Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Ruger Wrangler .22 Revolvers - Anybody have one?


Pat Riot

Recommended Posts

In my quest for buying a .22 revolver I was on another forum and someone was talking about the Ruger Wrangler .22 revolvers. I hadn’t really considered one because I truly want a double action for a couple of reasons , but that is not why I am writing this.

By the way, OLG, my heart is set on the S&W 63...I just can’t afford it right now. Finishing an AR build and Mama won’t let me have my way on buying another gun right now (can’t wait til I get this AR done...it’ll be kewl ;) )

 

My curiosity got the better of me and I started researching these inexpensive revolvers and they get really good reviews. I am not really sure why I didn’t pay much attention to them up to this point but these guns are really well liked and apparently very robust.

 

I figured they were just a ploy to compete with Heritage Roughrider .22s, another Gun I have paid no attention to, and to possibly just get young shooters shooting Ruger products. A brilliant idea IMHO. Brand loyalty is really a thing.

 

Do any of you have experience with these new Ruger .22 Revolvers?

 

I must say the Silver one looks pretty darn cool.

 

https://ruger.com/products/wrangler/models.html

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Howdy,

I hear they are just not as fussy about the finish, otherwise like a single six.

My single six was bought in 1986 for 218 out the door and no repair comes to mind.

The mag cylinder is seldom used, I could have saved that money.....

As to the double action, consider the lcr. They have some cool reload hardware.

8 shots and 8 more pretty quick..

 

As to money for your hobby, Im not a smoker, many friends and relatives smoke a lot.

I allow myself the equivalent of a pack a day for my hobbies.

I see lots of folks 15 feet from the door smoking away and that's fine for them.

The end of each month I take 30 times a pack of smokes and put it aside

for toys.   And no lung cancer op and no kemo.

this is known as a budget. Consider it. 

Best

CR

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Pat Riot, SASS #13748,

 

      The latest issue of American Rifleman (which comes with my NRA membership) which arrived in the mail yesterday, has an article on these firearms.  In addition, as you may have already research on the WWW:

 

     

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Chili Ron said:

Howdy,

I wonder if parts interchange with single six?

Best

CR

 

There is a lot of speculation that they are but I found nothing definitive. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don’t know about other states...but I was told by a gun shop proprietor...that the wrangler’s are not allowed in Minnesota. Minnesota has some kind of a melt point test. There are several weapons that won’t pass the test. I believe that there is a Chiappa of some kind that won’t pass also 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My wife and I grabbed two of them as soon as we could. Here is a mini review. My other testers were 8, 10 and 12-years old.

Finish: Matte Black Cerakote. For young shooters I like it. Rugged.
Loading gate: Hard to open, but will loosen up with time.
Trigger: MIM stainless, the pull was smooth.
Hammer: MIM stainless, the pull is rough on little fingers. That said, this is also a good safety feature for new shooters. 
Weight: 30 oz. It feels good in the hand.
Overall: They are very accurate and fun to shoot. Don’t let the naysayers (who probably don’t even own one) steer you away. For a buckaroo/buckarette,  or just target practice/plinking they are perfect. I mean come on, it is a Ruger for under $200! 

PS.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, I must admit I had to buy one.  It was not a need, but a curious want.  I paid $189 and for the money it isn't bad.  I have the silver one, looks great, runs great and if I had to find a flaw, it is the fit of the grips.   I changed them out with some single six grips and they fit perfectly.  It is not a single six, the parts appear to be different and in my opinion, the abundant use of aluminum will limit it to .22 LR.  I think they made a winner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Hashknife Cowboy said:

OK, I must admit I had to buy one.  It was not a need, but a curious want.  I paid $189 and for the money it isn't bad.  I have the silver one, looks great, runs great and if I had to find a flaw, it is the fit of the grips.   I changed them out with some single six grips and they fit perfectly.  It is not a single six, the parts appear to be different and in my opinion, the abundant use of aluminum will limit it to .22 LR.  I think they made a winner.

Correct, there will be no 22wmr in the Wrangler.  Ruger says buy the stronger single six for that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have NOT seen any yet .

But I have two on order .

I will let you all know ASAP.

Just sayin .

Rooster 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Old Man Graybeard said:

I don’t know about other states...but I was told by a gun shop proprietor...that the wrangler’s are not allowed in Minnesota. Minnesota has some kind of a melt point test. There are several weapons that won’t pass the test. I believe that there is a Chiappa of some kind that won’t pass also 

So no Glocks? I have to believe they would melt faster than any metal gun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485 said:

So no Glocks? I have to believe they would melt faster than any metal gun.

The melting point laws, mostly enacted in the 70s were to outlaw the $50 hardware store special, aka Saturday night special.  The law typically reads something like any firearm thats metal frame, barrel, slide melts below xxx degrees F is illegal.  This wording excludes the wood and plastic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glocks are allowed in Minnesota. I am not from Minnesota...but I have been told about those melting point laws by several Gunshop’s in Minnesota 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/20/2019 at 6:46 AM, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

By the way, OLG, my heart is set on the S&W 63...I just can’t afford it right now. 

 

 

 

 

:wub::wub:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

2 hours ago, sassnetguy50 said:

 This wording excludes the wood and plastic.

2018 Minnesota Statutes

Subd. 4.Saturday night special pistol.

"Saturday night special pistol" means a pistol other than an antique firearm or a pistol for which the propelling force is carbon dioxide, air or other vapor, or children's pop guns or toys, having a frame, barrel, cylinder, slide or breechblock:

(1) of any material having a melting point (liquidus) of less than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, or

(2) of any material having an ultimate tensile strength of less than 55,000 pounds per square inch, or

(3) of any powdered metal having a density of less than 7.5 grams per cubic centimeter.

