Ruger Bearcat reviews?

[Doc Mark]

Greetings, All,

I am new to the forum, and was directed here by a fellow at the S&W forum. I am considering buying a Ruger Bearcat revolver, and would love to hear your thoughts about that little pistol. As I've never shot one, nor even handled one, I would appreciate hearing how they shoot, if the older, lighter ones are better than the newer all steel guns, if the stainless steel versions are good, and any pitfalls of which I need to be aware when buying a Bearcat. Many thanks for any and all comments you can send my way. I very much appreciate all the education that you'd care to share! Thanks, again, Merry Christmas, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[Cholo]

Great little guns. I wasted a lot of years not shooting the one I bought in the mid 90's. Fit and finish is impecible, though the trigger pull is a bit heavy though creep free. My 1st trip to the range with it off a bench put my 1st 6 shots at 25 yds with Winchester Power Points all centered inside a 4" bull at 2 5/8". I couldn't be more pleased, especially out of a short barrel fixed sight gun. Makes me wonder what the accuracy potential of the little gem really is.

 

[Doc Mark]

Greetings, Cholo,

Many thanks for your comments, Sir. Is your gun the lighter version, or all steel? I'm up for buying either new, or used, version, but wonder about the carrying differences between old and new models of this little revolver. My Single Six Convertible is an Old Model, but both of my Blackhawks in .41 Mag, are New Models. I prefer the trigger on the Old Model, but it could just be that particular gun. It's not that either of the two New Models are bad, they are just not near as good as that one Old Model I own. Thanks, again, for commenting, and I look forward to talking to you, and other Bearcat owners, again! Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[Cholo]

Mine is all steel. I believe all the NM Bearcats are. I wouldn't want it any lighter, though some prefer the light weights. You won't even notice you're carrying it.

Most prefer the OM triggers on their Ruger SA's. I have both and believe the triggers on my NM's are a tad bit better than my OM's. My OM's are original, while all my NM's have lighter springs except the Bearcat. None of my NM's have had trigger jobs and I'm lucky I guess in that none have any creep. A couple of my OM's have some slight creep, but it's not enough for me to want to tinker with an original where it doesn't seem a screwdriver has touched the grip frame since they left the factory.

I must add that except for my Bearcat, my newest NM is an '85 .32 mag. Can't speak for anything made after that or what's made today.

 

[flatgate]

Welcome to Ruger Forum!

Obviously the pre-Super Bearcat Old Models, with their one piece aluminum receivers are way lighter. Ah, but are also more fragile. My shooter is one of the "Alphabet" series.

As far as Ruger Single Action triggers go, standard 'smithing procedures certainly apply to both, Old Models and New Models. I have quite a few NM Single-Six and Blackhawk shooters and their triggers are pretty darn good.

Bearcats are neat little guns. Let's see, IIRC there are 34 of them down in the Dungeon, including this one:

flatgate

 

[Sugar River]

Warning! Do NOT get a Bearcat.
You might be tempted to do this with them.............

Clements SS 22 and Harton blue 32 mag.
Pete

 

[Doc Mark]

Hi, Guys,

Thanks, very much, for the additional information! Much appreciated. WOW, 34 Bearcats down in the Dungeon, which is, I am guessing, similar to our Hobbit Hole!! That's quite a den of little Bearcats you have there, Sir!! :wink: :D

I am still leaning towards a stainless steel one, just for it's extra protection against the elements. But I'm also open to seeing what I can find, locally, if anything. I'll have to check our laws (Left Coast) to see if the Bearcat is even "allowed" out here!! :evil: :roll: But, I'm guessing that a NM Bearcat should be "on the list", hopefully.

After finding out if it's legal here, I'll check new and used, and see what turns up. I've always thought they were very neat little guns, and maybe now is a good time to get one for myself! Thanks, again, for commenting, and I'll look forward to reading the views of other Bearcat owners, should they wish to share their thoughts. Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[Doc Mark]

Hi, Sugar River,

Very nice work on this two little 'Cats! I'm sure doing that would certainly be a temptation, but I'm seeking a stock BC, just for the fun of owning and shooting it. Of course, one never knows what the future might hold in that regard, especially if I like the BC as much as I think I will!! :wink: :D Thanks for the photos! How to those little hot-rodded BC's shoot for you? Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[medicdave]

Just got a brace of stainless ones that will go to Harton for some love before I ever hold them. Matched set with one in 22LR/22WMR and one in 32H&R. I'm stoked. They should be ready the next time I make it back to the States. They are such sweeties.

