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OP
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As expected, Ruger had a very good 2020. You can read all the specifics in yesterday’s edition, but there’s not any doubt that sales increases of $150 million dollars over 2019 (not a bad year) confirmed the runaway demand that has the entire industry scrambling to try and meet demand.
In a conference call with analysts yesterday, Ruger CEO Chris Killoy was quick to credit “historic demand” for a portion of the company’s success, but he also didn’t ignore the opportunity to remind industry observers in the financial world that Ruger didn’t have a record year simply because of demand.
Instead, he was quick to credit the company’s 1800 employees for their dedication, hard work, and adhering to the Covid-19 safety protocols Ruger has successfully employed to keep all their facilities running. Those protocols, Killoy said, added something on the order of $3.5 million to operating costs, but the company unhesitatingly made the investment in order to keep their 1800 member “family” safe.
Speaking of that growing family, Killoy recounted how the company froze hiring through the initial shutdowns of the pandemic, only to resume hiring mid-year. In 2020 Ruger added 250 new full-time employees (they don’t hire temps) across their facilities, and still has openings.
As has come to be expected, a significant part of Ruger’s sales this year came from new product like the 5.7 pistol, the LCP .22 LR and their Wrangler .22 rimfire revolver. Demand for the Wranger, Killoy proudly admitted, “surpassed our wildest expectation.” While the new products provided twenty-two percent of 2020’s sales, 2019’s new products accounted for twenty-six percent of the year’s sales. That, Killoy explained, was attributable to a combination of factors, including the fact that Ruger “ages” products out of the “new” category after 24 months. That took several of their still-popular guns out of the “new” mix.
If you’re a Marlin lever-action fan, the call had some very good news.
When Ruger purchased Marlin’s assets in the Remington bankruptcy, there was the small matter of relocating what Killoy described as “100 tractor trailer loads of inventory, parts, and manufacturing equipment” to Ruger’s facilities. Now, Killoy says, Ruger’s methodically evaluating the equipment, looking at “every part for every Marlin rifle” and integrating the manufacturing into Ruger’s manufacturing cell model.
Now, Killoy said, Ruger plans to be offering centerfire Marlin lever-actions into the marketplace before the end of the year. Plans include the Marlin 1984, 1985 and 336 models initially, with the Model 50 .22 semi-auto coming at some point after that.
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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Ecc 10:2
The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but that of a fool to the left.
A Nation which leaves God behind is soon left behind.
"The Lord never asked anyone to be a tax collector, lowyer, or Redskins fan".
I Dindo Nuffin
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Interesting..Hope they do better than Remington did...
Jayco👍
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Interesting..Hope they do better than Remington did...
Jayco👍 They will. Remington has been a shell for some time. Ruger runs like a business that has pride.
Quit giving in inch by inch then looking back to lament the mile behind ya and wonder how to preserve those few feet left in front of ya. They'll never stop until they're stopped. That's a fact.
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Interesting..Hope they do better than Remington did...
Jayco👍 My thoughts as well.
Just because you're offended doesn't mean your right.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Dave
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Campfire Sage
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Campfire Sage
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Hopefully they send some initial examples to Paul for T&E.
Trump being classless,tasteless and clueless as usual. Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit. My young wife decided to play the field and had moved several dudes into my house
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Hopefully they send some initial examples to Paul for T&E. Damn man, that's funny...
Dave
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Campfire Tracker
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I’m kinda surprised they’re keeping the Marlin 60 (they said 50) around. I figured they’d just let it go, and use it as an opportunity to sell more 10/22’s.
I don’t see the bolt action 22’s coming back, unless they decide to keep the tube-feds around. Might be a good idea for the blue states that wanna ban any detachable mag over 10 rounds.
I’m surprised they’re still selling lots of 57’s. Neat gun and good price, but the ammo is about IMPOSSIBLE to find, and the prices are stupid expensive now, when there is availability.
I STILL wanna see a “takedown” bolt action Charger.
Hell, make a bolt-action American pistol. The Striker and XP-100 are gone, and it impossible to find a new Encore pistol, anywhere.
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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Interesting..Hope they do bett  er than Remington did... Jayco👍 My thoughts as well. I hope they do better than Ruger did.
Ecc 10:2
The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but that of a fool to the left.
A Nation which leaves God behind is soon left behind.
"The Lord never asked anyone to be a tax collector, lowyer, or Redskins fan".
I Dindo Nuffin
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Joined: Mar 2006
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Nice. Maybe I can buy a 1894 in .357 someday.
4 out of 5 Great Lakes prefer Michigan. 
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Campfire Outfitter
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The last few Rugers I've bought have required ME to be their QC guy. I don't wanna be their QC guy. I won't be buying any more Rugers unless they start paying me for that job.
You can roll a turd in peanuts, dip it in chocolate, and it still ain't no damn Baby Ruth.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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If I read that correctly Ruger is gonna possibly use Remlin parts.
Which makes economic sense using existing bench stock.
However one might wait a while till they exhaust the remington parts they might use in intial runs.
Kinda advoid the frankengun type of thing.
And the stigma of the remlin which exist in many peoples minds.
Eventually Ruger will reach a point where they have 0 remlin era manufactured parts.
