American Firearm Directory
  • Home
  • LONG GUNS
    • AR RIFLES & PARTS
    • SEMI-AUTO & AK
    • BOLT ACTION RIFLES
    • LEVER & PUMP ACTION RIFLES
    • TARGET
    • RIMFIRE
    • SHOTGUNS
    • MUZZLELOADERS & BLACKPOWDER
    • GUNSMITHS
    • AIRGUNS/AIRSOFT/PAINTBALL
    • ARCHERY, CROSSBOW & SLINGSHOT
  • HAND GUNS
    • SEMI AUTO & PARTS
    • REVOLVERS
    • RIMFIRE
    • SBR/SBS/PCC/CCU
    • DERRINGERS/OTHER
    • LESS-LETHAL
  • AMMUNITION
    • CENTERFIRE
    • RIMFIRE
    • SHOTGUN
    • AIRGUN
    • RELOADING
    • CHRONOGRAPHY
  • ACCESSORIES
    • ARMOR, SAFETY & PROTECTIVE
    • CAMS, COMMS & NAVIGATION
    • CLEANING & CARE
    • FOOTWEAR/CLOTHING
    • GRIPS/STOCKS/BRACES
    • HOLSTERS
    • HUNTING & FISHING, CAMPING, SURVIVAL & DOG CARE
    • KNIVES
    • MAGAZINES
    • OPTICS/SIGHTING/LIGHTS
    • SAFES/RACKS/GUNCASES/RUGS
    • SILENCERS/BARREL ACCS
    • SLINGS & BELTS
    • TRIPODS & GUNRESTS
    • TACTICAL
    • TARGETS, TRAINING & RANGE
  • MIL/LE/CONTR
  • RESOURCE
    • WHOLESALERS, MANUFACTURING & BUSINESS SERVICES
    • ONLINE GUNSTORES, BLOGS & YOUTUBERS
    • TV, MEDIA & PRINT
    • NON-PROFITS, GROUPS & EDUCATION
    • TRADESHOWS
    • PHYSICAL GUN SHOPS BY STATE
    • GUNSMITHING, FINISHING & ENGRAVING
  • BLOG

NEW FIREARMS & ACCESSORIES

We make every attempt to only preview new products when they are actually available on the market. This spares consumers from wasting time trying to locate an item to buy when it hasn't yet left the prototype phase. Please note that during SHOT Show (January of each year) manufacturers often announce new items that are several months from stores: we still announce these despite not being immediately available for purchase.

HERITAGE MANUFACTURING: SAFE & SOUND

4/24/2017

 
Picture
Heritage Manufacturing out of Florida is a company that proves it's possible to make quality stuff in America, with American labor, that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. They're a curious little gunmaker that's become quite renowned for their ultra-affordable Rough Rider 22LR single action revolvers which are great little shooters and can be had on select web sale days for not much more than $100. What's not to like? I also really favor the hammer-block safety that you pull down towards you before firing, yet folds up and away discreetly alongside the hammer and almost resembles an older model single six's loading gate. Except it's a safety! Many people hate it because they think a safety on a revolver is akin to an ashtray on a motorcycle, but I gotta tell ya safeties are never not a good thing especially when introducing our kids to firearms for the first time. From day one drumming it into their heads about the importance of muzzle awareness and slipping off the safety right before they engage the trigger...well...it's just smart teachin'. This seemingly insignificant detail could one day be a life and death matter for them, and who would wish it on their kid the burden of injuring (or killing) themselves or another person because of one critical omission in their firearm training. Ready to fire? Safety off, then trigger. Safety off, then trigger. Safety off, then trigger. No matter the gun, no matter the day, no matter the target, it's a lifelong habit that'll stand them in good stead. I was almost shot in the head by a 13 year old once after offering to big-brother him to the range. I know, I know, no good deed goes unpunished and I've earned my leason, but it transpired his parents never taught him anything when they handed him a rifle and a box of ammo and left him to his own devices. 

