Ruger Bearcat Instruction Manual

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CARE OF STAINLESS STEEL REVOLVERS
Revolvers made of stainless steel are more resistant to corrosion than blued steel
revolvers. However, in the interest of proper operation and long life of your
revolver, inspect it frequently and clean, lubricate and apply an appropriate rust
preventative.
Sometimes surface discoloration may be noted, particularly in the grip area of
stainless steel revolvers, resulting from perspiration. Contact with some types of
holsters can also cause stains or rusting. Rusting may also occur as a result of
the revolver being exposed to moisture, humidity, salt air or chemicals.
Minor discoloration can usually be removed by rubbing the stained area with an
abrasive ink eraser, crocus cloth, or a “metal polishing” compound. When using
any of these abrasives, proceed with care and use light pressure to achieve a
blending of ‘color’ with those areas that are not discolored.
External surfaces of the barrel, frame and cylinder should be cleaned and wiped
dry after use or after exposure to adverse conditions. If the revolver is to be
stored, coat it with a light film of oil or preservative. Where the revolver is in
continuing use, and the presence of oil or grease would be objectionable, then
the external surface can be coated (after cleaning and drying) with a paste wax
formulated for use on metals. Apply the wax sparingly, allow time for it to dry
hard, then buff lightly with a soft cloth. When applying the wax, take care that it
does not get into the mechanism or on the functioning parts such as the
hammer, trigger, crane latch, etc. A properly applied hard wax coating will not
interfere with gun handling and it will provide a measure of protection.
FIXED SIGHTS
RUGER®NEW BEARCAT®revolvers feature a blade front sight and fixed
rear sight. They are factory set to be on target at 25 yards and cannot be further
adjusted. 
						

							23
SERVICE AND PARTS POLICY
If you have any questions with regard to the performance of your RUGER®
NEW BEARCAT® revolver, please write or call (603-865-2442) our Product
Service Department, 411 Sunapee Street, Newport, New Hampshire 03773, fully
describing all circumstances and conditions involved. If you should return your
revolver to the factory for repair, or order parts for it, please comply with the
following suggestions for prompt service:
WARNING: BEFORE SHIPPING ANY FIREARM, 
BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT IT AND ITS
CYLINDERS ARE UNLOADED. DO NOT SHIP
CARTRIDGES WITH A FIREARM.
!
SHIPPING FIREARMS FOR REPAIR
RUGER®NEW BEARCAT®revolvers returned to the factory for repair
should be sent to:  Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., Product Service Department, 
411 Sunapee Street, Newport, New Hampshire 03773. Telephone (603) 865-2442.
The complete revolver should be shipped. Please do not send your holster,
custom grip panels, or other accessories with any revolver being shipped to us.
Guns should be sent prepaid. W
e will not accept collect shipments.
The Federal Gun Control Act, as well as the laws of most States and localities, do
not prohibit an individual (who is not otherwise barred from purchasing or
possessing a firearm) from shipping a firearm directly to the manufacturer for
repair. However, before you ship your firearm to us, be certain that your State or
locality does not have a law or regulation which will prohibit you from receiving
it from us after it has been repaired. If such receiving is prohibited, then please
have a Federally Licensed firearms dealer ship the gun to us. If it is sent to us by
a dealer, it will be returned to him after being repaired. If a handgun (pistol or
revolver) is shipped by an individual who does not hold a Federal Firearms
License, it must be shipped via U.P.S. (Next Day Air) Persons who do not hold a
Federal Firearms License are prohibited by Federal law from shipping a handgun
by Mail. Handguns mailed in violation of the law are impounded by the Post
Office.  Rifles and shotguns may be shipped via Parcel Post. Always insure your
shipment. 
Please do not include revolver case, sling, telescopic sights or custom accessories
with a firearm being shipped to the factory for service. DO NOT SEND GUN
BOXES OR LITERATURE THAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE COLLECTOR’S
ITEMS - THESE ARE INVARIABLY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED IN
SHIPMENT.
Enclose a letter which includes your name, address, telephone number, serial
number and model of the firearm. Describe in detail the trouble you have
experienced with your firearm, or the work you wish to have done. Merely stating
that the firearm “needs repair” is inadequate information. State precisely what is
wrong. Please enclose copies of any previous correspondence. 
						

