Ruger

Uncategorized

Happy National Ruger Day!

October 22, 2023 by 1 Comment

October 22nd or 10/22 is National Ruger Day. Obviously, it is a play on words about their best-selling .22LR carbine the Ruger 10/22.

The Ruger 10/22 was the first firearm I purchased when I turned 18. I remember getting it at the now-defunct Best Products in Greensboro, North Carolina for the lordly price of $55. I stupidly sold it sometime in the mid-1980s because I was short on cash. I now have two Ruger 10/22s. One is the International version with a full Mannlicher stock and the other is synthetic-stocked version with fiber optic sights.

I own a few other Rugers as well. They range from M77 rifles to 20 gauge Red Label to numerous pistols and revolvers. I even have a couple of Security-Six revolvers that I picked up used at good prices.

So on this October 22nd, let us thank Bill Ruger and Harry Sefried II for designing this wonderful rimfire carbine that is commemorated today. By the last estimate in 2015, over seven million had been made and sold. I’d wager that the total now is probably closer to eight million or more.

Uncategorized

Ruger SR22 Safety Bulletin

April 4, 2022 by 1 Comment

Ruger issued a safety bulletin on their SR22 .22LR pistol. An assembly issue may render internal safety mechanisms inoperative in a small number of the pistols.

More from Ruger:

Ruger has discovered that a small number of SR22® pistols may have right and left frame inserts that are not properly secured together. In rare circumstances, this condition may render certain internal safety mechanisms ineffective and the pistol has the potential to discharge upon decocking. Pistols that may be exhibiting this condition will intermittently exhibit a “slack” single-action trigger.

NOTE: A “slack” single-action trigger occurs if, while operating the pistol in single-action mode with a magazine inserted, the slide forward, and the manual safety disengaged, a trigger pull does not encounter resistance and the hammer does not fall.

Although only a very small number of pistols appear to be affected, Ruger is committed to safety and would like to examine all SR22 pistols that have ever exhibited a slack single-action trigger or discharged upon decocking.

Potentially affected pistols include any SR22 pistol with a serial number of 369-40078 or lower (including all SR22 pistols with a “SS” prefix). If your SR22 pistol has ever exhibited one of the conditions described above, you should immediately stop using your pistol and sign up for the Safety Retrofit as outlined in the Safety Bulletin. If you have never experienced either condition, your pistol is not affected by this Safety Bulletin.

Details about what to look for and how to sign up for the retrofit also appear on our website at Ruger.com/SR22Retrofit. The website also contains answers to Frequently Asked Questions, a video demonstrating the inspection process, and other information that you may find helpful.  
Uncategorized

Ruger Is Doing Good

January 6, 2022 by 2 Comments

WTTA or Walk the Talk America is a non-profit initiative originated within the firearms industry to tackle the issue of suicide by firearm. Now they have just received a $25,000 donation from Sturm, Ruger and Co.

From the press release:

This donation will go a long way to supporting the WTTA’s efforts to educate mental health experts and firearms industry professionals on the critical need for information and communication between and within our industries to help curb the tide of suicides and gun violence,” Mike Sodini, founder of Walk The Talk America, commented.


“We are happy to support the great work that Mike Sodini and Walk the Talk America has done to bring mental health awareness and suicide prevention to the forefront,” added Chris Killoy, President and CEO of Ruger.


For over four years, WTTA has spearheaded a movement within the firearms industry to bridge the gap between mental health and responsible firearm ownership with the goal of reducing suicide by firearm and gun violence. Through educational material, podcasts, and training programs, WTTA is paving the way of educating mental health professionals about the gun culture and breaking down the negative stigmas around mental health for gun owners.


“We strongly believe we are saving lives, and we thank Ruger for supporting our common mission to end gun-related violence and suicide,” Sodini said.

The more the firearms industry donates and works to tackle this issue, the better. Unlike the gun control industry who uses the numbers from suicides to plump up the number of deaths in which a firearm is used, the firearms industry is actually doing something. I don’t see any of Bloomberg’s billions going to suicide prevention. I could be wrong on that and will gladly acknowledge it if I am wrong.

Uncategorized

NATO Standardizes 5.7×28 Cartridge

March 1, 2021 by

FN America is reporting that NATO has decided to standardize the 5.7×28 cartridge. This should be good news for both FN and Ruger as they both manufacture handguns in that caliber. I know CMMG has the Banshee AR pistol in 5.7 so I wouldn’t be surprised to see more ARs coming out as either pistols or carbines in that caliber.

