Firearm: Rossi RP63 revolver (MSRP: $460.99)
Brazilian company Rossi has been in and out of the centerfire, double-action revolver business for decades, most recently offering a number of. 357 Magnum wheelguns bearing the company’s name. The RP63 we have in today’s kit is a stainless steel, six-shot .357 Magnum revolver featuring a 3-inch barrel and fixed sights. This setup is often considered the gold standard for a defensive revolver, in part because of the Smith & Wesson Model 13 issued to FBI agents right before the agency moved over to semi-automatic pistols.
Now, it may seem a little out of place to feature a six-shot, 27-ounce revolver in a world of 11- and 12-round, sub-20-ounce micro-9 mm double stack pistols, but there’s still a case to be made for the defensive revolver. For starters, the versatility of the chambering is hard to beat. From light wadcutter loads that make practice easy to specialty rounds like CCI’s shotshells, the manual operation of the revolver, combined with the ability to chamber both .38 Special and .357 Magnum, give it a range that semi-autos can’t match.
Beyond the ability to make use of a wider variety of ammunition types, there are other reasons to give the double-action revolver a look for concealed-carry needs. The manual of operations is simpler than a semi-automatic, for example. Simply release the cylinder from the frame, load a cartridge into each chamber, then return the cylinder to the frame. Cleaning a revolver doesn’t require pulling a trigger or any disassembly of the firearm, simply running a brush through the barrel and each chamber to remove fouling. Lastly, shooters with limited hand strength can sometimes find semi-automatic slides difficult to manipulate, something that is definitely not an issue with a revolver.
In the end, it’s a personal preference based on one’s own comfort level, skill level, manual dexterity and other factors. For those who are fans of the revolver for self-defense, Rossi’s RP63 offers an affordable option chambered in a serious caliber that will suit the seasoned shooter as well as folks newer to shooting. It gives another wheelgun option in the concealed-carry universe, and that’s a good thing indeed.
Holster: Falco C105 (MSRP: $85.95)
While a 3-inch barrel revolver can certainly be carried inside the waistband, there’s little doubt it’s more comfortable on the outside. Falco Holsters’ C105 is an open-top, pancake style holster with reinforced seams and two 1.5-inch belt slots that help spread the weight of the firearm out across a greater area of the body. The two-piece construction features molding on both pieces, ensuring a proper fit for the specified handgun.
Falco offers the C105 with a slightly butt-forward cant, or the straight-drop model we have today. Other choices include a sweatguard, retention screw, leather underlay and a wide variety of color options, with different options incurring slight upcharges. Support gear such as belts, magazine carriers and speedloader pouches are also available from Falco, as are leather care products and replacement hardware.
Knife: CRKT Stickler (MSRP: $75)
A handy, useful pocketknife is a great addition to any EDC kit, so we’ve added the Columbia River Knife & Tool company Stickler assisted-opening knife to today’s gear. It opens via a flipper-actuated assisted opening mechanism using CRKT’s proprietary IKBS ball-bearing system, and closes with a liner lock. The Stickler is super thin and light, sturdy, and can easily be opened and closed with one hand. Aluminum scales finished in an eye-catching cobalt blue add a touch of color to an eminently useful design.
With a 3.4-inch, 12C27 Sandvik steel blade wearing a satin finish, the Stickler measures 8 inches open and 4.6 inches closed. Weight is a super-light 2.4 ounces, making it one of the lightest components in your EDC kit. A skeletonized pocket clip helps the Stickler ride low in the pocket, while its thin design takes up minimal real estate. Designed to evoke vintage pocket knives, but with modern components, the Stickler is a great match for Rossi’s updated .357 Magnum revolver.