 

[Doc Mark]

Greetings, Friends,

Well, I've checked, and the Ruger Bearcats are legal out this way. Seems that all single action revolvers are considered "relics and curios" out here. I don't know about that, as I've never heard it before. But, such does appear to be the case. The local gunshop, which is quite small, offered to order a BC for me for around $500. I know that list price is a bit higher, but I was hoping to spend less, if possible. Again, we'll see how it all turns out.... Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[don44]

Bearcats are neat little revolvers and pretty darn accurate too. if you decide to buy one I'm sure you'll agree. My wife and I shoot her's all the time( she thinks it's hers). :D

 

[Sugar River]

You can do better than $500 on line.

Bud's has the blue for 386 and SS for 414 delivered.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php?manufacturers_id=369&sort=6a&filter_id=118

 

[Old Judge Creek]

I had an old Super Bearcat that in a moment of abject stupidity, I traded off. I still wish I'd not done that.

OTOH: I like my New Model Bearcat even more than I ever liked the old one!

 

[eagle55]

Whats not to love about a Bearcat! It is on my short list of must haves. I think these guns, with their engraved non-fluted cylinders, either in ss or blue, are one of the nicest looking 22 revolvers around!

 

[RADAR]

I don't think there's anything bad to be said about the Bearcat. One of my favorite shooters...

 

[Doc Mark]

Good Morning, Gentlemen,

You guys are the best! I really appreciate all the great comments, and the photos, too! It's only made me want to get my own BC, more than I already did!! :wink: 8) :lol:

I really leaning towards the stainless steel version, though the blued is a great looking gun, too. The budget will allow only one, however (for now!), so after Christmas, I'll begin looking around and see what turns up. Bud's gunshop, which Suger River linked here in this thread, looks to be the best price I'm going to find, and I'll most certainly keep them in mind!! Out here on the Left Coast, you have to have a safety card, which costs money, and the transfer and background check fees are sometimes astronomical!! So, I'm definitely going to want to get a good deal on my Bearcat revolver!! If this does come to pass, I'll post photos here, with my sincere thanks to you all for your great help in this! Many thanks, Gents!! Take care, Merry Christmas, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[Calthrop]

Doc Mark Welcome to the Form.
Please look to the Rim Fire Section. There is a thread on stainless steel aftermarket ejector housings that is eleven pages long. I am order #83. If you plan on purchasing a stainless BC I and quite a few others consider changing out this slight change a must. It is a very high quality product. Well read the post. The housing is priced right and looks right.

Some other matters. One .41 mag shooter to another.
The Bearcat can be a frustrating gun to learn. If you are inclined to search you will find stories of brilliance and sorrow. It is a converted OM in a unique one piece cast grip/cylinder frame[truly I wish all Ruger SA'a were made so].

It is not that the grip is small so much that the size of the gun tests the shooters mastery of trigger control. All thing being equal that is the barrel is straight to the frame and the cylinder holes mostly match up with the forcing cone[we are talking Rugers here]. The gun will shoot well.

The truth is out of box the new stainless guns have heavy triggers. That is not a bad thing. Like Flatgate I put heavy hammer springs in my Blackhawks instead of lightening them. Please resist breaking in the gun by excessive dry fire that will eventually over rotate the cylinder and peen the cylinder bolt and mess with the timing. Oh yes one more thing the sights are crap. They are narrow in back for my liking and the blade in front is to wide. The sight gutter along the top of the frame is way to narrow. The effect is like villages old time desert communities. Build buildings and close together with a narrow street. The street is shaded most of the day. Having said the above he trigger is off set to the left of the cylinder frame and the trigger guard.

So what to do? Why are there eleven pages of guys on line for SS ejector housings and putting in multiple orders for carbon steel units when Eric can get the blue tint right?

What would I do if I were you. I would buy more types of .22lr ammo than you would have ever have considered buying. Just one box each, except snake shot. You have other .22's so it will not go to waist. It will cut in to your budget. However if you buy the gun and only have a couple kinds of ammo and the BC dose not shoot well you will think it is the gun and it may not be.
Ruger may not be doing this any more. Yet in the past there was a chance of getting one of two .22 barrels in any given bore diameter.

