Accidental pistol acquisition not too shabby

So I started messing around with the Heritage Arms Rough Rider .22 revolver that I bought at a local pawn shop last week...the one that I was going to turn in at the city's gun buy for $500 only to have them run out of money and turn me away along with and 80% of the other citizens looking to turn in their guns. And since I was sort of stuck with it, I started to research it and discovered that it has no shortage of positive reviews. It's also American made. I noticed that mine had a .22 Magnum cylinder in it and because I read before shooting, I discovered that you cannot put .22lr rounds through a .22mag without swapping the cylinder. Bad things happen if you try. So I bought a used .22lr cylinder off fleabay for cheap and while I was at it I found a plug that replaces the ugly and prominent safety lever on the left side of the gun for $20 and I installed that today.

Looks fetching now, eh?

I took it to the range today with both cylinders and a box of ammo for each and tried it out.

It balances and aims well and the trigger breaks pretty light--almost too light--but I'll get used to it. The hammer is a proper "four click" like any real single action revolver should have, and it grouped ok, just a fair bit low and right with both cartridges. Looking at it closely, I discovered someone had bent the front sight to the left slightly. I took it come and straightened it, then gave it a bit more bend to the right because it was over a fair deal. Hopefully that gets the windage closer. I also gently filed down the front blade a tad to bring it's point of impact up a bit. Next range trip I'll see where it's hitting now. But as it stands now, I like the little critter. It could easily become a companion on future hiking and camping trips.

And I owe it all to Mayor Cantrell's bungled gun buy program. Thanks Mayor! You armed another citizen who would likely have never bought one of these otherwise. And this "evil" gun now lives in New Orleans thanks to you.