i got a ruger wrangler birdshead grip, talo edition, just before christmas. i already have a ruger original wrangler plowhandle grip from two years ago, as well as a single six, bearcat and heritage roughrider. i probably don’t need the wrangler b.h. but i like rimfire plinkers.
i have shot my wrangler b.h. twice now with aguila, federal and cci ammo. i brought along a wrangler plowhandle, regular bearcat and sr22 for comparison. my random thoughts:
the wrangler b.h., with a 3.75” barrel, is sized well, balances nicely in the hand. that said i simply prefer the plowhandle grip of the original wrangler and single six.
of course it ate everything fine, as to be expected from a ruger single action revolver. federal ammo were a few ftf and one non-ignited round in the sr22, which popped off fine in the wrangler b.h.
at 20’ i was consistently grouping in 3-4” clusters, 3-4” to the left of my point of aim, but that is me more than the piece.
the loading gate and cylinder rod of both wranglers were a bit sticky-tight at first but oil and wipedown, and 150 rounds smoothed up each revolver. the edges of my wrangler b.h.’s loading gate and the b.h.’s grips felt sharp to my feel, a bit of fine sandpaper and grip tape solved these issues.
my biggest intial worry was, would i like its birdshead grip? i had sold off a ruger blackhawk vaquero 45acp and bearcat shopkeeper because of their b.h. grips. however the wrangler vaquero b.h. grips work for me: lower recoil than the vaquero 45acp, and fuller size & longer ejection rod than the shopkeeper.
the wrangler b.h. is a way better shooter than the better-made and pricier bearcat while only slightly bigger than the latter. if i were choosing just one i would happily get the wrangler b.h. and save $300 bucks over a bearcat. in fact i may sell off this bearcat...
the wrangler’s stiff loading gate is part of a reload system that permits a free-spinning cylinder and allows the hammer to remain down. no need to cock to reload, then decock a hammer on a chambered round, as in the bearcat, which is a huge safety plus and makes any wrangler an excellent training tool.
the desantis ambidextrous cross- and strong-side holster, included in the talo edition, is a well-made gem. it also fits a ruger blackhawk (tightly), single six and s&w k-frame.
mine was $264 taxfree, free shipping to my ffl, who charges $20. i subsequently saw them advertised under $250 (now out of stock, of course).
the sr22 remains my overall favorite semiauto pistol, even chambered in lowly 22lr. i can see a time in my over-the-horizon future when it may become my primary defensive handgun. ten 550mph, 10” deep, reliable, handy, accurate, clustered, ice-pick-jabs to center mass at 20’ will serve my humble needs.
the smaller b.h. may be preferable if one is planning to carry it around alot. i still prefer the original wrangler for its p.h. grips. if you don’t have any 22lr plinking handgun, or not yet any single action revolver, either wrangler will serve you well.
