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New addition that just arrived to the RPM stables. Factory second bearcat with S suffix serial number. I believe these suffix guns are more rare than the S stamp in front of trigger guard.

Wow, very cool & rare!
Good for you

That's neat. What makes it a second?

Nice one Rick.......I have a few S marked Bearcats myself though not sure of the numbers....yes I believe you are correct the S in the serial number is less common than the S on the bottom.....though it is reverse for the Lightweights.....RR pic added.....
Large S and small s


I thought this was an S but it is a 6 .....my eyes are not what they use to be

Heck Radical, believe I had rather have that old 6 than one or several of them S marked.
FT44

LDB wrote: ↑Thu Oct 02, 2025 4:27 pm That's neat. What makes it a second?

Something in the bluing or finish is not up to Ruger standards, but the gun functions properly and is safe, so it gets the "S" stamp to signify it is a second.
The lightweight "S" guns actually shipped almost 10 years (1966) after they stopped making them. I'm not sure about the bearcats.

JaydaWg

JAYDAWG wrote: ↑Tue Oct 07, 2025 11:54 am

LDB wrote: ↑Thu Oct 02, 2025 4:27 pm That's neat. What makes it a second?

Something in the bluing or finish is not up to Ruger standards, but the gun functions properly and is safe, so it gets the "S" stamp to signify it is a second.
The lightweight "S" guns actually shipped almost 10 years (1966) after they stopped making them. I'm not sure about the bearcats.

JaydaWg

S = expen$ive

Rodney, I like the S explanation. S= expenSive