Heritage Rough Riders

I bought one for my father as a 70th birthday present a few years back; he enjoys shooting it and it is reasonably accurate. I wouldn't call it junk; so far so good and it's held up very well. Just my two cents.

I have one and it works just fine. Shoots a nice group if I do my part.

Yeah I like all 4 of mine.

Apparently had my head in, well, let's say the sand on these.




Todd.

The HRR was around and in this price point for at least 30 years before the Wrangler showed up.

ontarget said:

The HRR was around and in this price point for at least 30 years before the Wrangler showed up.

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No kidding? It's never been my market so I was completely unaware of it until conversations started comparing the two.

Good for them then.

I see from their site they've been at it since '92. I guess that's about when I quit on gun magazines too.

Todd.

I would have one if it weren’t for the Wangler. But I don’t like the safety so I’m not sure I could actually have a revolver with a safety.

Personally, I feel that a Phoenix Arms .22 is a better handgun, weight is about the same, way better sights that are windage adjustable, trigger is also very good, holds 10 rds instead of 6, faster reloads once you dremel off the tab on the safety switch (that tab blocks the mag release button unless you have the safety on)

If you can find one for under $150 today, they're well worth it. Not really supposed to shoot anything hotter than standard velocity in them, but I think so long as you change the recoil springs frequently (like every 1000 rds) you probably can just to test function and accuracy.

The Rough Rider, the Wrangler... these are fine if you just want a single action revolver on the cheap. If you want a cheap .22 that works and don't care if it's a revolver, the Phoenix pistols better guns with a modern design.

Prefer my revolvers over my automtics, my example with the six inch barrel is what answers the door when the possums are knocking over the barrel I keep the cat food in.

It's accurate to minute of critter for at least fifteen yards assuming that you have enough light to see the sights and enough punch to take down a smaller armadillo at least.

Plus the stairs off the back porch are a little rickety so the safety is appreciated from time to time. Just use your thumb to disengage it then move to the hammer to cock it.

Honestly it's my number one used firearm. I consider getting a magnum cylinder every few months but still haven't, and I still think a .32 caliber model would be really nifty but I love mine.

Had ordered and theoretically recieved two for about 20 seconds, my ffl buddy immediately refused to sell me one.
The second one I shot for about an hour, then sold to another friend of mine. The sights were just barely crooked, but enough so i could tell and it bugged me. That one had adjustable fiberoptics that were actually really nice.
Accruacy was good with both (still shoot both from time to time), and they are reliable. Little rough around the edges, and a lot of work for only 6 shots of .22 or .22 mag, but if you like single action revolvers and .22s they are cheap and generally work well.....they do make 9 shot versions, but again i don't like the little cartridges and loading gates, next .22 revolver I get will be a swing-out.

I owned one NiB for a month or so. I disliked the safety and the plastic ejector rod "handle" and traded it towards something else without ever firing it. Like the OP, I saw it at Academy on "Black Friday" for $89 and decided to give it a shot.

My BiL has had his forever and likes it, but the plastic ejector rod tab broke off ages ago.

Just bought one and got it out to the range. For the $120 I paid for it I'm very pleased. A single six it is not, but at ⅙ the price, I think you're getting more than ⅙ the gun. I ran some of the rounds through a chronograph, and with the 6½" barrel, I found the 22lr moving in the 900fps range and 22wmr moving in the 1200fps range. For me that means that with the 22lr cylinder I have a fun pinker that I can shoot shorts, longs, and long rifle in, and with the magnum cylinder, I have something that will hit as hard as a 22lr from a rifle. So, its a fun pinker that can pull double duty as a handy rabbit/squirrel gun. As far as accuracy goes, i was able to make the spent shotgun hulls sitting on the berm dance shooting from about 30yds. Not all direct hits, but definitely scared 'em Here's where I'm at on them, I wouldn't buy one for $200+, but Ruger doesn't have a magnum cylinder available for the wrangler, so the Rough Rider wins out at a <$150 price point.

I am a fan of the HRR. I own 4 of them. I don't use the safety as I just treat it like any other SA and load 5.
I don't even notice the safety when looking through the sights.
While it is true that the HRR is not the Single Six on a quality scale, they can be just as accurate and provide the same level of shooting enjoyment.
I also own a vintage SS (unmolested) and a Wrangler so unlike many internet experts I can actually see and feel the differences side by side.
True you get what you pay for but I feel in the case of the HRR the cost to value ratio is very good. I also feel that way about the Wrangler for the record.

I've had a HRR for many years and it is my favorite plinking gun. I have shot it side by side with a Single Six. I have handled, but not shot, a Wrangler. In terms of quality construction, you do get what you pay for: Single Six is better than Wrangler is better than HRR. However, you can buy a LOT of ammunition with the cost difference. HRRs tend to be at or just under $200, but you can find them occasionally for notably less on sale. I have only seen Wranglers at or just above $200, never under. I paid $200 for my HRR, to include the .22WMR cylinder. Had it been next to a Wrangler at the same price (did not exist back then), I probably would have gone for the Wrangler. However, at $99 the HRR is a Best Buy in my estimation.
Also, it is probably the perfect handgun for introducing non-shooters to range shooting the first time.

Hartkopf said:

I would have one if it weren’t for the Wangler. But I don’t like the safety so I’m not sure I could actually have a revolver with a safety.

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There is a very simple solution on the safety. Put it on fire and forget about it. Yeah. it's kind of ugly but that is also handled in the "forget aboutt it" thing. I have the birds head version and I make my gg kids use the safety so they remain aware of safties on fire arms. The oldest is allowed to "forget about it" now. The younger ones still have to use it.

I do not own an HRR at the moment. But my brother does. He got it from Academy 3 or 4 years ago on a buy one get one 1/2 off deal. He's probably put 100k rounds through it plinking and etc. The plastic ejector button broke off the first year he had it, but we adapted one from a Single Six to it. The main spring gave up the ghost about a month ago, and I'm still waiting on him to bring it to me so I can install the new one. But overall, I'd say its worth the money and made well enough to stand up to him.

Mac

Find more HRR positive testimonials in the parallel thread
Six Shot Giggle Machine

I have had one of the convertible rough riders for a long time, 10 years... maybe 15. Kind of lost track but I know it was around $100.

I keep the magnum cylinder in it. I'm not even exactly sure where the LR cylinder got to. I don't really shoot it much but it is accurate for most varmints out to ten or 15 yards and with .22 mag out of the 6 inch barrel it is great for tougher critters like large raccoon or possum. The finish on them is ugly, and I did refuse the first one that the LGS pulled out of the counter for me cause the front sight was crooked. I don't think I'd buy one sight unseen, but they are very functional guns and really don't need any maintenance to keep them running.

There was a time I did a lot of plinking with it. Shooting CB longs out of the LR cylinder is very much like shooting a pellet gun. I am lucky enough to have some nicer .22's now and the RR just stays handy for varmint duty mostly now.

Mine was $120 on sale. That was back when they had ammo for sale with it. $99 is a good price for a plinker 22. I don't like a revolver with a safety as revolvers oughta' have a half cock safety. The gun is not fancy yet is is not flimsy. A fun gun.

I’ve got a 6” convertible with adjustable sights. Its not as accurate as my 617 6shot, but at 1/3 the price, it’s excused.
It’s adequately accurate for intended purposes. Chrono’d velocities run ~1,000fps for .22lr hv and 1,200-1,300 for .22wrm.
Groups at 50’ run 2-3”.
For a plinker, knock around “working tool”, it’s a “keeper”.
I’ll teach my grandchildren to shoot with it...