mikekratz Report post Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) I'm making a holster and need a blue gun for a 1976 Rossi .357. I can't find any information on this firearm. Does anyone know which blue gun I can use? It's for a cowboy rig so it doesnt need to be a wet mold. I think close enough will work. The gun is a 4" barrel. The picture attached is the actual gun. A- 3 1/8 B- 3 3/8 D-3 7/8 E-6 7/8 Don't mind "C" these were measurements I received from the customer. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you Edited February 4, 2016 by mikekratz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
George B Report post Posted February 4, 2016 That's a hard one to answer if the customer has the gun. Problem for me would be not knowing which revolver frame it corresponds with. There are some S&W dummy guns and some Rugers but I haven't seen much on the Rossi. Need to determine that first then shop for the dummy gun with a similar frame size in 4 inch .357. Could be a J, K or L but I would bet a J or K S&W. Also how many shot cylinder? That can make a difference in the girth of the gun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Report post Posted February 5, 2016 Mike, . . . I had the same dilemma a few years back on a big Colt, . . . .44 mag. I sent the owner a picture of another gun, . . . outlining the measurements I needed, . . . then when he measured it all, . . . I made up a dummy wooden gun in all of about an hour. Like your customer, . . . it was for a cowboy type holster, . . . it fit perfect, . . . he was absolutely thrilled. If I were in your position, . . . I'd do that all over again. May God bless, Dwight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted February 5, 2016 Okay, I'll guess with ya Ask your customer for the RED measurements in the pic, in which case you may not even NEED a blue gun (stitch and send, he can form). Judging by the shape and [apparent] size, I'd lean towards a K-frame (looks a bit like the old M19) EXCEPT for that lug, which may put it closer to the 686 (which is an "L"). Better yet, ask your customer to measure the cylinder. Caliper, or drop it out and use a ruler, whatever. All of which is the long version of saying "I don't know,too". Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Josh Ashman Report post Posted February 5, 2016 Have the customer fold a piece of paper in half, place the pistol upside down with the sights centered on the fold and roll it over to the side. Then have him trace around the bottom edge of the pistol and mail, fax, scan and e-mail you the piece of paper. He just did the first few steps of your pattern making for you. Since it's a western holster and not molded any similarly sized pistol should work to rough fit it once it's stitched up. If you don't have a similarity sized pistol a hammer handle will work. Just open up the pouch and you're going to be close enough. I've done it a few times and had good success. Good luck, Josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stu925 Report post Posted February 6, 2016 My K frame from the top strap to the bottom of the trigger guard is closer to 3.5", J frame is just a hair under 3.0". However I suspect his measurements are skewed and it's a K frame sized gun but that's just a hunch. With the slope of the trigger guard I can pull a 3.18" measurement if I go forward on the trigger guard to pull the measurement. For an L frame to get a 3.18" measurement you have to be all the way forward on the trigger guard almost to where it curves upwards into the frame. If you can get the customer to use a set of calipers on the cylinder that should clinch the frame size for you. Stu Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikekratz Report post Posted February 8, 2016 Thanks to everyone. These are some great ideas. My K frame from the top strap to the bottom of the trigger guard is closer to 3.5", J frame is just a hair under 3.0". However I suspect his measurements are skewed and it's a K frame sized gun but that's just a hunch. With the slope of the trigger guard I can pull a 3.18" measurement if I go forward on the trigger guard to pull the measurement. For an L frame to get a 3.18" measurement you have to be all the way forward on the trigger guard almost to where it curves upwards into the frame. If you can get the customer to use a set of calipers on the cylinder that should clinch the frame size for you. Stu The cylinder is about 1 1/2 wide Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted February 8, 2016 Cylinder 1 1/2" diameter rules out the 'J' frames. Depending on how close they measured, could go 'k' or 'L'. Now ready for the kick in the pants? Colt made an "I" frame revolver that could go here as well -- just smaller than the 'L" but bigger than the 'K'. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stu925 Report post Posted February 8, 2016 Thanks to everyone. These are some great ideas. The cylinder is about 1 1/2 wide Cylinder 1 1/2" diameter rules out the 'J' frames. Depending on how close they measured, could go 'k' or 'L'. Now ready for the kick in the pants? Colt made an "I" frame revolver that could go here as well -- just smaller than the 'L" but bigger than the 'K'. My K frame cylinder measures 1.44" in diameter. L frame blue gun measures 1.54" (sorry don't have an actual L frame to measure) I think JLS got it right, that full under lug barrel screams L frame to me. I suppose Rossi could have built it of Colt frame specs but I doubt it. As I recall, Rossi is affiliated with Taurus who built knock-offs of S&W guns for years. My money would be on an L frame. K frame guns will supposedly fit in L frame holsters but I've not tried one to see how close they will fit and that's all based on internet speculation and rumor. Stu Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikekratz Report post Posted February 9, 2016 You guy's are awesome. Thanks for all your help! I'm so happy i found this website its been a huge help since I joined it! Finding someone else with the love for leather craft is rare where I live in south florida. I've only meet two other leather workers face to face!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stu925 Report post Posted February 10, 2016 Give me a couple of days and I'll let you know how a K frame fits in an L frame holster. Then you can be a little more confident about it. I sent an L frame holster to my nephew a while back and he sold the gun so he's sending it back should be here by Friday at the latest I think. I'll put my K frame in it and see how it fits. Stu Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted February 10, 2016 'K' will flop all over the place in a 'L' holster. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted February 10, 2016 (edited) K & L are back to back, and the J-frame on the left thrown in for comparison. Now, a guy could add that to say "holster for a K-frame" is quite simplistic, since you can get firearms with quite a bit of difference one to the next, and yet they are all "K". Part of the confusion comes from people who list holsters as "fits" something or other. I always say a bucket will hold your pistol, but that doesn't mean it "fits" it. 5-gallon bucket will fit the J, K, L, M N O P frames, often at the same time But you can see the cylinders are clearly not the same, for starters .. Even if the rest of the gun was all equal (they aren't) then just measuring around the cylinders (like you were wrapping leather) would give a difference of "about" 5/16 - 3/8" (ish)... Edited February 10, 2016 by JLSleather Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stu925 Report post Posted February 12, 2016 I got the L frame holster back today and JLS is correct there's quite a bit of slop in it. I kind of suspected the K frame would be sloppy in it the first time I heard the rumor but I'm glad I got the chance to see how bad it really is myself. The more I look at that Rossi the more convinced I am it's compatible with the L frame. In any event a K frame holster probably isn't going to fly with that under lug. Stu Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted February 12, 2016 Yep, fits it like a marble in a coffee cup Then durn k-frames, though.. lot o difference in heft of barrel thickness (outside diameter) and ejector (shrouded, not shrouded). But hey - the handle and grips are close Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
