Ruger and Beretta

[Idaho-Lefty]

id like to have a couple of those ruger/marlins— dont think ill pay the price though.

Go to a Pawn shop or, reasonably Priced, Gun shop and Buy yourself, an Original, 336 or Model 30, Marlin for about, 1/2 the Price of, the Ruger/ Marlin, Levers !
My model 30 Marlin ( a 1990 model ) shoot's, 1 to 1 1/4 MOA group's at 100 yds w/ 150 gr Sierra's and IMR 3031
For LESS than,.. $600 !

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I Have One, Ruger 10-22 rifle ( I used, the Action, Magazines, Bolt and Wood Stock,.. Only )
Put in, a bunch of, Volquartzen Parts ( Stoned, Fitted and Polished ) in it and a New, Green Mtn Barrel on, Glass bedded, the Stock with, a Little Crow Gunwork's, "Recoil Lug", YUP,.. Shoot's,.. GREAT, Now !
The Original Rifle, all Parts, plus, New Barrel & Scope, cost Me,.. $850 total ( Did all Labor, myself ).
Sold, the Old SS Ruger Barrel that was like New for, $115.00
Rifle rested over, a Large Rock, I Blasted, a Sage Rat at, 87 Yards,.. "Priceless" !

 

[GetReal]

I Have One, Ruger 10-22 rifle ( I used, the Action, Magazines, Bolt and Wood Stock,.. Only )
Put, a bunch of, Volquartzen Parts ( Stoned, Fitted and Polished ) in it and a New, Green Mtn Barrel on, Glass bedded, the Stock with, a Little Crow Gunwork's, "Recoil Lug", YUP,.. Shoot's,.. GREAT, Now !
The Original Rifle, all Parts, plus, New Barrel & Scope, cost Me,.. $850 total ( Did all Labor, myself ).
Rifle rested over, a Large Rock, I Blasted, a Sage Rat at, 87 Yards,.. "Priceless" !

The Volquartzen 10/22. What the Ruger should have become thru factory improvements. Instead Ruger sat on this mainstay since 1964... over 60 years. It's basically the exact same rifle it was when the first one came off the production line. Its criminal. Volquartzen and Tandemkross owe their existence and success to Rugers laziness / lack of even basic innovation.

 

[jdh47]

Johnny Cash's song "One Piece At A Time" describes the 10-22 upgrades. You can buy it cheap and spend what you want to upgrade it. Most people will spend $800+ on a 10-22 upgrading it and not blink but they wouldn't buy it for that.

 

[GetReal]

Johnny Cash's song "One Piece At A Time" describes the 10-22 upgrades. You can buy it cheap and spend what you want to upgrade it. Most people will spend $800+ on a 10-22 upgrading it and not blink but they wouldn't buy it for that.

The manufacturer can acquire or produce parts that are excellent in quality much cheaper than I can buy them on the open market.

What would cost people $800 ( plus shipping, prolly another $100) in upgrades on the open market, Ruger could have produced or acquired for less than half that.

Ruger then could have sold the gun for $600 extra and people would be more than happy to pay 200 bucks less from Ruger, for the same gun they would have to pay $200 more for on their own.

Ruger could have kept selling the crappy el cheapo 10/22 *and also* produced a high quality 10/22 and both would have sold like hotcakes.

There's no excuse for what Ruger is and has done. It's indicative of their mindset for all their firearms... lower quality products with almost no innovation ever that people will buy just because of the name engraved on the receiver. Its like Crock handguns from Austria. I have no objection with people loving Ruger products and being willing to continue to purchase them, but there's no way in the world that what Ruger has done / is doing is good for the industry, good for their customers or good for the future of shooting.

I'll just be honest.. there's no way anyone ever is going to make me like Ruger as a manufacturer. Yes, Ive got a bad auttitude re: Ruger. Of course I have no comment on what other people like or prefer or choose. Have at that.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Johnny Cash's song "One Piece At A Time" describes the 10-22 upgrades. You can buy it cheap and spend what you want to upgrade it. Most people will spend $800+ on a 10-22 upgrading it and not blink but they wouldn't buy it for that.

Yep my tricked 1022 is like 1200 or maybe 1500 cant remember. Would have been a lot easier to just buy it lole that from Ruger and maybe just change the stock. Ruger could have collected that 1200 bucks.

