RUGER BEARCAT--TERRY MURBACH, IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT... :)

[1894c]

i have been looking at, thinking about, and have picked up the RUGER BEARCAT for the last five years. read some articles and Internet searched the reviews of a lot of arm-chair yahoos about the pro and cons of the Ruger Bearcat (.22 cal., single-action). talked to a good friend at my corner LGS two weeks ago, i discovered after all the years that i've know him that he has a Bearcat, his Dad has one, and his Grandfather has one (they exclusively take them when they deer hunt). then this week i went to GunBlast.com to see what they had to say and came across Terry's article on the Bearcat, we'll that did it for me (best article to date on this revolver, my opinion).

http://www.gunblast.com/Murbach-Bearcat.htm

i own and shoot on a weekly basis two Ruger Single-Six's, but never carried them deer-hunting, not that i couldn't, but because i already carry a .357 mag (GP-100) as my side-arm. but i decided that the Bearcat would be a great addition in my back-pack when i'm out and about--so this week i bought one (see lousy cell-phone pics) in stainless steel. will be taking it out shooting tomorrow, unfortunately my daughter is going along and i suspect that she is really going to like this revolver...nuts...i'll offer her cash for the mall... :)

I think that this SA would be a good companion piece to any one who hunts with a levergun, especially a levergun in .22 cal.

[olyinaz]

I like the LOOKS of a Bearcat, just can't stand the size of the little bugger. Finally sold mine just this past week.

Oly

[shooter]

I love the Bearcat, although it could do with some better sights. I think it's a dandy little carrying pistol. My uncle bought an extra cylinder for his and reamed it out to .22 mag, and another guy I know had Hamilton Bowen convert his to .32 H&R. If Ruger ever offered it from the factory in .32 or .22 mag, you better believe I'd be picking one up right quick. As it stands, my Single Six serves me just as well, so I can't justify spending money for a Bearcat in .22 lr. One of these days.....

Nice grab, btw!

[rjohns94]

Very nice indeed. Hope it gives you years of great service.

[kimwcook]

Pretty neat little revolver. I have one only it's the blued model.

[Pitchy]

Had two of them over the years, first was a early model and wish i still had it.
Some day might have to get another, grats on yours.

[Dave]

The Bearcat is a great little gun! You are going to like it

[Ysabel Kid]

Cool revolver! I picked one up for Y2K many years ago, and he loves it.

[RIHMFIRE]

I think that is a real classic shooter!...real nice

[O.S.O.K.]

Small but still fits my hand well enough to shoot it straight. What's not to like?

I used mine primarily as a snake charmer loaded with CCI #12 shot caps = dead copperheads with one shot to the head. Have an El Paso Saddlery holster for mine.

[1894c]

I really like the Single-Six, won't get rid of the two I own, but wanted something smaller, tried a 2" S&W Model 34, an ancient Charter Arms Pathfinder with a 3" bbl (should have kept that), a Wather P22, and finally have been using a Beretta 21A (can't see the front sight and found it lacking when I used it to dispatch small-game). As I previously mentioned, I was looking for something in-between and the Bearcat looked like a good candidate. The grips feel good, even the sighting system looks usable (had a S&W 649 in the early 80's that had a smaller front and rear sight set-up) and I like the fact that it has a 4" barrel... :)

edit: i fully understand that the BEARCAT is not for everyone. i have tried
over the years to shoot effectively a SA that is not chambered for a .22cal.
they just don't work for me, the only way i come close is with pachmyer grips
and i still suck. on the other hand a DA revolver in .357mag or a tupperware
manufactured striker-fired auto in .40S&W, 9MM, .357SIG, or .45ACP is an
extention of my arm... :)

[Hawkeye2]

"If Ruger ever offered it from the factory in .32 or .22 mag". The .22 mag will never happen. A few years back and not too long after Ruger had reintroduced the Bearcat I decided to replace the Heratige that I had bought my wife with a real gun but I was concerned about the bore diameter. I called Ruger with questions about the bore diameter of the Bearcat and Single Six. It turns out the Bearcat has the correct diameter for .22 LR rather than using the tooling for a .22 mag. A real + there! The girl also went on to say they had planned a .22 mag version and that was the reason they had lengthened the frame and cylinder over the original. Problems came up, she didn't go into details, the plan was dropped and will never happen. I went out and bought one for my wife and may pick up one for myself someday. I didn't think I would like the small size myself but I got over that quickly. A very good looking top quality piece.

[awp101]

As it stands, my Single Six serves me just as well, so I can't justify spending money for a Bearcat in .22 lr. One of these days.....

