WILDCAT .22rf SINGLE-SHOT RIFLE

FloridaFialaFan · Oct 27, 2009

Anyone else have a Wildcat 500 in their herd? I recently found a very nice one, made by Precision Industries Division of Ozark Mountain Arms in Ozark, MO.

There's an old website about these rifles which seems to have been abandoned in 2006. But it gives some idea as to just how few of these guys are around.

Besides the Precision name there are also some guns marked Ozark Mountain and others marked Rau. Those Rau guns were made in Eldorado, KS. The last Wildcat I saw sell at online auction - before I won this one - went for $500!!!

My rifle has plastic inserts inside its skeleton stock which look exactly like wood. Some of these guns have been reported with actual wood inserts, and others reported with NO inserts.

This gun's design is obviously influenced by the very similar Garcia Bronco guns from several years ago. This gun is finished in gray parkerizing and some are reported as being blued. Completely original, this little guy is in NRA VG+ (98%). condition.

I would be happy to hear from anyone elso who owns one of these unusual little fellows. :thumbsup:

Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF

Drugs lead nowhere, but it IS the scenic route!

Quickdraw22 · Oct 27, 2009

You must have an overwhelming collection.

I have a hard enough time keeping track of the few specimens I've got over here - I have no clue how you do it.

DAVE

FloridaFialaFan · Oct 27, 2009

Quickdraw22 said:
You must have an overwhelming collection.

I have a hard enough time keeping track of the few specimens I've got over here - I have no clue how you do it.

DAVE

Since I haven't been able to get out to visit the range, or attend gun shows for quite some time, I haunt the Web and gun forums like this one. I've bought quite a few of my most rare guns strictly through conversation in a forum and following up when someone says, "I've got this...."

Some weekends I've had as many as three different live, online auctions up on my PC's monitor at the ame time, bidding in auctions from one coast to the other. With the old, established online auctions I leave a "saved search" list with them so I'm notified next morning that particular gun showed up on their website.

As I learn of another oddball or unusual .22rf single-shot I'm not familiar with, from ANY source, I add that gun to my "saved searches" and keep a list of such things on a post-it note which is stuck up on the front of my PC as a reminder to look for that item.

Some of my best finds online have resulted from bidding on little-known or almost unknown rarities I run across for sale. I can't shop the gun stores and pawn shops so instead I shop auctions and gun sellers websites coast to coast.

Overwhelming collection? Nah! I think I've got a little less than 100 guns in the collection. It seems like more 'cause most of 'em are so unusual from the run-of-the-mill - makes 'em easier for folks to remember.

It's a blast and gives me something to do that I can enjoy in my retirement. :thumbsup:

Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF

macas50 · Mar 19, 2010

Wildcat 22

I also have one of these rifles but the one I have is made by Arms Corp Rau. My stock is wood. The rifle is in real good shape. The serial # starts with the Letter A with four numbers following. I have no idea what it's worth, If anyone has an idea of it's value let me know

FloridaFialaFan · Mar 19, 2010

macas50 you evidently did NOT read the caption below my second photo!

Harold Rau originated the Rau Wildcat 500 in El Dorado, KS and later sold out to Ozark Mountain, and the identical RAU-marked guns were produced by them for a few years, eventually changing to the name shown on my gun.

BUT, they're ALL Wildcat 500s. Under both names they also made the Wildcat 600 which was the SAME gun but just a bit fancier. Here's the RAU in my collection. This one has the REALWOOD buttstock insert AND forearm. It is blued finish rather than gray parkerize like the PRECISION gun above.

And here's the exploded view which applies to both guns.

Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF

macas50 · Mar 19, 2010

Wildcat 22

Thanks for the info. Do you know what they are worth. I think I paid 25.00 back in 1972. A friend said they are worth between 600.00 to 1000.00. I don't know if he's right our not

macas50 · Mar 19, 2010

Sorry I did read the 500 at action but thought it was for the rifle without the wood stock

FloridaFialaFan · Mar 19, 2010

This may sound corny, macas50, but it's true: ANYTHING is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, at that time, in that place.

In Aug. last year I obtained the Precision for $103 plus shipping from an auction in KS. Then 4 months later, in Nov. of '09, I obtained the Rau from an auction in IL for $495 plus shipping.

Back in the '70s when you paid $25 or yours, they were selling off the shelves, new in box, for anyplace from $15.50 to $27.50 - depending on WHICH STORE you bought it from.

I don't know what else I can tell you about its value.

Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF

dhdmt · Jan 19, 2012

Ihave one of these and would love to find out more info and where to get parts

dhdmt · Jan 19, 2012

i ALSO HAVE ONE AND WOULD LOVE TO GET MORE INFO AND FIND A PLACE TO FIND PARTS. THE LAST I SAW ONE FOR SALE IT WAS IN A AUCTION IN TEXAS ONLINE WENT FOR OVER 600

FloridaFialaFan · Jan 19, 2012

Wow! Didn't realize I'd been away from this thread for so long. Quickdraw22, I just found your two messages from last July which I never got notified of. sorry to be so late answering.

Made a New Year resolution to list one gun per day until the collection was gone. Decided since old age and ill health have teamed up on me it's time to let someone else enjoy all this iron. Haven't been able to keep up with the one-a-day thing. Have sold a few so far and have 3 or 4 up on GB auctions right now. Just check for my seller name Shansei45.

Sorry I can't help with a parts source. I have a local shop with a really good gunsmith who handles most of my 'smithing needs, but for REAL collector work like rebuilding, etc., I've got a great older retired guy up in PA who is an artist at restoring these old timers.

If I needed a part for one of my Wildcats I'd simply have him use one of my others to pull parts for use as a pattern to solve the broken gun's problem.

Luckily I've not had any with problems he couldn't fix.

Got over a hundred collectibles to part with so watch for my auctions. Just sold one Fiala there and tonight listed a SECOND Fiala. Got another 20 of them to go through!!!

Best regards ~ ~ ~ FloridaFialaFan

rauarms · Jul 23, 2012

I have one that looks the same but made by Rau Arms. Dad bought it in early 70's in Idaho. We played with it for years. I have it, but am missing the firing pin?, the pin you pull back to cock the rifle. Wish I knew how to find one or have one made. Suppose a gunsmith would be the place to start.

FloridaFialaFan · Jul 23, 2012

rauarms, we have a new gun store in the Daytona Beach area with a complete service, in store gunsmith. He does great a great job, and I know because he's worked about a dozen of my old guns so far. To give you some idea, he would charge about $30 for a new pin. I have an advantage because I can remove a pin from one of my other Wildcats and he can then EASILY duplicate it, and quickly.

Check with the parts places and if worse comes to worse I could take my RAU WILDCAT into him and have him make a new one for you.

Good luck with your hunt. Don't wait too long 'cause I'm in midst of selling off my collection of about 100 or so vintage arms - due to old age and poor health.

Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF

dhdmt · Nov 20, 2012

rau 22

I have one of these little guns. Mine is marked Mtn Arms Ozark Mo and is the takedown model

dhdmt · Nov 20, 2012

If you are looking for one of these litle guns I have one I might be willing to part with

Hillbilly'78 · Jun 6, 2013

I don't have any of these anymore, but I do have a little history of one's with receivers marked Precision Industries. In late 1975 my Dad became co-owner of Precision, till 1978. We used up all receivers marked Ozark Mtn. Arms, then ran Precision stamped ones. Produced several varieties of take-down, with wood or plastic stocks, my Dad also built a Hawkins replica for awhile.

Hillbilly'78 · Jun 6, 2013

Hi, used to own several. My dad co-owned precision 1976-1978, in Campbell City, near Ozark, mo. I worked in factory. We used up parts marked Ozark Mtn. Arms, and rest marked Precision Industries. We made 3 variations wood or plastic stock, take-down or fixed, some take-downs came in Styrofoam, some in leather pouch with belt-clip. My dad was a muzzle loader fan and also made a Hawkins-replica that sold very well at the time. Anyway a little history is better than no history.

swapdaddyxx11@th · Feb 7, 2015

Hi Hillbilly '78, hope you are still around. I have one of these little rifles in rough shape. Mine is only marked "Precision Arms, OZ MO. with serial #B1127xx. It does not have the wood stock, but does have a wood forearm. It is painted black, no blueing or plating. From what I have learned, I think it may be possible that it was one of the last, produced from parts, although that doesn't matter to me. I am not interested in its value, IF it has any,just would like to make it shoot. I am missing the part between the trigger and the bolt, which is #22 in the diagram shown in an earlier post here. If I had a drawing of the part roughly to scale, I am pretty sure I can make it. Am also missing the pin for said part, along with the safety button and the rear sight but I can handle that.I am almost 78 years old with limited mobility due to an old back injury and have been a tinkerer all my life, so messing with this little piece gives me something to do. Oh, one good feature, no rust! Any help you could give would be appreciated. Of course a parts source would be great.

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