Guns: Rossi 20 Gauge/.22 LR Matched Pair Review

Firearms are becoming increasingly specialized; even a cursory glance at the market will tell you that the modern gun buyer's options are spinning wildly out of control.

Want a 1911? Okay. Will it be a tricked-out racegun with optics and a cavernous magazine well? A retro GI gun with WWII-styled accoutrements? Or perhaps a Commander-length CCW piece? Heck, even shopping for revolvers nowadays presents you with a bunch of single-purpose choices: snubbies for concealment, big bores for hunting, seven and eight shot scandium-laced .357s for "tactical" use.

Now, while this kind of specialization is great for shooters, it's daunting to a beginner. That's why it's nice to write about a truly versatile gun like the Rossi Matched Pair:



I tried out one of these Matched Pairs, chambered in 20 gauge and .22 LR. The combo consists of a single stock and action, a shotgun barrel, and a rifle barrel. Switching between the barrels takes about 30 seconds:



The combination would make a fine beginner's gun. You could teach people basic shooting form with the .22 LR barrel, and the single-shot break-action will help to inculcate safe gun-handling habits (like clearing the action after you're done shooting at your target). The youth model in particular is small and light enough for practically anyone to handle:



The Matched Pair would also be an ideal wilderness gun, suited for hunting many different types of small and medium game (with appropriate ammunition). In a pinch, I could also see using the 20 gauge as a defensive weapon on the trail against small predators. Finally, the whole package comes in a very backpacker-friendy compact softcase that would fit in almost any camping kit.

In testing, the Matched Pair performed well, firing and ejecting both shotgun shells and .22 LR cartridges effortlessly. The rimfire barrel has some decent fully-adjustable sights, and groups hovered around the 1.5" mark at 25 yards with standard ammo (not the bulk pack stuff, but not target ammo, either). On the trap range, it was tough getting a smooth swing with such a light barrel, but it still performed well enough to be a lot of fun.

Best of all, you don't have to shell out much for the Matched Pair. I've seen it on sale for $130 - about the price of two video games, and less than a lot of budget rimfire rifles. I suppose a true combination gun (with both a shotgun and a rifle barrel mounted on one action) would be more handy, but the ease of switching barrels and the low price makes the Rossi worthy of consideration.