Ruger???

[MGySgt]

Anyone know what is going on at Ruger. I was on their website and most of the handguns are 'Availability Limited'.
I have ordered a Max 9 at my local Gun Shop, LC9S is getting a little long in the tooth and has had thousands of 9mm down the barrel. I carry it everything I go out, I haven't had any issues with it YET and I don't want to wait until I do.

[ebb]

I am done with them. I asked about a magazine for a 22-45. they told me they were unavailable. The STD auto pistol is to a MK5 and the 22-45 is to MK4 I believe. Their engineering is so poor that it takes 4 or 5 tries to get it right? Many of the early mini 14s have no parts available. Many of the centerfire pistols have had to be revised. The only thing they make that they seem to have gotten right the first time is the 10-22. The red label is on a second generation. The Ruger American is on it's second generation. Many parts for the tang safety 77s are unavailable. I was worried that Berretta would take them over, after thinking about it I hope they do. Maybe they can fix this mess. Made in the USA is not always better, Ruger has proven it. I own 3 77s a 10-22 3 of the auto 22s. I one time I owned 6 of the 77s. They are dead to me.

[Big Tom]

The Max 9 is not available at any of my distributors either (except for the CA compliant version without a red dot for $100 more than the standard/red dot one).

[hoodat]

Ruger has been a big thing in my "gun life" starting with a Single Six when I was 16, a M77 .243 when I was 17, a Blackhawk 30 Carb. when I was 18, a 10-22 deluxe when I was 19, and a M77 270 Win. a few years later. Those were all incredibly good guns, but all 60's and 70's vintage.

Then about six months ago, I bought a Gen 1 American in 243, cheap at under $350, and I'm happy with what I got for the money -- very happy.

So my experience is pretty limited, but I'd be sad to think of them as "all done" in the gun world. I think that most companies these days are apt to have problems hitting a quality vs price point, and a lot of times the issue is simply the hands on fit and finish process. NC machining processes these days often result in much closer and repeatable tolerances than years past, and I'm amazed at how accurate the fit is in a lot of this stuff.
Ruger has often had features that a lot of us REALLY like, such as probably the first tang safety hunting rifles; or integral scope mounts, -- the entire concept of the 10-22. Some guys may even like the transfer bar six shooters.

They're not dead to me, and I'll likely find something to get from them in the future. jd

[Kyle1116]

The only thing I’ve liked from Ruger has been their revolvers the 10/22s and the 10/22 charger….ive had several of these over the years and they’ve all shot great. I had a carrier break on my Ruger made 1895 sbl and they sent me a new one for free. It’s been a good experience for me so far

[country gent]

I have several ruger firearms in the safe currently. 2 No1s a b model in 300 win mag and a v model in 220 swift, a 10-22 target hammer forged barrel, a couple Marks a 43/4 standard a 5 1/2 target and a 22-45 8" slab side. All but a couple were purchased new. All are earlier guns from the 70s and 80s.

While the swift could use a new barrel and the win mag is a very low round count all have performed admirably over the years.

Now with that said all the manufacturers have lowered standards over the years. A new python isnt the same as my 1958 python, a new smith isnt in the same as a 1930s model. As to availability it may be as much the distributors as it is the manufacturers. New tax laws require taxes on stock held over from year to year. Material prices put a piunch on larger runs than may sit for awhile.

[OptimusPanda]

These days a Ruger seems like a bad deal. It's a budget gun for a regular price in most cases. That said, I do enjoy my Mk(x) pistols but that's about it.

[Gtrubicon]

I love my Rugers!

[contender1]

Ruger builds guns in cycles. They do not have assembly lines for all of the various models all the time. They will build a projected number of guns of a particular model,, based upon sales predictions for the timeframe they allot between builds.

Sometimes,, they miss the numbers badly. Sometimes a model will sell a lot more than expected,, and sometimes they will sell a lot less of a model.

So if a model you seek isn't currently available,, AND it's a model they plan to keep in inventory,, have a little patience,, talk to gun shops that are "stocking Ruger dealers," and express your interests.

