I have some Alphabet Bearcats with different sight and ejector configurations -- I*** and E*** and M*** with a short sight, should these be tall sights? Then C*** with a flat ejector button should this be dimpled? From what I read in RENE these configurations would be unknowns and maybe incorrect. Your thoughts please. Thanks. Russ
Bearcat configuration
- Thread starter RD18
- Start date
The flat-face ejector rod buttons were available after the alphacats were done, so one could have been retrofitted by an owner. Theoretically, the alphacats had dimpled buttons like the original 999 pre-alpha guns, but I guess a "late-shipped" gun could have been asssembled with a flat one. A ship date might tell more.
Many of the cats had their front sight filed down for sighting-in. Doubt if they were "factory" . . . but ya never know.
Many of the cats had their front sight filed down for sighting-in. Doubt if they were "factory" . . . but ya never know.
So my understanding is that there were both short and tall sights. Based on the ones I have the short ones are flat and the tall ones are rounded. Flat ejector buttons started to show up in 1959 based on RENE (but could they have been made in 1958 and held in storage and used on some early Cats?). Since Bearcats were just being produced for the first time in 1958 and the first ones were not alpha guns it seems to me that you could have any configuration as both flat and dimpled buttons. If we new exactly when the first flat button was manufactured then we could conclude as to what letter the flats could have been installed. The first know flats were at letter L but could there be some prior? HMM. Russ
According to Dougan's book the flat buttons began to show up around serial number 98XX, well into 1961, after the alphacats. That said, now, after the fact, any gun you find might have a flat button because they are "screwdriver variations". The very first guns were up to 999, before the alphacats.
All it takes to make a flat front sight is a file.
At this point, there is very little way to determine original configuration because the detailed components aren't documented. At best, we are just speculating about details, and trying to figure out which reference we choose to believe.
All it takes to make a flat front sight is a file.
At this point, there is very little way to determine original configuration because the detailed components aren't documented. At best, we are just speculating about details, and trying to figure out which reference we choose to believe.
chet15
Hawkeye
Flat faced ejector rod buttons started appearing in the "L" and "M" letters.
A common thing that happened with Bearcats though is the ejector housing screw would fall out, never to be found again. Whether or not the whole ejector assembly disappeared as well depended on how soon you discovered the problem...hence the reason some earlier guns are found with a flat faced button.
Or....those earlier guns were simply shipped late.
Chet15
A common thing that happened with Bearcats though is the ejector housing screw would fall out, never to be found again. Whether or not the whole ejector assembly disappeared as well depended on how soon you discovered the problem...hence the reason some earlier guns are found with a flat faced button.
Or....those earlier guns were simply shipped late.
Chet15
chet15
Hawkeye
A good rule of thumb for the beginning of the earliest flat faced buttons is when the earliest of the "new revolver barrel lengths" began to appear, which was in the March/May 1959 period, and this happened at the same time with the Bearcat. I have seen only a very few of these earliest "new" barrel lengths with the concave button.
Chet15
Chet15
