Is there a .22 Magnum firearm worth having?

[MW surveyor]

A question: there is another brand of very inexpensive SA .22/.22 mag revolvers called Heritage Rough Rider starting at $179 at Bud's. Does anyone have actual experience with these? Does half the price of the Single Six equate to half the quality? Darn! Couldn't you buy one of these and get a trigger & action job done on it so it would shoot like Bob Munden's gun, and buy a fancy Western style holster? All for about the same money?

First of all, I do not own a Heritage Rough Rider.....but I'll give my opinion anyway as I looked at them before I got the Ruger

I know that there are a lot of them out there, but in this instance you get what you pay for. Take a look at them side by side first, you will see the difference in the quality. Buying one of these and paying someone to do a trigger job is counter productive. You still have a cheaper gun that just shoots better than the original (but probably not better than the Ruger). Take a look at the grips, big difference in the quality of the wood. Finish on the gun, no comparison between it and the Ruger. After market stuff, way more for the Ruger available. Much as this pains me to say, resale value....the Ruger will hold its value in this situation. Unless you really bugger it up, you'll get more percentage wise back on the Ruger.

Go for quality.

[JFootin]

First of all, I do not own a Heritage Rough Rider.....but I'll give my opinion anyway as I looked at them before I got the Ruger

I know that there are a lot of them out there, but in this instance you get what you pay for. Take a look at them side by side first, you will see the difference in the quality. Buying one of these and paying someone to do a trigger job is counter productive. You still have a cheaper gun that just shoots better than the original (but probably not better than the Ruger). Take a look at the grips, big difference in the quality of the wood. Finish on the gun, no comparison between it and the Ruger. After market stuff, way more for the Ruger available. Much as this pains me to say, resale value....the Ruger will hold its value in this situation. Unless you really bugger it up, you'll get more percentage wise back on the Ruger.

Go for quality.

Thanks. That's good advice. I have to watch out and not get pinched myself when I am trying to pinch pennies. I handled a Single Six at a GS once and you are right, the quality is obvious.

Another good thing about a SA revolver is that a trigger job is not a necessity like it is with most DA revolvers. (For me, anyway, because my crippled hand cannot pull a stock DA trigger—can't budge it.) I handled a used S&W Model 10 a while back, and I could pull that trigger. I don't think it had had a trigger job, but the Model 10 is famous for its great trigger. You know, one of those used police ones at Bud's for $269 is very tempting. Thinking about getting the square butt. It wouldn't be a carry gun. Just a night stand and range gun.

[Bawanna]

I don't have first hand knowledge on the Roughrider either but many times gunsmiths won't touch some of the inexpensive knock offs. The trigger components and areas people normally want improved are too soft or made of inferior metal.
My dad had an old Hawes 22. Had steel sleeves in the pot metal cylinder. It was a good little gun and it shot well but there was no making it into a Ruger or a Colt. Just better stuff.

If your expectations aren't terribly high the knock offs will work fine.

[MW surveyor]

JFootin - I sure hope that your j frame comes back with a much lighter trigger pull in DA than mine! Off again to get some good screwdrivers. My poor finger can't take any more

[JimBianchi]