 

[Knotwild]

I always seem to run alone and never follow the pack, even when it may have been better to join in. I never owned a 1022, for various reasons which I won't mention. But I did buy a Bergara BXR that cost me $379 with an ACE Hardware rewards card. It came factory with the receiver drilled for cleaning, and nice stock, and and a fair trigger. With a 10X scope it's shooting some nice groups with decent ammunition.

But, what does all this have to do with Ruger resisting what appears to be a hostile takeover by Beretta?

 

[ronsatspokane]

One wonders what happened to the quality of management in the US. It's not just the firearms industry that is a target of foreign acquisitions. I've worked for a number of technology companies that were acquired by foreign buyers.

However, with respect to Beretta acquiring Ruger, Ruger does seem to be in trouble financially while Beretta's star has been rising for sometime. By sometime, I mean like for the last 500 years. 2026 will be the 500 year anniversary of their founding and they have been family owned for all that time. They have acquired a number of brands over the years and always either maintain the status of the brands or improve on them. Anybody who is familiar with brands like Holland & Holland, Sako, Tikka, Franchi, and Uberti knows that to be the case. And they also own entry level brands like Stoeger.

Much like CZ's acquisition of Colt, I think only good can come from this. They seem to be very well managed and engaged in the business to produce quality firearms like they have done for the last 500 years. They do not appear to be in the business to create golden parachutes for themselves while raping the assets of the companies they acquire.

 

[qldreloader]

When I was a kid US brands dominated the firearm market here in Australia. Brands such as Marlin, Winchester and Remington were what people owned if they could afford better than old ex military SMLE and Mausers. These brands represented quality built firearms. Some people loved their Ruger Mk1 and Mk2 bolt action rifles. They were very reliable but rarely great shooters.

Fast forward to now (well earlier) and US brands are avoided by most who just want an accurate and reliable firearm. Just about everyone I know and shoot with buys Tikka and Howa in factory rifles. Rugers are still around but a lot of them are junk. Magazine issues seem most common and if a rifle won't feed it is useless. I don't hate Ruger and I own a 22/45 Mk3 that is a nice pistol after fitting it with lots of Volquartsen parts and a GP100 that is a nice shooter after heaps of polishing parts but after multiple problems with their rifles I won't ever buy another one.

We have some decent locally made rifles now but for the most part Tikka is the choice. Beretta Australia seems to run things down here pretty well.

I'd love to see Ruger start making good quality, reliable rifles.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

When I was a kid US brands dominated the firearm market here in Australia. Brands such as Marlin, Winchester and Remington were what people owned if they could afford better than old ex military SMLE and Mausers. These brands represented quality built firearms. Some people loved their Ruger Mk1 and Mk2 bolt action rifles. They were very reliable but rarely great shooters.

Fast forward to now (well earlier) and US brands are avoided by most who just want an accurate and reliable firearm. Just about everyone I know and shoot with buys Tikka and Howa in factory rifles. Rugers are still around but a lot of them are junk. Magazine issues seem most common and if a rifle won't feed it is useless. I don't hate Ruger and I own a 22/45 Mk3 that is a nice pistol after fitting it with lots of Volquartsen parts and a GP100 that is a nice shooter after heaps of polishing parts but after multiple problems with their rifles I won't ever buy another one.

We have some decent locally made rifles now but for the most part Tikka is the choice. Beretta Australia seems to run things down here pretty well.

I'd love to see Ruger start making good quality, reliable rifles.

Its sad people would rather buy a Howa then a Remington in todays market, this side of the world its exactly the same thig.

Back in the day if you wanted a no fuss rifle it would be a Remington, a Sendero was almost a symbol of your success in life. If you wanted to build a rifle you would start with a Remington action no question, if you could afford something with fancy wood and some bells and whistles it would be a Steyer, Mauser of Sako to take the step up from the Musgrave rifle you have been using your entire live.

Today if anyone asks what rifle to buy to start a build on or to hunt with its always Howa or if you want to spend more and get something nicer Tikka, don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with Howa rifles/actions.

I have to say the prices on Rugers over here has also gone through the roof

 

[kelbro]

I studied Bill Ruger's business model many years ago and came to really appreciate his way of thinking.

