Picked up an OM Bearcat

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Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
2,271
Location
Orange County, CA
Actually I just put a deposit on it because I won't be able to take possession for a couple of months (CA gun laws--don't ask!!!!). I hadn't seen one for sale around here (OC CA) for a very long time and this one was as near mint as I've seen outside of a collection. Not even a turn ring on the cylinder. $300 plus CA sales tax and background check fees. (Replaces a 1961 vintage one that went into a house down payment back when you had to come up with 20% cash up front or no deal).

Two questions about it, tho.

This one has smooth walnut grips. I'm used to the ones with "plywood" grips. Were any made with real walnut or have these been swapped onto it?

And what is people's experience with Stingers and the like in OM Bearcats. Back when I had that original one, these hyper velocity ctgs. didn't exist and I shot mainly WW high speed hollow points for small varmints and other small game and standard velocity for tin cans. My blue New Model Bearcat shoots Stingers fine and my rechambered New Model stainless shoots .22 WRM without issues. Might the alloy frame on this OM be problematic with "hot stuff"?
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2002
Messages
8,966
Location
Ohio , U.S.A.
Good deal, nice guns, fun to shoot..and over the years we and others have put in ANYTHING that fit and it always worked,,,just clean the chambers if you shoot a lot of "short" or those small, short Aquila subsonic rounds...(used to shoot those in the basement in a bullet trap) URBAN "critter gitters" :roll:

I only question the use of magnums in the so called first issue New Bearcats convertibles, was rumored they used the older ,smaller diameter Bearcat barrels, and we never "slugged" any of the bores of my wifes first 10 convertibles, never shot them and she sold /traded them all...... :? :roll: :wink:
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
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2,271
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Orange County, CA
Thanks to all you guys! When I need Ruger advice, this is where I come.

And I very much appreciate the civility of this site, and wish the rest of the citizenry were as decent as "America's responsible gun owners."
 

street

Hunter
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
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Vinton, VA
Walnut grips with medallion started showing up after serial number 35xxx. Before that they had the rosin impregnated rosewood grips without a medallion. Information from RENE
 
Joined
Nov 17, 2009
Messages
11,835
Location
Webster, MD.
I'll buy any old model for that price unless it is a solid rust-ball. Post a photo when you get it home. A couple of months? I thought Maryland's 7 day waiting period was bad enough, but that is beyond stupid.
 
Joined
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Mike, the problem isn't just the 10-day waiting period (which is stupid enough) but the fact that I just inherited a bunch of handguns and can only take legal possession of them one every 30 days.... Which of course means that I can only sell them after waiting 30 days for each one to be "mine."

(Keep in mind that I moved back here after 25+ years in NYS and am a veteran/survivor of handgun harassment by bureaucrats...."illegitimati non carburundum"!!!).
 
Joined
Nov 17, 2009
Messages
11,835
Location
Webster, MD.
Mike Armstrong said:
Mike, the problem isn't just the 10-day waiting period (which is stupid enough) but the fact that I just inherited a bunch of handguns and can only take legal possession of them one every 30 days.... Which of course means that I can only sell them after waiting 30 days for each one to be "mine."

(Keep in mind that I moved back here after 25+ years in NYS and am a veteran/survivor of handgun harassment by bureaucrats...."illegitimati non carburundum"!!!).
WOW! Here in Maryland one can go through the State Police and become a "designated collector". This allows the individual to acquire more than 1 handgun in any 30 day period. Obviously California doesn't have such a 'program'.
 

Dantforth

Blackhawk
Joined
Nov 20, 2009
Messages
633
Location
Westport, Ontario, Canada
Hello Mike. It appears you have a great deal there. Our gun laws are terrible but cannot compare to those that govern you. Will be heading your way on the 28th of December for a couple months.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
2,271
Location
Orange County, CA
Cantforth, have a great time in the south!

Hope you are going someplace like this where "black" and "ice" NEVER appear in the same sentence! (Except maybe "Black Label on ice").
 

27 Man

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Messages
66
Wow. You guys have some stringent gun laws. Out here in the Sooner state, you can buy as many as you want. Just takes cash.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
2,271
Location
Orange County, CA
Finally picked up my "new" 'Cat. From the SN it was born in 1966, so it is four years younger than my first one with the "plywood" grips. Now to see how it shoots....(Gotta at least put a LITTLE cylinder ring on it! Unused guns make me nervous!).
 

street

Hunter
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
2,456
Location
Vinton, VA
If you properly use this Old Model Ruger you want put a ring on the cylinder. Once you start pulling the hammer back never release it until you come to a full cock. If you pull the hammer back to the loading cock and then release the hammer that will put the ring on the cylinder.


ONCE STARTED ALLWAYS PULL THE HAMMER TO FULL COCK BEFORE RELEASING IT. NEVER RELEASE THE HAMMER FROM THE LOADING COCK. ALWAYS PULL IT TO FULL COCK AND THEN RELEASE IT.


Please always remember the above.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2008
Messages
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Location
Orange County, CA
The first time I got a Bearcat (1960???) the dealer said if I wanted to get it smoothed up, to sit in a corner with the TV and cock and release the hammer 500 times. It worked fine on several new ones over the years, but it DO leave a cylinder ring!
 
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