PMR-30
The PMR-30 is a light weight, full size pistol chambered for the flat-shooting .22Magnum cartridge (.22WMR). The PMR-30 operates on a unique hybrid blowback/locked-breech system. This operation system allows for the use of a wide variety of ammunition as it seamlessly adjusts between locked breach and blowback operation, depending on the pressure of the cartridge. It uses a double stack magazine of a new design that holds 30 rounds and fits completely in the grip of the pistol. The trigger is a crisp single action with an over-travel stop. The manual safety is a thumb activated ambidextrous safety lever (up for SAFE, down for FIRE). The slide locks back after the last shot and a manual slide lock lever is also provided. The light, crisp trigger pull and fiber optic sights make the PMR-30 ideal for target shooting and hunting small game.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Calibers: .22 Magnum (.22WMR)
Weight unloaded: 13.6oz. 385.6g
Loaded Magazine: 6oz. 170.1g
Length: 7.9" 200.7mm
Height: 5.8" 147.3mm
Width: 1.3" 33.0mm
Barrel length: 4.3" 109.2mm
Sight radius: 6.9" 175.3mm
Energy (40gr): 138ft-lbs 187J
Capacity: 30 rounds
Trigger pull: 4-6 lbs 17.8-26.7N
Slide and barrel are 4140 steel, frame is 7075 aluminum. Grip, slide cover, trigger, mag release, and safety levers are glass reinforced Nylon (Zytel), much like other Kel-Tec Pistols. Magazine is Also Zytel and holds 30 rounds, with round count ports. Other features include: dual opposing extractors for reliability, heel magazine release to aid in magazine retention, dovetailed aluminum front sight, Picatinny accessory rail under the barrel, Urethane recoil buffer, captive coaxial recoil springs. PMR30 disassembles for cleaning by removal of a single pin.

I shot something similar to the PMR-30 call the Grendal P-30.

The muzzle flash was spectacular!

I hope this company fixed it's many problems.

[Barth]

22 Mag???

I shot something similar to the PMR-30 call the Grendal P-30.

The muzzle flash was spectacular!

I hope this company fixed it's many problems.

I'm not really interested in that gun.
I know there's some 22 mag revolvers.
But my 11.1 oz 38 matches up well with them.
Only 22 Mag I ever actually considered?


There is a version that acts like folding knife on a clip that I almost bought.


Interestingly Speer has produced a SD Short Barrel 22 mag round for this type of gun:
http://www.speer-ammo.com/products/954.htm
New - Gold Dot® Short Barrel® Personal Protection - 22 Win. Mag.
The newest addition to the Speer® Gold Dot Short Barrel line is the 40-grain .22 WMR hollow point.
If this is the personal defense chambering you prefer,
then this specialized new round is a must-have.
Optimized for use in 2-inch barrels, it's designed to provide less kick,
and will get reliable expansion.
Gold Dot ammunition is known for superb performance,
accuracy and reliability. No other ammunition offers such consistent high-performance.
Nickel-plated for reliable feeding and extraction,
this proven Short Barrel load is sure to perform.

[CharlieW]

Well let's see -- maybe I can kill two birds with one post. I have both a PMR-30 and a Heritage Rough Rider and I am happy with both of them, but there are of course stories associated with each one.

The first Rough Rider I bought shot to the right and I realized that the front sight was rotated too far around on the barrel, so that one got traded. Later I found one with straight sights at a very good price and that pistol has turned out to be very accurate and fun.

I ordered a PMR-30 from the LGS almost two years ago. After a year, I had given up, but when one showed up I had the right of first refusal, and I took it. The pistol is a hoot. It is definitely loud and has a huge muzzle flash, but that is part of the fun. My particular pistol has been pretty accurate; I understand they are offering replacement barrels for keyholing, but I have not had that issue. My gun seems to like to run a little wet. With a 30 round mag, it doesn't take long for the gun to get dirty, and the components are pretty small, so it requires some attention to detail to clean it. All my buddies who have fired it seem to like it.

In both cases, I am satisfied with the pistols, but I am also aware that others have experienced problems with theirs. From my perspective it might be worth taking a chance with either of these 22 Magnums.

[carkarrier]

Just a minor suggestion from a 22 mag. lover. I own two Hi Standard derringers, circa 1980s. They are EXTREMELY dependable and AWFULLY load. The flash itself at 3 to 6 feet from a BG with probably disorient or maybe momentarily blind him. I carry one in my pocket when I am not able to conceal any of my other pistols. They can still be found at gun shows for about $350(around here). That is if you want a derringer. I also have a Smith Mod. 51 , a Mossberg Chuckster and a Winchester lever action in 22 mag. Ammo is not cheap, but what ammo nowadays is. There is a good choice of rounds also for plinking and defense. Have fun looking!!!!!

