Ruger Bearcat in .22 Magnum

Muley Gil · #1 07-16-2019, 01:57 AM

About 14 years ago, I bought a stainless New Model Ruger Bearcat. I had once had an old model blue Bearcat, but it got traded off. When first introduced, the N M Bearcat was available as a .22 Long Rifle/.22 Magnum convertible. There was some issues with swapping cylinders and I understand that Ruger recalled them.

Like a lot of us, I don't want something until I'm told I can't have it.

So, I've kicking around the idea of getting another .22 LR cylinder and rechambering it to .22 Magnum. So, a week or so ago, when I decided to ream my .32 H&R Magnum cylinders to .327 Federal Magnum, I figured I might as well rent both reamers at the same time.

After I reamed the two .32 Magnum cylinders that I have, I started on the Ruger. When I rented the two reamers, I "assumed" (yeah, I know what that means) one of my tap handles would fit. WRONG! I wound up using a tiny wrench that my daddy had given me 50 years ago. It took over 2 hours to do all 6 chambers.

By the time I was done, it was dark outside. The next evening, after I cut my grass, I shot the little Bearcat. It did fine. I need to bench it to see what exactly it will do. This the first .22 Magnum I've owned since I sold my Colt New Frontier convertible back in the early '80s.

jack the toad · #2 07-16-2019, 06:45 AM

Cool. I'm currently out of the MRF game but do like my 16-4 in .327. You know the rules

... when you get the chance, post pics of both .32 and .22 along with range report.

jeffrefrig · #3 07-16-2019, 07:05 AM

Excuse my ignorance, but the .327 Fed Mag also shoots all the .32s, short to mag, (at least that's what the Ruger specs say) so will a .22 mag shoot a .22 LR? I have an inexpensive .22 convertible revolver so I have to go look at the cylinders later today to look at them to see the difference. Also, the .357 shoots the .38 spl...the .22 thing has me wondering why do they come with 2 different cylinders?

gonerydin · #4 07-16-2019, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffrefrig

Excuse my ignorance, but the .327 Fed Mag also shoots all the .32s, short to mag, (at least that's what the Ruger specs say) so will a .22 mag shoot a .22 LR? I have an inexpensive .22 convertible revolver so I have to go look at the cylinders later today to look at them to see the difference. Also, the .357 shoots the .38 spl...the .22 thing has me wondering why do they come with 2 different cylinders?

The .22 magnum case is larger in diameter than .22lr.

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jeffrefrig · #5 07-16-2019, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonerydin

The .22 magnum case is larger in diameter than .22lr.

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Thank you for that info. This is why I buy ammo rather than reload...lack of knowledge! I can read books, I guess. But, at 62+ years old, and still working for at most 1 more year, I'm not going to start bringing gunpowder into my cellar and reloading my own ammo.(You have to know my wife to understand!) If, when I retire and have more time to shoot, I might learn on the more expensive .45s, .357s, and definitely if I get the .327 Fed mag I've been checking out for the past year. This forum is about the best teaching tool I've had since trade school. Thanks so much gonerydin. Jeff Taylor

Muley Gil · #6 07-17-2019, 12:56 PM

"...so will a .22 mag shoot a .22 LR?"

I have seen someone shoot a .22 LR in a .22 Magnum. There was a lot of gas leakage and the cases bulged and split.

DON'T DO IT!!!

Delta Rose · #7 07-17-2019, 03:48 PM

The .22 LR is the last popular cartridge that still uses a heeled bullet. This also explains the smaller case diameter with respect to the bullet diameter.

ISCS Yoda · #8 07-17-2019, 05:06 PM

Quote:

I'm not going to start bringing gunpowder into my cellar and reloading my own ammo.(You have to know my wife to understand!)

I don't even have a wife anymore (3 was enough) and I won't be bringing gunpowder into my home. I wouldn't trust any cartridge I made!

I won't be reaming out cylinders any time soon, either! There's a disaster in the making for sure!

On another note, if someone wants it badly enough, I have an old Ruger Single Six in .22 WMR that I'd willingly part with. I have another one in .22LR but that's an original without modification, like my old Bearcat; those will stay with me for a lot longer.

And since I like to play by the rules: