Rimfire revolvers · editorial reference

Heritage Barkeep and Barkeep Boot: Fun Guns, Honest Caveats

A stubby .22 single-action made to look like a bartender's gun from a western. The fun is real. So are the limits.

Short answer

The Heritage Barkeep (2-inch) and Barkeep Boot (1.68-inch) are six-shot, single-action .22 LR revolvers with very short barrels. They are enjoyable plinkers and conversation pieces, not precision or defensive tools, and their stripped-down design means you should read the manual before the first unload.

The idea

Somewhere in the history of the Old West, someone decided that a short-barreled single-action revolver would be an easy thing to keep behind a bar. The idea stuck in popular memory more than in documentation, but the shape is unmistakable: a single-action frame, a stubby barrel and not much else. The Heritage Barkeep takes that idea and puts it in .22 LR.

Retail listings show the Heritage Barkeep .22 LR with a 2-inch barrel and six chambers. The Barkeep Boot goes shorter, at 1.68 inches. Both are single-action revolvers, which means you cock the hammer for each shot.

What you get

Feature	Barkeep	Barkeep Boot
Chambering	.22 LR	.22 LR
Capacity	6	6
Barrel	2 inches	1.68 inches
Action	Single-action	Single-action
Ejector rod	Not conventional, per the design	Not conventional, per the design

For weight, sights and grip details, check Heritage's specification sheet. Listings differ by finish and grip, and the details change with production.

What they are for

These are honest, fun guns, and the honest answer to "what are they for" is short:

Plinking. Cans, paper and reactive targets at short distances.
Teaching. A rimfire single-action is a gentle introduction to the cowboy-gun tradition, supervised and properly stored.
Collecting and display. The Barkeep look is distinctive and reads well on a shelf.
Novelty with substance. It is a conversation piece that still shoots.

They are not:

Precision rimfire tools. The barrels are short and the sights are minimal. Do not expect small groups at distance.
Defensive handguns. A .22 LR single-action with a stub barrel is a limited and slow tool. If protection is your goal, look at conventional defensive handguns and train with them.
Hunting guns. The barrel and cartridge are not well suited to it.

The ejector question

Most revolvers have a way to push empty cases out of the cylinder: a rod, a star or something similar. The Barkeep line is described as a stripped-down design that does without the usual ejector rod. That is part of the look. It also means that unloading is a different routine from the one you know.

We have not handled one, and we are not going to improvise a procedure. The manual explains how to unload safely, and you should read it before you load the gun for the first time. Practice with the gun empty, keep the muzzle in a safe direction, and keep your finger off the trigger throughout.

Single-action revolvers have loading and carry routines that differ from swing-out guns, and designs without a conventional ejector have their own. Read the manufacturer's manual before loading, and never carry with a round under the hammer unless the manual explicitly allows it.

Our single-action loading guide explains the general five-round rule that applies to many traditional designs.

Short barrels and .22 LR

Short barrels and rimfire cartridges are an interesting combination. The cartridge is small, and a short barrel gives it less room to do its work. The practical results:

Lower velocity than the same ammunition from a longer barrel.
More muzzle blast relative to the energy delivered.
Variable ammunition behavior. Different brands will group and perform differently. Try several.
Cleaning needs. Rimfire leaves a lot of residue, and a short barrel does not make that go away. Our cleaning guide explains the routine.

Hearing protection still matters, even with a rimfire. Short-barrel .22s can be sharp and loud.

Barkeep versus Boot

The difference is small but visible. The Barkeep's 2-inch barrel gives a bit more sight radius and a bit more length for the ammunition to build speed. The Boot is shorter, handier and more of a novelty.

Pick the Barkeep if:

You want the more balanced of the two.
You plan to shoot it regularly.
You want a slightly easier time aligning the sights.

Pick the Boot if:

You love the look of the smallest option.
You are buying it mainly for the fun of it.
You are comfortable with its limits.

Where these fit in the .22 world

If you want a practical rimfire revolver to train with, our best .22 LR trainer revolvers and the Charter Arms Pathfinder review cover guns that are better suited to regular practice. If you want a broader sense of single-actions, see our best single-action revolvers. And if you are still deciding whether a .22 revolver belongs in your safe, read the case for owning one.

Reasons not to buy one

We want to be straightforward about this because the Barkeep is easy to like.

You want a serious trainer. A longer-barreled, adjustable-sight .22 revolver is a better tool.
You want a defensive gun. This is not that.
You dislike single-action handling. Cocking the hammer each shot is part of the experience, and if it irritates you, the gun will too.
You will not read the manual. The unloading routine is not the one you may be used to.

Teaching, storage and safe habits

Because a .22 LR revolver is mild, it is tempting to treat it casually. Resist that. Every firearm deserves the same rules: keep the muzzle in a safe direction, keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot, know your target and what is beyond it, and treat every gun as loaded. If you use a Barkeep to introduce someone to shooting, supervise closely, start with the manual and keep the first sessions short and quiet.

Store the revolver unloaded and locked when it is not in use, and keep ammunition separate. The small size and novelty appeal of a Barkeep can make it attractive to curious hands, so the storage conversation deserves attention even with a rimfire.

Verdict

The Barkeep and the Barkeep Boot are fun guns with honest limits. They offer a distinctive look, an easy-shooting rimfire cartridge and a slow, deliberate way of shooting that suits a relaxed afternoon. They do not offer precision, power or a conventional unloading routine. If you buy one for what it is, you will probably enjoy it. If you buy one hoping it will be something else, you will probably be disappointed. Read the manual, store it properly and have fun.

Editorial note: This is an independent editorial overview built from manufacturer specifications and publicly available information. We have not performed hands-on testing of the products discussed, and nothing here is a performance guarantee. Verify specifications, compatibility and legality for your own situation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Barkeep and the Barkeep Boot?

Retail listings show the Barkeep with a 2-inch barrel and the Boot with a 1.68-inch barrel. Both are six-shot .22 LR single-action revolvers.

Do they have an ejector rod?

The Barkeep line is described as a short-barrel design without a conventional ejector rod. Follow Heritage's manual for the correct unloading procedure and confirm the details for the exact model.

Are they good for self-defense?

A .22 LR single-action with a very short barrel is a limited tool. If protection is the goal, look at conventional defensive handguns and train with them.

Can I carry them with six rounds loaded?

That depends on the safety design of the specific gun. Read the manual and follow its instructions exactly. Many traditional single-actions should be carried with an empty chamber under the hammer.