I saw one of these at Academy the other day for $169, I know its a cheap 22 and im not expecting it to last for generations, but My son is turning 8 in a week and was thinking about picking it up for his first handgun. He loves single actions and really loves my 357 vaqero with 38s in it. At that price it would make a good first handgun. Any thoughts on these?

I know its not a high quality gun like my Rugers or FA, but for an 8 year old popping cans and and the ocasional squirle is it worth it?

For the money for a young 'un.   Yep.  We sell a bunch of them.  Spend  the money but hold off for one that also comes with a 22 MAG cylinder.   Last time I checked the were the same price.  Ask the people behind the counter to check.

I may or may not run the Hunting Counter at my Local Academy.

I noticed that the sell the 22 mag cylinder on their website of 30 bucks

They have many options so maybe it would be worth it to see which model he wants.
I have an old cavalry-style model, but wish I had purchased the shopkeeper or gunfighter-style.

I have a basic Heritage .22LR model, the RR22B4, I believe.  I also have a Ruger Bearcat Shopkeeper.

Comparing the two:
-Bearcat is heavier, even though it is smaller.
-Bearcat trigger is crisper, but noticeably heavier (even heavier than my SBH).  The Heritage trigger is surprising good for a $150 gun.  
-Sights are equally atrocious but usable for the intended ranges
-The Heritage does not use a transfer bar, the Bearcat does.
-The Heritage has a safety built into it where the hammer strikes the firing pin.  No safety on the Bearcat.
-The frame of the Heritage appears to be painted or coated.  The cylinder and barrel are blued.  My Bearcat is all stainless steel.
-The Bearcat Shopkeeper is tiny and is great for small hands.  The Heritage feels a little bigger, but not SBH big.  

Regarding the trigger, out of the box, the Heritage trigger was pretty lousy.  It was inconsistent and gritty.  Upon disassmbly, I found that whatever coating they applied to the frame was also applied to the trigger engagement surfaces.  Some Flitz took care of that and made the trigger much better than a gun like this should have.

Is the Ruger better?  Yes.  The parts fit better, it looks better, and it feels better during operation.  But the Ruger was almost 4x the cost of the Heritage.  For under $200, the Heritage is a good buy and you won't cringe if someone scratches it.

Best be certain if you buy the 22LR version and later add a 22 magnum cylinder that it will not cause a problem.

My understanding on these dual .22 conversions is that the bore is actually different (larger) for the .22 magnum (.224 vs. .223?) . Not much of a difference but enough that perhaps it is not wise to shoot a .22 magnum in a .22 lr bore.

I have a Colt Peacemaker with dual cylinders and have always read that these dual cylinder conversions have the magnum bore and that .22 lr bullets will not be as accurate in it.  If you buy a gun with the .22LR bore and then add a magnum cylinder and shoot the magnum round in it, it "may" raise pressures..  

Buying a gun as a .22 magnum and THEN buying a .22 lr cylinder should not be an issue ( except, as stated the .22 lr bullet may not be as accurate because it is not "filling the bore" like it would with a .22 magnum bullet).

I picked up the gun yesterday. 180 otd. Haven't shot it yet, my son's birthday is next week, I'm sure it will get the shit shot out of it then. The finish isn't great but it isn't bad either. I doubt I will get the magnum cylinder, no need. In a few years when he is older I'm sure a single ten or a 617 will be in its place until then this works fine. Hell I may go pick up another one just for the hell of it.

Works real good with .22 shorts also.  Great deck shooting gun.  Nice quiet pop and smack at the other end.

I believe the bore will be the same whether or not one buys the revolver with or without the magnum conversion cylinder.

Unless the Heritage Rough Rider is different than the  .22lr/.22WMR conversions from other makers, I KNOW the bore size is NOT the same (research the net on it).   BUT- is it significant enough to cause a problem shooting a .22 magnum in a .22 LR bore-- I do not know? Best to consult manufacturer or a gunsmith.

.224" bore size for the .22LR  Ruger Single-Nine, the Ruger Single-Ten, and Ruger Single-Six.

Early model .22 LR Ruger single action revolvers had .222 bores; but current production .22 LR models all have .224 bores.

According to the Heritage Rough Rider Website their .22 rimfire single action revolvers are ALL bored for ".22 Combo" whether or not accompanied by an additional cylinder  in .22 Mag.

I had a Rough Rider, it was a great gun, but after a few thousand rounds, the timing went off and it started shaving rounds. If you want something he can shoot alot and hand down to his kids, get a Ruger.