Heritage Manufacturing..Buyer Beware

[superior]

I'd like to share my recent experience with you all.
Years ago, I bought one of their 22lr/22mag revolvers NIB from a FFL dealer friend of mine. The gun never saw much use, since it was fairly inaccurate with the 22lr cylinder. Yet, after a short while, the cylinder hand came apart. I dont fan revolvers or abuse them in any way. I decided to keep the gun and it's parts for years, and recently made the decision to repair it.
After $12 for a new cylinder hand and $6 to ship it, reassembly resulted in a disappointing 3 clicks. Upon further inspection, I noticed that the part of the hammer that actuates the cylinder bolt was broken off.
I called Heritage the following day. The lady who answered insisted there was no such part. I assured her that even with my limited experience in revolver disassembly, I could clearly see that something was broken off. I requested that she speak with one of their gunsmiths while I was on hold and sure enough, when she returned, she sheepishly admitted that I was right and that this part had simply worn off. She then explained that my only recourse was to ship her the gun, pay for a new hammer assembly and labor cost associated with the fitting required to mate the new hammer with my "old gun". The charges were, to say the least, not cost effective IMO. Interesting enough, she agreed that she had seen many of their customers spend more money fixing their guns than they could have purchased a new one for. I agreed, only my money will be better spent by investing in quality products from now on, rather than buying cheap and having to buy twice. I hope this post helps with those who may be contemplating the purchase of a similar product.

[Bullshop]

Best solution = buy Ruger
Those guns are cheaper because they are made cheap. Parts are soft and ware quiclky
But since you have this problem child I will tell you how I fixed the same problem for a customer. I drill through the hammer at the location where the actuating bump was. I call it a bump because that all it was even before it wore off. Anyway drill through hammer is easy because it is soft and is exactly the cause of the problem.
With the hole drilled put in a tight fitting hardened stud and grind (or file if not too hard) to the correct bumpness (length) to function.
On this job I told the kid it was not worth fixing but he looked so sad I couldnt stand it. I did it just to be a good neighbor.
Stud diameter was determined by the diameter of the remaining bump

[kyle623]

sorry for your luck. I've had a few of them and though not the most accurate, i haven't had the issues you had with yours. mine have been an acceptable gun for the price.

[superior]

Thank You so much, Bullshop. I was thinking it was a pin that spanned the width of the hammer. I already tried installing a pin made from a piece of nail just to see if it would work.
It didn't. The cylinder wouldnt turn still. With the cylinder removed, as long as I applied downward pressure on the cylinder bolt, the hammer would fire, otherwise it wouldn't return to battery because the pin would block it. At that point, I found myself wishing for a rope and a three legged stool. I would appreciate knowing what the origina bump looked like, if anyone at all can help.

[tacklebury]

I know a few people that have them and have had them for years. No issues. Sorry about your bad luck. Even if you don't fan the gun though, buying used you have no idea if the person before you did, or his kid did when he wasn't looking, etc. 8(

[MBTcustom]

You can repair the original if you have the spring. See my FYI on soldering in the gunsmithing section. I actually just fixed a Heritage revolver the other day that had a broken hand spring. You can make it work if you have some tools and ability. Likewise, I would think that the hammer could be repaired also. Grind it flush, solder on a new piece of steel, and file to fit. Properly tuned they can give some years of service without issue.
Besides, it would be a fun garage job, you might come away with a pistol you fixed yourself, and if you mess it up too bad your not out a whole lot of money.
Guns are good teachers. The good ones teach us to be accurate and make better shots out of us. The cheap ones teach us to not be cheap, why gunsmiths make as much as they do, and why good guns cost as much as they do.

Another nice thing about good guns is that they hold their value. If you just want to try something out because your not sure if you like it, there are two ways to go about it. One way is to buy a knockoff because it's cheap. You will not get what you paid for it (especially if it breaks after you buy it) and you really aren't going to get a good feel for that style gun either.
In contrast, if you buy something that is good quality, you have the support from the manufacturer, you can resell it for exactly what you paid for it, and you are going to get a good feel for that weapon that can be applied to later buys/ pass ups.