From FN’s release sent out this morning:

FN America, LLC is pleased to announce that the FN-designed 5.7x28mm caliber has been standardized by NATO. The caliber was designed in the late 1980s for use with the FN P90® and FN Five-seveN® pistol. With almost three decades of trusted use, the FN 5.7x28mm continues to leverage the groundbreaking design to improve range, accuracy and terminal performance from small arms. As NATO adds the FN 5.7x28mm to their standard small caliber ammunition portfolio, FN proudly continues its long legacy of small arm innovation as it enhances service to civilians, law enforcement, and militaries across the globe.

In a continuous effort to promote interchangeability of all small caliber ammunition used by allied armed forces, NATO has recently finalized the standardization process of the FN®-designed 5.7x28mm caliber by approving the standardization agreement (STANAG) 4509.

The 5.7x28mm caliber is now integrated into the Multi-Caliber Manual Of Proof and Inspection (AEP-97) and joins the standardized NATO small caliber ammunition portfolio, along with the 9x19mm NATO, the 5.56x45mm NATO, the 7.62x51mm NATO and the 12.7x99mm NATO (also widely known as the .50 caliber).

As a NATO standardized caliber, the 5.7x28mm provides armies with the guarantee of interchangeability between ammunition from different manufacturers and operational efficiency in weapons of this caliber.

Uncategorized

Ruger Expands In North Carolina

December 15, 2020 by 1 Comment

Ruger will be adding 60 new jobs at its Mayodan, North Carolina manufacturing plant. Along with the new jobs, it will be spending upwards of $10 million in capital improvements according to a story in the Greensboro News-Record.

The plant currently employs 490 workers. The new jobs will have an average salary of $44,033 per year which is $9,000 above the Rockingham County average.

The Rockingham County Commissioners also approved a performance-based economic incentives in a unanimous vote.

From the News-Record prior to the December 7th meeting:

The company has been made eligible for up to $150,000 in performance-based economic incentives from the One North Carolina Fund, which requires matching local incentives.

Rockingham Board of Commissioners are expected to approve Monday night a performance-based tax incentive worth up to $234,799, according to county manger Lance Metzler.

“We only know the company has seen considerable demand for its products, resulting in the search for a location to expand capacity,” Metzler said.

“They are such a good company to have as part of our community and offer some outstanding job opportunities to our residents with good-paying jobs.”

The expansion also generated a news release from anti-gun Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC). It must have killed him to say nice things about Ruger but money is money and jobs are jobs.

“North Carolina’s skilled workforce continues to make our state a smart choice for growing manufacturers,” Governor Cooper said. “Today’s expansion by Sturm, Ruger & Co. highlights our state’s commitment to growing with companies and is a strong investment in the future of Rockingham County.” 

The expansion is thought to be related to the acquisition of Marlin in the Remington bankruptcy. It is reported that production of the Marlin firearm line will be split between the Mayodan plant and Ruger’s Newport, New Hampshire plan.

Uncategorized

Uhh, That’s Not A Marlin Lever Action

November 25, 2020 by

Examine the picture below. It was used by The Motley Fool website to illustrate a story regarding Ruger’s completion of the Marlin Firearms acquisition as a result of the Remington bankruptcy.

For some reason I don’t think the author was the one who picked the picture used to illustrate the story. That is because the story itself was pretty much on the money when it came to the background of Marlin and the impact the Freedom Group purchase initially had on quality.

Now I don’t claim to be an authority on everything lever action but I do know a Savage 99 from a Marlin 336. I have a couple of the former and one of the latter. I also know that the rotary magazine of the Savage lent itself to the use of the cartridges with spitzer bullets shown in the picture. Marlin lever actions, being tube fed, would generally use round or flat nose bullets.

The rule of thumb for a publication should be to let someone who knows a little bit about firearms pick the picture to illustrate your story on firearms.

UPDATE: A closer examination of the cartridges used in the photo show that many of them are flat nose bullets. I had to download the picture and enlarge it to actually see it. On first glance, I thought they were spitzer bullets with exposed lead tips.

Uncategorized

Ruger On Marlin Assets Purchase

September 30, 2020 by

Ruger is cautious in their public statements. I think that is why they waited until today to make an announcement of their winning bid for the Marlin firearms assets of Remington Outdoor Company. The bid was only approved by the US Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Alabama yesterday.

Ruger will be paying $30 million from cash on hand for these assets and expects to close on the purchase this coming month. When Cerberus Capital Management bought Marlin in January 2008, the terms of the deal were not released. However, I think it would be a good assumption that Cerberus paid a lot more than $30 million. In that deal, Cerberus not only got Marlin, but also H&R, New England Firearms, and L.C. Smith.

I think Marlin fans and lovers of lever guns will rejoice given the comments of Ruger CEO Chris Killoy below:

“The value of Marlin and its 150-year legacy was too great of an opportunity for us to pass up,” said Ruger President and CEO Chris Killoy. “The brand aligns perfectly with ours and the Marlin product portfolio will help us widen our already diverse product offerings.”

