Fun Customizing Heritage Rough Riders

[Oninotaki]

Hey everybody, I know it’s not Wheel Gun Wednesday but I thought it would be fun sharing with you all my pair of customized Heritage Rough Riders.

They have had the following work done to them:
1- Cerakote paint jobs because the basic black coating they come with is terrible. However the Cerakote around the cylinder hasn’t withstood the rigors of going to the range.

2- New matching grips from premium gun grips.

3- Shim placed between the hammer main spring, and grip frame. I was getting constant light strikes on the 6.5” model, and the 2” model couldnt get anything to fire at all. The shims fixed those issues with both firearms and now they strike rims with authority. I haven’t had either model fail to fire since the upgrade. The shim is made from felt moving pads.

4- 9 shot conversion. The 6.5” model came with a 9 shot capacity. The 2” barkeep did not. So I swapped in the parts required to make it a 9 shooter, cause who doesn’t want a 9 shot .22 wmr SA pocket revolver? I ordered up the parts needed to do that conversion direct from heritage.

5- Safety Post ground down. I like the safety on the Heritage Rough Rider cause I like carrying it with all 9 Cylinders loaded. However on the 9 shot model the end of the safety post sticks out a little bit past the frame and interferes with smooth loading/unloading of the cylinder at the safety gate. Now with the safety post ground down to being flush with the frame, that issue no long applies.

I hope you folks enjoyed that little tour of my Heritage Rough Riders. They are some great little firearms that really shine with just a little love.

 

[PapaG]

Without sounding like a jerk, you could have bought a super single six.

 

[franco45]

Without sounding like a jerk, you could have bought a super single six.

Did you miss the part where he mentioned that he had fun customizing the little revolvers? They look great.

 

[ontarget]

Sometimes putting lipstick on a pig can be fun. Modifying your low cost revolvers to your own specs is very satisfying. Glad you enjoyed your project. They look very much like a pair of Wranglers, and I bet they shoot just as good too.

 

[Frulk]

I’m liking how that 2 inch barkeep looks. More so than any RugerWrangler I’ve seen.

 

[CajunBass]

If I could find a Ruger Single-Six, new or used, for $140.00, I'd buy a truckload of them. But since I can't, HRR's will fill the gap pretty well. This one is actually my wife's...she thought it was "cute." She let's me shoot it though...but never forget's to remind me it's HER gun.



And I do have a Single-Six. And have owned about a half-dozen or so others over the years.



Still like the Heritage though. Cool little guns.

 

[Oninotaki]

@PapaG

That is an excellent question and it has a few answers.
1st: Good luck finding a single 6 convertable.

2nd: I don't like 6 shot revolvers, I like 7+ capacity in my wheel guns. To get that in both .22lr, and .22 WMR would have meant purchasing a single 9 and a single 10.

3rd: Single sixes don't come in the 2" barrel or birds heads grips at the capacity I wanted and there is no way to convert them.

4th: The whole project ran less than $500 for two firearms, about 55% of the cost of a single six.

That being said I have been debating trying to get a single seven in .327 or holding out and trying to find a ruger new model blackhawk in .327.

 

[wcwhitey]

Perfect platform for playing aka customizing. Have fun!

 

[PapaG]

@PapaG

That is an excellent question and it has a few answers.
1st: Good luck finding a single 6 convertable.

2nd: I don't like 6 shot revolvers, I like 7+ capacity in my wheel guns. To get that in both .22lr, and .22 WMR would have meant purchasing a single 9 and a single 10.

3rd: Single sixes don't come in the 2" barrel or birds heads grips at the capacity I wanted and there is no way to convert them.

4th: The whole project ran less than $500 for two firearms, about 55% of the cost of a single six.

That being said I have been debating trying to get a single seven in .327 or holding out and trying to find a ruger new model blackhawk in .327.

Got it. Fine job, by the way. I had the forerunner of the Heritage about forty or more years ago. Buffalo Scout. $75 for the convertible. I'd bet the design is identical.
Enjoy your guns.
I'm a sucker for cheap Hubbard guns, not that yours are, but on my fix it table are a butchered Savage 99 and a plastic wood modded M1 carbine.
My comment was in no way intended to denigrate. I just happen to have an extremely accurate 6 1/2" Super Single Six and unintentionally think of it when discussing 22s.

 

[Oninotaki]

Perfect platform for playing aka customizing. Have fun!

They are an excellent platform. My next project involving heritage rough riders is putting a foregrip on the 16inch model.

Got it. Fine job, by the way. I had the forerunner of the Heritage about forty or more years ago. Buffalo Scout. $75 for the convertible. I'd bet the design is identical.
Enjoy your guns.
I'm a sucker for cheap Hubbard guns, not that yours are, but on my fix it table are a butchered Savage 99 and a plastic wood modded M1 carbine.
My comment was in no way intended to denigrate. I just happen to have an extremely accurate 6 1/2" Super Single Six and unintentionally think of it when discussing 22s.

No worries at all, I took your comment as an honest question. I enjoyed sharing some of the very specific reasons why Ruger's single six series wouldn't meet my needs. Where as for many people they would. In my opinion cheap guns are some of the most fun to work on. That plastic wood modded m1 sounds like an interesting and worthwhile project as well. Wood furniture is the best IMHO.

 

[bannockburn]

Oninotaki

Sounds like some good old fashioned, relatively inexpensive, and quite rewarding, handgun customization!

Did something like that, but in a somewhat more cosmetic way, when I got a pair of faux ivory grips for my Wrangler (really don't care one bit for the black plastic grips that come with it)!


Carry on!

 

[doubleh]

Hey everybody, I know it’s not Wheel Gun Wednesday but I thought it would be fun sharing with you all my pair of customized Heritage Rough Riders.