[jeepster09]

PMR-30
The PMR-30 is a light weight, full size pistol chambered for the flat-shooting .22Magnum cartridge (.22WMR). The PMR-30 operates on a unique hybrid blowback/locked-breech system. This operation system allows for the use of a wide variety of ammunition as it seamlessly adjusts between locked breach and blowback operation, depending on the pressure of the cartridge. It uses a double stack magazine of a new design that holds 30 rounds and fits completely in the grip of the pistol. The trigger is a crisp single action with an over-travel stop. The manual safety is a thumb activated ambidextrous safety lever (up for SAFE, down for FIRE). The slide locks back after the last shot and a manual slide lock lever is also provided. The light, crisp trigger pull and fiber optic sights make the PMR-30 ideal for target shooting and hunting small game.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Calibers: .22 Magnum (.22WMR)
Weight unloaded: 13.6oz. 385.6g
Loaded Magazine: 6oz. 170.1g
Length: 7.9" 200.7mm
Height: 5.8" 147.3mm
Width: 1.3" 33.0mm
Barrel length: 4.3" 109.2mm
Sight radius: 6.9" 175.3mm
Energy (40gr): 138ft-lbs 187J
Capacity: 30 rounds
Trigger pull: 4-6 lbs 17.8-26.7N
Slide and barrel are 4140 steel, frame is 7075 aluminum. Grip, slide cover, trigger, mag release, and safety levers are glass reinforced Nylon (Zytel), much like other Kel-Tec Pistols. Magazine is Also Zytel and holds 30 rounds, with round count ports. Other features include: dual opposing extractors for reliability, heel magazine release to aid in magazine retention, dovetailed aluminum front sight, Picatinny accessory rail under the barrel, Urethane recoil buffer, captive coaxial recoil springs. PMR30 disassembles for cleaning by removal of a single pin.

There is a reason no one else are making these.....
The Kel Tec's have been plagued with problems....like coming apart on you.
I would stay away from them. I could of bought a new one cheap a few weeks ago and passed on it. They were the greatest thing since sliced bread when they came out....after a fewexplosions the LUSTER has quickly faded.

[MW surveyor]

If Kel Tec would have come out with a 22 lr version first and made sure that it would run well, it would have been a real fun gun.

[wyntrout]

I picked up one of those at the last gun show... feels like ALL plastic.

Wynn

[Scoundrel]

Hey, I'm tacking this onto this old thread because a few people on this thread posted about the Single-Six.

I was breaking down some boxes for recycling and ran across a card from Ruger offering a free guts replacement on the "old model" Single-Six, Blackhawk and the Bearcat. Apparently it's about preventing an AD due to the user failing to "take the basic safety precaution of keeping the hammer down on an empty chamber".

Basically, you send in the revolver, they re-work the innards, and send you back your remodeled revolver and the old innards in case you were keeping the revolver for collector's purposes.

Checking the Ruger website, I found info on this here:
http://www.ruger.com/safety/announcements.html?r=y

[melissa5]

I've been very happy with my .22 mag NAA revolver. It's my deep conceal pocket gun at work.

[ripley16]

I have one of these, a Colt Frontier Scout, with both cylinders. It has quite a nice action and trigger and the grips are nicer than standard plastic. This Colt is one of the very few revolvers in my safe.


pic borrowed from Photobucket

[ltxi]

Hey, I'm tacking this onto this old thread because a few people on this thread posted about the Single-Six.

I was breaking down some boxes for recycling and ran across a card from Ruger offering a free guts replacement on the "old model" Single-Six, Blackhawk and the Bearcat. Apparently it's about preventing an AD due to the user failing to "take the basic safety precaution of keeping the hammer down on an empty chamber".

Basically, you send in the revolver, they re-work the innards, and send you back your remodeled revolver and the old innards in case you were keeping the revolver for collector's purposes.

Checking the Ruger website, I found info on this here:
http://www.ruger.com/safety/announcements.html?r=y

Yep, they did the same with the centerfires. Don't remember when exactly, but that would have started sometime in the early/mid '70's I believe.