The transaction is exclusively for the Marlin Firearms assets. Remington firearms, ammunition, other Remington Outdoor brands, and all facilities and real estate are excluded from the Ruger purchase. Once the purchase is completed, the Company will begin the process of relocating the Marlin Firearms assets to existing Ruger manufacturing facilities.

“The important thing for consumers, retailers and distributors to know at this point in time,” continued Killoy, “is that the Marlin brand and its great products will live on. Long Live the Lever Gun.”

As Michael Bane said on his podcast today, Ruger knows how to make firearms and this is good for Marlin.

Uncategorized

Remington Outdoor Company Bankruptcy Update

September 28, 2020 by 3 Comments

What Cerberus put together to eventually form Remington Outdoor Company aka Freedom Group, the US Bankruptcy Court for Northern Alabama is taking apart. A court filing today has the results of the auction for the various components of the company. It was first reported by Dan Zimmerman at TTAG.

Earlier in September, I reported that JJE Capital was the stalking horse bidder for Remington’s ammunition business. That was to set the floor. The final bids were released today. These will be subject to approval of the court in a hearing to be held on Tuesday, September 29th.

From the Notice filed with the Bankruptcy Court today:

• Vista Outdoor, Inc. as the Successful Bidder pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A with respect to the Lonoke Ammunitions Business and certain IP assets; and SIG Sauer, Inc. as the Backup Bidder thereto pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit B with respect to the Lonoke Ammunitions Business;
• Roundhill Group, LLC as the Successful Bidder pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit C with respect to the non-Marlin Firearms Business; and Huntsman Holdings, LLC and Century Arms, Inc. as the Backup Bidders thereto pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit D with respect to certain Firearms Business IP assets and Exhibit E with respect to certain non-Marlin Firearms Business inventory, respectively;
• Sierra Bullets, L.L.C. as the Successful Bidder pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit F with respect to the Barnes Ammunitions Business; and Barnes Acquisition LLC as the Backup Bidder thereto pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit G with respect to the Barnes Ammunitions Business;
• Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. as the Successful Bidder pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit H with respect to the Marlin Firearms Business; and Long Range Acquisition LLC as the Backup Bidder thereto pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit I with respect to the Marlin Firearms Business;
• JJE Capital Holdings, LLC as the Successful Bidder with respect to the DPMS, H&R, Stormlake, AAC, and Parker brands;
• Franklin Armory Holdings, Inc., or its designated assignee, as the Successful Bidder with respect to the Bushmaster brand and certain related assets; and
• Sportsman’s Warehouse, Inc. as the Successful Bidder with respect to the Tapco brand.

If these bids are approved, Vista Outdoor will become an even larger player in the civilian ammunition market with the addition of Remington’s ammunition factory in Arkansas.

The other big story is that Ruger will be adding the Marlin lever action lineup of rifles to its product line. It is unknown if they will keep the old name or market them under the Ruger name.

JJE Capital is the owner of Palmetto State Armory among other companies. DPMS will be a good fit for them as will H&R in the budget category. I’m not sure of their intention for Parker which makes the reproduction Parker shotguns nor what they plan to do with suppressor maker AAC or barrel maker Stormlake.

Franklin Armory getting Bushmaster will be a good fit for them. Likewise, Sierra Bullets adding Barnes Bullets to their lineup makes sense.

Roundhill Group, LLC is a property management group out of Virginia according to a story out of New York. I’m not sure if that is the correct Roundhill as there are a number of companies by that name with various spellings. Nonetheless, they will be getting the non-Marlin firearms business which would include Remington itself and presumably Dakota Arms. The story indicates a bit of unease in Ilion, NY where the Remington factory is the largest employer in Herkimer County. The backup bidder for this part of the assets includes Century Arms. I would hate to see what they would do with Remington.

Finally, Sportsman’s Warehouse is getting Tapco. I presume they intend for this to be used to provide accessories to be sold in their chain of stores.

The Wall Street Journal does bring up an interesting point in their report on the breakup of Remington into pieces. What happens now with the Connecticut lawsuit?

The Covid-19 pandemic and civil unrest have Americans stocking up on guns and ammunition, but Remington said it was short of funds, despite having erased hundreds of millions of dollars in debt in a 2018 bankruptcy.

The company is facing a lawsuit over its marketing of the Bushmaster rifle, which was used in the December 2012 killing of 20 children and six adult school staffers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

The 2020 bankruptcy halted a lawsuit brought by the families of some of the Sandy Hook victims, which had been preserved in the first pass through chapter 11.

Remington hasn’t said what its drive to throw its assets on the bankruptcy auction block would mean for the Sandy Hook lawsuit or for company retirees who crowded into a session with bankruptcy administrators, asking what would become of their benefits.

Uncategorized

No Changes To What Ruger Makes And Sells

May 10, 2018 by 3 Comments

A shareholder proposal put forth by Catholic Health Initiatives and the Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment for a vote by Ruger shareholders passed. The proposal which was opposed by the board of directors requires the company to prepare a report on “on how it tracks violence associated with its firearms, what kind of research it is conducting related to so-called smart gun technology and its assessment of the risks that gun-related crimes pose to the company’s reputation and finances.”

The measure was spearheaded by Colleen Scanlon who is the chief advocacy officer for Catholic Health Initiatives which is an organization of over 100 Catholic run hospitals.

From CNN Money:

The proposal was spearheaded by Colleen Scanlon, senior vice president and chief advocacy officer for Catholic Health Initiatives, a system of hospitals and academic institutions. Her organization was one of four shareholders who spoke at the meeting, and all of them asked the Ruger executives what they were going to do about gun violence and gun safety.

“We as shareholders are saying that gun violence is significant enough that you, as a gun company, need to address what your responsibility to gun safety is,” said Scanlon to CNNMoney.

She said that hospitals within the Catholic health system have treated many patients with gunshot wounds, and she wants Ruger to focus on smart gun technology. She said that her institution was one of 11 religious shareholder organizations to draft the proposal

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see them leading an effort about making a smarter gun, like fingerprint activated guns and tracking systems for finding lost or stolen guns, like with iPhones?” she said. “We know that gun owners are responsible and sensible people, but we know that guns can end up in the wrong hands.”

You can read the shareholder proposal here along with the rationale given for its passage. I would note that any supporting documentation that relies on the Violence Policy Center is suspect. The firm Institutional Investor Services which advises on shareholder proposal urged passage which I assume is the reason some of the major institutional investors vote for it.

Ruger sent out an email this evening with their response to the passage of the shareholder proposal.

The same coalition that pushed this anti-gun nonsense on Ruger will be attempting to do the same thing to American Outdoor Brands Company aka Smith & Wesson. This is the danger that we should come to expect in the future for firearms companies and those that do business with them. I foresee a time in the not too distant future when you will see most of these public companies going private to avoid having to deal with this.

I think it is important that you know just which religious orders are behind these proposals. I’m Catholic but I’ll be damned if I agree with any of these nuns. I certainly wouldn’t be making any contributions to their orders.

Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment

  • Adrian Dominican Sisters
  • Benedictine Sisters of Cottonwood, Idaho
  • Benedictine Sisters of Mt Angel
  • Congrégation des Soeurs des Saints Noms de Jésus et de Marie
  • Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace
  • Jesuits West
  • PeaceHealth
  • Providence Health & Services
  • Northwest Women Religious Investment Trust
  • Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, U.S. Ontario Province
  • Sisters of Providence, Mother Joseph Province
  • Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
  • Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon
  • Tacoma Dominicans

Catholic Health Initiatives

Thirteen congregations of women religious either founded or later joined Catholic Health Initiatives. These congregations support and influence the mission of Catholic Health Initiatives and its public juridic person, Catholic Health Care Federation. Each Congregation appoints a person to represent them at semi-annual meetings with the Board of Stewardship Trustees.

Esther Anderson, OSF, PhD
Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Alice Armata, OP
Congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena
Taos, New Mexico

Nadine Heimann, OSF
Sisters of St. Francis of Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Joanne Klinnert, OSF
Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota
Little Falls, Minnesota

Joan Elizabeth Cook, SC
Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio

Sharon Ford, RSM
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, West Midwest Community
Omaha, Nebraska

Sally Marie Kiepura, CSFN
Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth
Des Plaines, Illinois

Mary Jo Lewis, MD
Associate Member
Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Fargo, North Dakota

Ann Marie Friederichs, OSF
Sisters of St. Francis of the Immaculate Heart of MaryHankinson, North Dakota
Hankinson, North Dakota

Susan Gatz, SCN
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Nazareth, Kentucky

Francis Schumacher, OSB
Benedictine Sisters of Mother of God Monastery
Watertown, South Dakota

Diane Traffas, OP
Dominican Sisters of Peace
Columbus, Ohio

Sr. Mary Jon Wagner, OSF
Sylvania Franciscans
Sylvania, Ohio

Representative of Partnering Congregations

Sr. Nancy Miller, OSB
Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery
Bismarck, ND

UPDATE: The full transcript of the Ruger annual meeting can be found here. You will note some of the nonsensical questions posed to Ruger CEO Chris Killoy by “religious leaders”.

UPDATE II: For an excellent summary of the shareholder proposal accomplished, please read this editorial by Jim Shepherd of the Outdoor Wire. He compared it to a fly buzzing around a cow. It is pestering rather than the steering claimed by proponents.