TINCANBANDIT's Gunsmithing : Week 24 2023

This Week in Firearms History:

June 11: In 1776 a committee is formed to draft the Declaration of Independence; in 1961 the last episode of Gunsmoke airs; in 1969 Tru Grit opens in theaters.

June 12: In 1931 Al Capone is indicted on 5000 counts of perjury and violations of the Volstead Act; in 1942 Anne Frank gets her diary for her birthday; in 1987 President Reagan gives his "Tear down this wall" speech in West Germany.

June 13: In 1373 England & Portugal sign a treaty that still stands today; in 1777 Marquis de Lafayette arrives in U.S.; in 1866 the U.S. House of Representatives passes the 14th Amendment.

June 14: In 1775 The US Army forms under the Continental Army; Flag Day, In 1777 The U.S. formally adopts Old Glory.

June 15: In 1215 King John signs the Magna Carta; in 1775 George Washington named Commander in Chief of Continental Army; in 1846 the Oregon Treaty is signed setting the US-Canada border at 49 degrees N; in 1967 The Dirty Dozen opens in theaters.

June 16: In 1815 Napoleon wins his last military victory at the battle of Ligny; in 1897 the Republic of Hawaii is annexed into the U.S.; in 1903 Pepsi Cola and Ford Motor Company incorporated on same day.

June 17: in 1775, US Revolutionary War, Battle of Bunker Hill; in 1885 the Statue of Liberty arrives in New York; in 1933 The Kansas City Massacre takes the life of 1 FBI and 4 local police.

Gun of the Week: Ruger Bearcat

The Ruger Bearcat is a small .22 revolver made by Sturm, Ruger and Company.

Introduced in 1958, the gun was designed by Bill Ruger himself.

The frame design takes inspiration from the 1858 Remington New Police and its name from the Stutz Bearcat automobile, both of which Bill Ruger was a fan of.

The Bearcats frame was originally aluminum, but a steel framed version, called the Super Bearcat, was introduced in 1971.

In 1972 the Bearcat received the "New Model" update, same as all Ruger single actions, which included a transfer bar safety.

The Bearcat was left out of the Ruger catalog in 1975 by mistake and was dropped from production until it was brought back in 1993 as the New Bearcat, which is all steel.

A stainless-steel version arrived in 2002 as well as a "Shopkeeper" model with bird's head grip and 3" barrel.

In 2015 a version with adjustable sights began to be offered. Read more here

Cartridge of the Week: 41 Remington Magnum

The 41 Remington Magnum was introduced in 1964, some 29 years after the 357 Magnum and 9 years after the 44 Magnum were introduced.

Not satisfied with bringing the 357 and 44 Mag to market, Elmer Keith with help from Bill Jordan and Skeeter Skelton, pushed Remington and Smith & Wesson to introduce a magnum pistol cartridge that sat in between the 357 & 44.

The bullet diameter is .410 and bullet weights can vary from 170 grain to 265 grain. The 41 Magnum never reached the popularity of its brothers the 357 and 44.

Gun Quote of the Week:

"If a felon attacks you and lives, he will reasonably conclude that he can do it again. By submitting to him, you not only imperil your own life, but you jeopardize the lives of others." - Col Jeff Cooper

Bubba Gun of the Week:

Booney Wilson out of Bugtussle, Kentucky submitted this Glock for consideration in our First Annual Golden Poop Awards for Gunsmithing. A quote from his submission "I calls it 'Tactical Gription', both patent and trademarks are still pending, so don't even think of copying me"