Rossi Rifleman

I've been thinking that I need a .22 cal. revolver to pair with my Henry lever action .22. After all, I have Blackhawks and R92's in .357' and .45 Colt. Actually, I have a S&W model 48 in a .22 mag, but still...

LONG BACKGROUND preface:
I, also, own a Ruger Mark III. Both it and the S&W model 48 are tack drivers. So, any need I have for a .22 cal. for friendly shooting competitions with my buds or small game hunting with a handgun can be covered by them. But, they don't look like 19th century handgun to match up with my Henry. I, also, own a Bersa Thunder 22. It's hard trigger pull makes accurate shooting very tough. Although, I can manage a 20 shot group at 15 yards under a 3" group with this pistol.

I have a serious mole/vole problem in my yard. The best solution I have researched in to cut off the mole's food source by killing grubs. Grubs are good and I hate to kill one species to get rid of another. And, I'm not so sure the that the grub poison will be good for my chickens. While bush hogging near my house a few days ago, I started seeing several moles. A thought came to me that I could reduce their population and a have some fun shooting if I had some snake shot in a .22 cal. But, I need a revolver to shoot the low pressure snake shot.

I firmly agree with Col. Townsend Whelen that “Only accurate rifles(firearms) are interesting,” But sometimes you don't need a firearm that will shoot a clover leaf to get the job done that you need it to do.

POINT OF THE POST;
I need/want a .22 revolver that will match the time period of my Henry. I would like it to be small and light weight handgun to carry around the farm. I'd prefer it o be able to shoot a 2" group at 15 yards. My selection so far are: the Ruger Single Six http://ruger.com/products/newModelSingl ... 623.htmlor the Ruger Bearcat https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/pro ... +Exclusive The Single Six has the accuracy that I would like and a .22 mag option but it come at a cost of being bigger and heavier. And I have 2 handguns that will match or exceed it in accuracy.

The Bearcat Shopkeeper is WA"Y cute! It's small and light weight. And might be close to my desired accuracy for this revolver. Also, it could be a gun training handgun wife, who is not a gun person, but wants learn to shoot.

If any of you have any experience with the Single Six or the Bearcat let me know. Or, if you have other suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Ruger single six in 5.5" barrel is not heavy at all and very accurate. I would advise finding and Old Model (unconverted) for many reasons. Mine is from 1965.

I have a single 6 with daul cylinders I love it. I have a Henry Mars leg 22 that goes with it kinda. Lol I also have a very light old colt frontier sa 22. It's rusty n old but accurate.

How's this for gun prices in the good old days? I bought my old model Single Six, dual cylinders and good leather holster, for $55 new, in 1971 at the Western Auto in Kemmerer, Wyoming!
I've lightened the trigger and continue to use it for cottontail and grouse head shots 45 years later.
Needless to say, I'd recommend that Ruger as a .22 revolver companion.

I have 2 Single sixes, one an old model that I never will send in to be "upgraded" and a new model in ten inch that i used for IHMSA rim fire. Both have the 22 Mag cylinder. I've used both the crimped 22 rat shot and the CCI magnum capsules. The capsules carry more shot but on occasion don't fully open. Both are lethal on rats and smaller out to 15 or 20 feet. I like 'em both and the 10" with the 22WMR cylinder makes a nice 75-100 yard ground hog gun.

Make smoke,

Wow! I'd never thought the shot shells would lethally reach that far even in WMR, even in a 10" tube.

GasGuzzler wrote:Wow! I'd never thought the shot shells would lethally reach that far even in WMR, even in a 10" tube.

should have clarified that last line, that's will bullets. They were my summer time walk about guns when there were field with ground hog instead of houses

make smoke,

Aha!

Makes sense now. Sorry.

I have a Marlin 25MN that is spot on at 100. Off topic I know.

I'm a big fan of the Smith 17 or 617. Might not be period for 1873 but it isn't far off for the 1894 through present era and you could probably push the Henry either direction.

Since you are pushing toward the earlier period Ruger Single Action of some sort is your only real choice.
Since I've got a couple 17s I'm not pushing to get a single action set up to suit me.

I have a single six, colt sa frontier, a smith wesson 17 and a 34. A clerk salesman gun, a navy 22 Derringer. I recently inherited most of them. I have lots more 22 pistol autos. This is just my sa and da 22 handguns. I wish 22 ammo would become available again.