Gun Of The Week: Heritage Rough Rider Rancher Carbine

by
posted on February 9, 2024
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Welcome to another American Rifleman Gun Of The Week video, and in this episode, we’re on the range with the unique Heritage Rough Rider Rancher Carbine. This fun, little rimfire rifle takes the company’s classic cowboy revolver concept into the world of long guns. Watch our video above to see the Heritage Rough Rider Rancher Carbine in use on the range.

Heritage MFG Rough Rider Rancher Carbine right-side view GOTW OF THE WEEK text box overlay AMERICAN RIFLEMAN XX ARROWS

Heritage Manufacturing is known not just for its lineup of affordable rimfire revolvers but also for the fact that the company has some wild takes on this classically styled single-action system. Rough Rider revolvers can be had with all kinds of unique finishes and crazy barrel lengths, including the 16” barreled Buntline. It’s this Buntline model that inspired the building of the Rough Rider Rancher in 2020, pairing the long-barreled design with a stock for an Old West-inspired revolving rimfire rifle.

Heritage MFG Rough Rider Rancher Carbine close-up view of receiver cylinder trigger stock

In this novel design, the Heritage Rough Rider revolver has been expanded into a six-shot revolving carbine, complete with an all-black finish and a classically styled walnut buttstock with texturing at the wrist and a textured polymer plate at the rear. The revolver frame itself is constructed from aluminum alloy, rather than the zinc alloy of the company’s handguns, and is treated with a black oxide finish. The same goes for the rest of the metal parts. Cylinders and barrels are made from carbon steel, and the Rancher Carbine can accept six-round .22 WMR conversion cylinders sold separately on top of its original chambering for .22 Long Rifle.

Gun Of The Week AMERICAN RIFLEMAN PRESENTS text on image nine tiles mosaic gun rifle carbine outdoors men shooting detail closeups

In keeping with the gun’s Old West origins, the Rough Rider Rancher Carbine is outfitted with a set of traditional sights, to include the quarter-moon-style fixed front sight blade and an elevation-adjustable buckhorn rear sight. There’s also a ring at the mid-point of the barrel that supports a sling mount, along with another mounting point at the toe of the stock. A traditional leather sling comes with the carbine, completing the classic look and making it easy to carry.

Heritage Manufacturing Rough Rider Rancher Carbine left-side view on white black metal wood stock leather sling

 

Like other models available from Heritage, the Rancher carbine comes equipped with a manual safety located on the left side of the recoil shield. As a single-action firearm, the hammer must be manually cocked for each shot. Loading and unloading is done the old-fashioned way, too, using the loading gate and ejector rod on the right side of the gun.

Heritage Manufacturing Rough Rider Rancher Carbine revolver loading gate single-action closeup frame hammer cylinder

One of the more unique aspects of the Rough Rider Rancher Carbine is the extended spur below the trigger guard. This is intended to form part of the support grip, as holding the gun out on the barrel, forward of the cylinder, can expose the inside of the forearm to hot gas and lead escaping from the cylinder gap. While this unique hold looks awkward, it’s actually a comfortable and very stable way to shoot the gun. We also appreciated the gun’s light weight, coming in at right around 4 lbs., so not only is this a fun plinking arm, it can also make for a handy, affordable tool to dispatch small varmints around the farm, too.

Heritage Rough Rider Rancher Carbine Specifications
Action Type: single-action rimfire rifle
Chambering: .22 LR (convertible to .22 WMR)
Barrel: 16.12"
Frame: aluminum alloy
Finish: black oxide
Sights: elevation-adjustable semi-buckhorn rear; fixed front
Stock: walnute
Capacity: six-round cylinder
Overall Length: 32"
Weight: 4 lbs., 1.92 ozs.
MSRP: $357

Latest

Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web
Gotw Wilson Combat Divison 77 Project 1 Web

Gun Of The Week: Wilson Combat Division 77 Project 1

Join American Rifleman staff on the range in this video to get a closer look at Wilson Combat’s somewhat cryptically named “Division 77 Project 1.” 

The Armed Citizen® July 18, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Review: POF-USA LMR BASE Rifle

The Patriot Ordnance Factory LMR Base offers a .308 Win. chambering in a lightweight, AR-15-size package, which makes it a capable platform for today's new gun owner. And it comes at a fair price.

2025 Accessory Of The Year: Wyoming Sight Drifter

For each of the past 23 years, the editors of American Rifleman have convened to select our top picks for the past year’s best and most innovative products. Here are the most recent winners.

Henry Donates Rifles To Support Young Leukemia Victim

Henry Repeating Arms has donated a limited run of 50 “Team Keane” Golden Boy .22 lever-action rifles to support 13-year-old Keane Rhodes of Universal City, Texas, who is currently undergoing aggressive treatment for ALL T-cell leukemia.

Rifleman Review: Springfield Armory Echelon

Springfield Armory introduced its Echelon in 2023, bringing a modernized, chassis-style, striker-fired handgun to the market that has since seen several notable line extensions.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.