Today was indoor and outdoor simulator day at GUNSITE — the Fun House and the Donga — as, as always, they were Big Fun. I felt pretty good about both of them...the snow held off and, aside from wading through goopy mud in the Donga, it was a blast.The SR9s ran like tops for all of us. Dave solved his trigger pin back-out with a drop of Lock-Tite...yeah, that was a biggie! Let me be clear here...I have had exactly zero problems with my SR9. No failures to do anything, period. I pull the trigger; it goes bang. I've gone through this course and these drills with two other guns, a 1911 .45 and an S&W M&P, so I have a pretty good baseline on how the Ruger is running...and that is superbly.
Yeah, I read other forums...that's why Marshal and I started our own. Let's all take off our aluminum foil hats, quit scanning the skies for alien abductors and acknowledge that gun companies are in the business of making money. The gun market is fiercely competitive. The way a gun company makes money is by making good guns that people want to purchase. I'm friends with the top executives of most of the major gun companies in America, and a few in Europe, and not a single one of them has invited me to participate in any conspiracies or to a witches' coven, not even when I was at the CZ factory in the...pause for effect...Carpathian Mountains...(pause for werewolf howls).
Okay...rant mode off!
BTW, we're running with Comp-Tac Kydex holsters, and they're pretty impressive in their own right. I heard about the holsters before, mostly from law enforcement types, but this is my first hands-on with the holsters (which were arranged by Dave Spaulding). We using the belt holsters, while Dave is using a locking paddle version.
In between the day shooting and the night shooting, Dave, Wily and I took a quick side trip to the Ruger factory in Prescott to ferret out shooting versions of the little LCP .380. We were able to put a bunch of rounds through the little guns — we're the first people from outside the factory to do that. I'll have an EXCLUSIVE video report up on DRTV next Wednesday.
How'd the guns shoot? Wait until Wednesday, but suffice to say that all three of us asked that Ruger send us the invoice when they ship the T&E guns, since we'd be buying them.
17 comments:
I want one of the new .380 Rugers too! Can't wait to hear your report on it, Mike.
What was the verdict of the Ruger engineering staff on the trigger pin backing out, since on Wednesday that was the reported reason for the trip?
The Ruger engineering staff took Dave's gun to disassemble it and see what happened...possibly and out-of-spec pin.
They will email me with the verdict ASAP.
I plan to do a big follow-up on the class and my gun's performance (my performance was less than stellar in today's very cold rain, but I survived) early next week.
mb
"Yeah, I read other forums...that's why Marshal and I started our own. Let's all take off our aluminum foil hats, quit scanning the skies for alien abductors and acknowledge that gun companies are in the business of making money. The gun market is fiercely competitive. The way a gun company makes money is by making good guns that people want to purchase."
Mr. Bane. Ruger is obviously in the business of making money.
Their idea of a solution to a problem such as the magazine / mag catch / release issue wound up being to suggest that the consumer (as in the folks who bought NEW GUNS) who had a problem, BUY A RE-DESIGNED MAG CATCH / RELEASE AND MAGAZINE in order to PROPERLY solve the issue with SOME of the originally released SR9's.
Yea, they ARE in the business of making money; even if it means the consumer must BUY REPLACEMENT / REDESIGNED PARTS for a gun they have had for less than 30 days!
Ruger's-Raiders have discovered a new way of doing business! It must be great for their bottom line; but it won't do much for POTENTIAL BUYERS - and it will do less for the possibility of repeat buyers.
Keep spreading the word Mr. Bane ..... maybe someboy will buy that line about you asking Ruger to "send an invoice" with the SR9!
RECEIVING and PAYING an invoice involves two different steps ..... you may read into this paragraph whatever you choose....... I KNOW what I mean; now you figure it out if you give a hoot.
CORDIALLY,
SmokeJumper
SmokeJumper...
Always nice to be loved...and glad to have such an articulate expert on business AND firearms on the blog!
Drop by anytime.
mb
Can't please them all MB. Looking forward to the Gunsite footage.
TxGun
Yes, will be interested to read the follow-up.
Note that Brother Ayoob (as MB has called him) gives the SR9 a VERY unfavorable review in the April issue of Guns. Yikes.
He finds stuff to praise, but overall one of the more negative major articles I've read in a prime time gun mag.
MB serves the koolaid. You drink it up boys...
Good Lord people!
I didn't notice MB serving any Kool-Aid.
Did he say it was the greatest thing since sliced bread and you should immediately buy one and toss all of your other handguns? Some how I missed that if he did.
