Thanks for your input frizzelr and Ruger Redhawk. Your thoughts are pretty much what I was thinking. The loose barrel can be made servicable by cranking on it with a barrel wrench and adding a dab of loctite to the clean dry threads. While not a real " smith' s" solution, I' m confident it' ll hold for several hundred rounds at a time. I probably don' t have more than 300 rounds thru it to date. I expect (know) that will change if I purchase the Ruger.
The issues related to every other repair they mentioned only apply to shooting it with the 22 mag rounds. I believe this to be the case b/c it has operated flawlessly with regualr 22 lr ammo. I' ll keep a closer eye on it though.
So, I guess I will chalk it up to experience. Being a super-duper cheapskate I was lured by the price back when I still held my FFL. From what I hear the newer updated Rough Riders are much improved and have even been touted as great guns even though inexpensive. I have read several write-ups in the past couple years where gun reviewers were duly inpressed with the gun. Especially the steel frame models. But as if often the case, initial runs of early prototypes (like mine!)don' t always pan out. But hey, $74.00 for a servicable single action 22 lr revolver with a six " barrel and decent groups is ok I guess.
I turn 50 years old on July 16th and my better 1/2 has given me the go-ahead for the 50th anniversary Single Six as a birthday present. I was born when the Single Six was born! Seems like a fitting gift! Case closed!
One last thing. I expect to carry it as a side-arm when deer hunting. It is a fairly common incident for me to get a shot at bunnies when I am leaving the deer woods and approaching my parking area. Do you think I would gain any serviable advantage to a barrel longer than the 4 3/4 " .....should I consider a 5 1/2" or even a 6 1/2" model? Blued or Stainless? I hunt in a lot of foul weather, but I also take great care of my firearms and would prefer something with less " glint" . I' m not opposed to the shiny-er models, but don' t know if it would really be worth it. Your further thoughts?