[superior]

You can repair the original if you have the spring. See my FYI on soldering in the gunsmithing section. I actually just fixed a Heritage revolver the other day that had a broken hand spring. You can make it work if you have some tools and ability. Likewise, I would think that the hammer could be repaired also. Grind it flush, solder on a new piece of steel, and file to fit. Properly tuned they can give some years of service without issue.
Besides, it would be a fun garage job, you might come away with a pistol you fixed yourself, and if you mess it up too bad your not out a whole lot of money.
Guns are good teachers. The good ones teach us to be accurate and make better shots out of us. The cheap ones teach us to not be cheap, why gunsmiths make as much as they do, and why good guns cost as much as they do.

Another nice thing about good guns is that they hold their value. If you just want to try something out because your not sure if you like it, there are two ways to go about it. One way is to buy a knockoff because it's cheap. You will not get what you paid for it (especially if it breaks after you buy it) and you really aren't going to get a good feel for that style gun either.
In contrast, if you buy something that is good quality, you have the support from the manufacturer, you can resell it for exactly what you paid for it, and you are going to get a good feel for that weapon that can be applied to later buys/ pass ups.

The original handsring literally disintegrated. It seems to have been made of sintered or pressed metal. I found only the lower part of it in the gun. As for fitting the other part of the hammer that wore off, I have already tried a pin fashioned from a piece of nail, with no success. If I only knew the dimensions, as well as the shape of the part required, I'm sure I could fabricate something and derive some enjoyment that comes from having resurrected a basket case. I really would like to be able to use it in the future.

[pietro]

I feel your pain, but junque is junque, and there's little sense in throwing good money after bad.

FWIW, over the years, there's been uncounted threads, asking how "good" those cheapos are, and when the prospective buyers are advised away from them, most usually proceed anyway, based on price it seems.

What most don't realize, until it's too late, it that you pay for good quality once, poor quality forever - so, what's the sense of a low initial purchase price, if several like items have to be later bought (or repaired), meanwhile the higher-quality item just takes a licking & keeps on ticking.

Call it ejedumakation, toss the Heritage, and (as Bullshop said) buy a Ruger.



.

[swheeler]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=134493&highlight=heritage+roughrider

[Artful]

Call it ejedumakation, toss the Heritage, and (as Bullshop said) buy a Ruger.


Don't toss it - either trade it in (at a shop with a gunsmith who will use it for parts) or

Better Yet

Take it to one of the gun buy backs the libtards love to have, because they will buy them working or not. :twisted:

[Shiloh]

Don't toss it - either trade it in (at a shop with a gunsmith who will use it for parts) or

Better Yet

Take it to one of the gun buy backs the libtards love to have, because they will buy them working or not. :twisted:

There you go!!

Shiloh

[KCSO]

I no longer will sell any of the Rough Riders because eventually every one we sold was returned for service, again and again.

[superior]

After examining the innards of rough rider, I'm truly amazed that some folks seem to have had "good luck" with them. I don't think luck equates with quality. I believe those guns are used lightly and infrequently. Mine never saw alot of use, yet quickly failed. It seems to have the quality of a Chinese motorcycle. I look forward to owning a Ruger single six. I love my Blackhawk 45Colt and if the quality is of the single six is the same ( I'm certain it is) it will be the most inexpensive way to invest in such a revolver.

[Bullshop]

As we go through life we learn lessons. Each time we learn something it cost something.
We may pay in blood, sweat, or tears but it will always cost something.
You have learned a good lesson at a not too unreasonable price. Think of it as tuition for the schooling you received.
You will be well pleased with the Ruger single six and now will appreciate it even more than if it had been your first choice.

[Wayne Smith]

Expense is a matter of perspective. I bought my Convertible Single Six and Super Blackhawk when I was 25. I am now 59. They were not expensive at all!

