Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Snow Angels

Well, it is snowing to beat the band here at GUNSITE...that oughta make tomorrow's outdoor simulators a real laugh riot. I've settled in to actually shooting the gun, hammering away at the drills. The orange nail polish on the front sight helps big bunches for...sigh...old eyes.

We did have a malfunction today on Dave Spaulding's SR9...the pin that holds in the trigger backed out. Tomorrow we're going to slip away for a few hours, visit the Ruger factory down in Prescott and discuss the issue with the engineers...it doesn't have anything to do with the snow...really...not a bit...

Had a really great meeting late this afternoon between the guys at GUNSITE, Ruger execs and me and Dave, talking about the feasibility of a new tactical rifle. I love the roughed-out idea, which I can't really tell you about yet...of course, you'll see it first on DOWN RANGE, if it materializes.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

A tactical rifle from Ruger? Now that might be interesting!

Anonymous said...

Michael - tell your contacts at Ruger we want new revolvers, too! (And not that silly .327 Federal re-chamber of the SP101 - how about a compact, 6-shot .38/.357, or a GP100 in .44 Special??)

Why should the Tupperware people have all the fun?

-=[ Grant ]=-

Anonymous said...

...or a 5-shot gp-100 in .45acp? dmd

Anonymous said...

First model year issues with the SR9? Imagine that. Of course, various SR9 issues have been well reported on rugerforum.com.

Can't get fired up over a Ruger Tactical rifle given the well known "can't hit the broad side of a barn with a warm barrel mini" that plagues the mini line.

I would like to see Ruger bring out the 41 Special in its GP100. Or 44 Special.

Ruger seems to want to spend its time introducing DOA (I predict) cartridges like the 327 and the RCM's.

Unknown said...

Not to change the topic, but if one state senator has his way the tactical Ruger will be banned in Nebraska if it looks too "dangerous"

http://joemerchant24.blogspot.com/2008/02/ashfords-gun-bill-just-got-more.html

Anonymous said...

I am reminded of the 9mm Federal experiment--was it Charter Arms? I forget exactly who--But what does the .327 do that all of our 38/357 loadings do not do and have not done for many decades? Another useless waste of time and money--who needs to stock yet another SKU and caliber? dmd

Unknown said...

If it is a bolt type rifle(like the frontier) Give it a 20" medium weight barrel that has the muzzle pre-threaded. Also extending the front rail, and raising to the same level as the conventional Ruger mounts on the action so you could mount conventional scope and use the front rail to put night vision in front of the scope would be a good thing.

Anonymous said...

Mike, Thanks for the honest info' on the SR. Keep Ruger's feet to the fire on this one. Ruger is my favorite manufacturer and I own a stable full of their guns. I've been disappointed with feedback and bad experience's of other shooters and have had a few bad experiences of my own with their new guns. For any manufacturer to have issues with a new product now-a-days, it's bad news. They need to look at their "Quality Systems".
As far as a new tactical rifle from them, I'd still like to know what ever happened to their "XGI" that was catalogued some years ago, but never made it to the market. I wish that I had kept the catalog. It's probably a collector's item. The XGI was a .308 version of the successor, the Mini-30.

Anonymous said...

If it's a semi, please give it good bits, or at least the option to swap. Piston run would be fine, but more AR-variant (a'la Magpul) than Mini. 5.56 (1:8 and/or 1:7 options, please) and .308 would be great, 7.62x39 perhaps thereafter. I'll quit dreaming now!

Anonymous said...

When is Cerberus Capital Management buying Ruger..after the new rifle comes out?

Anonymous said...

Convince to sell 20 round Mini 14 mags to the general public. I'm a cop and it's a pain for me to get the bloody things for my GB and expensive also as the mags now cost 42.50 even for cops at the local cop shop.

Anonymous said...

I vote for 7.62x39 that uses AK mags. PMD

SmokeJumper said...

Hey Mr. Bane. All those wonderful reports on the Ruger SR9 and not a mention of their refusal to properly repair NEW OUT OF THE BOX guns? You have heard about the problems with these NEW GUNS I'm sure.

Ruger designs a magazine and mag catch/release that exhibits problems. Admittedly not on every gun - but on a significant number no matter how the numbers are twisted.

The first few consumers are treated fairly when they present problems; FREE new magazines and mag catch/release are shipped out in a very timely manner.

Then when Ruger sees more than a dozen complaints about the same issue, they stop replacing the magazines and mag catch/releaseat no charge and start sending out the good old "Hoola-Boola-Woola" (MY NAME FOR THE LOADER) mag loader.

It's a wonder-cure for the magazines that are shaving the bullets when FMJ ammo is loaded. Yes, it's FREE and it makes jamming the rounds in easier, but it does NOT address the REAL problem / design flaw.

Rugers Customer Service reps tell different stories from one rep to another. Their 'scripted line" is that the more the mags are used the better the function will become. It's not true of course - but it sounds good; except to the folks who shelled out good cash for a gun that has obvious design issues.

Then Ruger gets the bright idea about how to fix the problems once and for all. When it's obvious a significant number of SR9 buyers are not pleased with having to use the "Hoola-Boola-Woola" loader, Ruger offers to SELL THE REDESIGNED MAGAZINES AND MAG CATCH / RELEASE to these folks who just bought a "new gun".

Yep, a "new gun" and within a month Ruger wants customers to PAY FOR REDESIGNED PARTS TO MAKE THE GUN FUNCTION PROPERLY!

That's a great scam if folks are willing to BUY NEW PARTS FOR THEIR NEW GUNS! Some do, simply because they want to have a functioning gun and don't want the hassle of sending it to Ruger for a "maybe repair"!

You and the Ruger-Raiders may feel this magazine issue is a minor problem. I might even agree IF RUGER RESOLVED THE ISSUE AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. However, when Ruger's ultimate solution is for the NEW GUN BUYER to BUY REDESIGNED PARTS SO THEIR SUPPOSEDLY NEW GUN WILL FUNCTION PROPERLY -- that is one step above blatantly telling the consumer to take-a-hike!

Now don't even imply that this is a non-issue. It is real - it has happened on more than a small number of SR9's and unless the unsuspecting buyer happens to get one of the redesigned guns with the mag catch / release and redesigned magazines (supposedly guns made after 12-15-2007 or so) there is a GOOD chance they will be buying a turkey; the turkey some so-called "gun experts" say is not a big deal.

Bottom line: Ruger is taking advantage of the gun buying public; and they seem to be getting a LOT of support from "experts", some who say the problems do not really even exist!

This is a crock Mr. Bane ...... and you know in your heart the above is the TRUTH!

Keep on enjoying rubbing-elbows with the Ruger-Raiders. I'm sure going to enjoy spreading the word on the SR9's FAULTS - and Ruger's "we don't care attitude".