What Price should I expect

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Colonialgirl

Hawkeye
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Dec 7, 2008
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Wesley Chapel, Florida
I've got my eye on a Ruger 22LR Bearcat at the local pawn shop, it'll be available this Saturday ( a wife sold her departed husband's gun collection to them).
This one looks to be in 99% condition, no scratches and no cylinder marks. If I had to guess, I'd say Never been fired. There is no box for it. It does have real Mother of Pearl grips.
I'm going to buy it, but I would like to have some idea what the fair price for it would be. It is a beauty and I've loved Bearcats since a friend let me shoot his way back in the '70's.
Thanks
Pamela
 

sebtool

Blackhawk
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Oct 3, 2009
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678
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Mo - south of STL
radicalrod had a couple of nice ones on here in the classifieds, moved them to gunbroker. iirc, he was looking for 350-400. better double check to verify that.

Sounds like a nice pistol -good luck with it!
 

reakin

Single-Sixer
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Mar 4, 2002
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258
Location
Western PA
I saw an unconverted old model Bearcat at a small gunshop here in PA over the weekend that was priced at $299. Had a little bit of wear, but not bad. Shooter grade though.

reakin
 

contender

Ruger Guru
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Sep 18, 2002
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Lake Lure NC USA
The condition, the serial number etc all is important in determining value. If it's an "Alpha" cat,, worth more than say a "prefix" cat. Missing the original grips takes away from the value,, no matter how nice they are. But a set of stags would be valuable. Not sure about MOP!
 

slowpoke

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Jan 27, 2010
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Out West
Don't go in and drool on it too much, that'll just tell them how bad you want it, and you'll loose bargaining power. What it's worth is one thing, but I'll bet a pawn shop didn't give a dime over $150 for it, if that. That's just the way they do business, buy low from desperate people, then hard sell to someone else.
So my advise is to not get too wrapped up in only that one that you pay too much. They're not rare enough to do that. Play hard ball and walk away if you have to. Let them know that you know the grips aren't original and that lowers value. Mint shape with no box I'd say $300 MAX. Start at maybe $250 and don't be afraid to leave your phone number and walk out. Good luck.
 
Joined
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good advice above and if they are "real" m-o-p grips that is a "plus" hard to find and can be costly.....let them set the price, let us know , more info would help as said above, but if it's THAT nice, with m-o-p grips to me it would be in the $350-400 plus range...boxes and original grips can be found, in fact I got a call the other day from 'Brass frame' he has a bearcat box and manual he picked up......
 

slowpoke

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Out West
Maybe I should clarify a little. I think it could be worth more than $300, but that's as much as I would give a pawn shop.
 

Colonialgirl

Hawkeye
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Dec 7, 2008
Messages
8,481
Location
Wesley Chapel, Florida
Thanks guys,
The big day is tomorrow (Saturday); so I'll see what I can get it for.
I'm not up to speed on serial numbers, I assume that an "Alpha" cat serial number is one that has a letter of the alphabet as the first digit and the "Prefix" cat is one where there is a double numeric followed by a dash to the balance of the serial:

68-xxxxxx for example of the prefix type

If I recall, it's a prefix type but I only handled it briefly and that was a while back.
Pamela
 
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