Help me understand the Bearcat

[Hankus]

I still have the one my father bought for me. The year before last I picked up two in a package deal for my two eldest grandsons (8 & 6) to learn with. They will eventually become theirs. Or they might go to the youngest two, a boy, 2, and a girl, 4. There's another girl in the oven, so I might have to pick up more, or pick up Single Sixes for the oldest ones as they grow.

 

[Randyzzz]

If you can find one with adj. sights, they can get pretty darn shootable.View attachment 69532

Yep, I need some stag grips for mine. And for a knife project- I picked up a vintage Puma Jagdnicker that has jigged bone handles that are chipped. I might need matching scales for it.

Or maybe this NOS Puma Rambler is more proportional…

 

[eveled]

I'm actually thinking of having some stag grips made for it.

View attachment 69526

Saks Peterson makes very nice stag grips for Bearcats.

 

[Watertender]

Perfect little revolver for a walk. Bill Ruger's answer to the Kit Gun. A friend of my grandpa's used to use a Bearcat for butchering hogs. He had a holster sewn into the lining of his denim frock coat and it went with him everywhere.

 

[Randyzzz]

Saks Peterson makes very nice stag grips for Bearcats.View attachment 69571

That's who I was thinking of-

 

[pawncop]

This was the first handgun I purchased back in 1971. My reason was to carry it while fishing to deal with snakes. Worked well.

 

[Iroc]

I bought one for my grandkids to learn how to safely handle a pistol, it's hard to beat a single action for that and it slowed them way down on reloading and burning up the ammo compared to a semiautomatic 10/22. I replaced the small grip scales with ones I made from a piece of Sambar stag antler I'd bought. I left the scales much thicker than the originals so now it's actually very comfortable to shoot. I'm not the one who came up with the idea and I don't remember where I got it from but for anyone that finds the small grip not working for them you can also add a Tyler T- grip for a Smith and Wesson J frame that fits and works pretty well too. I used one of these before I made the stag grip. Here's a link below for the T-grip and a couple photos of my Bearcat I think I posted on this forum before, one with the T-grip and one with the stag..

https://robertsontradingpost.com/?s=grip+adapter

 

[Watertender]

^^^^ I have a BK Grip adapter that I will try on my stainless Bearcat. Thanks for the idea!!!

 

[Iroc]

^^^^ I have a BK Grip adapter that I will try on my stainless Bearcat. Thanks for the idea!!!

The BK is the same idea as the T-grip so as long as it's for a J frame I'd think it should work too.

 

[bergmen]

I seem to remember years ago that they also had a 22LR/22WMR convertible. There was a technical problem with these (timing or something) and they discontinued them.

Dan

 

[mirglip]

It's better to have a Bearcat and not need it than to need a Bearcat and not have it.

 

[Watertender]

It's better to have a Bearcat and not need it than to need a Bearcat and not have it.

A good hit from a Bearcat beats a miss from a Super Blackhawk any day!

 

[Watertender]

The BK Grip works well! Thanks for the idea.

 

[Iroc]

It worked pretty good for me too, glad I could help.

 

[Hankus]

I seem to remember years ago that they also had a 22LR/22WMR convertible. There was a technical problem with these (timing or something) and they discontinued them.

Dan

Ruger offered a Bearcat Convertible in ~'93.IIRC the small frame didn't do well with the .22WMR cartridge so Ruger recalled them and kept the magnum cylinder. The collectors' value skyrocketed on the ones that weren't returned.

 

[needsmostuff]

Ruger offered a Bearcat Convertible in ~'93.IIRC the small frame didn't do well with the .22WMR cartridge so Ruger recalled them and kept the magnum cylinder. The collectors' value skyrocketed on the ones that weren't returned.

Not advocating this for anyone not comfortable with the idea but,,,,,,
Bear in mind, pressure is a misconception in this case. 22 magnum operates at the same pressure as 22LR.
Using the gold standard of hillbilly pin gauges, the shaft of a 7/32 drill bit, the BearCat seems to share the same, middle of the road bore as the convertible Single Six. In the world of real pin gauges the 7/32 shaft is .218.
So bore size is not an issue any more than in a Single Six.
In the end, not sure what Ruger's issue with the convertible BearCat was.

This is one that was rechambered over 15 years ago. Never had a hicup out of it, shoots to point of aim and all in all MORE accurate than my other BearCats. Sorry, the cyl. was never remarked.

 

[el caminero]

The last i heard on magnum bearcats ammo problems, it was traced to korean ammo, and it seems the rim was thicker than spec so went off simply by rotating the cylinder, the reason being given that the priming mix were too sensetive. Really, i wouldnt like to compress any rimfire casehead as it rotated!

 

[Injunbro2]

The last i heard on magnum bearcats ammo problems, it was traced to korean ammo, and it seems the rim was thicker than spec so went off simply by rotating the cylinder, the reason being given that the priming mix were too sensetive. Really, i wouldnt like to compress any rimfire casehead as it rotated!

I heard that was a factor along w/ people fanning them, fanning would cause the cylinder to rotate faster & more likely to impact the rim. The 3 I converted all work fine.

 

[Watertender]

I heard that was a factor along w/ people fanning them, fanning would cause the cylinder to rotate faster & more likely to impact the rim. The 3 I converted all work fine.

Fanning.... There is another fine way to be stupid in handling a firearm. Gun owners don't need any more bad things to happen to make us look bad.

 

[el caminero]

I heard that was a factor along w/ people fanning them, fanning would cause the cylinder to rotate faster & more likely to impact the rim. The 3 I converted all work fine.

One story that popped up a few times was, going off while rotating the cylinder during loading, and at least one about how the pawl (hand) touching one off while installing a loaded cylinder, and one fellow saying ruger told him all the magnums were defective, the rims were too close together in a cylinder designed for l.r. only