							24
Work performed will bear a net minimum labor charge of $20.00 plus a $20.00
shipping and handling charge. The charge for rebluing the RUGER®  NEW
BEARCAT®revolver is $50.00 plus a $20.00 shipping and handling charge. We
cannot “re-blue” nor “re-anodize” the aluminum frames of older Bearcat
revolvers with serial numbers below 93-00000. Custom gunsmithing service or
nonstandard alterations are NOT AVAILABLE from Ruger Product Service
Departments.
!WARNING – PARTS PURCHASERS
It is the purchaser’s responsibility to be
absolutely certain that any parts ordered from
the factory are correctly fitted and installed.
Firearms are complicated mechanisms and
IMPROPER FITTING OF PARTS MAY RESULT
IN A DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION, DAMAGE
TO THE FIREARM, AND SERIOUS INJURY TO
THE SHOOTER AND OTHER PERSONS. The
purchaser and installer of parts must accept
full responsibility for the correct adjustment
and functioning of the revolver after such
installation.
PARTS MUST FIT CORRECTLY
ORDERING PARTS
Please contact the New Hampshire Product Service Department for parts
availability and current prices. All parts orders for theRUGER®NEW
BEARCAT®should be sent to: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., Product
Service Department, 411 Sunapee Street, Newport, New Hampshire 03773, (603)
865-2442. 
We cannot comply with open account or C.O.D. requests. Payment in the form of
a check, money order, Visa or MasterCard must accompany your order. Credit
Card orders must include the account number, expiration date and whether it is
a Visa or MasterCard account. Minimum parts order is $1.00 plus a $3.50
shipping and handling charge. Order parts by Part Name and Part Number and
include the entire serial number of the firearm for which the parts are being
ordered.
There is a minimum net labor charge of $20.00 plus $20.00 shipping and
handling charge if parts are factory fitted. All factory fitted parts are fit on an
exchange basis only. We will not return the replaced parts. 
*Parts designated by an asterisk must be factory fitted. These parts are fitted on
an exchange basis only. We will not return the replaced parts. We will not return
any part that is broken, malfunctioning, badly worn or has been modified. See
“Warning – Parts Purchasers”, above. 
						

							25
Because it is a serial-numbered component, the frame of RUGER®NEW
BEARCAT®revolvers is defined as a “firearm” by Federal Law and is not
offered for sale separately.
IMPORTANT – REGARDING PARTS ORDERING. Ruger New Model Single Action
revolvers are manufactured in Blued steel and Stainless steel versions. WHEN
ORDERING PARTS BE SURE TO STATE WHETHER YOUR REVOLVER IS BLUED
OR STAINLESS. ALSO, INCLUDE THE COMPLETE SERIAL NUMBER AND
SPECIFY THE CALIBER AND BARREL LENGTH.
NOTE: A few components, as example grip panels, are the same for blued and
stainless models
BARREL NOTE: All barrels are marked with a safety message, “Before using gun,
read warnings in Instruction Manual available free from Sturm, Ruger & Co.,
Inc., Southport, CT, USA.”
CAUTION: A gun containing modified, broken, malfunctioning,
or badly worn parts should not be fired.!
SHIPPING REVOLVERS FOR
INSTALLATION OF A SAFETY CONVERSION KIT:
If you would like to have any “old model” (pre-1973) Bearcat, Single-Six,
Blackhawk, or Super Blackhawk revolver factory fitted with a free Conversion Kit
(to help prevent accidents caused by a blow to the hammer if the user has failed
to keep an empty
chamber under the hammer)please write to Sturm, Ruger &
Co., Dept. KC, 1 Lacey Place, Southport, CT 06490 for a box and shipping
instructions. Be sure to include information as to model, caliber, and serial
number. Please do not send your old model single action revolver until you
receive shipping instructions and a box from us.Please note that the Kit will be
fitted at our Newport, New Hampshire facility. All other servicing of “old model”
single actions will also be performed at our Newport facility, but only after a
Conversion Kit is first installed. 
						

							26
RUGER
®NEW
BEARCAT
®
PARTS LIST
Design, prices and specifications subject to change without notice.
SPECIFY MODEL WHEN ORDERING
(See Exploded View Page 30)
Part Name Part No. Model
* Barrel PR10600 Blued Model
* Barrel KPR10600 Stainless Model
*† Base Pin Assembly PR02902A Blued Model
*† Base Pin Assembly KPR02902A Stainless Model
Base Pin Latch Body XR02700 Blued Model
Base Pin Latch Body KXR02701 Stainless Model
Base Pin Latch Nut XR02800 Blued Model
Base Pin Latch Nut KXR02800 Stainless Model
Base Pin Latch Spring XR04700 Blued Model
Base Pin Latch Spring KXR04700 Stainless Model
Case, Only MPF00019 All Models
* Cylinder, .22 L.R. PR-1 Blued Model
* Cylinder, .22 L.R. KPR-1 Stainless Model
*† Cylinder Latch Assembly PR24502 All Models
*† Cylinder Latch Spring KPR04602 All Models
Cylinder Latch Spring Plunger PR-18 Blued Model
Cylinder Latch Spring Plunger KPR-18 Stainless Model
Cylinder Latch Plunger/Spring Assembly PR-18A Blued Model 
						