After cleaning the gun. Mine was very dirty from the factory. It was special ordered too. Either the folks at the factory had to correct a timing issue or the guys at the gun shop took it out the weekend before I picked it up and shot the tar out of it, I would not put that past them either. It was dirty.
I shoot my Cats more than any other guns because I need the most practice and they are the most fun to shoot. I have begun shooting the SS one left handed. Manual of arms all left handed. I shoot 7,15, 25,yards. If the range has static metal 50,75, and 100 yard targets I give them a cylinder. I get more hits than you might think. It is all grip index and trigger control. Not to mention breath control and proper sigh alignment and picture. Plus ammo selection. Like I said the Bear Cat is a joy to own and a pleasure to shoot. No kidding Doc Mark so many loyal followers cannot be wrong. Yes there are some fine after market stocks for the gun. That post is for another day. k Calthrop

 

[DGNY]

Better late than not at all...I like mine, which I bought used and hardly fired. Apparent reason - it shot off to the side. I adjusted the front sight by bending it in a padded vise [not recommended unless you can stand breakage as a possibility - some would say probability].

Now it shoots well and needs a bit of metal dressed off the top of front sight to bring POI up to POA.

Also found out the hard way that ANY dry firing [w/o a buffer] is a NO-NO, as it peens the chambers' top edges. Fixed that. For my hands it needs grips without the angle cut at the bottom grip frame edge. Some day.

All that said, for $225 a couple years ago, a good purchase. My Single Six OM 4 5/8" is prob as accurate; and my Colt NF .22 shortie is more accurate.

Bottom line - a Single Six is prob the one to get if your accumulation were just one .22 single action.

Regards,

Dyson

 

[diyj98]

Neat little guns, but the one I owned shot 5" to 6" to the left at 25 yards with everything I shot through it. I sold to a friend who used it for his trapline. He's shooting his animals at five or six feet, so the accuracy isn't an issue. I'll never get rid of my single six!

 

[Doc Mark]

Good Evening, All,

Thanks for the continuing great information on the little Bearcats! I got a note from a friend who used to be my roomy, back in 1969, and he was the first guy to turn me on to Ruger firearms. After knowing him, I bought my first one, a Single Six Convertible, with 9 1/2" barrel. It shot great with almost all magnum ammo, but was VERY picky about regular .22 stuff. I finally found out that Federal .22 ammo was what it liked, and it shot like a tack-driver with that brand!

Calthrop, I'm expecting the Bearcat to be similar to my SS, and what you suggested, as far as getting a box of every type of .22 ammo I can find, and shooting all of it to see what the BC "likes", is exactly what I did with my OM SS!! Until I got to the Federal stuff, I thought that my Ruger was a dog with regular .22 ammo, and for a while, only shot .22 magnum ammo in it, which was fun!! But, after I found out about it's preference of Federal .22 ammo, that's all I ever shot in it, and it is still a very satisfactory pistol!

I will definitely give my little BC, the respect and the time that it needs, when I finally get mine. That's part of the fun of it, actually! I'm not much into dry-firing .22's, in particular, and some center-fire guns, too. I use snap caps with the center-fires, and fired .22 cases in the .22's. But, I'd rather just shoot them, and call it good, in truth.

Well, it's bed time for me, and tomorrow, I get to go look around for a stainless Bearcat, just for grins. If I can't find one in the near vicinity, I'll order one and have it shipped to a local FFL. I surely do miss "the good old days", when you could go to a nice gunshow, buy the gun you wanted, and go home with it!!! Oh, well..... those days are gone forever out here on the Left Coast! I'll keep you all posted as to how it turns out. Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[Calthrop]

My first Ruger was a Single-Six long barrel back in the day. It was carbon. It liked Federals. On my days off, child care job, I worked on the horse ranch of a very good friend. We would go through a couple of bricks with ease. One day in the door way of the Arizona Bank downtown Tucson I was suddenly and harshly stopped by two burly guards. They said "You cannot come in here with that sir" pointing to my Lawrence shoulder holster. I said "Oh yes officers your right. I am very sorry". I put the gun in the truck. The usual four guards were now five or six and one stood very close to me all the time I was in the building.
When I was in the Army I had habitually worn a firearm. I had only been out for a few months when this incident occurred.
I think the Federal has a larger Ojive than other .22lr ammo. Certainly .22Magnum ammunition is made differently than .22lr. There is little wonder it would shoot better in a larger diameter bore. You are on your way. k Calthrop

 

[Bkat]

Doc,

These are all good observations on both the OM and NM Bearcats, except in my case I've never had a serious accuracy issue with any of mine.

Check out gunblast.com and their archives for a couple of good articles on the Bearcat.

