Early Ruger Bearcats, SN4670 and SN33961

[Dantforth]

I have a four digit and five digit Bearcat manufactured in 1960 and 1963 with original boxes and owners manuals. Both are 95-98% condition. I am in Canada, sadly, where these are classed as prohibited. This means the market is almost non-existant. I will be lucky to get $200.00 to $300.00 in Canadian funds when I sell them. They are "grandfathered" to me which means that if I keep them they will be sent in an destroyed when I pass. Trying to recoup some of my funds I am thinking I may sell the boxes and manuals on this forum. My question is this....if I dismantle these and send the frames in to be destroyed is there a market for the parts and can I send them across the border? Parts...cylinder, grip panels, ejector rod housing, barrel and other bits and pieces. Thoughts? Sadly also included in my prohibited firearms is a 4" barreled Security Six low back in 38 special in similar condition with box etc. David

 

[hittman]

Last week a 3 digit Bearcat in the box brought $2300 on Gun Broker!

PM to you.

 

[rugerguy]

You should check with your postal athorities as to shipping or mailing "parts" as I recall they had to be "declared".........many years agoi when we had our first shop we used to deal with another shop in Canada, and there was not any problems as to "license to license" had to fill out some forms for military guns to get out of Canada,alas he passed away over 40 years ago,,,,sooo, AND and I do recall one time the owner of one of the military guns , he brought home from the war (WW II) ,in Canada was "denied" and wow,,,they stopped him everytime he tried to cross over to the states ,for years, and he stopped coming to New York......so that being said , I would get the "facts" NOT some "free" internet legal advice.....parts be parts and they do "add up" as to their values, but it is the "declaration" I would check into these days,,,,,,,,,,,,, 8) :roll: :wink:

yes I still have relatives up in Toronto, as well as Val D'Or ,Que. and I miss the fishing trips we did for almost 30 years, from Lake Ontario, all the the way up to Mooseanee, train up , canoe back south.....oh well

 

[Johnnu2]

Are you allowed to sell your 'prohibited' guns to someone in the US if you go thru a legitimate Canadian gun dealer and a legitimate US FFL gun dealer..?
In my humble opinion, I would do ANYTHING to save any gun from destruction (including giving them up long before I pass).
Is that not feasible..?
p.s. I'm not a collector so I have no interest in your guns, just trying to save them from the liberals.

J.

 

[P89DC]

Need to arrange a meeting at the Haskell Library.....

 

[Hondo44]

Well worth reading the Overview: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haskell_Free_Library_and_Opera_House

 

[Dantforth]

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. I have scoped out using the legal route to get these to the USA. There are businesses which will look after all the paperwork and hassle for a price. I just found that price took any chance for profit away. The biggest obstacle is finding a dealer in the USA with an import license. The authorities here have made it so tricky and difficult to do anything with prohibited firearms that I have given up. It is so sad to know that they have such value in the USA and almost no value here. Dave

 

[Johnnu2]

Personally, and in my very humble opinion, I would pay the price to export legally, even to the point of taking a financial loss, to save a firearm (and 'stick-it' to the liberal cognoscenti who are more enlightened than we are). Perhaps we on the Forum could contribute to a fund to save Danforth's treasures... (?)
J.

 

[Kevin]

Personally, and in my very humble opinion, I would pay the price to export legally, even to the point of taking a financial loss, to save a firearm (and 'stick-it' to the liberal cognoscenti who are more enlightened than we are). Perhaps we on the Forum could contribute to a fund to save Danforth's treasures... (?)
J.

I agree with this. At least they won't be destroyed.

What about donating them to a museum? Either in Canada or the USA? Then you would get a tax deduction. If you are allowed deductions like this in Canada. My first thought came to Ruger, "giving" them back to the factory, if they have any sort of display guns.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Thanks, everyone, for your replies. I have scoped out using the legal route to get these to the USA. There are businesses which will look after all the paperwork and hassle for a price. I just found that price took any chance for profit away. Dave

Assuming all the other things could be sorted out, how much money are we talking about to clear all the "paperwork and hassle"?

 

[hittman]

Please check your PMs.

 

[needsmostuff]

Just guessing as to the WHY they are prohibited and guessing barrel length.
Would it be possible to rebarrel them to a legal length .
I was given a "short " shotgun barrel one time and simply tacked a extension on to it to pass muster.
Ugly yes but legal enough to move it on.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Just guessing as to the WHY they are prohibited and guessing barrel length.

Yep. All three of the guns mentioned have 4" barrels, or 101.6mm in Canada where the rules condemn anything measuring at or under 105mm, or 4.13". Thus has Ruger bumped it's current minimum barrel length to 4.2" or 106.7mm on anything it wants to sell up north. Picky, picky, picky. :roll:

 

[rugerguy]

don't bother with the factory wanting them back.... some years ago, the local sheriff called Ruger ,they got a 2 digit first weeks production Red Eagle RST, in the box, for their "gun buy back program" ( $100 gift card) The factory told them "No" , so it got destroyed........fortunately someone "saved" the parts, too late for the box though.....real shame.... 8) :roll:

also if you check back the bank robbery some years ago, in Canad, guy used a Colt Single action army for the commission of the robbery, was caught, his gun was valued at around $50,000.....confiscated, destroyed after the trial.... :?

what a world we live in............. :shock:

 

[Dantforth]

I am in the process of contacting a shipping service to find out the costs of transferring these to the USA. It appears like $250.00 for the first and $150.00 for each of the rest. So, for three, $550.00 and that is likely US dollars so about $750.00 in Canadian currency. The next hoop for me to jump through is finding someone who would take possession in the USA and sell them for me. I have some contacts on this forum so I will start that process when I get an answer from the shipping service.
I appreciate all the comments. I did finally find a text document explaining the process for an individual.....WOW! I contemplated copying it here but it was just way too big.

 

[Johnnu2]

Danforth, count me in for a good contribution once you figure out your cost vs. loss. I'll help make you whole and hopefully save a couple of guns from the crusher. If one of our senior members wants to act as 'escrow' to collect our individual contributions, that would be great as well.
J.

 

[Dantforth]

John, that is generous but not necessary. I can handle any losses as it is my problem. Once I find out how to jump through the hoops I may send them to a member here to sell for me. It is not ideal to live under these conditions but such is our life here. David

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Yes, we have some FFL holders here who might be able to help with the "move".

 

[Dantforth]

Well, I contacted the service to ask my questions about having these shipped to someone in the USA. Here is the reply. What is going on here? The SS can be sent but not the Bearcats? Courtesy the ATF?

Thank you for your inquiry to our services. We would be happy to assist with importing the Ruger Security Six, but unfortunately, the Bearcats would not be allowed for import. I personally asked the ATF about that model several months ago, as I wanted to import one for myself, but was told it would not be approved. So if you would like to proceed with the Security Six, please let me know and I can send the next steps to start the process. Thank you!

 

[Ale-8(1)]

I'd really like to hear the rationale behind "banning" the 'Cats. Is this a USA thing or a Canada thing? :roll: