Ruger Bearcat reamed out for 22mag?

[Lastmohecken]

It seems like I have read of people taking a Ruger Bearcat .22 revolver and reaming out the cylinders to .22 mag. Has anyone on here done that and if so how did it turn out. Did a gunsmith do it, or was it a home project? Is this a safe and acceptable alteration? It does seem like the little Bearcat ought to be strong enough, judging by the NAA tiny revolvers chambered for it.

[Pete44ru]

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Don't judge a book by it's cover - the NAA revolvers have steel frames, while the vast majority of Ruger BearCats have aluminum alloy (by ALCOA) frames, and cylinders a bit too short for the conversion.

Super BearCats, and all New Model BearCats, though, have steel frames, and AFAIK are also a tad longer with a commensurately longer cylinder that'll accept the WMR cartridge length.


What the heck - make a dual purpose LR/Mag BearCat, and only ream out every-other chamber.


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[Hobie]

JimT reported reaming out ONE chamber to .22 Mag for versatility. For me, the pistol is so small it requires real effort to master. At least I hope it is because it is so small...

[Marlin32]

I asked a couple different "pistol smiths" who used to do that conversion and both said they would not do it. I forget all the reasons why, but essentially I think the gun can't quite handle it, AND it is a bit tricky to do.

[Base Pin Maker]

Hamilton Bowen did mine. Kelye @ Belt Mtn

[Buck Elliott]

The early Bearcats were a smidgen short for the WMR..

I 'converted' my first Colt Frontier Scout, back in '59, with some help from an uncle, who ground a WMR chamber reamer from a 1/4" drill bit..

That little Colt fired thousands of rounds of .22 WMR, and nearly as many .22 WRF, over the several years before I finally sold it...

[Marlin32]

Bowen is one of the pistol smiths I asked.
I was interested in Ruger's Shot show or some dealer exclusive, a short barrled bearcat, love it, if only it were in 22mag

[765x53]

When the "Bearcat" was reintroduced, I remember convertibles being advertised. It seems like they were never produced or maybe were recalled?

[rjohns94]

So is it the opinion that the new bearcats can be converted and are sound to do so?

[shooter]

My uncle reamed a new model cylinder to .22 WMR and it worked like a champ. He wanted the option of both .22 LR and .22 WMR, so he just bought an extra cylinder and reamed it. My cousins are still shooting the heck out of it, and it's a dandy little pistol. I've always though that a Bowen conversion to .32 H&R would be a nice little carry piece.

[Marlin32]

The two pistol smiths I talked to said "no" to the conversions. Not saying can't still be done, but these were two who were doing them and they stopped.
Once again, Ruger misses the mark. Putting that out in 22 mag I think would be big, must be a manufactoring cost thing?
They missed the mark on the LCR when they came out with it in 22LR, What? A carry pistol, why not make that 22 mag??? (better still, 32H&R or 327Fed)

I have a colt with a 22 mag cylinder, its all I use if hunting with it. 22LR is shoot for shooting out back, killing vermin, hogs etc.

[C. Cash]

The little Bearcat is a true joy to shoot with 22lr. A 22 mag. Version would be unique, but I don't know if I would enjoy it as much with the increased muzzle blast. My Super Bearcat was shooting into about an inch and a half yesterday at 25 yards, rested. Very pleasant little gun the points about as naturally as anything I've shot. The guy who I would talk to about a conversion would be Boge Quinn....brother of Jeff Quinn here. He loves the Harton conversions and would know a lot more.

[Grizzly Adams]

When the "Bearcat" was reintroduced, I remember convertibles being advertised. It seems like they were never produced or maybe were recalled?

A few were actually sold. I remember seeing them in a shop in Anchorage, AK. Each was shipped with two cylinders like the Single Six. Ruger recalled them, and those owners who shipped them back to Ruger as requested, received them back without the 22mag cylinder. There were folks who did not send them back, so a few examples with both cylinders are around.

I would just note, that if Ruger did not feel they were safe - that's good enough for me!

[Dave James]

Dave Celments is still showing on his web site , conversion on "New Model " bearcats, I wouls do one up for a woods walker ,

I bugged Ruger for years when they came out to bring one out in the Remington 5mm round

[Hobie]

When the "Bearcat" was reintroduced, I remember convertibles being advertised. It seems like they were never produced or maybe were recalled?

Recalled and discontinued. Don't send one back for repair!

[Hobie]

When the "Bearcat" was reintroduced, I remember convertibles being advertised. It seems like they were never produced or maybe were recalled?

A few were actually sold. I remember seeing them in a shop in Anchorage, AK. Each was shipped with two cylinders like the Single Six. Ruger recalled them, and those owners who shipped them back to Ruger as requested, received them back without the 22mag cylinder. There were folks who did not send them back, so a few examples with both cylinders are around.

I would just note, that if Ruger did not feel they were safe - that's good enough for me!

There are reports of people "fanning" them in the .22 Mag and having severe spitting but I don't know if that is true.

