HERITAGE MANUFACTURING: SAFE & SOUND

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