Wrangler's Bearcat

Status
Not open for further replies.
The HP22 gets a lot of love on the forums, but my buddy's might malfunction on every single round in the magazine in every possible way.

I'd love to see a Wrangler Bearcat, but I don't think Ruger is going that way. I think the whole point of the Wrangler is to specifically take a bite out of the Rough Rider market.
 
I'd love to see a Wrangler Bearcat, but I don't think Ruger is going that way. I think the whole point of the Wrangler is to specifically take a bite out of the Rough Rider market.

True. And it is doing it so well. :D
Remember that old saying: "If you can't lick em' then join em'."
 
I agree that it will most likely be a while until Ruger will have any production capability to spare, but I do think they'd sell a bunch of them (I'd probably pick up two or three - two for the kids, and one for me). I'd also love to see them make a 5 shot .32 version like Alan Harton does (on a steel frame, of course). One can dream, no?

As far as names go, I think animals that don't sound like they'd go together - much like bear and cat - should be what they stick to. Ruger Fish Crow?
I think Grumman would diagree, lol. Wildcat, Hellcat, Bearcat, Tigercat, Tomcat.....
 
I recently bought a Bearcat but I find it a mite too small in my hand for good shooting. Haven't reall found a niche for it as yet.

Bob Wright

I owned a bearcat many years ago. It's an excellent little revolver with emphasis on "little'. My hands are medium sized and I found it too small and eventually sold it. I have wanted a bird's head handled single action for awhile now and Ruger only makes one in the bearcat line so no Ruger for me. I gave up and bought a HRR. It's perfect in size. I bet Ruger could sell a bunch if they offered one in the wrangler model and it would be simple to do so. It's just a different grip frame and panels.
 
I owned a bearcat many years ago. It's an excellent little revolver with emphasis on "little'. My hands are medium sized and I found it too small and eventually sold it.

You know, it's funny how comparisons and preferences are often purely subjective.

I own a New Bearcat and also have medium-sized hands. I found it comfortable to shoot and never found the grip to be too small. It's often been described as a "jewell" of a revolver and I would agree.
The grip isn't hand-filling like the equally excellent Single Six, but it is well-shaped and as such it really doesn't matter, in my opinion. Both revolvers are very well made and have the same unbreakable coil and torsion spring actions and steel cylinder frames, with the Bearcat being all-steel except for the ejector rod housing.

The Bearcat has been around since 1958 and around 281,000 original, super, and new
Bearcats have been made in total, so it must have something going for it.

But, like I said, it really comes down to subjective preferences.
 
Last edited:
I agree. Ruger Single Sixes and Bearcats are top of the line revolvers but like you stated it all in a person's preferences. I've owned a Single Six since shortly after they dropped the flat gate and love it. It's never given me a minute's trouble and I have no idea of the number of it's round count but it's a lot. Load it up and shoot it and if the ammo works like it's supposed to just keep doing that until you decide to quit. The gun will still be going. On the other hand I just can't find any love for the bearcat because of it's size although I have no doubt that one would would be just as dependable as my old Single Six. I really like the looks of the Shop Keeper but there is that size thing. I really don't understand why Ruger doesn't offer that type grip in the Single Six also. I bet they would sell quite a few more than they do of the Shop Keeper.
 
I really don't understand why Ruger doesn't offer that type grip in the Single Six also. I bet they would sell quite a few more than they do of the Shop Keeper.

I don't know if they would.
While the New Bearcat is a premium-priced high quality revolver, in the hand it seems to exude Old West charm moreso than the Single Six does.
With its traditional Old West fixed sights, the shorter barrel, and the Bird's Head grip, it really makes an appealing hide-out gun.
I'm sure that a Bird's Head grip Single Six would appeal to some such as yourself, but I think that the Single Six primary market is conservative older guys who crave the same traditional Ruger revolvers that they did in their youth.
On the other hand, how much would it cost to tool up and crank out a new grip frame and replacement grips? Since nothing else needs to be changed, if you offered it on the 4 5/8" barrel blued models for starters, it might sell well enough.
If the same grip frame was compatible with the Wrangler, those would sell even better.
 
I have to say that the video of the Phoenix had to be scripted to make the gun look awful. I owned one for a time and shot it quite a bit. I never had one minute's problem with it.

Not scripted I think. Just one man's experience with one sample of the gun.
Reports from owners vary. Some say that they are very reliable. Some have nothing but problems.
 
Over the years I've had two Bearcats. Never really took to them. Don't have one now. Just felt too much like a toy.
 
Just felt too much like a toy.

For myself, knowing that this revolver is all steel (save for the ejector rod housing) and has really nice rosewood grips, I can't see it as a toy.
I could not see any other high quality, all-steel, small frame revolver as one either.
But all opinions are subjective, like I said.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top