Chiappa Rhino 120DS
- Category
- Revolver
- Barrel
- 305 mm
- Weight, empty
- 934 g
- Introduced
- 2016
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Chiappa Rhino 120DS is a double-action/single-action revolver chambered in .357 Magnum, built on the distinctive Rhino platform designed by Emilio Ghisoni. Unlike conventional wheelguns, the Rhino fires from the bottom chamber of its hexagonal six-shot cylinder, placing the bore in line with the shooter's hand to dramatically reduce muzzle rise and felt recoil. The 120DS is the long-barrel target and hunting variant, carrying a 12-inch (305 mm) barrel topped with adjustable fiber-optic sights and integral Picatinny rails on the top and bottom of the frame for optics and accessories. Its high-strength aluminum-alloy frame with a steel breech insert keeps weight manageable despite the long barrel, while the walnut saw-handle grip and enclosed hammer with an external cocking lever give it a deliberate, precision-oriented character. Fed by a swing-out cylinder that also accepts full moon clips for faster reloads, the 120DS extends the low-recoil Rhino concept into the realm of small-game hunting, silhouette shooting, and long-range handgun target work.
Emilio Ghisoni's Rhino carried forward the radical low-bore-axis ideas he first explored with the Mateba autorevolvers, and Chiappa turned the concept into a full production family after his death. The 120DS pushes that family to its longest reach, trading the compact carry role of the short Rhinos for a scoped-and-railed hunting and target instrument.
Long-barrel (LBR) variant of the Rhino line; also offered in .38 Special, 9mm Parabellum and .40 S&W. Ships with three moon clips. Available in black or chrome finish.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Chiappa Firearms
- Category
- Revolver
- Country
- Italy
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2016
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 305 mm
- Overall length
- 432 mm
- Width
- 35 mm
- Weight, empty
- 934 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Double action revolver
- Firing mechanism
- Double action single action
- Trigger
- Double action single action
- Trigger pull
- 20.0 N
- Capacity
- 6
- Magazine
- Rotary
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- Black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Effective range
- 50 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Low bore axis 6 oclock barrel
Hexagonal cylinder
Enclosed hammer with cocking lever
Cocked hammer indicator
Adjustable fiber optic sights
Picatinny rails
Moon clip compatible
Walnut saw handle grip
Swing out cylinder
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 53 .357 Magnum revolvers | 934 g | 1.10 kg | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 50 .357 Magnum revolvers | 432 mm | 245 mm | Among the longest tenth |
| Barrel lengthAmong 53 .357 Magnum revolvers | 305 mm | 107 mm | Among the longest tenth |
| Magazine capacityAmong 53 .357 Magnum revolvers | 6 | 6 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the Chiappa Rhino 120DS
How much does the Chiappa Rhino 120DS weigh?
The Chiappa Rhino 120DS weighs 934 g (2.06 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Chiappa Rhino 120DS?
The Chiappa Rhino 120DS is chambered in .357 Magnum.
How many rounds does the Chiappa Rhino 120DS hold?
The Chiappa Rhino 120DS holds 6 rounds, fed from a rotary magazine.
How long is the Chiappa Rhino 120DS?
The Chiappa Rhino 120DS is 432 mm (17.0 in) long overall, with a 305 mm (12.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Chiappa Rhino 120DS?
The Chiappa Rhino 120DS is made by Chiappa Firearms (Italy). It was designed by Emilio Ghisoni.
When was the Chiappa Rhino 120DS introduced?
The Chiappa Rhino 120DS was introduced in 2016.
How does the Chiappa Rhino 120DS operate?
The Chiappa Rhino 120DS uses a double action, and its firing mechanism is double action single action.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
70%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/chiappa-rhino-120ds' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "chiappa-rhino-120ds", "name": "Chiappa Rhino 120DS", "manufacturer": { "id": "chiappa", "name": "Chiappa Firearms", "countryCode": "IT", "foundedYear": 1958, "website": "https://www.chiappafirearms.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:42", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:43", "version": "b5644da07f2f4b4de93bfa27f8e035f00665c529b649361ca02741b3bc080468" }, "category": { "id": "revolver", "name": "Revolver", "description": "Handguns with a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers" }, "country_of_origin": "IT", "year_introduced": 2016, "barrel_length_mm": 305, "weight_empty_g": 934, "action_type": "double_action_revolver"}