As to the comments about the lack of available parts for models LONG out of production,, (The M77, the early Mini-14's, the Security-Six series DA's, the OM single actions, etc,) I do not know of any manufacturer, of any product, that keeps a stock of parts for out of production models forever. And a manufacturer may offer an improved version of a model,, and that's the focus of repair parts etc. To expect Ruger,, Colt, S&W, Ford, Chevrolet, etc to keep a stock of parts forever, long after model changes have been made is unrealistic.
Updated versions of a model may or may not use some of the same parts. The MK version that started Ruger is in it's (4) basic design. And that doesn't count the 22/45 variation. You can't get parts for the MKI or the MKII unless they will work in later models. And the MK III may well be included. The MK IV model is the current production, and parts for that model will be around as long as it's the current production model.

[trapper9260]

After reading all the post on here . I wondering if this is the reason for what is going on here is the link . https://www.outdoorlife.com/guns/ber...uger-takeover/ Dose anyone else have any other idea or on this link .

[LDB]

Just brought home my latest, a Security-380, Friday afternoon. Plenty of complaints about every other company out there also, best I can see. I'll stick with made in USA by USA employees Ruger.

Max-9. $240.10 OTD at best price shop in Houston area. Gallery of Guns lookup. Plenty to be had.

[ebb]

Contender 1 They still make all of the firearms you mentioned. They have just made them in a different version, because they couldn't be bothered to get it right the first time. ARs have changed some form the beginning but they are still compatible with the originals. The STD (MK) pistol has 5 versions that all have a heel catch but are all use different magazines. The one most call a MK1 is really a Standard pistol, my mother bought me one for my 16th birthday. I was just as loyal as most of you guys are, but calling about a magazine and a manual and receiving neither shows how poor they really are. I will not give up on my Ruger firearms but I don't have to like the idea of making a change just for the sake of changing. If you do need to change make so it fixes all the previous mistakes.

[Cast10]

Several years ago I was looking for a Ruger NM Blackhawk 45 Colt 5.5”. Same thing online; unavailable. I was able to find one at a dealer and according to my LGS, at a good price. I, too, was told they build in stages.

[John Wayne]

First off, I wouldn't part with our Vacquero's or Single Sixes for any amount of money.
Ruger does seem to be having quality issues and in today's CNC mill and lathe world there is no excuse for it. They did keep the Marlin union workers which may be some of the problem.
Beretta has bought a lot of Ruger stock so they may move in and straighten it out. Beretta is 500 years old this year and has been run by 9 generations of the family, as I recall, and no unions.
JW

[higgins]

I've had problems with a few Ruger handguns. They've always fixed them at no charge with no argument, and if you ask they will probably send you a return label to avoid the ridiculously high overnight shipping charges.

[justindad]

I work with a guy whose dad retired from Ruger as an Engineer sometime in the last decade. He said his dad was forced into retirement when the new CEO came in, along with many other of the more experienced Engineers. We were talking about that because older people have been disproportionately included in the annual layoffs my company has had over the last decade. You will not remain employed at my company after you turn 59.5 years old - you will be in the next & upcoming layoff. Probably has something to do with Ruger’s decline.

[contender1]

"They still make all of the firearms you mentioned."

Wrong.

The M77 was replaced by a different model,, the Hawkeye.
The Security-Six series guns were replaced by a different model, the GP-100.
The OM's were replaced by the New Models with the safety transfer bar system.

Bill Ruger was ALWAYS looking at ways to increase profits. He was always looking at ways to make guns better AND not increase building expenses.

The M77 had a history of both very good or very bad accuracy. That was due to the barrels they got during some of the production times. And the expenses of building the Hawkeye using different methods & a re-design, were less than the M77.

The Security-Six series of guns was a thorn in Bills side. He got into the DA business looking for LEO contracts. It's been often spoken of how he complained that he lost money on that model. The GP-100 line was a re-design,, and it was a way to make money on the DA line.

The OM SA line,, Bill wanted a true "6-Shot" SA revolver,, and had the safety transfer bar design built. He ALSO was aware of how too many people were NOT educated in how to safely carry an OM Ruger, or a SA Colt etc. After he stopped production of the OM's,, and went to the NM design,, a few years later,, Bill got sued & lost his first case. The judge ruled that "Bill Ruger knew he had a defective design because he built the NM with the safety transfer bar." As such,, after that,, Bill had that horrendous "Billboard Warning" rollmark added to all his guns.

It's not that a design was bad,, it was often the lawyers, the lawsuits, or even just suggestions by knowledgeable shooters that created later versions of an original design. And that of course,, created different parts.

