The evolution of Sturm-Ruger

[Grenadier]

I can remember back in the 90's, when the elder Bill Ruger was still around, and in charge of the company policies.

I can still remember Ruger himself urging the lawmakers to manufacture the assault weapons ban / magazine ban, etc., asserting that "no honest man needs more than 10 rounds" and such. There was also his absolute refusal to sell 20 round magazines for the Mini 14, to civilians.

I also remember receiving a nasty e-mail from him when I urged his company to delve into the concealable guns market, specifically telling him that he was losing a lot of ground to S&W, Glock, et al., by not examining small revolvers and semiautos. His response to me was "We already make a concealable gun, the SP101, and if you can't carry that, you have no business owning it."

It's amazing what a decade and a half can do...

Now that Ruger and his unpopular policies aren't around anymore, Sturm-Ruger has done a nice job of refining their polymer framed guns, as well as finally offering the LCP and LCR, a pocket sized semiauto and revolver (finally, something to match S&W's J-frame), as well as making a really nice AR-15 type rifle (finally, a out of the box, Ruger semiauto rifle that can shoot more accurately than the loose-tolerance Mini-14), and yes, even a nice 1911.

Who would have ever thought this dramatic turnaround could be made in such a relatively short time?


The numbers don't lie:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44375021/ns/business-us_business/#.TmVBg47cxPw

Ruger has done especially well. Since Obama’s inauguration the company’s stock price has risen more than 400 percent, making it a better investment than gold, which is up 113 percent. “They’ve been outstanding in offering new products, especially in the concealable handgun segment,” says Jim Barrett, an analyst at CL King who tracks the gun industry and rates the company a “strong buy.”

 

[hongkongfooey]

I know a lot of people that still will not purchase a Ruger firearm because of Bill Ruger's support of the AWB.

 

[Grenadier]

I know a lot of people that still will not purchase a Ruger firearm because of Bill Ruger's support of the AWB.

Indeed, although many folks have basically forgiven the company, especially after the departure of Bill Ruger.

A lot of us also went through the same thing with Smith and Wesson, in 2000, when the CEO basically sold out the gun owners and also attempted to stab the other companies in the back with the HUD agreement.

It was quite a breath a fresh air, though, once the new ownership (Saf-T-Hammer) took over, since the new CEO pubically declared that the HUD agreement was null and void. It's also good to see that they didn't cave into the current administration, either.