I've owned 7 Rossis over the years, includes a 971. It was a good field carry, lighter than a K frame, heavier than a J frame. Mine was a stainless, unfluted cylinder, full lug barrel. I had an issue with the firing pin breaking, but a good gunsmith fixed it. I sent it to Interarms for warranty service, but it broke on the second round back.
After that smith fixed it, it burned up a few more thousand rounds before I traded it off on a .45 Colt Ruger Blackhawk.
I've hunt on to one very nice old M68 e" I bought for my step-dad in 1981 so I could get my grandpa's M10 Smith back. I inherited the Rossi a few years back. It's a very well finished gun, not all were. Some were graced with lots of tooling marks vintage late 80s, early 90s before Taurus bought 'em out. Their quality has gotten better of late. They still seem to have, after all these years, some issues with the firing pins breaking, though. You'd think they'd solved that, had 20 years to do it. Other than the firing pins, they are as good as anything out there IMHO for a danged good price, well made guns in the Smith and Wesson pattern. Would I rather have a comparable Smith? Of course. But, I'm not sure I'd pay the difference unless you got a good used 686 for the same money or something.
I can tell you this, you passed up on a really fine firearm in the Smith and Wesson M64. It's basically a stainless M10, smooth trigger, and classic feel. But, there's nothing wrong with the 971 as a shooter and it does handle .357s well. I was impressed with mine. Felt recoil was much better on that gun than on my Ruger Security Six which was always kinda rough for some reason with hot loads. My M19 Smith weighed no more, but was MUCH easier on me and the Rossi was 3 or 4 ounces lighter, easier on the belt while hiking, yet as easy to shoot as the Smith. That always impressed me.
So, anyway, today, I've hung on to a M511 Sportsman .22 kit gun, the 68, and my .357 chambered M92 Rossi lever action 20" carbine I've had for 25 years.
