Thread size of ejector rod housing on new Bearcat?

[louiethelump]

I have a new Stainless Bearcat Shopkeeper that I have removed the ejector and housing. (I had it rechambered to 22 magnum and rod won't work anyway) A true sheriff or Shopkeeper model has no rod anyway. I want to put a plug screw into the hole where the screw holding the end of the ejector housing went, but for the life of me cannot figure out the size and thread. Can anyone help me with this? I know I will probably have to modify the screw but I do not want to mess up the threaded hole so I want to use the correct size and thread.

 

[22/45 Fan]

Contact Ruger and ask. They may even send you one of the screws at no cost. As a completely uneducated guess, I expect it's #6-40 screw since that's what Ruger uses on a lot of their sight bases too.

 

[Fox Mike]

I had David Clements re-chamber my Shopkeeper to .22WRM and I simply went with a standard sized base pin and remove the cylinder and use the front end of the base pin to punch out the empties that don't fall out. If you haven't yet tried, fire it at night and watch the 'light show'. :shock:

 

[Hondo44]

Louie,

22/45 Fan is right. The screw thread is 6 x 40; most Ruger SA screws are 6 x 40.

You can buy 6 x 40 plug screws from brownells but the minimum is a dozen for $19.00. You could check with local gunshops for a plug screw. Most have a drawer full from mounting scopes. However, 6 x 48 plug screws are much more common than 6 x 40 plug screws.

If you have a grip frame screw or front sight screw from any Ruger SA, or the trigger guard screw from a Bearcat, you could chuck it in a drill, spin it, and file down the cap diameter into a plug screw. Then cut the threaded end shorter.

You could cut the cap off of your housing screw, polish the end (and for blue guns, touch up with cold blue), turn it into the hole with your fingers, and lock-tite it. Or file a slot in it for a screwdriver.

Ruger will send you a screw for free.


What did you do with the housing mounting boss on the right side of the frame? Since you have a stainless gun, you could grind off the boss and contour the frame to match the left side. Then polish and no one will ever know it had an ejector housing.

If you were to reconsider eliminating the ejector, you can extend the ejector rod travel. Just widen the bottom of the housing slot so the ejector knob can swivel around the cyl pin tip and get another 1/2" of travel for the long Mag cases.

 

[louiethelump]

All good suggestions. I thought about the boss but don't want to alter the frame until I am SURE. NO COMING BACK FROM THAT.

I put the short center pin in the 4" adj sight model I have and the longer pin in the Shopkeeper as it is easier to get hold of. It really is easy to pull the cylinder out and not a big deal to me. The NAA minis work like that, this is kind of like a 6 shot mini revolver that you can actually hit something with and does not tumble the bullets NAA mini revolvers generally do.

What is the chance of me hitting a hollow in the casting of the frame when I remove the boss for the extractor? That would be bad.

Thanks for the great information.

 

[Hondo44]

What is the chance of me hitting a hollow in the casting of the frame when I remove the boss for the extractor? That would be bad.

Thanks for the great information.

Louie.

You're very welcome, my pleasure.

It's highly unlikely, less than 1% chance. I have done so much grinding on Rugers in the last 50 years and never found a void or air pocket in a casting.

Even if it happened, a tig welder could fill it for you in about a minute. I've done that successfully for large dents or gouges in the metal surface when re-finishing Rugers.

 

[Fox Mike]

If you were to reconsider eliminating the ejector, you can extend the ejector rod travel. Just widen the bottom of the housing slot so the ejector knob can swivel around the cyl pin tip and get another 1/2" of travel for the long Mag cases.

The Shopkeeper ejector knob is hollow and goes all the way to the frame normally. The length you have is all you can get.