Bkat

 

[Doc Mark]

Greetings, All,

Well, today, I got to handle two different Bearcat revolvers, in two different gun stores!! First, I found a blued one, brand new, and I must admit, when I handled it, I was a bit disappointed!! It felt clunky in my hands, and the fit and finish were not very good. The price was $500, plus tax, and fees. It just didn't feel right in my hands, and also felt much heavier than it should have. My old heart sank, in disappointment, and I was thinking I had made a mistake in wanting one of those little shooters.

Then, much closer to my home, I found another Bearcat, this one in stainless steel. I decided to ask to check it out, even though I had already pretty much decided to pass on getting such a gun. And, I'm REALLY glad I did, too!! First of all, the fit and finish were really outstanding, in all respects, and the little gun was really quite a beauty!! Second, and I know this can't be true: The stainless model felt lighter in my hands, balanced better, and seemed to fit me much better!!! Both blues and stainless pistols should have been 24 ounces in weight, from what I've read, but the stainless gun was a much nicer gun, and since it felt better, to me, I'm once again interested in getting one, and maybe that very same revolver. The price was $489.99 (Don't you just hate prices like that!! IT'S $490!! MIGHT AS WELL ADMIT IT!! :roll: :? :lol: :lol: ) + tax, + $25 for a CA Gun Owners card and test, + $30 for the DOJ background check and paperwork. We have a ten day wait out here on the Left Coast, so no matter what I decide, I won't be able to pick up this little gem for a while, yet.

Bud's Guns, in Florida, will send a stainless Bearcat, brand new, to my FFL for $414, including shipping. But, depending on what my FFL guy will charge to do the deal, I might be better off just buying the one down the mountain, and calling it good. What do you all think? Anybody else ever think that the fit and finish of these little shooters could vary so much between two such guns? How about the difference in balance and such between blues and stainless? I can't see, for the life of me, how that could make a single difference, in truth. But, it certainly seemed to be that way today. Who knows??? Talk to you all soon, and MANY thanks to everyone who jumped in to this thread and offered encouragement, information, opinions, and experiences with these little Bearcat revolvers!!! MUCH appreciated, Gentlemen!!! I'll let you all know what I decided, probably in the next several days, to a week. Take care, Merry Christmas, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[c.r.]

Doc,

the stainless models have aluminum ejector rod housings, while the blued come with steel ejector rod housings. While the actual difference in weight is minimal, that weight is hanging out in front on the barrel...........which is probably why you were able to notice a difference in balance.

~c.r.

 

[Cholo]

I have a blue NM Bearcat from the mid 90's that has an aluminum ejector rod housing.

Doc, believe it or not, changes in color between stainless and blue can have an affect on how you view and feel things. Last weekend I saw 2 6" Colt Diamondbacks, one blue and the other a light colored electroless nickel. Even close to each other the lighter colored one seemed down right petite compared to the blue one. It wasn't, but could I then perceive that the electroless nickel one was a bit lighter. Something to to with the brain, or lack thereof... :wink:

 

[c.r.]

I have a blue NM Bearcat from the mid 90's that has an aluminum ejector rod housing.

i should have typed:

"while the currently cataloged blued bearcats come with steel ejector rod housings"

 

[Cholo]

I believe the new blue ones are still aluminum. Wouldn't be the 1st time I was wrong :wink:

 

[c.r.]

well crap, i can't get anything right tonight.

don't know why i had my mind set that the blued had steel ERH's, but I believe you're correct.

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Like most single actions, Bearcats need breaking in to function smoothly. When I got my stainless New Bearcat, it hung up regularly: wouldn't cock smoothly.

Before getting mad and sending it back to Ruger, I took it back to the shop that sold it to me. The owner asked me if I'd broken it in. I said "what do you mean; I can't even cock it half the time!".

He gently explained that the timing needed to wear in a little and that if I sat watching TV and cocked it, then released the hammer without snapping it (let it down gently with my thumb) a bunch of times it would get smoother and smoother until it was like butter. He said to try to do it 500 times,"even if you feel and look like an idiot".

He was right. It got smoother and smoother until it was/is like butter. My wife thought I looked like an idiot. What else is new?

 

[Doc Mark]

Evening, Mike, and All,

Yep, I'm hip to the workings of stainless steel firearms, and have use that same technique to work and smooth the actions of more than a few of mine. It DOES work, too, which is pretty cool, actually! Mike, where did you buy your Bearcat, and if I may ask, how much did you pay for it? I like to buy locally, if I can. But, these days, price has got to be good, too, or it's either order it in, or not buy it at all. In any case, I'm looking forward to getting mine, and hope it's not too far down the road. Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc