ruger bearcat

9

98 220 swift

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I have a guy offering me a early (1961) bearcat in trade for a shotgun I have that I do not use. He says its 95% and has not had the recall done. What is the value on these and are they good guns. I had a 80's model single six and did not care for it much nothing wrong with it I just didn't care for it. How does the bearcat compare to the single six other than size?
 
comparison

I've got an early Bearcat, and find it handy to drop in a pocket or a tacklebox as a sort of SA kit gun. I think the little revolvers are pretty nifty.

But the dinky sights are hard to see, non adjustable, and finding a holster can be problematic. A lot of guys don't care for them. The issue with some is the rather slow rate of fire for a .22 handgun. Lots of .22 guys like to bang away.....a SA slows that process down. I'd check gunbroker for prices.

With no rework, be sure to put an empty chamber under the hammer. I don't shoot mine any further than what I can toss a coke can.
 
the single six just seems cheap to me. It shot fine and worked great. I traded it an some cash for a S&W model 17 no dash. Love it. I turned down the bearcat. Figured it would probably not be something I would shoot very much.
 
I have brought home a lot of gun that I never figured on shooting. If I had a gun that I did not shoot I would not hesitate to trade it for another gun I did not plan on shooting if it was worth more money. Any gun makes good trading goods.;)
 
I have a vintage Super Bearcat - it's pristine. I think I gave about $300 for it about 5 years ago as it ad the original box, etc. Size is small but my wife likes shooting it. A good "kit gun" to carry as it's small. At short distances, it does just fine. The plus is you can run Shorts, Longs or Long Rifles through it if ammo is scarce. Holster was no problem as I make holsters as a hobby. Since the wife likes it - I've kept it. If she didn't - it would be gone as now the only thing I'm interested in shooting is 38s and will soon be moving in to 32-20s and 45 Colt as I can reload for those. I kind of got soured on 22s when the shortage hit and everyone was gouging - my attitude is "screw 'em" - I cast and reload and it's a lot cheaper than what a 22 LR runs nowadays.

The Bear Cat is a fine little revolver - all depends on what you want and what you want to use it for. Would I buy a new one? Probably not based on what the price is on 'em now.
 
These original Bearcats are delightful little .22's for single action. Exceptionally lightweight (mine weighs about 16 oz), easy to shoot and very easy to pack around. Nice gun for a kid to learn on.

I've never bothered with the "safety upgrade". Just use common sense. Load one, skip one, load the remainder. Empty chamber below the hammer when carrying.

Compared with the Single Six, it simply is not as robust. Fixed sights. And about half the weight, so it will not handle nearly as well. Grips could be a little small for large hands.

Downsides also include the fact that the finish on the alloy frame won't wear that well or hold up as well as blued steel after lots of holster carry. I think that's true of most aluminum based frames of that vintage and earlier. You see the same kind of wear in Colt Cobras, for example.

Value would be at least $300 @95%, I would think probably a little more.

Hunter has made a very basic, inexpensive leather holster for these for quite a long time.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/51...ght-hand-4-barrel-ruger-bearcat-leather-brown
 
I feel fortunate to have a couple of them; an older model Bearcat and one of the new Bearcat Shopkeepers:

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This one in the Hunter holster.

I think they are a lot of fun to shoot. More so, to me, than the Single Six, which spends most of its time in the safe.

FWIW, I am at least as accurate with the fixed-sight Bearcat as with the Single Six.

I have big hands but still feel comfortable with the Bearcat.

I'd part with the Single Six before I would either of my Bearcats.

YMMV, of course,

W.
 
An inlaw has one we use occasionally as a camp gun. It's fun but if you have big hands like I do it's a chore after a while.
 
The first hadgun I shot was my Dad's Single Six when I was six. When I was a kid I always wanted a Bearcat and my Dad thought they were sort of dinky. Flash forward and when Ruger reintroduced them I just had to have a SS one. I ordered it for $325 as I recall. Now with Bearcat on the brain so to speak I went to a gun show and one collector was selling some of his stock and so I bought a NIB old one for, yes, $325. The old one is not NIB any longer. And now that I am grown up when I shoot them they are sort of dinky and small in my hand. They are cute though. I note that now the new ones are closer to $500..... One of the things that has stopped me from buying a cute little Shopkeeper.

 
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