Firearm: Heritage Roscoe 3” (MSRP: $363.99)
For today’s kit, we’ve opted for a revolver setup, for those who prefer the ease of use of a wheelgun. We’ve chosen the Heritage Manufacturing Roscoe with a 3-inch barrel, which is somewhat of an anomaly in the concealed-carry revolver world. When you hear of a five-shot revolver, generally it has a barrel length of 2 inches or less; however, for those who aren’t going to carry the gun in a pocket holster, there’s really no reason not to opt for the slightly longer barrel option. The Roscoe is rated for .38 Special +P ammunition, should you want that extra oomph, too.
With the 3-inch barrel, the Roscoe has an overall length of 7.5 inches, a height of 4.8 inches, a width of 1.4 inches and an unloaded weight of 23.5 ounces. While this is definitely sized right for a concealed-carry handgun, the five-round capacity does put it at a disadvantage compared to micro-9 mm double-stack pistols. Or, does it? There’s a growing number of folks who advocate what has been deemed the “snubby lifestyle,” which in a nutshell offers that if you know how to run your gun and you avoid known trouble spots and confrontations, those five rounds should be plenty. Again, it’s a personal choice, and for those who opt for the simplicity of a revolver, the Roscoe is a fine example.
Let’s explore the “simplicity” part of the equation: The Roscoe has fixed sights, a front blade with anti-glare serrations and a rear trough-style sight in the topstrap. These aren’t bullseye sights by any stretch of the imagination, but they work, and are highly unlikely to break. For a little extra contrast, a paint marker in orange, yellow or other bright color is quite inexpensive and will help the front sight stand out more. Operation couldn’t be simpler, either: open the cylinder, load five rounds, close the cylinder. Press trigger when needed, then open the cylinder to repeat the process. Yes, it is going to take longer to reload than a semi-auto, but that’s what practice is for.
About the only drawback I can note on the Roscoe is something I noticed on the shorter barrel version we ran earlier: the wooden grips slightly interfere with ejection of spent cases. I haven’t had a chance to test the theory, but I suspect that swapping the grips for slightly slimmer models will remedy this issue quickly. Therein lies another advantage of the revolver: with literally the turn of a screw, a variety of stocks are available to better fit the gun to the shooter’s hand. In any case, the Roscoe is a simple option at a great price.
Holster: Tulster RATH (MSRP: $74.99)
To carry the Roscoe, we’ve opted for the Tulster RATH: Revolver-ready Ambidextrous Tuckable Holster. The “revolver” part is obvious; the “ambidextrous” part of the equation means the hardware can be swapped to either side for right- and left-handed shooters. Lastly, with the Discreet Carry Concepts 1.5-inch belt clip, the RATH can be carried with a cover garment tucked over it for deep concealment. Simple and useful, just like the Roscoe.
Here, there’s a distinct advantage to the slightly longer barrel, too. With revolvers especially, the cylinder places a lot of the gun’s weight right at the belt line. The extra real estate below the belt line added for the longer barrel helps to stabilize the rig to prevent it from rotating outward on the belt. RATH options are available for a several different models of wheelguns in a variety of color and finish options.
Accessory: Browning Branded Rock Tanto knife (MSRP: $24.99)
Rounding out our simple kit today is the Browning Branded Rock Tanto pocketknife. With a 3-inch, 7Cr17MoV steel blade with a stonewash finish and green G10 handle, the Rock Tanto can be opened either via a thumbstud or a flipper projection. A frame lock keeps the blade open when used for cutting tasks, while a sturdy pocket clip located at the edge of the knife allows it to ride low in a pocket for discreet carry.
Three models are available: The green Rock with the tanto-profile blade we have in today’s kit, a black version with a clip-point blade and a tan version with a Wharncliffe blade profile. All three have the same dimensions and operation, and share a neat touch: the side of the handle that rides against the pocket is smooth, allowing for faster retrieval from the pocket when needed. All this for less than the price of a box of ammunition!
