My Bearcat keep locking up UPDATE

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I was at the range today,and my Bearcat keeps locking up. Y'all know you have to half cock the Bearcat to load and unload it. Well, about 3/4 of the time I put the hammer in the loading position, it locks up. I have to remove the cylinder and point the barrel up to get the hammer to be free and move. Also, sometimes, the cylinder spins freely, other times it rotates very rough, like it's sticking, although I'm not sure if this is related to the other.

Also, this Bearcat I sent to David Clements to have his accuracy package and trigger job. And you bet it's one accurate revolver. The best part about today's trip to the range: I emailed Mr. Clements while I was at the range. He returned my email almost immediately. When I got home, I made a quick trip to the gun store and mailed it to him to look over and fix.

I'm just asking here, as I'm curious what could be the cause.

edited: Here is the gun in question from another range trip:
r5snwlIl.jpg
 
Joined
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About the base pin, yes. When I first got the gun back from Clements, the base pin latch must have gotten cross threaded or something. It kept coming loose, so I replaced the base pin latch. And yes, I did check that it was tight. But I do think it has something to do with the base pin. It never felt the same as other revolvers.

In his email, Mr. Clements said he figured it's a minor fix. I sent it back because over the last year, whenever I would shoot this gun, I'd always have trouble with it. I suppose I got fed up.
 
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Thanks for the comments, I'm glad it does sound like a minor issue. I originally bought this gun for my daughter to learn on. It wouldn't be any fun to learn how to shoot on a gun with problems.
 

foxtrapper

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Gale to hear that it's on the way to being repaired! Now let's talk about those stag grips!
 
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Thanks for the comments. Yes David Clements is a super guy. He did a conversion for me on A Blackhawk, and at the same time, the work on this Bearcat. I spoke with him on the phone, very knowledgable and easy going.

I told him way back in 2008 in the magazine "Guns of the Old West" there was a review about a single six he improved. Since then I have wanted one of his guns.

The grips are from Sack Peterson. They fit very well and really improve the looks of the gun. To be safe I took them off before shipping the gun.

Thank you for all the feedback. I'm going on vacation later this week, back to the in-laws, so I wanted to get the gun fixed while we are gone.
 
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I picked up my Bearcat today. I used a local gun shop to mail it in and so it has to be mailed back to them.

Anyway, I spoke with Mr. Clements on the phone and he said the problem was with the base pin. I had him install a Belt Mountain base pin, one of the oversized style. And it has the small notch on it. That plus the base pin latch wasn't locking the base pin in securely.

His fix was to cut the notch in the base pin all the way around the pin itself, so if it rotates, it will still have a grasp on the base pin latch. Before, it could rotate and then come loose. He also put in a heavier spring in the base pin latch.

I hope my explanation is understandable. :D

The poor little gun had to travel a long way, but I've sat here and cocked it repeatedly and it seems to be operating as it should.
 
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Thanks Hondo, I did get it back and took it to the range to test fire. It works and is very smooth, and of course accurate.

However, if I cock the hammer to load it, BUT go back just a little bit more with the hammer, (slightly beyond the first notch,) I can rotate the cylinder just a bit and it will still lock up. At that point with the hammer, the cylinder will rotate but it's a little rough. And everything is frozen, hammer, trigger and cylinder.

I've tried this a few times and it does the same thing every time. To free it I have to remove the cylinder. Pointing it up doesn't work or this.

I'm happy, and not going to do anything, but just puzzled by this.
 

hittman

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Kevin said:
I've tried this a few times and it does the same thing every time.

I would offer, respectfully, stop doing that.

Bet any of us can "make" any gun in our safe not work if we try hard enough. Sounds like it works as designed under normal circumstances.
 

Hondo44

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Kevin said:
However, if I cock the hammer to load it, BUT go back just a little bit more with the hammer, (slightly beyond the first notch,) I can rotate the cylinder just a bit and it will still lock up. At that point with the hammer, the cylinder will rotate but it's a little rough. And everything is frozen, hammer, trigger and cylinder.

I've tried this a few times and it does the same thing every time. To free it I have to remove the cylinder. Pointing it up doesn't work or this.

I'm happy, and not going to do anything, but just puzzled by this.

I can not make my Bearcat do that.

xlarge.jpg


The 1st notch is the loading notch, and if I keep moving the hammer back after the loading notch clicks, the cylinder lock clicks as it pops up and the cyl will lock if turned. However, the hammer can still be dropped back to the loading notch or cocked all the way back to full cock and the trigger can be pulled as normal.

So something is still not right. I would discuss with Dave or send back to Ruger.

The New Model Bearcats use a cyl locking bolt with a small cam on the hammer just like a Colt single action. New Model Bearcats use the old safety transfer bar retrofit kit parts exactly like old model conversions to the transfer bar system. It's not like the old model Bearcat or other new model Ruger SAs. The Colt will lock up just as you describe when the cyl locking bolt and cam are not fit properly.
 
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