On a Bearcat, does the extractor rod 'screw' in to the 'button' or is it a 'press fit'?
Extractor question
- Thread starter Fox Mike
- Start date
Hondo44
Hawkeye
On all Ruger SAs it's a slip fit and peened in place. Did you have one come loose?
OP
Thanks for the info. Loose is not the problem. Why I was trying to determine how they were installed is that I have a Colt button and was going to adapt it to the Bearcats Shopkeeper's extractor rod to allow a little easier extraction of the spent brass. Now that I know I can make the necessary 'adjustments'.Hondo44 said:
Hondo44
Hawkeye
Cool! I just use the Colt rod.
If you're interested, here's my method to get the Colt button to nest up tight under the barrel when at rest, instead of dangling like the Ruger crescent button.
Because the Ruger housing slot is straight and not curved like Colt's, I corrected the way it didn't tuck up tight against the barrel when at rest. It also works for the Ruger crescent rod which also kind of dangles. It may not bother some owners but it's simple to do if you're interested.
To get the Colt button to nest up tight under the barrel when at rest, I grind and polish a 'cam' curve in the end of the Colt rod/head (or the Ruger crescent ER Head) as shown below. The curve must 'nest' or align with the curve of the housing attachment screw when the head is up tight against the barrel in a Ruger straight slot housing. The curved surface of the end of the rod contacts the screw under tension of the return spring and it will “nest” on the screw by "camming" or turning the rod and head tight up against the barrel. Works for the Colt 'bullseye' round ejector head as well.
You may also need to file just a bit from the barrel side of the Colt or Ruger button in the channel between the crescent head and the rod to allow the ER head to fold inward in the housing slot towards the barrel.
But Colt does not make theirs in stainless. However Brownells also sells a Colt style by MK Technologies, and they do offer it in stainless, Brownells #737-400-101AK, $39.99.
I had to get the MKT for my stainless Montado.
As you can see above, it's flat on the edge but that was easy to fix by polishing to a nice Colt curvature, below:
If you're interested, here's my method to get the Colt button to nest up tight under the barrel when at rest, instead of dangling like the Ruger crescent button.
Because the Ruger housing slot is straight and not curved like Colt's, I corrected the way it didn't tuck up tight against the barrel when at rest. It also works for the Ruger crescent rod which also kind of dangles. It may not bother some owners but it's simple to do if you're interested.
To get the Colt button to nest up tight under the barrel when at rest, I grind and polish a 'cam' curve in the end of the Colt rod/head (or the Ruger crescent ER Head) as shown below. The curve must 'nest' or align with the curve of the housing attachment screw when the head is up tight against the barrel in a Ruger straight slot housing. The curved surface of the end of the rod contacts the screw under tension of the return spring and it will “nest” on the screw by "camming" or turning the rod and head tight up against the barrel. Works for the Colt 'bullseye' round ejector head as well.
You may also need to file just a bit from the barrel side of the Colt or Ruger button in the channel between the crescent head and the rod to allow the ER head to fold inward in the housing slot towards the barrel.
But Colt does not make theirs in stainless. However Brownells also sells a Colt style by MK Technologies, and they do offer it in stainless, Brownells #737-400-101AK, $39.99.
I had to get the MKT for my stainless Montado.
As you can see above, it's flat on the edge but that was easy to fix by polishing to a nice Colt curvature, below:
OP
The problem I have with using the Colt rod is that it is much smaller in diameter (3/32+/-) than the Bearcat rod (5/32+/-). I am going to have to somehow remove the rods from the old 'cat' button and the Colt and install the 'cat' rod into the Colt button.Hondo44 said:
Hondo44
Hawkeye
You have a Colt .22 rod from a Scout or Peacemaker. Colt center fire guns use a 5/32" rod, the same as the Ruger. Use the Colt rod in your Bearcat. It worked fine in the Colt .22s for LR and Magnums, it'll work fine in the Bearcat for LRs.
Or drive out the Bearcat rod from the button with a punch. The Colt .22 rod is also peened in place so drive it out too, and peen the Bearcat rod into the Colt button. Or thread both pieces and screw together.
Or get the Colt centerfire rod and shorten it. Tap threads in the hole in the button and screw in the rod.
That smaller Colt 22 button is in better proportion to the little Bearcat. I always use the Colt center fire rod and button in my single sixes. The only time I've not used the Colt rod is when it wasn't long enough like in the 5" Ruger ejector housing. I use the Ruger rod and a thread die to turn the Colt thread on the end of it. This 5 1/2" 45 Colt has the long rod to push those long 45 cases all the way out and because I liked it the same length as the barrel. I actually had to shorten the housing and rod about 1/4" to be even with a standard 5 1/2" barrel, so there is plenty of rod to work with.
Or drive out the Bearcat rod from the button with a punch. The Colt .22 rod is also peened in place so drive it out too, and peen the Bearcat rod into the Colt button. Or thread both pieces and screw together.
Or get the Colt centerfire rod and shorten it. Tap threads in the hole in the button and screw in the rod.
That smaller Colt 22 button is in better proportion to the little Bearcat. I always use the Colt center fire rod and button in my single sixes. The only time I've not used the Colt rod is when it wasn't long enough like in the 5" Ruger ejector housing. I use the Ruger rod and a thread die to turn the Colt thread on the end of it. This 5 1/2" 45 Colt has the long rod to push those long 45 cases all the way out and because I liked it the same length as the barrel. I actually had to shorten the housing and rod about 1/4" to be even with a standard 5 1/2" barrel, so there is plenty of rod to work with.