[MBTcustom]

Expense is a matter of perspective. I bought my Convertible Single Six and Super Blackhawk when I was 25. I am now 59. They were not expensive at all!

Excellent point!

[superior]

As we go through life we learn lessons. Each time we learn something it cost something.
We may pay in blood, sweat, or tears but it will always cost something.
You have learned a good lesson at a not too unreasonable price. Think of it as tuition for the schooling you received.
You will be well pleased with the Ruger single six and now will appreciate it even more than if it had been your first choice.

Truer words were never spoken.

[wv109323]

I was at the range and a guy had a Heritage that was a Civil War State Commemorative. Heritage had a commemorative for each of the states that seceded from the Union. The finish on it looked very good. I was surprised.

[superior]

I was at the range and a guy had a Heritage that was a Civil War State Commemorative. Heritage had a commemorative for each of the states that seceded from the Union. The finish on it looked very good. I was surprised.

The finish on mine looked good too, but now the gun is "good and finished", for good.

[tacklebury]

Because Rugers and Smiths never have any issues.. cough. I was ready to run over mine before Ruger replaced the barrel and both cylinders. Sometimes you just get a lemon. I know a couple people with traplines that use these and abuse them and haven't had an issue. I have another friend that paid $525 for a s/s Ruger Single six with rosewood grips and you cannot hit an 8" target with it at 10 yards. Paying a lot for a firearm that doesn't work peeves me a lot more than buying an economy firearm and having issues, somehow. lol Just my 2cp though. ;)

[Jim]

Because Rugers and Smiths never have any issues.. cough. I was ready to run over mine before Ruger replaced the barrel and both cylinders. Sometimes you just get a lemon. I know a couple people with traplines that use these and abuse them and haven't had an issue. I have another friend that paid $525 for a s/s Ruger Single six with rosewood grips and you cannot hit an 8" target with it at 10 yards. Paying a lot for a firearm that doesn't work peeves me a lot more than buying an economy firearm and having issues, somehow. lol Just my 2cp though. ;)

Well, of course! If you pay pennies, you get what you pay for. When you spend big money, though, you expect top rate stuff.

[tacklebury]

Yep, lol.

[Larry in MT]

My Nephew bought a Heritage. It soon broke. He got parts from Heritage for it, fixed it, and it soon broke again. Now it sits in the closet.

About the same time I bought this Ruger from a "Nickel" ad for $150. It's a 1991 model that was 10 years old. It was lacking a Magnum cylinder so I bought one for $60 (shipped) off the 'net.

I've shot it thousands of times. Never a problem.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab176/larrykay47/457ec5a9.jpg

[Gee_Wizz01]

I bought a new Ruger Super Single Six in 1968, and it was one of my best investments. It was just a little over $100. I have never had any issues with it and I still shoot it regularly. It was my daily companion and has killed many a snake and assorted varmints. It was my first pistol and my favorite. I now have my Dad's Ruger Bearcat that he bought in 1960, and it is also a great pistol, the price on the box is $49.

G

[pmeisel]

FWIW, I have an old FIE (predecessor) revolver, have had it for 25 years. No problems.... but in all those years I have probably only run 10 boxes of ammo through it.

[2wheelDuke]

I wonder if the Heritage revolvers have changed any now that Taurus owns them. Supposedly they've been moving the existing people and tooling to the new facility.

I just hope that Taurus helps them with metallurgy and quality control.

[I'll Make Mine]

I just hope that Taurus helps them with metallurgy and quality control.

I'd expect they'll be built more and more like other Taurus models once the production is moved to Brazil. A lot of what I suspect are die cast lock parts are likely to be replaced with MIM technology, which can't be any worse in terms of life and strength. Given 'em a few years and they'll be as good as any other Taurus. Bad news is, they'll cost as much (which still isn't bad compared to S&W or Colt).

[thegatman]

If it was a Ruger, they would fix it free and right. I try to stay away from those junkers as my money and time are worth a lot. I hope you get some satisfaction from the gun.