Ruger Bearcat | |
---|---|
Type | Single-action revolver |
Place of origin | United States |
Production history | |
Designer | William B. Ruger |
Designed | 1957–1958 [1] |
Manufacturer | Sturm, Ruger & Co. |
Unit cost | $49.50 (1958), [2] $639 (2020) [3] |
Produced | 1958 |
Variants | see variants
|
Specifications | |
Mass | |
Length | |
Barrel length | |
Cartridge | .22 LR, .22 Long, .22 Short, .22 WMR |
Barrels | 1:16" RH [5] |
Action | Single-action [5] |
Feed system | 6-round cylinder [4] |
The Ruger Bearcat is a single-action, .22 caliber revolver manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co., introduced in 1958. It is based on the classic Remington single-action revolvers of the mid-19th century. [6] Because of its compact size and frame, it is advertised as being ideal for hikers or campers in need of a .22 LR revolver, or "kit gun". [7] [6]
In 1974 Ruger patented a transfer bar safety system for their single-action revolvers and discontinued the production of the Bearcat, which was not readily adaptable to the new transfer bar design. [8] In 1993, Ruger brought back the Bearcat as the New Bearcat, now incorporating the transfer bar system. [9] Some time in the early 1980s, Bill Ruger gave an interview to a writer with the Ruger Collector's Association (RCA) and talked about the Bearcat. He said that the Bearcat was the first revolver for which the Ruger engineers developed the transfer bar and that they could easily have made it that way in 1974. They dropped it, Bill said, because of a mistake by the marketing department. When that department sent out the 1974 catalog and order forms to the distributors, they forgot to include the Bearcat. When the orders came back without orders for the Bearcat, they assumed that there was no demand and they dropped it. Today, only old members of the Ruger Collector's Association are aware of the true story of what really happened to the original Bearcat, since that story was published in the Ruger Collectors Journal and is a part of their history.
The original Bearcat featured a fixed Patridge front sight and a square notched rear. It was made with an alloy solid frame and an uncheckered plastic grips that were later replaced with walnut grip. It also features music wire coil springs and a non-fluted engraved cylinder. [4]
The Bearcat 2nd issue was marketed in 1971 as an improved version of the original Bearcat, and renamed the Super Bearcat; it featured an all-steel frame rather than an alloy frame. [4] [10]
The Bearcat 3rd issue, also known as the New Bearcat, is Ruger's reintroduced model which came out in 1993. [5] It features smooth rosewood grips with a Ruger medallion embedded. [4] The New Bearcat also incorporated Ruger's new transfer bar safety system. [9] It was offered with an additional .22 WMR cylinder, which was recalled by Ruger in April 1994 due to a concern the cylinders were improperly timed. [11]
In 2002, Ruger began offering the Bearcat in stainless steel. [12]
In 2008, a 50th Anniversary edition was released with gold-filled script and special engravings, with 2,539 units produced. [13]
In 2015, Ruger introduced a variant of the Bearcat with adjustable sights, addressing a longstanding criticism of the limitations of the fixed sights. [14]
The Colt Python is a double action revolver chambered for the .357 Magnum cartridge. It was first introduced in 1955 by the Colt's Manufacturing Company.
The Colt Anaconda is a large frame double-action revolver featuring a full length under-barrel ejection-rod lug and six round cylinder, designed and produced by the Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1990. Chambered for the powerful .44 Magnum and .45 Colt centerfire ammunition cartridges, the Anaconda marked the Hartford, Connecticut firm's first foray into the popular large-bore Magnum pistol market.
The Smith & Wesson Model 500 is a five-shot, double/single action large-caliber revolver produced by Smith & Wesson, firing the .500 S&W Magnum cartridge.
The Ruger P series is a line of centerfire semi-automatic pistols made by Sturm, Ruger & Company produced from 1985 to 2013. The P-series pistols were designed for military, police, civilian and recreational use. The designs are largely based on the Browning action found in the M1911 pistol, but with minor variations, generally related to the safety mechanism and the barrel-camblock interface. Reviews have considered them rugged, reliable, and strong, though this strength comes at the price of bulk and a blocky appearance.
The Ruger Blackhawk is a six-shot, single-action revolver manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co. It is produced in a variety of finishes, calibers, and barrel lengths.