The Ruger .22 semi-auto pistol. The ORIGINAL one was called a "Standard" by the company. That was the official name for the fixed sighted, tapered barreled guns from 1949 until 1982. But in 1951,, they introduced the MK I Target Automatic Pistol. It has adjustable sights, and different barrel lengths. RUGER put the marking of Mark I on those frames. Then in 1982,,the MKII was introduced. The Standard model magazines initially had the follower button on the right side. when the stamping mold for the initial guns wore out,, they re-designed the frame a bit, and moved the follower button to the left side. The initial type of frame is called the A54 frame. When the change was done, it is called the A-100 frame. This was done in about 1971. When the frame changes were done, the magazines were cut so you could use the Later magazines in the older frames by simply swapping the follower button to the left side. I have personally seen an early 1949 built gun fired with a 10 round, double slotted magazine without a problem. You are incorrect about your info on the Ruger semi-auto .22 pistols.
BUT,, the MKIII went with a different magazine release, because people complained about the bottom magazine latch. People wanted the side release.
So a lot of the magazines built will swap around in different models. But NOT all of them, due to consumer demands & ideas. And not all of these ideas were good ones. The MKIII suffers from "lawyer devices" such as the magazine disconnect, and the loaded round indicator.
The MK IV,, addresses the consumer complaints about re-assembly.

NOTHING is wrong with many older models. The got it right to begin with. But due to consumer complaints or suggestions, as well as the need to make a profit,, designs change.
And when a design changes,, ANY company of ANY kind can not keep support parts in stock forever.

All companies keep model names as they are patented protected. But a 1970 Chevelle is NOT the same as more recent Chevelles. And GM doesn't stock parts for the older cars either.

Sorry,, just because you feel the name is the same, or that they still make that model, is just incorrect.

As a life-long Ruger collector, a founding member of the Ruger Owners & Collectors Society, a contributor to the Red Eagle News Exchange, and the owner of ALL books & publications about Rugers,, (not counting the monthly gun rags that required a subscription,) I think I can speak about Rugers with a bit of actual knowledge.
In fact,, if you wish,, you can subscribe to the RENE and get their excellent Reference Guide. It has a lot of the detailed info I just shared. That and books by Chad Hiddleson, John Dougan, and Don Findley will teach you quite a bit.

Models of everything are constantly evolving due to consumer demands as well as the necessity of making a profit to be able to stay in business. Quite often,, it's not a problem with a previous model, it's due to input by serious shooters or sadly,, the lawyers looking to sue a big company with deep pockets. It's not to "so it fixes all the previous mistakes."

But I will say that yes,, some models did need a re-design due to problems not found initially. And were discovered by consumers. The very early Mini-14's had a few problems. So that was fixed.

And let's not forget the fact that Bill Ruger built an excellent .357 Maximum Blackhawk. Yet,, due to consumers doing things that the gun wasn't designed to do,, followed by a "gun-rag" writer,, who trashed the gun, Bill stopped production completely, AND scrapped about 5000 new guns. Why? The gun was built around Silhouette shooting competition & serious handgun hunting. It was to be used with heavier bullets & slower burning powders. Reloaders started loading very light bullets & a hotter faster powder. That caused a little "Top strap, flame cutting." Well that gun rag writer TRASHED the gun. I was told by a good authority that the writer was butt-hurt because he didn't get an example to test. So, between a few complaints, and that writer's article,, Bill shut it down. Yet,, MANY different guns & models from several makers have also had top strap flame cutting but NEVER got the bad press the Maximum did.
The mistake there was Bill getting mad & being too stubborn.

My apologies for a bit of thread drift here,, but mis-information doesn't need to be spread. I challenge anyone to this; "Do not take my word for any of this. Buy the books, do your own studying. Educate yourselves on the subject. Then make a decision about what you find out."

And if anybody wants the names of the books, just ask.

[justindad]

Now tell me how you really feel…

[Hamish]

Wel said, and thank you.

[MGySgt]

My initial question was why so many of Ruger firearms were limited availability. They was discussed earlier.
I own and shoot Rugers rifles and pistols and revolvers. I like them all. I have not had any problems with any of my Rugers in a very long time. I do understand that there is not a glut of all the models available and I am waiting patiently for my locale gun shop to get my new Max 9.

Contender1 I enjoyed your write up, thank you for that.

I was not bad mouthing Ruger, I believe they are great guns.