Subj : Re: .22 SAA
To : WEATHERMAN
From : JIMMY ANDERSON
Date : Sat May 16 2020 03:51 am
-=> WEATHERMAN wrote to JIMMY ANDERSON <=-
WE> So I finally got my Ruger Wrangler from Sportsman's Warehouse a few
WE> days back. Initial impressions are, the burnt bronze finish (or
JA> Interesting! I didn't intend to buy one, but I was at Rural King
JA> Saturday getting some other stuff and they had the silver and the
JA> black. I walked out of there with the black one. :-)
WE> I've heard of Rural King, but we don't have any around here. I think
WE> the closest we get is Murdoch's. The one here in sell firearms,
WE> they're right next door to Sportsmans' Warehouse so that's
WE> understandable, but the one in Laramie does.
We really like the atmosphere and the store as a whole! They have good,
GLASS bottle root beer, good peanut butter filled pretzel bites for
snacks - LOL - and of course a good selection of guns, ammo and other
accesories.
WE> Murdoch's in Laramie is
WE> where I've been buying most of my Heritage guns. It's a bit of a
WE> guilty pleasure for me, I'll admit. I'm a sucker for cheap guns. Just
WE> to prove it, I'll even admit to owning a couple of Hi-Points. Then
LOL - I've never owned a hi-point, but I don't have an aversion to them
either. I've been a musician for YEARS (I'm 53, so started playing guitar
40 years ago) and though there *IS* a distinct quality difference, the
COST of the guitar is not what makes it good or 'better' or not, it's
how it's built and the material, etc. And a good musician can make a
cheap guitar sound 'good enough to get the job done' and a better (read
that as EXPENSIVE) guitar will NOT make a novice sound better. Might
make it easier for them, but they are still limited by their skill.
I think guns are VERY very similar...
WE> again, I also have a pair of 1944 vintage M1's (one Garand and one
WE> carbine) do I'm not JUST a cheap gun buyer. ;)
LOL
WE> I'd actually have preferred the black one, but I had to order online
WE> and (believe it or don't) the only one available on the Sportsman's
WE> Warehouse website when I ordered was the burnt bronze one.
Well I walked in and they had the 'silver' one and the black one - and
the black was the ONLY one they had - the one in the case I mean, none
in the back.
WE> whatever they call it) actually didn't look that bad. The sights are
WE> somewhere between my Heritage Arms Rough Rider and my Ruger Single Six
WE> in quality and all in all fit and finish isn't all that bad -
WE> considering the price. The action felt a little rough and it hung up a
WE> few times while cycling the hammer at first, but eventually it smoothed
WE> out and while it's not as silky smooth (yet) as my Single Six, it is
WE> getting better and I'm sure that as I put some rounds through it it'll
WE> "get there."
Yeah I can tell it is not as worn and smooth as my old Single Six was, but
I'm happy with mine! It's a little "tight" but also feels VERY very solid!
WE> Mine actually binded up a couple of times, but I only had to cycle the
WE> action a few times to get it to be smooth. I always expect a newly
WE> machined mechanism to be a little rough at first so I wasn't
WE> disappointed at all. Can't expect an arm at THAT price point to be
WE> smooth and polished EVERY time!
That's a good point, but I will say after owning and shooting both, I
prefer the Ruger, but that doesn't mean I don't like the Heritage - don't
mean that at all!
WE> When all is said and done, I'd have to say that between the Ruger
WE> Wrangler at $179 (or so on sale) and the Rough Rider at $129 (or so on
WE> sale), the money is better spent on the Wrangler. I'd still drive
WE> across the county to get a Rough Rider at that price, but if they were
WE> both at the same place at the prices described and if I could only get
WE> one, it'd be the Ruger.
Yeah - I paid $199 for my Ruger. I don't know what my father in law paid for
the Heritage when he bought it several years ago, but now they are running $179
-
$189 with the magnum cylinder (mine has both).
JA> My RR has the magnum cylinder as well, so that's worth something, and
JA> the blue finish and longer barral is more 'traditional' SAA, but the
JA> Ruger is, IMO, a better overall gun. Maybe not like the Single Six I
JA> used to own, but for $199 (wasn't on sale), a HECK of a deal!!!
WE> I am in 100% agreement with you. I'm tempted to send my Single Six
WE> back to be fitted with a magnum cylinder but mine is a three-screw
WE> model and all original.
WE> That would result in me receiving an altered firearm (albeit with the
WE> original parts as well) and a $100 charge for services rendered. I
WE> already have a magnum cylinder for the RR. My Single Six is nickle
WE> finished with Mother-Of-Pearl gripes. Four clicks on the hammer and a
WE> heavy barrel. She's a damned tack driver for sure. I like them all
WE> for different purposes. For just going out into the back yard and
WE> plinking the Wrangler is awesome. If I want someone to "ohhh" over a
WE> gun, I break out the all original three screw Single Six. And for
WE> heading out to the back of the property where a gun might be dropped in
WE> the mud and the shit or fall off the ATV.... well that's Rough Rider
WE> territory.
LOL - I totally get that! And if I had an original 3 screw I'd probably
want to keep it that way as well. :)
WE> Jimmy, if you ever make your way out to Wyoming, look me up. We'll do
WE> some shooting together.
