Heritage rough rider

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wrestler303

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Hello, Im new to revolvers andim kinda on a tight budget so was wanting to get the heritage rough rider any opinions... i dont care about the looks, but more for the functionality: ie. hunting squirrels, plinking cans, ect. if yall have any comments or suggestions please feel free to reply
 
There is a ton of info out there on them so use the search function and you will have plenty of reading material.

Here is my take based on what I have read. I have never owned a RR, but the general consensus seems to be they are good guns for the money. They are really inexpensive and seem to function fine, but they are not near the quality of a Ruger single six. My advise is look around the used market and see how much more a used Ruger will run. You may be surprised to find that they are not THAT much more.

If it is possible to save up the difference then go with the Ruger. If nothing else it will last a lot longer and hold its value well. It would be worth waiting a few extra months to get a gun that will last generations. If you absolutely cannot afford more than the rough rider then you will probably be happy with it
 
I have one and I have been very pleased with it. It is accurate and has never malfunctioned. I figure it will last longer than I will. Like my brother said when I wanted to put a 50 year roof on my house "Just how long do you plan on living?" It is a good value at around $200 retail. Mine also has the mag cylinder that can be swapped out in a few seconds.
 
I have one with a 4 3/4" barrel - I love it! I wanted just a cheapie for a knock around gun - I have a vintage Super Bearcat and didn't want to have it get a lot of wear. The Heritage RR I have is fun to shoot, accurate enough for me and I've had no problems at all with it. No . . . it's not a Ruger, Smith or Colt but I think it's a great value for the money. I'd have no problems buying another one and will eventually - the 6 1/2" (I believe it's that length) is a popular one - some fellows like to use them on squirrels, rabbits, etc. Go for it - I don't think you'll regret it. :)
 
I too had one. Timing was bad and could not hit a bottle at 15 feet. Junk. But if it shoots good. Have at it. Wish mine worked.
 
I have three of the Rough Riders. I have Magnum cylinders for all of them.

They are fun little revolvers. I have not had any problems with any of them.

My wife and my 10 yo daughter like shooting "the little cowboy guns." I do, too. Both of them have tried to claim the little bird's head one. I haven't given in to either of them. :)

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I also have a Single Six and a Virginian. The Rough Riders are just as fun for plinking as the other two.

Around here you will pay about $425 for a used Single Six.
 
I have one and like it just fine.

I specifically bought mine so I could learn to hip shoot single action- 22 ammo cheaper than 45.

I am only about 2000 rounds in - in one of Elmer Keith's books he says it takes about 10,000 rounds to get proficient to hip shoot to 25 yards.

My heritage RR functions just fine, groups good enough for squirrels out to 25 yards, and points just like my New Vaquero, so hip shooting practice - for me- crosses platforms just fine.

Good luck.
 
I had one for a little while before selling it to a friend and putting that money toward a Cimarron .45. It was, and as far as I know continues to be, a good little gun. You'll probably have to "adjust" the front sight a bit, but aside from that no complaints. The company was recently acquired by Taurus though, so I don't know how their quality is holding up.

I also just bought a used Single Six, and I can say it's definitely heavier. :D
 
I have the 6 1/2 inch, fixed sight model with the extra magnum cylinder. It has worked fine, and is plenty accurate. Probably get a 3 1/2 "Birdshead" some day just because I think they looking cool.
Lots of fun plinking for the buck.
My only complaint, and a minor one....A revolver does not need a safety! That goofy safety lever opposite the loading gate drives me NUTS!
 
I had one for a while. It was a good, solid little gun. I paid about half what a used Ruger Single-Six would have cost me locally.

I sold it because I didn't like the 6 1/2 inch barrel I'd bought. I might buy another one with a shorter barrel someday.
 
Do yourself a favor and get the blue or the stainless model. I have one that had a "stainless" finish that started to flak off and look really bad. I blued the steel and anodized the aluminum, which looks strange. I did have some problems with firing pins - the original peened over after about 500 rounds and stopped hitting the .22 rim. The second factory pin seemed a little short - wouldn't always fire every round in the cylinder even on a second strike. Some of the rims were barely dinted. Had a new one made by a local smith and its worked fine for several years now.
 
Depends on you and what you want to do. I have the 6" and it works very well for targets, squirrels, and the occasional groundhog that comes inside 50 yards. Shorter is easier to carry, if you're thinking woods gun/back packing. I've had both shorter (4") and 6" - even longer once, but not Heritage - but I never really noticed a difference in accuracy.
 
Tad_T, you know you are going to cost me money. Every time Rough Riders are mentioned you post that picture with the little pearl handle birdshead in the middle!
On well, it's a Rough Rider. Not gonna cost me that much when I see one in a shop. :D:D
 
My experience with the Heritage Rough Rider has been with my brother's. His is a good shooter, goes bang every time and is pretty accurate. I have a Ruger Single Six and for the most part the Rough Rider does the job of punching holes paper and knocking cans off a stump as well as the Ruger.
Of course the fit and finish is better on the Single Six and it is more substantial but I would expect it to be for twice the price. The thing I don't care for on the Rough Rider is that silly safety they stuck on it. Overall the RR is good value fo the money and it seems like those that own one agree.
 
its good. you wont always get good reviews for it. Some will always hate it, some will always like it. some will be indifferent.

longest barrel is best.

Ive been trying to get the safety changed, but it may happen now that taurus is big daddy.

The safety is annoying on how it works. but it did help me out a few times on my firt range session with it.
 
Mine has the 6 1/2" barrel and fixed sights. Haven't shot it for a while, but it is an accurate little shooter. Need to get it back out again! I've only shot .22LR in mine. I did have the pawl spring break but replaced it. Also the silly safety looks bad ... but functionally it does the job of fun plinking. I have a tuned Single Six now, so the RR has taken a back seat when it comes to .22LR revolver shooting. I would recommend it as a good entry revolver that you can have many hours of plinking fun... And that is what it is all about anyway!
 
I have had both a Heritage Rough Rider and a Ruger Single Six both purchased new. The one I still own is the Rough Rider. It does everything I want it to do at 1\2 the Ruger cost. But then again I also own a bunch of H&R's, Iver Johnson's, Forehand's, Hopkins & Allen's, Nagant Revolvers and a High Point that do what I want them to do also, go bang reliably when I pull the trigger. Isn't that what all of us expect? After that it is just a matter of a person's opinion.
 
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