The Rohrbaugh Forum

Miscellaneous => Other Guns => Topic started by: Erich on January 21, 2008, 02:15:18 AM

Title: Bearcat!
Post by: Erich on January 21, 2008, 02:15:18 AM

(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/505Erich/12jan8handloadsSrigsspeedstripho-3.jpg)

Picked this up last week and have shot it twice now. I like it a ton. I looked over four of them and managed to find the one with the best trigger and the tightest bbl/cyl gap. It shoots pretty fast for a 4" .22 lr - and it's one of those odd guns that shoots much better offhand than off a bench.

(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/505Erich/12jan8handloadsSrigsspeedstripholde.jpg)
(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/505Erich/12jan8handloadsSrigsspeedstripho-2.jpg)
(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/505Erich/12jan8handloadsSrigsspeedstripho-1.jpg)

Last Saturday, it was unpleasant shooting in a 20 mph headwind at 38°F, but I chrono'd a number of loads. Interestingly, the ones that are supposed to be "fast" really weren't and had big, weird spreads. The middle-velocity rounds did very well from the Bearcat.

With bulk Federal Champion 36-gr HPs, the Bearcat's 4" tube did an average of 1081 fps/ES 48.23/SD 17.72.
Old CCI Velocitor 40-gr HPs: M 1064/ES 53.49/SD 18.00
(New Velocitors didn't do as well - I don't want to crunch the numbers, though - and I'd have to b/c some guy on the next lane was shooting a muzzle-braked rifle that played heck with my chrono's recording.)
Stinger 33-gr HPs: M 1238/S33.73/D 23.34
CCI Mini-Mag 36-gr HP: M 1018/S101.8/D35.45
CCI Mini-Mag 40-gr solids: M 1062/S 31.17/D 11.61
pre-CCI Quik-Shok 33-gr frangibles: M 1049/S 41.94/D 13.74
Aguila SSS 60-grainers: M 713.8/S 43.2/D 15.70

Today it was nicer, though a bit colder at 36°F and sunny.

(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/505Erich/20jan80080001resized.jpg)

I ran the Federal Champion 36-gr bulk HPs twice, with remarkably consistent results:
M 1093/S 44.84/D 19.94
M 1093/S 37.54/D 13.26

I also ran the new version of CCI's 40-gr HP Velocitor:
M 1021/S 144.9/D 53.20

as well as CCI's Blazer 40-gr solid (twice):
M 1026/S 26.43/D 9.69
M 1015/S 53.17/D 21.33

I really have enjoyed shooting this little single-action, and can't wait to shoot it again - even though I just shot it this afternoon! :)

(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/505Erich/20jan80090001resized.jpg)
(http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd222/505Erich/20jan80100001resized.jpg)

Oh, and I have some elk antler stocks on order for it.  ;)

Title: Re: Bearcat!
Post by: theirishguard on January 21, 2008, 12:30:07 PM

Erick, good to hear from you again, we missed you. Nice looking Ruger and interesting data on the ammo.  Tom

Title: Re: Bearcat!
Post by: Richard S on January 23, 2008, 08:01:25 PM

Erich:

Welcome back!

My daughter has one of the Ruger Bearcats and loves it! Yours should look great with those elk antler grips you've ordered. Where did you order them?  My daughter would probably like a pair for hers -- and her birthday is not too far away.

Title: Re: Bearcat!
Post by: Erich on January 23, 2008, 08:52:52 PM

Thanks, gents!

I've ordered the stocks from a guy named Sack Peterson. If you Google him, you will find his site.

I'll have to post pics when they arrive. :)