RUGER 0918 BEARCAT SHOPKEEPR 22 LR 3.5" BBL LIPSEYS EXC.

The Ruger Bearcat Shopkeeper (0918) is a six-shot single-action 22 LR revolver built on the classic one-piece alloy steel Bearcat frame with a shortened 3.50-inch barrel and birdshead grip frame, produced exclusively for Lipsey's dealers as a compact, concealable rimfire revolver with old-west shopkeeper styling and modern transfer bar safety. This 22 LR birdshead single-action revolver is a natural choice for collectors, trail carry shooters, new shooters, and anyone who wants a genuinely compact 22 revolver with the distinctive silhouette and heritage proportions that set the Shopkeeper apart from standard barrel-length Bearcat variants.

Key Features

• Manufacturer model number: 0918
• Distributor: Lipsey's Exclusive, limited availability
• Caliber: 22 LR
• Capacity: 6 rounds
• Action type: Single-action revolver, Shopkeeper configuration
• Barrel length: 3.50 inches
• Overall length: 8.50 inches
• Frame material: Alloy steel, one-piece construction
• Finish: Blued
• Grip frame: Birdshead style
• Grips: Hardwood
• Front sight: Blade
• Rear sight: Integral notch
• Barrel twist: 1:16 inches, right hand
• Safety: Transfer bar mechanism with loading gate interlock
• Cylinder: Unfluted, decorative rollmark

Special Features

• The birdshead grip frame is the defining feature of the Shopkeeper variant, replacing the standard Bearcat plow-handle grip with a rounded, downward-curving profile that fits naturally in the palm, reduces overall grip length, and gives the revolver a visually distinctive silhouette directly referencing the short-barrel concealment revolvers carried by merchants and lawmen in the late nineteenth century
• The 3.50-inch barrel shortens the overall length to 8.50 inches, producing one of the most compact current-production single-action 22 revolvers available and making the Shopkeeper small enough to drop into a jacket pocket, a coat pocket, or a compact belt holster without printing or snagging
• The one-piece alloy steel frame eliminates the side panel screws and multi-piece frame assembly found on most other revolver designs, keeping the Bearcat structurally unified and contributing to its narrow, clean overall profile
• The transfer bar mechanism and loading gate interlock provide modern drop safety protection, preventing discharge unless the trigger is fully pressed with the hammer at full cock, adding a safety standard the original shopkeeper revolvers this design references never had
• The blade front sight is matched to the shortened barrel length, providing a usable aiming reference at close to moderate rimfire distances without the overhang of a longer ramp profile that would look disproportionate on a 3.50-inch barrel
• The unfluted decorative cylinder carries the Bearcat-exclusive bear and cougar rollmark, adding a period-correct visual detail that distinguishes this cylinder from plain production variants and reinforces the collectible identity of the Lipsey's Exclusive designation

Practical Benefits

• The compact 8.50-inch overall length and birdshead grip make the Shopkeeper 0918 one of the easiest single-action 22 revolvers to carry all day in a coat pocket, vest pocket, or small belt holster without the weight or bulk that longer-barrel variants add to a pack or field kit
• Single-action operation gives new shooters and youth a deliberate, one-shot-at-a-time manual of arms that builds safe firearm handling habits naturally through the mechanics of cocking and firing, making the Shopkeeper an excellent teaching revolver in a compact, non-intimidating package
• The 22 LR chambering keeps ammunition costs low across plinking, trail use, pest control, and small game applications, making the Shopkeeper a practical everyday outdoor companion without a significant round-cost commitment
• Hardwood birdshead grips fill the palm with a natural, warm surface that accommodates a wide range of adult and youth hand sizes comfortably in the rounded birdshead profile, providing a secure hold without the length or width of a full plow-handle grip frame
• The Lipsey's Exclusive designation in limited production makes the 0918 a natural companion piece alongside the standard Bearcat 0916 and other Lipsey's Exclusive Ruger rimfire variants for collectors building a themed single-action rimfire set
• If you want the most compact version of the Ruger Bearcat platform with the classic birdshead grip, blued steel construction, and a Lipsey's Exclusive decorative cylinder in a production run that will not be widely restocked, the Ruger Bearcat Shopkeeper (0918) gives your collection and your trail kit a genuinely distinctive and historically styled 22 revolver

The Ruger Bearcat Shopkeeper (0918) in 22 LR is a smart addition for collectors and trail shooters who want a Lipsey's Exclusive blued birdshead single-action 22 revolver with a 3.50-inch barrel, decorated cylinder, and the most compact footprint in the current Bearcat lineup.