5 Best .22 LR Revolvers [2024]: Wheel Guns For Plinking

Long before pistols with detachable magazines came along, the six-shooter was on the hip of everyone who wanted to protect themselves from whatever the world threw at them, from law enforcement officers and outlaws to the local general store owner.

If there was fighting in the air, there was a revolver. Revolvers are less common nowadays, but manufacturers like Smith & Wesson and Ruger keep them alive. If you’re looking for the best on the market and can afford it, the Smith and Wesson 617 would be my recommendation.

I’ve been shooting .22 LR out of rifles and revolvers from as far back as I can remember. My grandfather has a collection of .22 caliber firearms that he’s been collecting since Kennedy was in office.

I’ve done my fair share of shooting pop and Campbell’s soup cans off a tree stump, which is what most of us would use a .22 LR revolver for today. Hunting small critters is another area in which the .22 LR thrives.

Other than that, there’s not much use for it. No, it’s not a good defensive round.

Today, we’ll talk about the best revolvers chambered in .22 LR if you’re looking for some fun and affordable shooting.

Image	Product	Price
	Best Overall – Smith & Wesson 617	Check Price
	Best Value – Heritage Rough Rider	Check Price
	Best For Carry – Ruger LCR	Check Price
	Best Overall Runner-Up – Taurus Tracker 992	Check Price
	Best High-Cap – Chiappa 1873	Check Price

Best Overall – Smith & Wesson 617

Specifications

Pros & Cons

My favorite and overall recommendation for a revolver chambered in .22LR is the S&W 617. Not only is it gorgeous, but it is a great time to shoot. The stainless steel frame and black synthetic grips give the classic revolver a modern way of fitting in the shooter’s hands.

Somedays, you just want to print friendly groups on a target and take it easy. Not every day has to be spent with 400mg of caffeine and loud intermediate rifle cartridges.

I find myself renting the 617 on days like that at my local range. It’s fun when you can put dime-sized groups on a target 20 feet away; it helps build confidence.  

While heavy, the 6-inch stainless steel barrel is very accurate and helps mitigate the already minimal recoil. It makes it feel like you’re shooting a pellet gun. Of course, it’s a little louder than that.

But it still makes for an excellent time for knocking cans off a tree stump or spending hours shooting at the range without having to empty your wallet. It is a solid varmint gun, too.

So, if you have the extra money to spend and want a revolver to pass down to your kids and grandkids, you can’t go wrong with the 617.

Best Value – Heritage Rough Rider

Specifications

Pros & Cons

Heritage has been making wheel guns for around 150 years, and its .22 revolvers have been around since 1992.

Coming in under $200, it’s an affordable solution for shooting in the yard or keeping varmints at bay.

The Rough Rider line from Heritage features dozens of revolvers ranging from 3.75-inch barrels to 16-inch barrels and an assortment of grip colors. All of them are made of Alloy Steel with a black or blue oxide finish. There is even a tactical model with a Picatinny rail on the top for mounting a red dot.

This 6.5-inch barrel model offers a six-round capacity and weighs only 32.03 ounces when unloaded, making it easy to shoot for extended periods. While the sights are your basic notch in the rear and fixed front sight, it’s still accurate.

Heritage also offers optional .22 WMR cylinders, so you can swap them out at your will.

You can’t go wrong with a Heritage if you don’t want to spend much money and still want to have fun with the .22 cartridge.

Best For Carry – Ruger LCR 

Specifications

Pros & Cons

For those who want to utilize the lightweight characteristics of the .22 caliber and pistols chambered in said caliber, you will like the LCR.

Since the .22 LR is not that popular as a defensive round, plenty of companies overlook making any contenders for carry guns chambered in the round. Ruger, one of the oldest and best makers of revolvers, wasn’t going to leave consumers hanging.

Ruger machined a monolithic frame from 7000 series aluminum and built the toughest revolvers chambered in .22LR. With eight rounds of ammo in the cylinder and no hammer to snag on your shirt, the LCR is perfect for concealment.

Oddly enough, my girlfriend’s grandmother carries an LCR, but it’s chambered in .357, and even that one is easy to control and get back on target.

The LCR is an excellent option for those seeking a lightweight and easy-to-conceal carry option.

Best Overall Runner-Up – Taurus Tracker 992 

Specifications

Pros & Cons

If you want a high-quality revolver chambered in .22 LR but don’t like the $1,000 price tag of the S&W 617, you might want to consider the Taurus Tracker 992. Not only is it just as durable and fun to shoot, but it’s roughly $300 less.

The Tracker 992 is a considerable revolver and is way overbuilt for a .22, but that means you won’t have to worry about it giving out on you. At first glance, you almost think you’re looking at a Raging Bull—the way bigger brother (in caliber) to the Tracker 992.

