The end of World War II found William B. Ruger at a crossroads. After resigning from his wartime employment with Auto-Ordnance, Ruger established a small machine shop in Southport, Connecticut. There began the small venture that would unfurl as a gigantic saga in the American firearms industry.
Exposed early to the elegance of fine firearms by the family collection of handsome German-made pistols, these experiences, along with his mechanical aptitude, prepared the foundation for his later work. Ruger remembered a boyhood in Brooklyn, where he attended Sunday school at a historic Dutch Reformed Church and where the lively cultural scene seemed very much like Paris to many.
As the war ended, Auto-Ordnance had to shift focus towards consumer goods since demand for machine guns came to an end. Ruger seized the opportunity by taking a bid for delivering large quantities of some parts for an automatic record player. This formally founded the Ruger Corporation, although the journey was anything but smooth. Ruger reminisces how, due to the malfunctioning of their milling machine, unbearable squealing noises were produced. It took an old-time mechanic, Burt Bats, to fix it with just an adjustment.
It was not to be an easy road, but tenacity and creativity paid off for Ruger. In 1949, he founded Sturm, Ruger & Co. along with Alexander McCormick Sturm. The company quickly made a name for itself in highly dependable and rugged firearms, which included pistols, rifles, shotguns, and revolvers. Notable models, such as the Ruger 10/22, the Ruger American Rifle, and the Ruger Mini-14, became staples in the firearms market.
Ruger Firearms has made its mark on reliability and strength when under hard use and tough conditions. Most of the models are very adaptable, and there’s a huge aftermarket supply of replacement parts and accessories. The company is even backed by a limited lifetime warranty that covers defects in both materials and workmanship for as long as the gun lives. The production of Ruger firearms is mostly done within the boundaries of the United States. It has manufacturing plants running in New Hampshire, Arizona, and North Carolina.
The prices of Ruger firearms vary from a few hundred to several thousand dollars apiece, depending on the configuration for that particular model. Ruger provides detailed instructions regarding how to clean and maintain their guns so that customers can ensure reliability and performance over time.
Probably one of the more famous contributions Ruger has made to the firearms industry is the Red Label shotgun. Introduced in 1977, the Red Label was an over/under shotgun at a rather affordable price, available in numerous gauges. Although the company eventually stopped its production line, the Red Label still finds itself highly in demand from those wanting an American-made over/under shotgun.
From a small machine shop to becoming one of the largest manufacturers of firearms in the country, Ruger’s rise is a tribute to the power of innovation and sheer determination. His legacy has continued to influence the industry with reliable and customizable firearms for enthusiasts and professionals alike.