Okay, I know it is what it is, but I had been wanting one for some reason for quite some time, then eventually forgot about it. Yesterday, I stopped by the LGS to see if a .22LR rifle I'd seen there over the weekend was still there. It was some off-name-I-can't-remember bolt-action, tube mag, with a scope on it. To my chagrin, it was gone. I look over and see this guy looking at the HRR revolver, but he didn't like the price. As the store guy is putting it away, I ask for it, surprised the store (more like a showroom, really) even had one. Turned out they had a few. This one has the four-something-inch barrel, and both cylinders. The balance felt real good, almost too natural, and the hammer-cocking action very slick. I had him write it up, and it went home with me (one from the back, which I also checked out, not the "window" sample.)
Today, I got to the range with it. Also tagging along were my two carry pieces (PF9 and P32), my dressed-up 10/22 rifle, my Taurus PT-22, and my Ruger Service Six. These were about all I could carry.
I had with me a few boxes of CCI MiniMags for the semi-autos, and an old 500-count box of Winchester Super-X stuff I've had for several years. Never worked reliably in my 22s, all but one of which are semis, and the one that wasn't is a single-shot, so these never got fired off. They did today, though. I could not stop shooting this thing! It's heavy, slow to load/unload, and limited in capacity (six rounds), but it was very hard to put down. The first several sets were fired at ten yards, and POI was about two inches below POA. This was probably at least partially due to the weight of the gun dampening any recoil I might have been used to. But, the groups were small, about 2 inches in offhand fire at that range with slow, deliberate aim. Some of that size is likely me; my eyes aren't what they once were. I have no doubt someone more skilled and experienced with this gun (or this type of gun) could have squeezed out smaller groups, and I will myself, too.
At 21 yards, I had to use the rifle scope to see the holes in the targets. I wasn't even trying at that point anymore, but I had left the target there during a string of rifle fire (I was switching firearms at times.) Every time I move the target puller, it takes the target holder several seconds to a minute to stop bouncing, so I quit moving it so much. Just kept lighting off rounds for the fun of it. Just felt good, and like it was meant for nothing more than fun. In fact, the other guns didn't get shot a total combined number or rounds equal to what the Rider got shot. I think I fired maybe 250 from it. Remember, that's from a single-action, six-shooter. The PT-22 and the P32 never even came out, and the PF9, usually shot fifty rounds in a session, saw maybe three mags full. The rifle, with its 25-round magazine, saw maybe 125 rounds, and the Service Six, maybe 30.
At one point, the two large Diet Coke fountain drinks I'd had on the way to the range started kicking in, messing with my aim, but I didn't want to pack it in yet. I only stopped when I finally had to, uh, go.
So, that's my initial impression of this entry-level cowboy-style plinker. I had not brought the WMR cylinder; never had any ammo for it, so I didn't review that.
What I liked: Balance/heft, slickness of both the hammer-cocking action, and the ejector, the trigger pull, and the better-than-fair accuracy for the price. I have no doubt this could be called on to put a bunny or squirrel in the stewpot if the need ever came up. Just easy to point and shoot, and this is my first S/A revolver (other than my two cap-n-ball guns, neither of which I've ever fired.)
What I could do without: the goofy safety thingy. Not used to them on wheelguns, but it's easy to get used to. The hammer and trigger work with it on or off but, if it's on, the hammer stops just ever-so-short of the pin. The gun is, according to Heritage, not drop-safe, so the rule of leaving the chamber under the hammer empty when the gun is carried applies, leaving you with only five rounds ready.
Also, it's very easy to accidentally snap the load gate shut while you're loading and unloading. Can't count the number of times I did that.
So, that's that. It's a sub-$200 gun, not a Single-Six or a Colt, but I think I'll be looking for excuses to have it out and about. I'm definitely pleased with it so far. Looking forward to finishing up the box, and maybe trying out the other cylinder....
