Thoughts on Heritage Rough Riders, .22LR line?

[The Right to Bear Arms]

Good Afternoon Calgunners,

I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. That said, I bought a .22LR Heritage Revolver yesterday w/ 6.5" barrel. It's a fixed cylinder so there's no secondary option to utilize .22 magnum loads. The price was right @ $129 and I've been hankering to delve into the Cowboy style single action scene.

I'd be pleased to get everyone's take on this gun and this manufacturer. Clearly, they are not Ruger but their tagline is " American made " for what it's worth. Based out of Miami, it's more of a stand that I would expect from the Midwest.

Feel free to chime in on Heritage, Ruger, American Western, Cimmaron, etc.

I plan on using it for entry level training with a cowboy style single action revolver before moving up in calibers later this year. Most likely to .357 magnum. Most of the low cost advantage that Heritage enjoys evaporates the higher you go up on caliber. I believe their .357 revolver is around 400-500 dollars. Once you delve into that territory, the Ruger Vaquero and Blackhawk deserve a look as well. Interestingly, Heritage has copied Ruger's take on the " transfer bar mechanism " in it's current line of big bore guns. That concept gets pushback from purists of the genre but I can live with it, quite well.

God bless it. I like the creature comforts on the Rugers. The price point not so much for .22LR revolvers. However, my next purchase won't be dictated by " plinking " or " small game " but rather for my long and medium range options having been spent and having to save my bacon at the last moment with something that makes sense and is true to itself.

Not sure if anything bigger than a .357 magnum makes sense in a Old Western revolver. Whatever your take is on this thread, I'd love to hear.

Keep the 6 guns blazing and Ride On Calgunners !!

RBA

[1970gmc4x4]

Sounds like you've got things figured out, i agree with what you've said, i would prefer a ruger for a 22, but i guess the price is nice. I've seen a gun made in the 90's that was worn out, and had to have a bunch of internal parts and the cylinder replaced. They call them ROUGH riders for reason. The craftsmanship is poor and being made in the U.S.A. sounds good, but is misleading, i'm sure they work for occasional practice. But for a gun that will last you lifetime and become an heirloom, the ruger is the way to go. Also the ruger will retain it's value. After experiencing the 22 rough rider, i don't think i would ever fire a heritage gun that is chambered for anything bigger.

"Not sure if anything bigger than a .357 magnum makes sense in a Old Western revolver" -What?! I absolutely love 45 long colt

Though for cowboy action shooting, loading up 38's will save you a lot of money, and probably be easier to shoot, Go with the Ruger Vaquero. And the transfer bar is a great asset, should you want to carry it hunting, hiking, whatever, you can carry all 6 without worry, not to mention the aftermaket hammers, spring, etc. available to help you compete, if you are really serious.

[downdiver2]

I own the 6.5 heritage in 22lr and have the 22mag cylinders. After my first use, I found quite a few firing pin dents in the Lr cylinder in between each cylinder ports. . Haven't contacted rr yet, but I will be.

[Xingu]

+3 on 45 LC I have 2 Vaqueros and an EMF Bisley.

[760knox]

Mine always works and works! 6.5 combo and no issues so far.

[The Right to Bear Arms]

Thank you, 1970GMC4x4, DownDiver2 Xingu, and 760 Knox.

Looks like we have 2 votes for Ruger, 1 thumb up for Heritage and another contingent on excellent customer service.

I offer the following information for everyone's review.

This is for .22LR Cowboy Style Single Action guns. Or .. the " 6-Guns " / " Wheel Guns " if you prefer.

This is America after all and in our marketplace companies have to compete for our business. The following options are all chambered @ .357 magnum. There are .45 offerings from each of these companies as well.

Colt - Single Army Action in Blue color case hardened or Nickel finish. W/ barrel lenghts of 4.75", 5.5", and 7.5" MSRP- 1,274.80 for the 4.75"

Cimarron - .357 Magnum / 38 Sp. Frontier line in Blue color case hardened. w/ barrel lengths of 3.5", 4.75", and 5.5". MSRP 530.60.

