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Nickeled Bearcat ?

MarvMarv Member Posts: 76 ✭✭
edited December 2007 in Ask the Experts
My wife wanted a Ruger Bearcat made in 1958 - long story - and I wasn't about to argue the matter. After several years of looking I found one made in 1959 - Serial #W3xx - that she liked and would settle for. The gun isn't new but it is in very good shape and I will attempt to post pictures in hopes that some of you may be able to answer my questions.

Question 1) The gun is two tone (3 with the brass colored trigger guard)The barrel, cylinder, cylinder pin and retaining screw, loading gate, trigger and hammer are nickeled. The frame is the standard black anodized aluminium. I've looked for two days and can't find any mention of a nickeled or two tone Bearcat. It appears to be factory as all lettering and the roll engraved scene on the cylinder is crisp and well defined. Is this a factory finish?

Question 2) I've noticed several grips made for the Bearcat that warn in the ad they will not fit the Bearcats made before 1963(?). An article I read indicated the grip panels on all model Bearcats, old to new, as well as the Super Bearcats were the same size. Is there a difference in the grips? And, if there is, does anyone know where I might be able to find pearl grips, either real of imitation, to fit one made in 1959?

Any help or info would be appreciated.

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Comments

  • Laredo LeftyLaredo Lefty Member Posts: 13,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    That Bearcat appears to either have been nickeled or the bluing removed from the mentioned parts. I have never seen or heard of a factory nickeled Bearcat.

    The only difference between the Bearcat and the Super Bearcat is the Super has a steel frame and the regular Bearcat the alloy frame.

    Iam not sure about the interchangeability of the pre and post 63 grips, but I have seen them for sale on Ebay in the past.

    These are my Bearcats.......Super on the bottom...

    [img][/img]Bearcats.jpg
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hello I to believe someone had the parts plated. I have an early Bear cat and mine has blued trigger the Hammer is blued except the sides which are just polished in the white.My early gun like all early pistols had almost a plastic / composit type grip I though it was a replacement at first and then learned that was the type of grip on early guns . BTW great little gun for small hands.
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  • tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am not sure about the barrel markings of the old Vs. the latest production, or the stack up of the tolerences and dimensions either. I have both an early Super Bearcat with a brass trigger guard, and ont that is 2 years old in stainless steel. Could the barrel and cylinder on your gun be SS from a new run?
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  • Spider7115Spider7115 Member Posts: 29,704 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Call Ruger at 603-865-2442 and they'll look it up for you and tell you exactly how and when it left the factory. They're nice folks and have helped me on several occasions.
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  • hslaterprycehslaterpryce Member Posts: 927 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree with Spider - give Ruger a call. For my money, however, this was done by someone and it is not a factory finish. My partner, in my old gun shop, was a Ruger .22 collector and I had never heard of a Bearcat in the condition as you posted. But maybe your luck is better than mine and you have an actual 1 of a kind piece. Good luck and give Ruger a call!
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  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had a Bearcat that someone had nickled the barrel and frame and gold plated the rest. None were made that way.
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  • duckhunterduckhunter Member Posts: 7,687 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    www.rugerforums.com
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  • MarvMarv Member Posts: 76 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I called Ruger and they tried but could only tell me the gun was shipped in Nov. of 1959 and that there was no mention of any special finish. She advised records keeping was not that good back then and that just because it wasn't mentioned didn't mean it there wasn't some special feature added. She also added that the "definitive" book on Ruger guns Bill Ruger and His Guns made no mention of two tone Bearcats being a standard production item. Another lady tried but could not answer the question about the grips.

    The more I look at this the more I doubt it was plated after it left the factory. But I am not ruling out that it may be a "Frankenstein" gun that has had stainless parts added as suggested by "tsr1965". I know S&W started with stainless in the mid to late 60's. Does anyone know when Ruger first used stainless? Also, does anyone know about the changes in barrel markings such as address changes, warnings, logos, etc?

    Thank you to everyone that has replied.
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  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The New Model Bearcat was made in stainless steel, the Old Model (which you have) never was. And, the barrels are not interchangeable.

    Neal
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