That's the boat I am in. I WANT one but when I fondle them at the local shops and shows it's just small enough to not fit me as well as my SS. When it comes time to lay out the funds, I start second guessing and overthinking and talk myself out of it.

Between yours and the one Mr Murbach wrote up, I might have to start that quest again.

[L_Kilkenny]

As it stands, my Single Six serves me just as well, so I can't justify spending money for a Bearcat in .22 lr. One of these days.....

That's the boat I am in. I WANT one but when I fondle them at the local shops and shows it's just small enough to not fit me as well as my SS. When it comes time to lay out the funds, I start second guessing and overthinking and talk myself out of it.

Between yours and the one Mr Murbach wrote up, I might have to start that quest again.

Same here but I take it a step further. I can't justify any additional small caliber revolver since I already have a .32h&r SingleSix. I've looked many times at .22lr Ruger revolvers including the SP101 and the Single 10 and always pass. What I can't figure out is which is more of a sickeness, passin on guns because I'm cheap and can't justify them or buying un-needed guns with the slightest justification. Lord help us all!

LK

[Blaine]

I have a S&W 317 AirLite, and a Single Six..Neither of which will ever be for sale. If I ever end up with too much money, I'll get the BearCat...they are super cool.

[olyinaz]

As it stands, my Single Six serves me just as well, so I can't justify spending money for a Bearcat in .22 lr. One of these days.....

That's the boat I am in. I WANT one but when I fondle them at the local shops and shows it's just small enough to not fit me as well as my SS. When it comes time to lay out the funds, I start second guessing and overthinking and talk myself out of it.

They're just lovely little pistols but that's not the whole equation and I think you're very much right to have those second thoughts. I bought one and owned it for years. After a time, and given the fact that it just doesn't fit my hand well at all (much less so than a SS, and not even in the same ball park as a Ruger Bisley), it just sat in the safe and I couldn't even get my wife or kids to shoot the thing. That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me and it got sold last week. I used the funds to help buy something else and I think you've been right to use your funds elsewhere if the gun doesn't fit you.

"After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting."

Oly

[Blaine]

"After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting."

I've yet to learn that lesson

[C. Cash]

Boge Quinn got me with his Bearcat posts, and Robert Sherman's Bearcat article in Gun Digest back in the 80's. First time I picked up a bearcat I did not like it, but they grow on you.
Ps.....have to agree that is a great little article by Terry Murbach. There are steel ejector rod housings, available from Bowen, looks like. I take it these are the longer 4.25" barrels that they mention on their ad.

[awp101]

"After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting."

I've yet to learn that lesson

You and me both! "Hello, Pot? This is Kettle calling..."

[Mescalero]

All these years, I have yet learned to like them.

[Terry Murbach]

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT BEARCAT 22 PISTOL IS ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING GUNS I HAVE EVER TESTED. TAFFIN AND I BOTH HAVE GONE ALL OVER THAT GUN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY AND HOW IT DOES WHAT IT DOES. LET ME NOTE ALSO THAT ALL THE TESTING AND DATA ON IT WAS OBTAINED IN 1997 OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY. THEN MY WIFE LEARNED THE WAYS OF SA SIXGUNS WITH IT AFTER WE WERE MARRIED IN JUNE '01, SHOT THE STEW OUT OF IT UP TO 8M[?] ROUNDS OR SO, AND THEN DECIDED SHE LIKED MY K22 BETTER AND BOUGHT HER OWN ONE OF THOSE. SHE ALOS ENDED UP GETTING HER OWN S&W M631 4" 32MAG, AND A USFA 44SPL SIXGUN. THE FUNNY THING IS A FEW YEARS AGO SHE BOUGHT ME A S&W M63-4 5" HB 8-SHOT KITGUN FOR MY BIRTHDAY, AND HAS SINCE TAKEN OVER IT'S STEWARDSHIP AND SHOOTS THE DICKENS OUT OF IT EVERYTIME WE GO SHOOTING. I MEAN TO TELL YOU SHE IS DEADLY WITH IT OUT TO 50+ METERS OR SO !!
THE BEARCAT HAS SORTA STAYED IN THE SAFE A LOT SINCE THEN. BUT NOW IT HAS A COMPANION ONE I GOT IN A TRADE SOME TIME BACK, AN OM BEARCAT WITH FULLY ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS AND A FITTED SPARE 22mag CYLINDER ALL FROM THE LOVING MITTS OF THE PISTOLSMITH TO GOD, HAMILTON BOWEN. I GOT STUNG NICE IN THIS DEAL THOUGH....TRADED A REALLY NICE OLD NM 4 5/8" SINGLE SIX SS BISLEY FOR IT.....
AND SO IT GOES....