Ruger Bearcat Revolvers - Old Is Prohib Status? New IS Restricted?

Lonesome Donkey

Lonesome Donkey

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I was looking over a Ruger Bearcat Old Model and was surprised to discover that it is listed as Prohibited Status, while the New Model is Restricted Status.

The reason being that the Old Model has a 4" barrel while the New Model has a 4.2" barrel.

All for a difference of 5 mm, or less than 1/4"?

http://www.gunblast.com/images/Hamm_Bearcat/DSC00126.jpg

Just goes to show you how silly this law really is.
 
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The part that gets me is the price!

I'd like one but they are nearly the same price as a Single Six. It's smaller and no magnum cylinder (not that I need the extra killing power for paper anyway ).
 
vagrantviking said:
The part that gets me is the price!

I'd like one but they are nearly the same price as a Single Six. It's smaller and no magnum cylinder (not that I need the extra killing power for paper anyway ).
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It is smaller, but no less accurate.

I have a New Model, blued. Apart from the ejector rod housing, it's all steel.

Everything about mine proved spot on.

The bolt pops up exactly at the leads, so no drag ring, with perfect timing.

The hammer spring is a little heavy, but not objectionable.

And, they are prettier than the Single Six.

But, a little pricey.
 
Lonesome Donkey said:
I was looking over a Ruger Bearcat Old Model and was surprised to discover that it is listed as Prohibited Status, while the New Model is Restricted Status.

The reason being that the Old Model has a 4" barrel while the New Model has a 4.2" barrel.

All for a difference of 5 mm, or less than 1/4"?

http://www.gunblast.com/images/Hamm_Bearcat/DSC00126.jpg

Just goes to show you how silly this law really is.
Click to expand...

The cut off needs to start some where. Some people would b!tch if the cut off was 4 meters and not 4 inches.
 
The Bearcat is a lovely little handgun. But it's suited to those with smaller hands. The only one I've held felt like I had gorilla hands and was trying to hold an SAA. I suspect with some custom grips that covered and padded back the back strap that it would fit larger hands quite well... provided the shooter's trigger finger is fairly skinny.... not a lot of room in the guard either. It really is geared to youth and the more petit ladies.
 
BCRider said:
The Bearcat is a lovely little handgun. But it's suited to those with smaller hands. The only one I've held felt like I had gorilla hands and was trying to hold an SAA. I suspect with some custom grips that covered and padded back the back strap that it would fit larger hands quite well... provided the shooter's trigger finger is fairly skinny.... not a lot of room in the guard either. It really is geared to youth and the more petit ladies.
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Actually, I think that the Bearcat was meant to be the Ruger answer to the S&W Model 34 .22 Kit Gun revolvers.
These being small and light. revolvers for campers and fishermen to carry into the woods in their kit bags.
The original Bearcat had an aluminum frame, which seems to confirm this.

I have medium size hands and have no problems firing it or holding it, though my little finger rests under the grip.
It's somewhat like holding an S&W Chief's Special or Colt Detective Special grip in this regard.
I think that they would work fine for anyone except those with the largest hands, or those who just plain dislike small handguns.
 
I bought one for my kids and after shooting it myself couldn't believe how accurate it is. It's a great little gun, very well made and lots of fun to shoot.
 
The "new model" stainless Bearcat I owned was very impressive in build quality and a looker.
They only issue I had with mine was with cheap bulk ammo. Some did not fit the tight tolerance of the cylinders.

There's a nice Bearcat Shopkeeper that would be great to carry in the woods but it's deemed too dangerous to own up here.....
 
johNTO said:
The "new model" stainless Bearcat I owned was very impressive in build quality and a looker.
They only issue I had with mine was with cheap bulk ammo. Some did not fit the tight tolerance of the cylinders.

There's a nice Bearcat Shopkeeper that would be great to carry in the woods but it's deemed too dangerous to own up here.....
Click to expand...

I run into the same issue with the S&W Model 17. I guess the guns expect us to not be so freakin' cheap.... :) And that's OK since guns with precision fitted chambers like that can sure make us look good when fed the stuff they feel is their just due.
 
johNTO said:
The "new model" stainless Bearcat I owned was very impressive in build quality and a looker.
They only issue I had with mine was with cheap bulk ammo. Some did not fit the tight tolerance of the cylinders.

There's a nice Bearcat Shopkeeper that would be great to carry in the woods but it's deemed too dangerous to own up here.....
Click to expand...


Have the same problem with Ruger single 10, Federal bulk works, Winchester you would need a hammer to get them in
 
Interesting observation about the tight chambers.

It seems like with some ammunition all it takes is some fouling to make chambering difficult.

As has been observed, Federal bulk chambers fine, but Winchester needs to be forced in.

The problem that I discovered is that Winchester is pretty sloppy when they seat their bullets, resulting in some lead actually overlapping the case mouth, and the side of the case. That means that the cartridge is actually oversize in this area.

It doesn't bother my 10-22 though, so maybe it's chamber is a bit larger, while the Bearcat and Single 6 and 10 chambers are close tolerance.
 
I've got a bunch of Remington Target which has bullets that are slightly over sized for some reason. I was thinking that it was only good to throw away until I recalled my little collection of old "boy's rifles" with badly corroded barrels and chambers. The oversize Remington actually works like a treat in these and turns "scatter guns" into decently accurate shooters. They won't win any bench rest competitions but at least I can shoot them this way long enough to use up the otherwise useless ammo before I re-barrel or line the old barrels so they shoot well with proper sized .22LR.

A regular tool that the S&W 17 goes to the range with is a .22 bore brush on a short extension. Handle optional. About every 50 rounds a quick couple of passes of the brush through the chambers cleans them up and lets the rounds fit in easily again. Otherwise even the "proper" sized ammo starts to get sticky due to the fouling just like you found. In your case you'd need to drop the cylinder out of the frame. But on a SA revolver that's pretty easy to do.

You should find that the better lines of CCI fit well too. Like Standard Velocity and Green Tag and other more premium lines from that brand. I found that if loose packed bulk ammo fits then it's more by accident and good luck than due to quality and good planning. As a result when I reach for my M17 I then reach for the properly packed boxes of the "good stuff" to take with me. If you hate the idea of feeding the slightly more costly good stuff to your Bearcat then keep a loose chambered semi auto around to burn off the stuff that the Bearcat can't eat.
 
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