The barrel is made of alloy steel like the Heritage Rough Rider, which wasn’t as consistently accurate as the 617 but is still accurate enough to maintain tight groups.

What sets it apart is how heavy the front of the barrel is. It helps keep the front end of the Tracker down, making it feel like you’re shooting a pellet gun. The adjustable rear sights are great for taking longer shots and taking advantage of the 6.5-inch barrel.

The heavier and longer barrel is also the main downside of the firearm since many folks looking for a .22 want something lightweight. But, if that’s not you, then the Tracker is a great plinker or varmint controller.

Best High-Cap – Chiappa 1873         

Specifications

Pros & Cons

Who doesn’t want more rounds in the cylinder to keep the fun going? I know I like shooting more than loading, and with ten rounds in the cylinder, that’s about the most you’ll get.

It’s fantastic to see a revolver with the capacity of a small Glock.

Chiappa is an Italian-based company that has had its hands in making revolvers for quite some time. You’ll likely see one sitting under the glass whenever you go to a big box gun store.

The 1873 from the Colt Single Action Army (SAA) was too expensive for many people to afford, so they made one just as good and filled the gap for a cheaper cost.

Chiappa’s 1873 is great for anyone looking for a cost-effective .22 LR revolver. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles that the other revolvers on this list have, but it offers more rounds than they do.

And while they aren’t the best quality, the company does make real-wood replacement grips to give you the SAA look and feel.

It’s everything the .22 caliber round is loved for. It’s cheap, fun, and ready to take on a task. I’d recommend the 1873 for plinking and close-range varmint shooting.

This list is for shooters who want a light-recoiling revolver for some fun plinking or for those who have medical conditions that make manipulating other modern or semi-automatic firearms a challenging task.

If you’re looking for our guide on the best .22 semi-auto pistols, you can find it here.

And while.22 LR isn’t the best for self-defense; having a gun is better than not having one. And .22 WMR (.22 Magnum) is an option, and yes, it is a viable defense round with minimal recoil.

When I chose these revolvers, I tried to go with manufacturers who offer a .22 WMR (Magnum) cylinder that could easily be swapped out for users who need more power with their .22 revolver.

I also aimed to include revolvers with higher cylinder capacities since the .22 LR is a small cartridge that lacks power.

Of course, I went with revolvers that I’ve personally had great fun with. There were others, but these were the best.

All of these have easy-to-use controls. My 76-year-old grandmother with arthritis shot and approved most of these as well.

Choosing A .22 LR Revolver

When looking for a .22 LR revolver, of course, you want to keep your mind on the purpose of using the firearm.

If you were using it for varmint hunting, I would ensure you have a longer barrel and an optional cylinder in .22 WMR to utilize that extra power.

And if you want to use it for concealed carry, you obviously want a shorter barrel, a higher cylinder capacity, and a .22 WMR cylinder so you can get more power behind your rounds.

For example, if you live in a colder climate and want to carry a .22 revolver, the .22 WMR will serve you better since a potential attacker will likely be wearing many layers.

This isn’t as much of a worry when everyone has minimal layers in the summer.

And then, in the end, it boils down to the price.

.22 Long Rifle vs. .22 WMR (Magnum)

Firstly, .22 WMR is .22 Magnum. It’s just called .22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire).

The .22 LR has a shorter case length at .613 inches, whereas the .22 WMR has a longer 1.055-inch case length. This allows for the addition of more propellants and gives the WMR more power.

The magnum’s bullet is also slightly larger. It doesn’t make much of a difference when looked at ballistically, but the extra power from the round makes it easier for the .22 WMR to get proper penetration.

While the .22 WMR is a more robust and capable round than the .22 LR, I would suggest .22 LR if you can only have one. It’s often difficult to find .22 WMR ammo.

There are plenty of .22 caliber revolvers out there, but some don’t offer the same cylinder capacity that the ones on this list offer, aren’t as well suited for carrying, or they are just more expensive for no real reason other than the name.

Now, I’m not saying they aren’t good options if they aren’t on the list.

For example, while the Taurus 942 is a good carry option, it lacks the hammerless design that would make it even better for carrying. Still, you can’t go wrong with it if you don’t mind your carry revolver having a hammer. It also holds the same amount of ammo as the LCR.

All of the revolvers on this list will provide you with years of plinking fun and varmint eradication and won’t cost you an arm and a leg to do so since .22 LR ammunition is so cheap.

So, if you need a firearm for taking out some cans, protecting yourself, and protecting your property from undesirable animals, take a pick from this list and get going.

Be good and take care.