I'm thinking about a new kit gun.

hushnel

hushnel

Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
727
I love my big guns, I think my Colt 1911 is number one but I really like the Ruger Vaquero in .45Colt, maybe a bit less than the Single Action Uberti Cattleman in .45colt, which is a great little shooter. The old S&W model 10-8 is another I really like and my current kit gun.

I saw the little Ruger New Bearcat in a display case last Friday and at 24 oz and a hundred rounds of .22lr it would just about vanish in my kit. It’s almost half the weight of the Ruger Single Six, though the extra .22 mag cylinder of the Single Six could be worth the added weight.
 
Tough decision. I really like the Ruger Single Six (it's on my shopping list:D). The .22LR would be great for plinking and you could pack the .22 MAG...that would be a great option for a kit gun. You could get a .22LR conversion kit for your 1911 and continue to carry that for both options?...that is unless you're looking for an excuse to buy a new gun;)

ROCK6
 
Ive got the bearcat and the single six and I ponder that choice frequently. I do carry the bearcat to the woods-hunting and fishing 90% more because of the weight and smaller profile. Hope that helps.
 
:) Do I really need an excuse to buy a new gun? Same line of thought but I prefer a rifle over a pistol. Who makes a single shot or bolt action 22 LR that "medium sized"? something in between the WoodChuck and a full lenght Marlin or Remington...
 
This has become my new favorite woods loafing gun.

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Little 5 shot S&W Model 60 Pro. 5 shot 357. Not a kit gun exactly, but really a great loafing gun.

Doc
 
DocGP said:
This has become my new favorite woods loafing gun.

Little 5 shot S&W Model 60 Pro. 5 shot 357. Not a kit gun exactly, but really a great loafing gun.

Doc
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Hey Doc, a guy was at the range with me last week and had that Model 60 Pro...he let me put a few rounds down range with it. I was quite impressed. It was a lot smaller than it looks on-line. I really liked it!

ROCK6
 
No need to find any excuses to buy a new gun but I don’t want a drawer full of .22lr revolvers trying to get the “ONE”. I bought two revolvers at the last gun show, the Model 10 I mentioned and the Model 637 Revolver for my wife, she had a few women at the range admire her little Smith with the pink grips, I admired how fast she took to shooting it and the groups she was getting towards the end of the day.

The Single Six is awfully attractive but in person the little Bearcat just looks so carry able, I think I would be more likely to throw it in the kit when I head out. I could easily see having one of each though.
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If my purpose in the woods is to shoot something I agree with the rifle and I would have my Ruger 10-22, Uberti Modified Henry in 44/40 or the 1958 Winchester 94, in that order depending on the size of the game, generally when I’m actually hunting it’s the crossbow I carry.

This is the old S&W Model 10, a stock photo I snatched from Wikipedia. Unloaded about 36 oz. a little less than the Single Six’s 39 oz. Though you can pack a good bit of .22lr and .22 mags in the space of a few .38 specials.
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I have both the Bearcat and the Single Six. Both are well made, as would be expected from Ruger. However, the Single Six is hands down a better carry revolver for me. Much easier to shoot accurately. If I want to go ultralight, I carry my Titanium Smith and Wesson .357.
 
Accuracy is very important, my experience with Ruger fixed sights makes me have to consider the Single Six. I'd hate to buy the Bearcat then have to send it off for accurizing, I should have with the Vaquaro but never did, the Uberti .45 cattleman shoots rings around the Vaquaro, I know the Ruger is potentially the better revolver but the idea that I spend good money on something then have to send it off for more work is kind of a deal killer.
 
hushnel-I have the same ruger vaquero in 45LC and I have never experienced any accuracy issues with it. I do have the older version though ( bigger wood grips, also I think they are shaped slightly different) I wonder if the quality has decreased some in the newer version? Do you have the newer version or older? I'm not sure when they started the newer version but I bought mine in 99 and it was new then. I was thinking of getting another one last year but when I went looking I don't care as much for the new version and I could not believe the increase in price.

david
 
I have the old style Vaquero, it shoots low and to the right, it drives me crazy. I know it’s not often that one is as inaccurate as mine and I've thought about shipping it off to be accurized, I still might if I don't sell it. I know this is a favorite revolver among many fine shooters.