Also I didn't realize MB was in charge of Ruger sales, repairs and customer service.
I did read several SR9 reviews by him that pointed out trigger pull and safety issues and that he recommended they be fixed.
Am I defending MB? Nope, he's a big boy able to stand up for himself.
What I am saying is that he is ONE gun critic with his own opinions and observations. Mr Ayoob is another with his own set of opinions and observations. Gee, do you think maybe that is why there are more than ONE gun critic, movie critic, food....
Ya gettin the idea here?
Now if you're a reasonable, open minded individual you will take in as much info as you can, from as many sources as possible, throw them in the blender and (here's a scary thought for some) form your own opinion!
I too would very much like to have all of this "blog" stuff addressed. Point by point is this "noise and fury signifying nothing" or should I keep my money in my pocket until Ruger gets all the bugs worked out?
Since few of us have the contacts and resources to get the real "skinny" we have to depend on you to tell us the truth. Can the SR9 stand up to the rigors of USPSA/IDPA use for years to come? Or, is this another gun intended for occasional range time by the casual shooter?
The Ayoob article is available online at gunsmagazine.com.
He notes the trigger is horrible and he dislikes the placement of the safety.
Ayoob also had a magazine catch failure which he attributed to his gun being an early one since Ruger had been made aware of the issue by MB.
I didn't see any Kool-aid either. Oh, wait...what's in this glass here? *sip* Yum, rum and coke. Tasty goodness provided by MB.
BTW, gotta love those Comp-Tac holsters. Slicker than owl snot on the draw if you ask me. Gregg Garrett, the proprietor, is a real class act, and his staff is top notch. I am a customer for life.
Michael,
Nice way of avoiding ticking off Ruger - and avoiding the subject matter at the same time.
Heaven forbid you should discuss / detail or Ruger should admit the original mag catch/release and magazine design was "poor" at best.
You appear to be (please prove me incorrect) of the opinion that the consumer having to spend additional funds to resolve an OBVIOUS design defect IN A BRAND NEW - JUST OUT OF THE MANUFACTURERS BOX DESIGN DEFECT is the proper way for Ruger or ANY MANUFACTURER to best serve the consumer.
THE PARAGRAPHS BELOW ARE FROM THE HEART (MORESO THAN THE WALLET) - MY HEART - AND THE HEART IS THE PLACE WHERE MY DISAPPOINTMENT IN YOUR REVIEW AND RUGERS ACTIONS REALLY ORIGINATES.
Believe it if you wish; discount it if you are so obligated - whatever the reason:
THE PART OF THIS ENTIRE "MAG CATCH/RELEASE & MAGAZINE ISSUE" THAT BOTHERS ME MORESO THAN THE "NEW RUGER" REFUSING TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS IS SUMMARIZED BELOW:
I TRULY once respected YOUR opinions regarding quality of products and integrity of firearms manufacturers. Sadly, this is no longer the case; it saddens me, but it appears you could not care less about this issue.
The original FAMILY OWNED 'RUGER' would have never treated gun buyers in the manner noted above.
The 'NEW CORPORATION' obviously has different beliefs; their actions to date in regard to the SR9 are less than HONORABLE. Once HONOR is destroyed - RESPECT for the entire organization will soon follow.
Michael, I'm really sorry to be so blunt, but I know no other way. I realize some will disagree simply because I prefer to address the point head on and not sugar coat comments. That's MY "defect" if it needs a title; I admit my "defect" exists ..... I only wish Ruger and Michael Bane would do the same.
Regards,
"SmokeJumper" / JOHN
Addendum:
Michael, it appears I may well have been premature in stating you would not admit or discuss the mag catch / release issue, which was 50% of my 'gripe'.
I am informed that you may have been or actually were one of the first to comment on the matter and bring it to Ruger's attention. IF I WAS INCORRECT IN MY PREVIOUS HARSH COMMENTS -- I APOLOGIZE TO YOU.
This would not of course negate the fact that RUGER continues to want to take more money from the pockets of loyal Ruger customers by expecting the customer to spend yet additional money to resolve the magazine / magazine catch issue.
Thank you to the party who brought my incorrect belief to light; again, I admit I appear to have incorrectly addressed Michael's lack of comment regarding Ruger's poorly designed "magazine/ mag catch".
In the picture, who is the cute instructor in the front row?
That's Il Ling New. Cute and can shoot too. Be still my beating heart...
Ok she was on Tom Gresham's Guntalk recently
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