Hi Tucker,
In your first post, you mentioned what kind of gun you're looking for, but you didn't actually say what you wanted to USE it for. A .410 would be OK for taking squirrels and rabbits at close range, but you do have to be more accurate/closer than with larger gauges. What do you plan on doing with the gun? You can Google .410 shotgun to read about the uses of that caliber and see if it's right for you.
Honestly, I would recommend getting a 20 gauge over the .410 for the simple reason that you will probably find the .410 to be underpowered after a while. If, however, you're planning on really getting knee-deep in guns/shooting and would likely purchase more guns this/next year, it would be a good gun to get started on and to kick off your firearm collection. Again, the 20 gauge is a good compromise between the .410 and the 12 gauge, since it is more powerful than the .410, yet not as powerful as the 12 gauge (which in some cases would be overkill). 20 gauge ammo is easy to find, and you can get everything from tiny birdshot (like BBs) to buckshot (bigger lead balls) to big old slugs (bullets), so you could conceivably use your gun for small game, large game (at close range, with practice and after adding some kind of sights) and, in a pinch, self defense.
A LOT of the Rossi single-shot guns out there are youth-sized models, so be sure to check if the one you saw at the store was full-sized. Also make sure to order the full-sized model. Check out
www.rossiusa.com for specifications. The bluing on my gun is also very dark and deep, and I really like the Brazilian imbuia wood they use for the stock. I'd consider getting one with the wooden stock. The fit of the stock to the metal is not exactly like you'd find on a much more expensive gun, but it's good. The wood stocks also come with sling swivels and probably a recoil pad. I attached a leather sling and that really makes it look more "old-timey". hehehe.
Anyway, $95.00 is a great price for a new one of these. Don't forget to load up on ammo! Oh yeah, your new gun will most likely come with a soft case too, which is nice.
See what your friend says about the bigger gauge. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Check out:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7740402652698464863&q=rossi+shotgun&total=37&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=3For about $40 to $50 more, you could get a Rossi matched pair instead, which would give you the base gun with a shotgun barrel and a rifle barrel (rimfire or centerfire), which really gives you two guns in one. HIGHLY recommended.
Matt
P.S. - Where are you located?