Any love for the Ruger Bearcat?

[Gato Montés]

Yep yep, pinky under the grip.

Maybe it comes a tad bit more natural to me as I carry a J Frame Smith with the boot grips, have to grip those the same way.

Hey BCRider, that Earl you mentioned, that's the top break NAA right? The one they discontinued almost right away because of the cost? If I'm thinking of the same one that's the only NAA I'd consider; I'd take it over the Bearcat as well. Cool little piece and I have a soft spot for topbreaks.

 

[BCRider]

Nope, it's the one which looks like a Remington New Model Army that isn't grown up yet. I've got a pair of Uberti Remington clones which I dearly love to use both for fun and in CAS matches. Having "Jr" to go with them is the icing on the cake....

It's hellishly fun to shoot even with the drill for slipping the cylinder out to reload. And with the 4.2 inch barrel that allowed it to be imported into Canada it's surprisingly easy to shoot to a darn good degree of accuracy. It's not hard to make 4.5 to 5 inch groups at 20 yards other than figuring out how to hold onto those dainty little grip scales.

 

[BullRunBear]

Thanks for the advice, guys. It might have to be two fingers under the grip. I'll try that the next time I can handle a Bearcat. I should have my wife try one. She is tiny and even the Single-Six is a bit large for her. On the other hand, she outshoots me with her Ruger MkII, and CZ 75b in 9mm and with the 22 conversion kit.

Jeff

 

[foghornl]

I have shot Bearcats a few times, and I found them just a tiny fractional bit too small for my Ham Fists, complete with Sausage Link fingers....I have the "fat Hands Syndrome".

Now the Single-Six....ahhhhh Single-Action .22 JOY!

 

[Stainz]

I saw the recent LE engraved Bearcat - cute little revolver. Just too small for me. Oh, and the price... my 3" 63 was less, yet wearing the S&W '60 Pro' grips, is far more comfortable 'in the hand'. And... it goes bang with just a trigger pull. Bearcats are cute, I''ll give you that - but that grip kills them for me.

Stainz

 

[bubba in ca]

Gimmick gun

It`s cutesy and well made, but I only keep it as a trainer for my daughter who has very small hands and for my grandson.

Generally speeking, a handgun that doesn`t fit your hands is self-defeating.

 

[GrandmasterB]

Lots of love here for the Bearcat

 

[Gato Montés]

Man, some of you guys must be borderline monsters. TWO fingers under the grip!?

I stand at 5'7", not tall by any means and my hands are rather tiny as well. So small in fact that I had to give up on the Glock I owned simply because my hand could not accommodate it. Good thing Ruger is providing us midgets with appropriately sized firearms!

 

[murf]

yup, the bearcat grip is smaller in every way compared to the single six/blackhawk grip (yes, the single six and blackhawk grip frames are identical). probably why foghornl has much joy with the single six.

i pulled my guns out and compared, just to see what all the fuss was about. justified for those xl hands. there is quite a bit of difference in width, heel length, height from heel to top of backstrap and length from grip screw to trigger.

great for the shooter without full-sized hands!

murf

 

[jimherb]

Lots of love here. Have my eye on the new "storekeeper" model too.

 

[goon]

I didn't know about the storekeeper until I read about it in here.
Always wanted a Bearcat anyhow.
Now I want two!

 

[Boxhead]

Mine is a touch more accurate than my Single Six's and shoots dead on to the sights at 25 yards with its preferred load of CCI Mini-Mag's. Elk antler grips that came with it from the local pawn shop where I bought it. Holster is a Tucker cross draw that I bought many years ago cheap yet with no piece to fit it. It all came together.

 

[X-Rap]

I got one from my sister on a bad debt, dad got it for her back in the 70's so I wanted to keep it in the family. I haven't shot it since back when it was new and I'll fall in with the gimick guys. Nice gun, made well, to small for practical use. I have 3 kids and they have never shot it growing up. Maybe the grand kids.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Love the bearcat.

 

[Pilot]

The Bearcat is just way too small for me. If you're looking for a good, lightweight, woods plinker the new Ruger 22/45 Lite is the way to go.

For a .22 woods gun I carry a MK II era 22/45 with 4 inch bull barrel and don't find it heavy at all, but then again my MK II 5.5 in bull barrel doesn't bother me either, so YMMV.

 

[vwfool]

I got an older aluminum framed one when my dad died a few years ago, and I absolutely love it. It is quite a bit more accurate than my 3-screw single six. I also like the Bearcat because I have always prefered 1858 Remington to SAA styling.

I still kick myself for buying a S&W Model 19 2 1/2" round butt back in 1994. I was a nice gun, but I should have bought the other gun I looked at. It was a stainless Bearcat convertible with both cylinders. Crazy what the 22LR/22Mag Bearcats go for these days, provided the owner wasn't dumb enough th send the recalled mag cylinder back for the $30 Ruger was paying to buy them back for.

I can't wait to teach my daughter to shoot a single action with my dad's old Bearcat.

 

[Geno]

I think they're a great little revolver, accurate enough and very durable. I also like the single six .22 LR / .22 Mag.

Geno

 

[Gato Montés]

The Bearcat is just way too small for me. If you're looking for a good, lightweight, woods plinker the new Ruger 22/45 Lite is the way to go.

For a .22 woods gun I carry a MK II era 22/45 with 4 inch bull barrel and don't find it heavy at all, but then again my MK II 5.5 in bull barrel doesn't bother me either, so YMMV.

I have both an MKII 5.5" Target and a 22/45 TB with a 4.5" barrel. You're right, with a good holster the 22/45 is a breeze, but that's with a holster. The little Bearcat will do nicely in a pocket when shooting isn't the primary goal of the day's activity. Besides, despite owning two of them I find the MK's to be awesome yet boring, but I find most semis to be pretty boring. Manipulation of a manual action is part of the joy of shooting for me.

I have always prefered 1858 Remington to SAA styling.

Huh, didn't know that. If that's the case then call me an 1858 man myself as I prefer the look as well.