[Hawkeye2]

I bought a new Ruger Bearcat for my wife a number of years back after talking with the people at Ruger. I have a long barrel Colt with adjustable sights and interchangeable cylinders which I bought new. A friend had an FIE with fixed sights and a 4 1/2" barrel. I could consistently out shot the Colt with the FIE which had the proper size bore for .22 LR. I did not want another .22 with a Mag bore. I had bought her a long barrel Heratige but that was a major disappointment and found a new home soon after. The only single action I could find without an optional ,22 Mag cylinder was the Bearcat so I called Ruger to find out what the bore diameter was. The answer was that the Bearcat has the standard .22LR bore rather than the larger .223" bore. The person that I spoke with was quite friendly and went on to explain that they had redesigned the Bearcat giving it a longer cylinder with the intention of offering it with a .22Mag option. During their experimentation for some reason they decided that wouldn't happen then or in the future and the revolver got the .218" bore. It is possible that Ruger posted ads stating the gun would be available with interchangeable cylinders and then did't produce it (they said they didn't, maybe they didn't want to admit to having to recall them). Given that the bore would be too small for the Magnum and the fact that Ruger decided not to produce one I would think a Mag Bearcat wouldn't be such a good idea though I coud understand it's appeal. I wonder if shooting a .22 Mag down a .22 LR bore might create enough pressure to blow out a case rim?

[Pete44ru]

Once again, Ruger misses the mark.
They missed the mark on the LCR when they came out with it in 22LR, What? A carry pistol, why not make that 22 mag???

FYI: The .22 Mag Ruger LCR was introduced last month @ the same price as the .22LR LCR.

http://www.ruger.com/products/lcr/models.html


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[Grizzly Adams]

Once again, Ruger misses the mark.
They missed the mark on the LCR when they came out with it in 22LR, What? A carry pistol, why not make that 22 mag???

FYI: The .22 Mag Ruger LCR was introduced last month @ the same price as the .22LR LCR.

http://www.ruger.com/products/lcr/models.html


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I understand they are fine revolvers, but I can't get around how fugly they are! IMHO, of course.

[jh45gun]

Your over looking the fact the 22 LR is 223 bullet diameter and the 22 mag is 224 bullet diameter. I have always been told the Ruger Convertibles the bore of the barrel was .224 to accommodate the 22 mag round and that Ruger felt the 22 LR round would upset enough to use in the larger bore barrel. Now Ruger also made a 22 mag version with out the 22 lr cylinder. I am guessing this one would have been .224 also. unless some one knows different this is what I am sticking with.

[Nath]

Am just guessing! But I bet a .223 barrel won't make a jot of difference to a mag any how!

.001" men,,,,, come on!

I too think an lr would shoot just fine outa' .224"

N.

[JerryB]

As Hobie said, along time ago Jim T wrote about his dad reaming one chamber out to .22mag. I finally foud a gunsmith with a .22mag reamer and had him do one chamber on my old German single action .22. It is a big old brute and the cylinder could be bored to .45 and still have steel left. It shoot great and I like having a 22mag for the first round when I carry it.

[jh45gun]

Am just guessing! But I bet a .223 barrel won't make a jot of difference to a mag any how!

.001" men,,,,, come on!

I too think an lr would shoot just fine outa' .224"

N.

It was not the issue of the 22LR shooting out of the 224 but the mag shooting through a .223 Make a difference Maybe, Maybe not just going on what I have heard on other forums.

[AkRay]

Jim T's dad reamed out a chamber on a Single Six to 22 Magnum. I don't know why it would be a problem to ream a chamber or the whole cylinder of a Bearcat to 22 Magnum. There's no safety issue to speak of, because the guns can handle the pressure. This is an example of what can be done with a New Model Bearcat: http://www.gunblast.com/Harton-327Bearcat.htm. This Bearcat is chambered for 327 Federal. If you watch the video you see that these are some hard kicking loads that are being fired.

[3leggedturtle]

Nath, I have a 22LR barrel for a NEF Handi-rifle reamed to 22 Hornet. Besides being .223 bore and Micro-grooved, it shoots all my loads I use in a T/C Contender with absolutely no signs of pressure. Tho another forumn or two said it/I would suffer serious damage from the .001 undersize bore. Of course I have also heard .355 bullets for 9mm's will just rattle down the bore if used in .357's and .35 Rem levers.

[soon 2 retire]

FYI, Jeff Quinn's layest article in Gunblast shows a Bearcat with extensive smithing converted to a .327 Federal. It sports a new 5 shot cylinder.


Bob in Friday Harbor

[Nath]

Years ago I bought a Savage 24 20g/22 combi gun that when I got home and shot realised it had been reamed to 22mag.
It shot mag ammo just fine. Did I worry about the true bore size? No sir. Would I ever lose sleep over 1-2thou in a 22 barrel? No Sir.
I can usually tell just by finding a bullet and looking at the impression if I have a tight or slack barrel! I have in fact come to the conclusion that most American barrels are slacker than most European and it can only be a thou'!

Best wishes.

N.

[4t5]

Check this out,http://www.chuckhawks.com/ruger_super_bearcat.htm, maybe that will help.

[Lastmohecken]

Well, this thread has been interesting, I never considered only reaming 1 hole in the cylinder. Mine is a pretty new Bearcat, not one of the early models with shorter cylinders.

It's a shame Ruger abandoned the 22 mag option for the Bearcat. I think I will check with a couple of my local gunsmiths and see what they say about doing it.

[rjohns94]

I love that conversion of a bearcat to .327. I just don't see why a 22 mag can't be done. I need to look into this a bit more.

[Rusty]

Several years ago Jr wanted a Ruger Bisley .22 so we went down to the LGS and ordered one. When it came in it didn't have a magnum cylinder with it. The store owner called Ruger for us and was told that the Bisley didn't have a mag cylinder because it is a target gun. OK so I figured it had a .223 bore as well. Built on a single six frame I figured it was still plenty strong so I ordered a mag cylinder from someone on Ebay. It dropped right in with no problems. I did notice though, that when shot with the magnums extraction was quite a bit more sticky.