Anyone have a .32 Ruger Bearcat?

H

HighValleyRanch

New member
I just scored this nice Bucheimer floral carved holster for my Ruger bearcat (well, it's my wife's but I get to carry it around the property!LOL) The holster appears to be brand new, and cost me less than 40.00 on the big fleabay. Thumb break style called "Federal man"

attachment.php



Love this setup, but now I'm fantasizing about a .32 magnum or .327 bearcat by Alan Harton or Clements.

Anyone have such a setup?
Am I crazy to lust for one?
 

Attachments

  • DSC05262.JPG
    DSC05262.JPG
    185.9 KB · Views: 1,172
Find a copy of Six-guns, by John Taffin.
In the Ruger section he shows some custom Bearcats in .32 mag.

No, I don't think you are crazy. It would be a neat little kitgun.
I've sometimes think a Single Six would be fun in .38 Special.
 
Last edited:
nice

That is a sweet little rig.......holstering the Bearcat had been a problem for me as well. I/ve stumbled up on two rigs, and both add bulk to an otherwise tidy revolver. I've resorted to just tucking the little revolver in my pants pocket on most occasions.

A .32 Mag Bearcat does seem interesting. My only reservation would be that I would want better sights on the conversion as well. Those dinky sights on the Bearcat are OK for .22lr plinking, but come up short in about any other measurement of effectiveness. The factory sights are tidy and durable, but sure are hard to see. If the groove on the top strap could be opened up, and the front blade thickened a bit, that would suit (I think). A real set of sights like on the Single 6, might be a bit much, but it would add to shootability.
 
Nice holster. I think for a Bearcat I would just have the chambers bored to a 22 mag. Paco Kelly wrote about having that done.

I have two Ruger single sixes in 32 mag with 5.5" barrels. Those are my favorite 32 caliber guns of all that I own.
 
sights

I just looked at the pics for the Harton conversion.......lo and behold, a wider front blade (well, a whole new barrel actually) and it appears the groove in the top strap was opened as well.

That would make the little Bearcat much more shootable.
 
For me, if it won't hold six, forget it...too small. I carry a 6 shot SP101, which is W-A-Y cheaper. My Single Seven seems the right size for full power 327 Federal in a single action. Had to add a Belt Mountain base pin.
 
.22 mag and 5 v. 6 shots

Seems like there were some early Bearcat .22 mags, and they might have called them Super Bearcats.....but I am not sure of that.

'Course we all know that the early 6-shooters were really 5-shooters if done safely. My early Bearcat lives that way and I don't plan to change it.
 
I was told that the Super Bearcat was the all steel frame.
Clements will do the .22 mag conversion for around 200.00 according to their price list.
The new Bearcats have the transfer bar, so they can be carried safely with 6.
 
Hey Real Gun, Why did you have to add a Belt Mountain base pin? Just wondering. I have a Single Seven as well.
 
ViperR -
I put a Belt Mountain base pin in my Single Seven Birdshead. The short barrel means a short ejector rod, and Belt Mountain makes a shorter base pin. Gives my ejector rod an extra fraction of an inch to push the empties out. That was the only reason I had for making the change.
 
IDN, Real Gun. For more empty ejection or to tighten up the cylinder rotation? You weren't specific.

Reteach, thanks. I have also have the Single Seven Birdshead in 327 Fed. What pin did you get? Many on their site. The only two that looks like they'd give more throw are the Colt Model and the Sheriffs Locking model.
I have no problem with 32 H&R's, but the longer 327's need that little extra.
 
This is the reply I got when I asked Kelye at Belt Mtn which pin to use:

for these guns I shorten a Colt Style pin so there is a single groove to get a fingernail into to remove the pin.

I ordered the "Colt Style Ruger Pin, Stainless, Modified short head." There is a little more to grab to remove the pin than he describes, but I follow his instructions - get a thumbnail into the groove and pull. I still have to hit the spent .327 cases firmly to knock them out, but it works very well.

I think the Belt Mtn pin is very slightly larger in diameter than the original, which tightens things up in a good way. I'm glad I did this mod - works fine in my gun.
 
IDN, Real Gun. For more empty ejection or to tighten up the cylinder rotation? You weren't specific.
Click to expand...

This is a hijack in that it is not about the Bearcat.

My S7 barrel is 4 5/8, so the ejector at full throw doesn't even touch the base pin. The ejector at full throw extends a grunt over 1" out the back of the cylinder. The Belt Mountain pin was because the gun was throwing its original pin, the real problem Belt Mountain tries to address. The ejector tube was being thrown too, so that had to be refitted to take force off the screw. Most of my Rugers have been works in progress, but now I have a nice gun which I like and will keep. I had a 5.5" S7 too, but it never threw a base pin. Sold it to get down to one gun of that type and caliber.

On the shorter barrels with shorter ejectors, you might look at using lower pressure ammo and having the chambers uniformed and polished. The spent rounds should not be so sticky.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top