Ready for new Bearcat but can't find

[ruger22]

The old VISA has cooled down enough to handle a new Bearcat, but I can't find a stainless one. A local shop has one blued one. Distributors and anywhere on line are all out of stock / backordered. So I can't order one at a LGS with any guess of a date.

My problem is that there are nearly a dozen shops within an hour's drive, my limit. But, none of them have a website, and by my experience, most shops won't hold a gun more than the day you talk to them. So Saturday, I'll start calling each one. If I find the right Bearcat, great. If not, I'll hopefully have time to hit my best LGS and order one, anyway.

After my barrel/cylinder gap hassle on the Single Six, the Bearcat is getting a good once over before purchase. I want a tight gap on it, too, and everything else right.

[ruger22]

Called everywhere within 60 miles today. No stainless, two blued. Two places have them ordered, but no ETA. It's odd for half a state to be out of a Ruger. At least I know they're popular!

Ruger Customer Service tipped me to one shop having one, that is three hour's drive one way. Guess I'll just wait until someone closer gets them in stock.

[arizona-hermit]

Whenever I want a popular (or for that matter - a hard to find) weapon, I always check Gallery of Guns Click Here since they will ship to local FFLs. If item is out of stock, you can be notified by email when stock arrives and get it then. Have done business with them for many years and have never been dissatisfied with their service.

[ruger22]

Whenever I want a popular (or for that matter - a hard to find) weapon, I always check Gallery of Guns Click Here since they will ship to local FFLs. If item is out of stock, you can be notified by email when stock arrives and get it then. Have done business with them for many years and have never been dissatisfied with their service.

Appreciate the heads-up, but I've done that. My best local dealer uses Davidson's (Gallery Of Guns) as his main supplier. I can assume when they email me, his order will be filled.

Since there are two blued Bearcats in the area, I'm debating the pros and cons of blued and stainless. Since this is a more traditional single action, blued may be nice. Blued sights work better, and I would save money on the gun and my spare part stash.

[ruger22]

I know members are reading this, so I'll keep updating the Bearcat saga?

Committed to a stainless one today by ordering the stainless steel ejector housing from EWK Arms:

http://www.ewkarms.com/zencart/index.ph ... ucts_id=14

It's gotten rave reviews by purchasers on the Ruger Forum, as a dead on fit with better appearance. The only drawback on current Bearcats is that they have an aluminum ejector housing, finished to halfway match the rest of the gun, either blued or stainless.

EWK was marketing blued steel housings, but has dropped them for the moment, due to several returns. I think he'll find his are only fitting the current model, with owners of the "old model" getting the mis-fits. Ruger did a lot of changing back and forth between aluminum and steel on the frames, housings, and trigger guards. Plus there was little computerized machinery then.

Two LGS have stainless Bearcats ordered, and I'm going with whichever gets them first.

[Bullseye]

Keep on plugging away, you'll get the one you want.

R,
Bullseye

[ruger22]

I had just hoped that, for once, I could do it all bing, bang, boom. Go to LGS, call Ruger for parts, couple of Internet clicks, done.

No LGS has the gun, some of the other things are backordered as well.

Auuggghhhh! ..... THE WAY THINGS USUALLY GO

[ruger22]

Was sitting here and got a notification email that Gallery Of Guns had gotten five, count 'em five, stainless Bearcats. I logged in and did the transaction. Checked again about ten minutes later, showed "Out Of Stock". Whew!

It should be at my LGS in a few days, I guess.

[Bullseye]

It pays to be persistent.

R,
Bullseye