After discussing new model development with several of their engineers/designers, I came to learn that they spend a little time on the idea for a new product and a disproportionate share of time getting around the tens of thousands of firearm patents out there. Bill did not want to pay license fees if he didn't have to. Products morphed tremendously from the original idea to be functional, manufacturable, and able to hit a value retail price point. Lots of hits, a few misses but overall, Ruger has been an exceptional testament to American ingenuity and manufacturing.

 

[Tommie]

That financial report on Ruger tells the tale. Total profit down from $200M to -$12M in 5yrs.

True. But doubtless the purchase and complete overhaul of Marlin cut into short term profits.

 

[GetReal]

But, what does all this have to do with Ruger resisting what appears to be a hostile takeover by Beretta?

For me, what you have proven other manufacturers can do in producing a quality product, shows that Ruger's inability to do that can only be solved by some other company buying them out and taking over.

Ruger has had over 60 years to get the 10/22 to a decent format and has miserably failed.( It's well proven what other companies have been able to do with the 10/22. ... Ruger created an entire aftermarket industry from their stubborn inflexibility and lack of innovation.) Same is true with the majority of their other platforms. (Arguably they could hold on to the revolver Department as the only decent success Ruger has ever had.),

When it's fourth down and 58 yards to a first down, your only option is to punt the football.

Ruger desperately needs to stop "resisting" and punt the football and give it to another team. Maybe giving the football up and playing defense for a while will wake up the board of directors sufficiently to come into at least the 20th if not the 21st century. Who knows.... maybe one day Ruger will even innovate for the future and be forward looking as far as their product design and delivery. As it is right now the company is basically a musket manufacturer.

 

[Knotwild]

For me, what you have proven other manufacturers can do in producing a quality product, shows that Ruger's inability to do that can only be solved by some other company buying them out and taking over.

I'm guilty of the bashing too. I never had a Ruger Rifle that I loved and then there was the Mini 14 that was useless. I'm not a fan of the Ruger Mk pistols. I admit I did love my Ruger Red Label shotgun and I'll never know why I sold it. But I do have to say that for the average guy who doesn't know about guns, but wants to hunt or plink a little, their guns are functional. Bill Ruger was awesome at innovating economical manufacturing methods. If they make X dollars on every 1022 sold and X dollars on every MkIV sold, and people can economically build on them over time as their lifestyle allows, that might be a good marketing plan. Each time a new line comes up to turn out something, expenses go up, and they would probably only be making X dollars the same as the others. I have no desire to customize a 1022, so if I were to buy one it would be another brand. I am amazed at the people on Rimfire Central that are obsessed with Rugers.

 

[Doug Casner]

I had a good friend , hes gone now, used to say ,ruger almost makes a good rifle. Doug

 

[Knotwild]

I had a good friend , hes gone now, used to say ,ruger almost makes a good rifle. Doug

When I saw a video showing that Ruger had guys who's job was to straighten their actions - I was out.

 

[GetReal]

@Knotwild ... I admit to having a bad attitude about Ruger. I'm also admit to ignorance about the Ruger manufacturing process and certainly I have no inside information about what drives that .... I only see what products they turn out.

I've always had a thing for the Ruger Red Label shotguns. I just checked prices on a 20 gauge over and under and they exceed $2, 500. My budget will only afford a $1,100 CZ.

Far as hot little 22rf rifle, I went this way:

 

[Knotwild]

@Knotwild ... I admit to having a bad attitude about Ruger. I'm also admit to ignorance about the Ruger manufacturing process and certainly I have no inside information about what drives that .... I only see what products they turn out.

I've always had a thing for the Ruger Red Label shotguns. I just checked prices on a 20 gauge over and under and they exceed $2, 500. My budget will only afford a $1,100 CZ.

Far as hot little 22rf rifle, I went this way:

View attachment 1751728

Tell me more about that one. I see it is a Spikes Lower.

 

[GetReal]

Tell me more about that one. I see it is a Spikes Lower.

Yup. Its a frankenbuild. Sig folding stock, carbon fiber handguard, can't remember where I got the upper half but a gray and black color scheme overall.

The best part is it's an 11 inch barrel with a 5-in shroud that the suppressor threads down into so it makes for a very light front end, while not needing a tax stamp.

Vortex Red Dot with a Frankford Arsenal binary that is on the whole very reliable. I get the usual failure to fire due to cheap Rimfire ammo. But if I use the good stuff it's very reliable.

Super fun for poking Steel.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Hell, you guys might as well take your stab at Hornady too while your ranting.