Gun Tests Grade: A-

$250

The Wrangler revolver illustrated is one of three cerakote finishes available. We tested the No. 2003 version in the June 2020 issue. Ruger designed the Wrangler around the Ruger Single Six in dimensions. The grips are the same, and the Wrangler will fit Ruger Single Six holsters. The Ruger Wrangler will accept standard Single Six grips and upgrades, such as those available from Hogue and Pachmayr.

The steel ejector rod and barrel are well finished. The barrel is 4.62 inches long. The cylinder pin, many of the assembly pins, and most of the action parts are interchangeable with the Ruger Single Six. The six-shot cylinder looks nice, but on the other hand it is less expensive to manufacture a cylinder without the machine flutes. All Ruger single-action revolvers manufactured since 1971 have the transfer-bar ignition system. The hammer cannot contact the firing pin when at rest, making the revolver safe to carry six rounds, or a round under the hammer. When the trigger is pressed, the transfer bar moves into place to allow the hammer to smack the transfer bar and fire the revolver. In most single-action Ruger revolvers, the loading gate is opened to load the individual chambers in the cylinder. The Ruger Wrangler has a free-wheeling pawl. While this isn’t a big deal and saves a few dollars in manufacture, we like the Ruger Single Six system better. The action is smooth enough in general; however, the loading gate was stiffer to open than a Single Six, which we had on hand for comparison. It was also stiffer than the other revolvers to open. The frame and loading gate are high-grade aluminum. The grip frame is of a non-ferrous alloy, probably zinc. Both the hammer and the trigger are metal-injected-molded stainless steel. The revolver greatly resembles the Ruger Single Six, as intended. The Wrangler simply uses less expensive materials.

The finish used on the Wrangler was surprising considering its modest cost. Only time will tell if this Cerakote finish holds up with use, but many firearms are finished in Cerakote for hard duty. Cerakote is a ceramic and polymer finish that is sprayed on and then baked to ensure it adheres to the gun’s metal. This finish is a nice bonus. The fit and finish of the revolver cannot be faulted. Surprisingly, neither can the even blued finish of the Heritage revolver. The Wrangler, by comparison to the Ruger Single Six, is 2 ounces lighter as a result of the composite material used. We liked the balance of the Ruger Wrangler.

The Wrangler features fixed sights. In common with the Heritage Rough Rider, the Wrangler’s fixed sights were properly zeroed for 40-grain 22 Long Rifle high velocity ammunition. During the speed firing trials, the revolver never balked or stuttered, there were no rough spots, and the revolver handled well.

In speed shooting the Ruger held its own with the Heritage and Chiappa variants. In absolute accuracy, the Ruger was the most accurate revolver tested. There were no real faults. We hoped the sticky loading gate would go away, but after opening and closing the gate at least 100 times in loading and handling, it remained stiff. The Ruger was rated down a half grade on the sticky loading gate.

Our Team Said: We would buy the Wrangler. Ruger fans will like this handgun, and so will anyone looking for an affordable 22 revolver.

22 LR RANGE DATA