Roadrat,
I recently developed an interest in these small revolvers. I have introduced my nine year grandson to my Single Six, unfortunately it seems a bit heavy for him, hence my interest in a Bearcat. GB has them listed from $450 – $700+, from what I have seen there are steel and aluminum frames, correct? Is that the reason for the large price range? May I inquire what your LGS was asking? Are they a “true” single action, that is four clicks, half cock to open loading gate then full cock to lower hammer?
Sorry for all the questions, just want to make an informed decision!

 

I sent you a PM. Yes it is a single-action.

 

Great find, @Roadrat ! Congrats!

 

The transfer bar was added to the New Model Single Sixes in about 1973. I'm not sure when this was done to the Bearcats.

 

the bearcat was the first to get the transfer bar but for some inexplicable reason it was not released to the public it went dormant for 20 years or so then reintroduced sometime in the 90's built to date.

 

I luv OM BC's, and have owned several different ones.

I bought/sold them due to them not shooting to the sights with any ammo I could find (out of about a dozen different ammo brands).

When this one shot to the sights with most of the ammo I had, I kept it, and kissed it with a set of stags from Sack Peterson ( over on Rimfire Central)

 

This BC4 looks like a a late model prior to 1973, is your front sight face serrated?

 

A 68 Bearcat was the first pistol I ever owned. Just last year gave it to my brother. Great gun my hands are just way to big for it.

 

The Bearcat was the first to receive the transfer bar for some inexplicable reason
it was never released in 1973 it lay dormant at Ruger for 20 or so years and brought back in the 90's.

I discovered recently why the Bearcat was discontinued in 1974. Bill Ruger explained in an interview what happened. The marketing department had sent out a catalog and order forms to distributors accidentally leaving the Bearcat off. After receiving the completed order forms with no Bearcats ordered, Ruger assumed there was no demand and discontinued the model. So, thank you, marketing department.

 

Do you know how many Firearms Ruger has discontinued for one reason or another.

 

Do you know how many Firearms Ruger has discontinued for one reason or another.

No, I would guess couple dozen.

 

That was a rhetorical question.

 

Innumerable Models, over the years, have been discontinued due to "improvements", high production costs, or low demand- but, while some models are still available, many chamberings have been discontinued in Ruger firearms.

 

i for one am sad these were discontinued , i think them far superior to the current wrangler and comparable to the SS

 

Here's mine, no box but otherwise looks new. Serial puts is as a '67 I think. So help me (or maybe I'm beyond that), I can't remember buying it, but it is in my safe, and I did make a group buy or two a few years back. One time 18 guns at once, the seller was an older male, lived in a retirement community and was in the habit of buying gun collections from the newly minted widows.

 

Here's mine, no box but otherwise looks new. Serial puts is as a '67 I think. So help me (or maybe I'm beyond that), I can't remember buying it, but it is in my safe, and I did make a group buy or two a few years back. One time 18 guns at once, the seller was an older male, lived in a retirement community and was in the habit of buying gun collections from the newly minted widows.

looks like an aluminum frame but it could be an early steel frame.

 

I owned one of these Bearcat revolvers back in the early 1970's and mine had a steel frame. It was a really neat little revolver but my hands were just too big for it, I never felt comfortable shooting it.