They have had the following work done to them:
1- Cerakote paint jobs because the basic black coating they come with is terrible. However the Cerakote around the cylinder hasn’t withstood the rigors of going to the range.

2- New matching grips from premium gun grips.

3- Shim placed between the hammer main spring, and grip frame. I was getting constant light strikes on the 6.5” model, and the 2” model couldnt get anything to fire at all. The shims fixed those issues with both firearms and now they strike rims with authority. I haven’t had either model fail to fire since the upgrade. The shim is made from felt moving pads.

4- 9 shot conversion. The 6.5” model came with a 9 shot capacity. The 2” barkeep did not. So I swapped in the parts required to make it a 9 shooter, cause who doesn’t want a 9 shot .22 wmr SA pocket revolver? I ordered up the parts needed to do that conversion direct from heritage.

5- Safety Post ground down. I like the safety on the Heritage Rough Rider cause I like carrying it with all 9 Cylinders loaded. However on the 9 shot model the end of the safety post sticks out a little bit past the frame and interferes with smooth loading/unloading of the cylinder at the safety gate. Now with the safety post ground down to being flush with the frame, that issue no long applies.

I hope you folks enjoyed that little tour of my Heritage Rough Riders. They are some great little firearms that really shine with just a little love.

I like what you did I see the RR as an inexpensive way to have fun modifying and playing around with a gun. I have the bird's head and 6 1/2" model and really haven't done anything at all but shoot them with the grandkids. The bird's head is a Miami gun and has a good polish job and bluing on the steel parts and the painted finish is smooth and shiny. The 61/2" is a Georgia gun and the polish job isn't up to the other. The paint is smooth but has a couple of rather dull looking places on it. Both shoot dependably and reasonably accurately. No the RR isn't the gun the single six is but you can buy four of them and have money left for ammo compared to the Ruger with no ammo, that is if you can even find a Ruger.

 

[CajunBass]

Got it. Fine job, by the way. I had the forerunner of the Heritage about forty or more years ago. Buffalo Scout. $75 for the convertible. I'd bet the design is identical.

It's pretty much the same design Colt used to sell as the Frontier Scout too I'm reasonably sure. I've owned a couple of them over the years. Aluminum frame, steel barrel and cylinder. With the exception of the safety, and finish, the HRR looks and feels pretty much like the Colt. I even had one with the box and papers but let it get away from me. Where is that headbanger emogie when you need it?

Now the steel frame Peacemaker/New Frontier 22's are a different animal entirely. They rival, if they don't exceed a Ruger Single-Six. If nothing else, the Colt had a nicer finish. Some of those Colts even had a crossbolt safety hidden inside the loading gate, so HRR isn't the only one who ever put a safety on a SA 22. The Colts did look better though. You had to know it was there to see it.

 

[Buckeye63]

Id like to see Heritage come out with a
Bearcat sized single action revolver

 

[KansasTrapper77]

I can see both sides of this. “For the money going into customizing a gun you coulda bought a Ruger Single Six which is a better gun etc etc” But. But. Those Heritages look awesome! And the fact those Heritages are $150 or less just makes it that much better. And frankly I think they’re better shooting guns than Ruger Wranglers.

 

[doubleh]

It’s really remarkable how I have seen multiple different perceived needs all end up creating - or recreating, rather - Bloop tubes…

And frankly I think they’re better shooting guns than Ruger Wranglers.[/QUOT

They are certainly better than my one and done Wrangler. On the other hand the Wrangler I shot that caused me to buy mine was equal to the RRs, at least in my hands. I think it's just the luck of the draw with each brand. I have read a lot of negatives about both and a lot good for also. Pay your money and take your chances seems to be the theme wit each brand. I only own two singles sixes. They are certainly worth the extra cost over either for a more accurate gun and one that will last you a lifetime and beyond.

 

[SwampWolf]

And the fact those Heritages are $150 or less just makes it that much better.

$69.99 with the rebate.

 

[Blkhrt13]

That’s some good looking mods. I bet they are a hoot to shoot.

 

[Oninotaki]

That’s some good looking mods. I bet they are a hoot to shoot.

Once I got them shimmed they became real gems.

 

[Blkhrt13]

Once I got them shimmed they became real gems.

I always felt with a little work they would be even better. I’m tickled by the idea of being able to jump to 9 rounds. I have other priorities for a minute. But one day…

 

[Ru4real]

Hey everybody, I know it’s not Wheel Gun Wednesday but I thought it would be fun sharing with you all my pair of customized Heritage Rough Riders.

Thank you so much for posting!! We need more of these threads, IMO. Threads with experience and knowledge.

The alternative are popular opinion threads like “Who makes the best gun?” which usually results in 10 pages of stupid.

 

[ontarget]

Thank you so much for posting!! We need more of these threads, IMO. Threads with experience and knowledge.

The alternative are popular opinion threads like “Who makes the best gun?” which usually results in 10 pages of stupid.

I second that!
But obviously the best guns are made by whoever made the last, or next gun I buy. LOL.

 

[Roverguy]

Not my sort of thing, really. But I like the way the look and admire your skill in getting them that way. Enjoy !

 

[film495]

was thinking about a birds head grip frame and set of grips just to try it, then I looked at the current price of the things and might just buy another one.

 

[Oninotaki]

I always felt with a little work they would be even better. I’m tickled by the idea of being able to jump to 9 rounds. I have other priorities for a minute. But one day…

That jump from 6 rounds to 9 is very sweet. I did the same upgrade to my 16" rough riders after I added a stock. So now I have a very nice 9 show .22 wmr revolver carbine. Just gotta figure out a good foregrip solution.....