After looking at this Ruger further, I'm starting to see it much like this firearm that I want very much:

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details.cfm?id=195&category=17&toggle=&breadcrumbseries=

It's one of those guns that certainly will be far from "the best" for any purpose you could conceive of, and you have to wonder why anyone would design such a thing, but still, I want one!