I'm thinking of a Heritage Arms 22 revolver for a plinking and teaching the grandkids to shoot weapon.
Any comments or opinions on these revolvers would be appreciated also any better alternatives.
thanks
+1, The Ruger BearCat and Single Six are a MUCH more substantial arm. They are MUCH better finished and should last your child's lifetime then some with proper care.
The Heritage arms are fun plinkers, not too badly built, but they aren't finished well. The ones I have seen are the standard alloy framed, cheaply made pistols that are synomyous to the pricing given on them. The ones we had out at the range were okay, decent accuracy, minute of pumpkin at 50 yards where the Bearcats and SingleSixes were doing that easily at 100. To buy them for the kids for something to plink with while you are shooting, meh, okay. But to give them something really nice and something they can GROW with, the Rugers are the way to go.
Now their centerfire guns (.357 and .45 LC) are a force to be reckoned with! For the price range of the Heritage, another option are the older High Standard Sentinels (if you can find one) or H&R .22 revolvers. All steel, generally nicer in triggers and have more "heritage" to them!
I have a heritage and love it. Mine is very smooth to operate and finished nicely. You just need to look at a couple and find a good one. Great gun for the money though.
The Heritage will serve you well if your only desire is for a plinking firearm. I've never owned one but they seem to hold and feel quite nice. The added safety has always turned me off of them. If you can swing the extra cost though, I highly suggest the Rugers as others have pointed out. They are very tough and well made revolvers that will be around long enough for your grandkids to teach their grandkids with. My first handgun was a Bearcat, then a New Model Single Six. I also have my father's original Single Six and all 3 show virtually zero mechanical wear.