AWA - 1873 Single Action Army Revolver @ .357 Magnum in Blue, Case Hardened, Hardchrome and Nickel. Barrel lengths of 4.75", 5.5". MSRP for each finish, $440, $565, $635 and $635.

And finally...

Beretta - Stampede Blue Color case hardened, barrel lengths of 4.75" and 5.5" MSRP $ 575.

Thoughts on these .357 magnum offerings, gentlemen?

[dangerranger]

Heres mine, just over 30 years old. somewhere over 30,000 rounds through it.





pictured with it is my ruger single six, both have had the same abuse, both shoot equilly well. I also have a new model Ruger with a 9" barrel. I have carried the RR much more both because of the shorter barrel and the lighter weight. it may not seem like much but the RR is 7oz lighter. After a few hours on your belt you can tell the differance! DR

[stitchnicklas]

i also have the rough rider 22lr/22mag combo,never had a issue yet in either cylinder .

fixed cylinder??? i believe all you need to do is by a second cylinder...?????

[ENVYGREEN]

Agreed. Just pull the pin and put your mag cylinder in

[The Right to Bear Arms]

Agreed. Just pull the pin and put your mag cylinder in

I stand corrected, gentlemen. Thank you!

@ DangerRanger: Thanks for sharing the photo. A testament to the longevity of both guns. Nice to see the Single Six right alongside the RR.

RBA

[stitchnicklas]

i really enjoy the mag cylinder...

[laika]

We received a heritage arms 22lr/mag cylinder combo with fixed sights that was WAY off. Nothing to do with this revolver but to suck it up and shoot it by compensating. I would buy Heritage Arms again but I would opt for fixed sights.

I have a ruger single six and think the husband's heritage arms is not far off that mark except that they didn't make that last adjustment in the fixed sights.

Too bad.

[1970gmc4x4]

If the sights aren't accurate, you could bend the front sight over a little for side to side, bend it the oppsite direction of where you want the bullet to go, if it shoots too low you can file the front sight which will bring it up, and cold blue it to match again. If it shoots too high, shoot at targets farther away But seriously, you'd have to remove the front sight and put in a taller one, and re blue.

As far as the beretta Stampede. I know a guy that had one in 45 long colt, I would buy the vaquero first, But if the Vaquero wasn't an option, i actually liked the gun, felt well built, smooth, accurate, not a bad gun. Don't know if the aftermarket stuff is available for them though.

[The Right to Bear Arms]

If the sights aren't accurate, you could bend the front sight over a little for side to side, bend it the oppsite direction of where you want the bullet to go, if it shoots too low you can file the front sight which will bring it up, and cold blue it to match again. If it shoots too high, shoot at targets farther away But seriously, you'd have to remove the front sight and put in a taller one, and re blue.

As far as the beretta Stampede. I know a guy that had one in 45 long colt, I would buy the vaquero first, But if the Vaquero wasn't an option, i actually liked the gun, felt well built, smooth, accurate, not a bad gun. Don't know if the aftermarket stuff is available for them though.

Thanks to everyone for your participation.

@1970GMC4x4: I am supportive of my recent acquisition but my interest is in the sub-genre of Old Western revolvers and the entire " world " that it opens up for people that train and collect these types of firearms. Awesome. Consequently, I'm not shackled to Heritage and whomever makes the best big bore models gets my business. I'll probably own a couple of wheel guns from each branding.

[1970gmc4x4]

Something that is kind of cool, and beretta makes one, is the Schofeild style revolver. They were an old west revolver, but movies have made the colt style way more popular, you can see them in 3:10 to Yuma, though. They break open to eject and reload, way faster than the colt design, I've never shot one but they look cool. I don't know if cowbay action shooting allows them or has a catagory for them or not.