 

I don't see any exclusion for plastic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

“This wording” being the key there.  I’ve not read the MN statute, IL and SC read as I described.

 

720 ilcs 5/24-3

 

”       (h) While holding any license as a dealer, importer, 

    

manufacturer or pawnbroker under the federal Gun Control Act of 1968, manufactures, sells or delivers to any unlicensed person a handgun having a barrel, slide, frame or receiver which is a die casting of zinc alloy or any other nonhomogeneous metal which will melt or deform at a temperature of less than 800 degrees Fahrenheit. For purposes of this paragraph, (1) "firearm" is defined as in the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act; and (2) "handgun" is defined as a firearm designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand, and includes a combination of parts from which such a firearm can be assembled.”

 

I know Glocks are sold in MN by FFLs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I was on line ordering parts for my MEC and came across the Ruger Wrangler for $199 somehow and couldn't help myself but to buy a pair to cut down on reloading time and now that .22 ammo is back to $.03/shot and in abundance...

 

Before going to the range for qualification back when I was on the job, I'd shoot my dbl action .22 for practice. It was not a slicked up gun like my service revolver, and demanded more shooting ability. Basically I was wanting to work on muscle memory to prepare for the main event (especially with dbl action, week hand). So I ordered a matches set of Wranglers. 

 

Here is my assessment:

 

The gun had good heft, in spite of the cast frame. The grips are the same size as my other Rugers. Construction and design was also similar.

 

Watching videos I could see that there was a hard hammer and loading gate. Both of my guns had very rough and hard hammers. The trigger spring was heavy (good for the first time shooter who will most likely be buying a cheap gun like this). Pulling back the hammer I could feel a significant loading of the trigger spring half way back. I simply straightened the spring (just inside the grips) which significantly improved hammer pull. Bend the spring straight to where there is just enough pressure to hold it in place unloaded. As posted here, removing one leg of the trigger spring also works to correct this (but you can't put it back once done). 

 

To correct the hammer pull I found that my old (new version) Vaquero  hammer springs fit this gun. I had previously reduced the spring diameter of these Vaquero springs before my spring kits arrived.  This helped dramatically, but could go a bit lighter. I am "training' with these guns, not competing. The heavier (acceptable) hammer pull is good for training. Being a rimfire, you can't expect to go as light as your CAS guns. The other option for most is noted above by replacing with 17#-19# springs.

 

When replacing springs, the use of a bench vise and vise-grip pliers is a breeze to a difficult task. removing the spring assembly from the frame was not as easy as Vaquero  due to close clearance. Tucking the trigger spring leg behind the hammer spring allows for more clearance but still requires a little persuasion. 

 

To the range: First order of business, shoot some paper!

Both guns shot slightly low at 7 O'clock (which is easily correctable if desired). I want to see more front sight when I shoot steel so this puts them right on for me.

I was shooting the cheapest bulk ammo I had (which causes problems with my auto loader). Everything was acceptable after 150 rounds.

 

The loading gate is a bear! Due to the size of the frame for this small caliber, there is not much meat on the gate. It comes to a sharp angle and the heavy spring pressure compounds this issue. I have not attempted a fix. Hope someone will post if they find the solution. I use deer antler to open the gates when loading to save my thumb for shooting.

 

Opening the gate allows rotating the cylinder in either direction without "Clicks". Some shooters (actually many) do not like this option.

#1 "It make it hard to unload". If you hold the gun so you can see the front of the cylinder, you can align with the extractor with ease.

#2 "I don't need the cylinder to spin backwards." Well, the cylinder is recessed and you can not see a loaded chamber from the side of the gun. This makes loading five difficult. The ability to spin backwards and put the empty under the hammer and closing the gate makes for short and accurate work out of this.

 

Opening the gate puts the gun into safe mode. You can not do anything but move the cylinder when the gate is open. This is great for the new shooters. I have see old shooters hit themselves in the face with an empty case blowing back with the gate open too.

 

You can not "Thumbslip" this gun with the hammer pulled. I'm a gunfighter so I don't care. This is a safety issue to protect a new shooter I'd guess. This is a subject for a later date. Not one that I will peruse as I don't need it. Hopefully someone else will reply.

 

All in all this <$200 gun has a thumbs up from me! Yes there are better guns for more than twice the cost, but my goal is to shoot more, for less.

You can buy two for the price of one and get those new shooters started with something they can handle as well!

This all goes south if ammo hording and govt. interference occurs again...  But for now I can get .22 from Mid South Shooters Supply for $.03/round and that makes me happy.

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 8/20/2019 at 12:56 PM, Gray Drifter said:

My wife and I grabbed two of them as soon as we could. Here is a mini review. My other testers were 8, 10 and 12-years old.

Finish: Matte Black Cerakote. For young shooters I like it. Rugged.
Loading gate: Hard to open, but will loosen up with time.
Trigger: MIM stainless, the pull was smooth.
Hammer: MIM stainless, the pull is rough on little fingers. That said, this is also a good safety feature for new shooters. 
Weight: 30 oz. It feels good in the hand.
Overall: They are very accurate and fun to shoot. Don’t let the naysayers (who probably don’t even own one) steer you away. For a buckaroo/buckarette,  or just target practice/plinking they are perfect. I mean come on, it is a Ruger for under $200! 

PS.jpg

What does MIM Stainless mean?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just got back from Academy.... I needed some socks......

And one a them dang Wranglers followed me Home :wacko:

$199.99... I couldn't pass it up.

 

You Guys are a Bad Influence !!!!!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Told a co-worker about them today.

 

He stopped at LGS on the way home and they didn't have any and said their distributor was out of stock.

 

Said they would sell it for $169 when they can get him one.

 

I didn't ask if he was after a particular color.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.