That aside, take a tip from someone who knows, the little Heritage 22's are not the sturdiest of revolvers and internal cast (or diecast, I'm not sure which) parts can be broken without too much effort; but on the plus side Heritage have a spares department just a phonecall away ready and waiting for when you break yours. Now fragility may not be true of their large bore revolvers which I really like the looks of for two reasons. Firstly (yup, it's about safety), rather than having to load a $5 bill in one of your chambers (which used to be enough to bury a gunslinger in days of yore), you can load all six chambers because of a transfer bar safety that's standard in all modern double action revolvers but actually pretty rare in cowboy six shooters. We had an incident locally a few years back where a guy bought an Italian made Colt replica at a local gun shop, brought the thing home and when his mother visited later that evening he excitedly went to retrieve it to show her. As he entered the living room he dropped the revolver which promptly discharged a round, killing him outright. It was a tragedy. Transfer bars ARE standard on Rugers, and now on large bore Heritage revolvers too, so for those of us who are anal about safety, we have choices. Secondly, Heritage offer three barrel lengths all the way up to 7.5" which I think is awesome. Single action revolvers are typically bulky weapons even in 3.5" barrel configurations so let's not pretend these are pocket guns or first choices for EDC (unless you're a cowboy, that is). A 7.5" barrel makes them supremely pointable so fun things like shooting from the hip Bob Munden style is a more attainable goal. Purists will scream blue murder but now (hint to Heritage) let's see an option for a hammer-block safety on one of their large bore revolvers for the uber cautious amongst us, and so the kids have somewhere to graduate after they bust their little 22LR Heritages all to hell by doing what they should be and shooting' the dickens out of them! Great guns. GOM

Comments are closed.

    the afd blog

    Previews and reviews on newly available items are written-up by our team as quickly as we can find them. Please let us know if we've missed something debuting on the market. As a firearm enthusiast or an AFD listed company you are welcome to submit a blog entry about a new product. You may also submit a firearm related commentary, idea or nostalgic musing: we like things celebratory of American ingenuity and manufacturing. All entries are subject to editing and/or fact-checking.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016

    RSS Feed

Are you a Firearms, Sporting Goods or Veteran owned business?
Donate $500 to the
DV Farm for Homeless Veterans and receive a DV Farm Donor Coin
plus a year of FREE advertising on the American Firearm Directory!
Type "AFD referral" in
special instructions to seller at DV Farm donation portal.

HELP HOMELESS VETS

    subscribe to afd updates & newletters

Subscribe

Support

Contact Us
Promote Your Company
Picture
© COPYRIGHT AFD 2016-2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Founded in Vermont, USA
Unless otherwise specified, all images are Copyright & Courtesy of the Manufacturer highlighted in each post.
  • Home
  • LONG GUNS
    • AR RIFLES & PARTS
    • SEMI-AUTO & AK
    • BOLT ACTION RIFLES
    • LEVER & PUMP ACTION RIFLES
    • TARGET
    • RIMFIRE
    • SHOTGUNS
    • MUZZLELOADERS & BLACKPOWDER
    • GUNSMITHS
    • AIRGUNS/AIRSOFT/PAINTBALL
    • ARCHERY, CROSSBOW & SLINGSHOT
  • HAND GUNS
    • SEMI AUTO & PARTS
    • REVOLVERS
    • RIMFIRE
    • SBR/SBS/PCC/CCU
    • DERRINGERS/OTHER
    • LESS-LETHAL
  • AMMUNITION
    • CENTERFIRE
    • RIMFIRE
    • SHOTGUN
    • AIRGUN
    • RELOADING
    • CHRONOGRAPHY
  • ACCESSORIES
    • ARMOR, SAFETY & PROTECTIVE
    • CAMS, COMMS & NAVIGATION
    • CLEANING & CARE
    • FOOTWEAR/CLOTHING
    • GRIPS/STOCKS/BRACES
    • HOLSTERS
    • HUNTING & FISHING, CAMPING, SURVIVAL & DOG CARE
    • KNIVES
    • MAGAZINES
    • OPTICS/SIGHTING/LIGHTS
    • SAFES/RACKS/GUNCASES/RUGS
    • SILENCERS/BARREL ACCS
    • SLINGS & BELTS
    • TRIPODS & GUNRESTS
    • TACTICAL
    • TARGETS, TRAINING & RANGE
  • MIL/LE/CONTR
  • RESOURCE
    • WHOLESALERS, MANUFACTURING & BUSINESS SERVICES
    • ONLINE GUNSTORES, BLOGS & YOUTUBERS
    • TV, MEDIA & PRINT
    • NON-PROFITS, GROUPS & EDUCATION
    • TRADESHOWS
    • PHYSICAL GUN SHOPS BY STATE
    • GUNSMITHING, FINISHING & ENGRAVING
  • BLOG