rather good if the innards were the same and could be used for spares.

[GlockworkOrange]

Thanks Sim, there seem to be far less of the ribless models about, much better looking in my opinion, especially in blued finish.

Emilio Ghisoni designed the Matebas and later the Rhino so there is direct lineage, although they aren't in any way compatible. Mateba do still exist though, they have a website and currently produce
small batches of autorevolvers from what I understand. I was tempted to try and import one of the carbines, self-cocking system intact though. There is no reason why this feature should have to be disabled, it doesn't meet the definition of semi-auto that was defined in the recent Offensive Weapons act as:

Any rifle with a chamber from which empty cartridge cases are extracted using—

• (i)energy from propellant gas, or
  (ii)energy imparted to a spring or other energy storage device by propellant gas

[Sim G]

You’re right, the Mateba is not s5. As with the Webley Fosbury before it. Supposedly some half wit without grasp, advised Mateba incorrectly.

We don’t use the term “semiautomatic” in UK legislation, but “self loading”. Definition it different.

[bradaz11]

not all matebas in the uk were changed, I know of at least 2 griffones with the autocock intact

thanks for the ammo info, I'll have to see if Chris will do me a deal! I was going to say that usually it's only c&g firearms that I can get anywhere close to £25 a 100, turns out I was right

[shugie]

My grifone has two blocks installed to prevent the slide working. From what I see here, would removing them be illegal?

[GlockworkOrange]

I can't see any reason why it would be a problem, it does not meet the definition of self-loading (not semi-auto, as Sim rightly pointed out). If the definition of self-loading was instead 'one shot fired per pull of trigger' or something similar, then every double-action revolver would be S5.

[shugie]

I'd wondered about the double action, the Grifone does that too, bit cumbersome but easier to keep on the aim with the stock. I shall see if I can remove the offending blocks, the rest of the mechanism remains but will need some lubrication. I believe that it only reciprocates with 357, not 38.

Might have to consider a new barrel at some point, the rifling around the forcing cone is well battered.