The GP100 is a family/line of double action five-, six-, seven-, or ten-shot revolvers made by Sturm, Ruger & Co., manufactured in the United States. Since its introduction, it has been produced with a number of variations including various barrel lengths and profiles, fixed or adjustable sights, and in blued carbon steel or stainless steel.
The Super Redhawk is a line of double-action magnum revolvers made by Sturm, Ruger beginning in 1987, when Ruger started making weapons using larger, more powerful cartridges such as .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, and .480 Ruger.
A snubnosed revolver is a small, medium, or large frame revolver with a short barrel, generally less than 4 inches in length. Smaller such revolvers are often made with "bobbed" or "shrouded" hammers and there are also "hammerless" models ; the point is to allow the gun to be drawn with little risk of it snagging on clothing. Since the external movement of the mechanism is minimal or nil, shrouded and hammerless models may be fired from within clothing. The design of these revolvers compromises range and accuracy at a distance in favor of maneuverability and ease of carry and concealment.
The Ruger Redhawk is a DA/SA, large-frame revolver introduced in 1979 by Sturm, Ruger & Company.
The Ruger Single-Six is a single-action rimfire revolver produced by Sturm, Ruger & Co. The Single-Six was first released in June 1953.
The Beretta Stampede is a single-action revolver manufactured by Beretta that is a close clone of the Colt Single Action Army "Peacemaker". The main difference is that the Beretta utilizes a transfer bar like the Ruger Vaquero which makes the gun safe to carry a full 6 rounds.
The Ruger SP101 is a series of double-action revolvers produced by the American company Sturm, Ruger & Co. The SP101 is a small frame and all-steel-construction carry revolver, with a five-shot, six-shot, or eight-shot cylinder.
The Ruger Standard Model is a rimfire semi-automatic pistol introduced in 1949 as the first product manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co., and was the founding member of a product line of .22 Long Rifle cartridge handguns, including its later iterations: the MK II, MK III, and MK IV. It is marketed as an inexpensive .22 caliber rimfire intended for casual sport and target shooting, and plinking. Designed by company founder William B. Ruger, the Standard model and its offspring went on to become the most accepted and successful .22 caliber semi-automatic pistols ever produced.
The Ruger Vaquero is a six-shot single-action revolver manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co. based on the New Model Ruger Blackhawk frame and was introduced in 1993. It comes in blued steel, case colored, and a gloss stainless finish, all of which are available with wood, hard rubber, simulated ivory or black micarta grips and fixed sights. It arose with the popularity of Cowboy Action Shooting from which came demand for a single-action revolver that was more traditional in appearance.
The Ruger Security-Six and its variants, the Service-Six and Speed-Six are a product line of double-action revolvers introduced in 1972 and manufactured until 1988 by Sturm, Ruger & Co. These revolvers were marketed to law enforcement duty issue, military, and civilian self-defense markets.
The Ruger LCR is a compact revolver built by Sturm, Ruger & Co. and announced in January 2009. LCR stands for "Lightweight Compact Revolver". It incorporates several novel features such as a polymer grip and trigger housing, monolithic receiver, and constant force trigger. At 13.5 oz (380 g), the LCR is nearly 50% lighter than the stainless steel SP101, as only the barrel and fluted cylinder are made of stainless steel.
The Ruger Old Army is a black-powder percussion revolver introduced in 1972 by the Sturm, Ruger company and manufactured through 2008. Models were made with a 7.5" and a 5.5 inch barrel.
In firearms, a safety or safety catch is a mechanism used to help prevent the accidental discharge of a firearm, helping to ensure safer handling.
Kit guns are multi-purpose utility handguns, intended to be used for small game hunting, plinking, pest control, and self defense. They are generally small, lightweight, .22 rimfire revolvers, designed to be easily packed in a hunting, camping or fishing "kit". They are ideally suited for shooting snake shot at snakes, rodents, birds, and other pest at very close range. They are also commonly used as the coup de grâce by hunters and fishermen or as a method of animal euthanasia when drug overdose is not available.
The Ruger Wrangler is a single-action rimfire revolver produced by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Chambered for .22 Long Rifle cartridges, it was announced in April 2019. The revolver makes extensive use of aluminum and zinc castings for ease of manufacturability, and also has an unfluted cylinder and uses metal injection molded components for further cost reduction. The Wrangler's price point has been described as "very attractive", and is less than half the MSRP of Ruger's Single-Six and Bearcat models.
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