							27
Part Name Part No. Model
Cylinder Latch Plunger/Spring Assembly KPR-18A Stainless Model
Ejector Housing PR-22 Blued Model
Ejector Housing PR02200 Stainless Model
Ejector Housing Screw PR-33 Blued Model
Ejector Housing Screw KPR-33 Stainless Model
Ejector Rod Assembly PR-55 Blued Model
Ejector Rod Assembly KPR-55 Stainless Model
Ejector Rod Spring PR-44 Blued Model
Ejector Rod Spring KPR-44 Stainless Model
Firing Pin PR-21 Blued Model
Firing Pin KPR-21 Stainless Model
Firing Pin Rebound Spring KE-48 All Models
Front Sight PR03603 Blued Model
Front Sight KPR03603 Stainless Model
Gate PR02403 Blued Model
Gate KPR02403 Stainless Model
Gate Plunger PR-31 All Models
Gate Plunger Spring PR-26 All Models
Gate Spring Retaining Screw PR-30 All Models
Grip Panels, Complete with Screw 70079 All Models
Grip Panel Dowel PR-14 Blued Model
Grip Panel Dowel KPR-14 Stainless Model
Grip Panel Ferrule, Right, Not Illustrated XR01100 All Models
Grip Panel Ferrule, Left, Not Illustrated XR01200 All Models 
						

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Part Name Part No. Model
Grip Panel Medallion, 2 Req’d PR-52 All Models
Grip Panel Screw PR-13 Blued Model
Grip Panel Screw KPR-13 Stainless Model
*† Hammer PR04003 Blued Model
*† Hammer KPR04003 Stainless Model
Hammer Pivot Pin PR-16N Blued Model
Hammer Pivot Pin KPR-16N Stainless Model
Hammer Strut PR-15 Blued Model
Hammer Strut KPR-15 Stainless Model
Mainspring KPR00402 All Models
Mainspring Seat PR-5 Blued Model
Mainspring Seat KPR-5 Stainless Model
Mainspring/Strut Assembly KPR20402 Blued Model
Mainspring/Strut Assembly KPR20403 Stainless Model
*† Pawl KPR00703 All Models
Pawl Plunger KE-61 All Models
Pawl Plunger Spring PR-50 All Models
Pawl Spring Retaining Screw PR-56 Blued Model
Pawl Spring Retaining Screw KPR-56 Stainless Model
Recoil Plate PR-20 Blued Model
Recoil Plate KPR-20 Stainless Model
Recoil Plate Cross Pin PR-49 Blued Model
Recoil Plate Cross Pin KPR-49 Stainless Model
*† Transfer Bar PR07203 Blued Model 
						

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Part Name Part No. Model
*† Transfer Bar KPR07203 Stainless Model
*† Trigger PR03903 Blued Model
*† Trigger KPR03903 Stainless Model
Trigger Guard PR-3 Blued Model
Trigger Guard KPR-3 Stainless Model
Trigger Guard Screw-A-Front PR01700 Blued Model
Trigger Guard Screw-A-Front KPR01700 Stainless Model
Trigger Pivot Screw PR-34 Blued Model
Trigger Pivot Screw KPR-34 Stainless Model
* Trigger Return Plunger/Spring Assembly PR-37A Blued Model
* Trigger Return Plunger/Spring Assembly KPR-37A Stainless Model
*† Trigger Spring PR-37 Blued Model
*† Trigger Spring KPR-37 Stainless Model
Trigger Spring Plunger B-39 Blued Model
Trigger Spring Plunger KB-39 Stainless Model
* PARTS SO MARKED MUST BE FACTORY FITTED
† These parts are also available as a free factory safety retrofit for all older Bearcats manuactured between 1958 - 1973 with serial numbers below 
93-00000, See p. 25. 
						

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RUGER®NEW BEARCAT® 
EXPLODED VIEW  
						

							31
THE BASIC RULES OF SAFE FIREARMS HANDLING
We believe that Americans have a right to purchase and use firearms for
lawful purposes. The private ownership of firearms in America is traditional,
but that ownership imposes the responsibility on the gun owner to use his
firearms in a way which will ensure his own safety and that of others. When
firearms are used in a safe and responsible manner, they are a great source of
pleasure and satisfaction, and represent a fundamental part of our personal
liberty.
Firearms do not cause accidents! Firearms accidents are almost always found
to have been the result of carelessness or ignorance on the part of the
shooter of the basic rules of safe gun handling.
The following rules must be observed by gun users at all times. Safe gun
handling is not just desirable, it is absolutely essential to your safety, the
safety of others, and  the continuation of gun ownership and sport shooting
as we know it today.
1. LEARN THE MECHANICAL AND HANDLING
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FIREARM YOU ARE USING.
Not all firearms are the same. The
method of carrying and handling
firearms varies in accordance with the
mechanical provisions for avoiding
accidental discharge and the various
proper procedures for loading and
unloading. No person should handle
any firearm without first having
thoroughly familiarized himself with
the particular type of firearm he is
using, and with safe gun handling in
general.
2. ALWAYS KEEP THE
MUZZLE POINTED IN A
SAFE DIRECTION.
Be sure of the bullet stop behind your
target, even when dry-firing. Never let
the muzzle of a firearm point at any
part of your body or at another person.
This is particularly important when
loading or unloading a firearm. In the
event of an accidental discharge, no
injury can occur as long as the muzzle
is pointing in a safe direction. A safe
direction means a direction which will
not permit a discharged bullet to strike
a person, or to strike an object from
which the bullet may ricochet.
               RUGER®
INSTRUCTION MANUAL  READ THE INSTRUCTIONS
  AND WARNINGS IN THIS
  MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE
  USING THIS FIREARM.