This is my first Bearcat. They sure are little things.....

Isn't that just the cutest thing?  If you feed it a lot, will it grow up to be a Blackhawk?

Papajohn

nice pistol. WTF is a Bearcat anyway? Why give it that name?

Is that one the "Easter Egg Edition" ?

Quoted: nice pistol. WTF is a Bearcat anyway? Why give it that name?

The "Bearcat" was/is Ruger's answer to the S&W .22 caliber Kit gun (M-34 or 63). I dont' know the exact dates, but Ruger made them for several years and then stopped for quite awhile and then brought them back into production. The early ones were made with an aluminum frame and a brass trigger guard. The newer ones are made in either blue or stainless. There was a short run of them made in .22 magnum.

The name "Bearcat" came from the rolled engraving on the cylinder that depicted a bear and a mountain lion.

I have the old version as is pictured above, but it is not in as nice shape as that one...... it is a great little camp/pack pistol!

Actually Bill Ruger named it after one of his favorite vintage automobiles - the Stutz Bearcat.

Stutz also made a car called the Blackhawk - are you getting the idea yet?

(The Ruger Bearcat is definitely cute though - nice gun! On my "someday" list.)