That S&W 317 is 11.9oz, man that’s light, half the weight of the Bearcat. I’ll have to check it out, a bit on the pricy side though.
 
I had a Bearcat years ago, and sold it off.

Sure, it was a cute little thing, but it had nowhere near the accuracy of my single six or S&W model 63 kit gun. If I have a gun, I want it to be accurite. And the fixed sights bugged the heck out of me as it shot a bit left with any ammo I tried.

It was a nice toy, but not a serious gun. I wondered why Ruger bothered with it?
 
I wondered why Ruger bothered with it?
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I think it's a great idea but you do need to hit what you point it at. I'll have to take a closer look at other offerings. I like the idea of .22lr kit gun but not if I can't make every round count.

Now that's a sight! I miss those old long hammer pull S&W's!
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I know, I couldn't resist it, I saw my buddy at the gun show, he usually has shiny crap for sale, he hadn't pulled the 10-8 out yet but did when I showed up, he knows I'm partial to wheel guns. We made a deal and I took it home.

While my wife was getting acquainted with her new 637 she asked if she could try the old 10-8 then immediately put 4 in the black
 
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The 1.87" 317 weighs 10.8 oz - add an adjustable rear sight, HiViz front, and a 3" tube, and you are 'up' to 12.5 oz. Cute little 8-shot 'Kit' gun - but MSRP of $830 puts it up there. The boot grip on the short barrel 317 makes it less comfortable for my mitts than the dimunitive Bearcat grip. The larger grip on the 3" 317 makes it less uncomfortable - do-able for a 'kit' gun. My local pusher has a new one for $599 - ouch, even though it's a good price these days.

A friend bought the 5" 63 - another J-frame, but SS - and 28.1 oz! The same grip as the 3" 317, it was 'barely acceptable'. It was fun to shoot - but not that much. My new 40 oz 4" 617 was $609 last September. With some Ahrends Retro Targets, it's a super-plinker. A kit gun it will never be. Different missions. My idea of a 'perfect packing pistol' is a 4" .45 Colt 625 Mountain Gun - 39.5 oz. Of course, at ~ 1 oz/round, ammo weight adds up quickly. A bit overkill for a squirrel... comforting to have when you might be on the dinner menu.

Oh - minor point. S&W hasn't made a Ti revolver - all Ti, that is. Taurus has - big barf. S&W's are Al or Al-alloy framed with SS barrels or liners and, possibly, a Ti cylinder. I have a Ti-cylinder - a 296 5-shot 2.5" .44 Special hammerless, listed as an 'AirLite Ti' - with a Ti atom emblazoned on the side. Cool. It's a keeper - but I'll tote the extra mass of CS/SS - no more Ti here - too much trouble!

I like shooting DA - and the rimfire needs more whack, meaning a bit more trigger pull than a centerfire. Then - the J-frame's coil hammer spring isn't as easily 'tweeked' as a leaf, a la the K, L, N, & X-frames. So - my 617 started life likely better, trigger-wise, than a J-frame, a la that 317 or 63, will ever be. I like a good DA trigger - but you can't beat the SA trigger on a S&W. All I have to do is explain to my CFO that I want to spend most of our vacation moola on a .22...

Before you plank down the moola on a Bearcat - try the fit & feel of the grip... it's too teeny for me.

Stainz
 
Before you plank down the moola on a Bearcat - try the fit & feel of the grip...
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Thanks for the info Stainz, I'm going to take my time, I've got the big stuff covered and for now the MKII will suffice for .22lr, though its heavier than I like for the job, but I made a pretty cool holster for it.

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I'm fairly traditional, it wasn't until the mid 80s that I made the move to smokeless powder handguns, I carried a Uberti Remington 58 New Army until then.
 
Definitely try out the Bearcat before you buy one. I was contemplating getting one last year, but when I held one, it felt like I was holding one of my 8-year-olds' toy guns. Way too small for my hand, and I don't have huge hands.
 
Well thanks for all your comments. You’ve helped me to come to a better decision.

I went to the gun shop Friday and they had 3 single sixes and the bearcat. I would love the Bearcat to be more viable but I’m not willing to put the money into it. I think the final argument that won me over was the .22 mag option.

So I picked up the Blue single six with a 5 ½” barrel nothing fancy. Took it to the range on Saturday and am pretty happy with it, I haven’t tried the mags yet I want to get the rear sight tweaked a bit first.

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