What is Happening to Ruger? (Surprising) Eps. 519

Joseph Von Benedict says Ruger has paused, discontinued, or otherwise removed numerous lines, including many single-action and double-action revolvers, 1911 pistols, and the Ruger No. 1 single-shot rifle. The status of the Single-Six is uncertain, but the Bearcat and Blackhawk were mentioned among the affected single-actions. Most alarming to both speakers is the apparent end of the M77 Hawkeye and related guide rifles, including durable controlled-feed models chambered in .375 Ruger, .338 Winchester Magnum, and .30-06. Ron emphasizes that these stainless, reliable rifles are working tools for Alaskan hunters who may use one rifle for everything from Sitka blacktail to brown bear.

Ron suggests Ruger may simply be reducing an excessive number of SKUs because manufacturing, shipping, and machinery are expensive when a product does not sell in sufficient volume. Joseph says people connected with Ruger have told him for roughly 15 years that models such as the Ruger No. 1 are costly to produce and may even lose money on each unit, with customer loyalty justifying their survival. They speculate that the M77 could return only after its economics change, perhaps through redesigned manufacturing. Ron wishes Ruger would instead explain that prices must rise or production methods must change rather than quietly eliminate traditional rifles.

The hosts speculate that Ruger’s changes could involve both location and production technology. Joseph describes a broader migration from the historic Northeastern firearms-manufacturing center—Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New York—because legal and economic conditions have made production difficult, as happened with brands including Colt, Kimber, Remington, and Marlin. They also discuss Bill Ruger’s investment-casting methods, which produced oversized but exceptionally strong parts. Joseph says investment casting may now be more expensive than CNC machining, which can create slimmer, straighter, more refined components with tighter tolerances. A future CNC-made M77 with a revised scope-mounting system is offered as speculation, not insider information.

Ron and Joseph note that ownership and manufacturing are increasingly international. They mention rumors involving Beretta and Ruger, though neither has documentation, and point out that Marlin is now part of the Ruger family. Winchester and Browning products are tied to FN and are made in places including Japan, Portugal, and Morocco. Ron says American shooters may object to foreign manufacture, but Japanese barrels are accurate and Bergara in Spain has expanded from barrel production into highly accurate rifles. Joseph cites Tim Sundles of Buffalo Bore, who called a Portuguese-made Winchester Model 70 one of the finest Winchesters he had seen, arguing that quality matters more than the label on the country of origin.

The speakers contrast aging major brands with smaller companies using CNC machinery to build highly precise, lighter, and more innovative rifles. Joseph points to Seekins Precision, Proof Research, and other newer makers, while Ron highlights Park West Arms, the new name for Dakota. Park West uses American workers and American-made parts, including screws, to build traditional rifles at a level Ron compares with Rigby, Westley Richards, and Holland & Holland rather than ordinary Model 70s. Buyers can now choose between classic blued steel and walnut rifles or expensive modern designs using titanium, carbon fiber, and advanced chassis systems.

Ron asks whether Smith & Wesson’s purchase of Savage will bring refinement to Savage or pull the brand down. He was surprised that many listeners feared Savage would be weakened rather than improved. Joseph recalls that Savage nearly collapsed in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a cheap, low-quality brand, then recovered under management associated with Ron Colburn by emphasizing unusually accurate, affordable varmint rifles. Ron notes that Savage later broadened its offerings, including support for the .280 Ackley Improved and rifles using premium carbon-fiber barrels, while consolidating around one basic action. Neither speaker knows whether the sale reflects financial trouble or a mutually beneficial strategy.

The Savage 99 becomes the clearest example of a superior but uneconomical rifle. Its 1890s design used a rotary magazine, accepted pointed bullets, and offered a nearly enclosed receiver suitable for peep sights or scopes, yet it could not compete in sales with simpler tubular-magazine lever guns. Savage’s worn, outdated machinery and low sales meant the company lost money making it. Both hosts joke that people claim they would buy three if it returned, but a modern CNC version might cost $4,000 or $5,000. They identify the Browning BLR and Henry Long Ranger as descendants of the 99’s practical concepts, though neither has its “class and panache.”

Joseph explains that Ruger’s American rifles are far more profitable than M77s: a distributor told him an M77 takes multiple times longer to build, while the company earns much more from an American and produces more of them in the same period. The result is that roughly 10% of serious gun buyers may lose the traditional rifles they prefer, while most customers simply want an affordable rifle that fires and hits its target. The hosts say Springfield’s 2020 and Weatherby’s Model 307 use improved Remington-style actions, premium barrels, and carbon-fiber stocks to deliver roughly 95% of custom-rifle performance for about $2,200—far beyond what an $800 rifle bought in the 1980s offered.

Ron and Joseph conclude that Remington, Winchester, Marlin, and Ruger’s old dominance is fading, while Hornady, Federal, newer rifle makers, and revived products from Springfield, Weatherby, Browning, and others are gaining ground. They hope Ruger brings back the Hawkeye, No. 1, and traditional revolvers, but believe shooters still have unusually broad choices. Weatherby’s new Wyoming plant and its mix of classic Mark V rifles and ultralight carbon-fiber models symbolize adaptation. Winchester’s $2,500 Model 70 Cape Buffalo Limited Edition and possible future safari rifles also suggest renewed attention to quality. They urge listeners to support manufacturers and accept that new cartridges and products are intended both to make money and to improve the market.