People will want the 100% Ruger guns over the frankenguns.
It always happens with changes in models in design and manufacture.
Desirability.......
And Ruger will be sure to announce that they are pure ruger made marlins when that transistion happens.
They would be foolish not too, knowing how people are about stuff like that.
Be nice if they offered models without a cross bolt safety again.
Even a redesign to a tang safety would be cosmetically and ergonomically better for handling with only your thumb pushing it on and off.
Like to see a 24 inch 444 model with pistol grip buttstock like the old 336A models with a capped and not banded forearm.
The ones from the late 60,s and early 70,s ( 4 yr run IIRC) based on the 1895 model with straight and not curved lever with the high cheek peice just seem ungainly in appearance.
Even making a run of 336A,s in 35 rem again would be cool.
I would give ruger time to exhaust the remlin parts.
Just to have one of the 1st 100% made Ruger models.
JMO.
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Campfire Tracker
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I'd like for them to succeed so they can maybe come up with some of the more powerful pistol/leverguns combos like the Mod 89 for the S&W 500..I have a BFR in 45-70 and several leverguns in that caliber..The Mod 89 leverguns sells for like $600. so the cost is competitive these days..
Levergun/Pistol combos rock...
Jayco👍
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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I’m kinda surprised they’re keeping the Marlin 60 (they said 50) around. I figured they’d just let it go, and use it as an opportunity to sell more 10/22’s.
I don’t see the bolt action 22’s coming back, unless they decide to keep the tube-feds around. Might be a good idea for the blue states that wanna ban any detachable mag over 10 rounds.
I’m surprised they’re still selling lots of 57’s. Neat gun and good price, but the ammo is about IMPOSSIBLE to find, and the prices are stupid expensive now, when there is availability.
I STILL wanna see a “takedown” bolt action Charger.
Hell, make a bolt-action American pistol. The Striker and XP-100 are gone, and it impossible to find a new Encore pistol, anywhere. Trying to find a tube fed marlin xt 22 has been a quest for awhile for me. Be nice if they produced some again.
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
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They should use their new rifling machinery to start making Microgroove barrels for the 10-22.
I can take or leave Microgroove barrels on the centerfire rifles. But they work great on the rimfires. Marlin .22 rifles have always had a good reputation for accuracy and I think most of it is because of their barrels.
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Campfire Outfitter
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I hope Ruger elects to "Heat Treat" the carriers on the model 1894 again. Marlin always heat treated the carriers with Remington eliminating the process. Does make a difference in longevity.
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Campfire Tracker
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I used to be really into leverguns and how much they could take,pressure wise..Here is a test from Buck Elliot who was in on making the Mod 89 in S&W 500...I found it interesting..
Just remember that pressure is always and only relative to the resistance of the system in place to contain it... If the pressure does not exceed strength of the containment apparatus, all is well. The Freedom Arms .454 revolver has a built-in 100%+ safety factor - that is, it will contain pressures in excess of 100% overload. That said - DON'T try to find out how much or how high that is... We did succeed in breaking a .454 at F.A., but only after much tedious loading and firing of ammunition no one could conceivably load by accident or mistake. The gun never did "blow up," it just finally "broke..."
In my own .454 levergun tests, back in the late '80s, we did manage to ruin a few Winchester '94s, and one Marlin 336. The Marlin failed after the fewest rounds of factory-equivalent ammo, digesting only a handful of rounds (somewhere short of 20, if memory serves...) before the action would no longer lock up safely or securely.
Next to fall was a brand-new Winchester '94 Big-Bore AE, which stretched and flowed like taffy, as the bolt tried to climb up the locking lug and out of the top of the receiver, peening the lug recesses in the receiver terribly, and noticeably stretching the right side wall of the receiver. In their infinite wisdom, Winchester (USRAC) beefed up the receiver in the wrong place, while cutting ALL the strength out of the right receiver wall, to allow for their ill-conceived "angle ejection" modification. The '94 that performed best in my testing was a well-used carbine, made in the 1920s. It was still tight and crisp when we screwed the .454 barrel into it, but even it became dangerous and unserviceable in fewer than 50 rounds.
The whole point of the testing was to prove to various and sundry doubters that the 1894 Winchester was NOT a suitable platform for the powerful .454 Casull round - and WHY. The guns used (and used up...) in the tests were donated to the cause by those very Doubting Thomases...! It doesn't get much better than that.
BTW, the same Sharon barrel was used in all the tests, and it emerged unscathed. It was finally rethreaded and rechambered to .45 Colt and installed in a Browning '92, where it still resides -- a 24", octagon beauty.
The 1894 and 1895 Winchesters are NOT particularly strong actions, having llooooooonnnnngg receiver walls and angled, rear locking bolts. In short, physics and geometry are against them from the outset. As mentioned above, the '94 AE suffers the further indignity of having the only strengthening metal available to it REMOVED to make way for the abominable ejection system.
The '86/M-71 and '92 Winchesters are by far the strongest of the "traditional" lever actions, with the nod going to the '86/71, with its square-to-bore vertical lockup, which situates the lugs about 2/3 the distance back from the breech-face as compared to a '94 or '95. The '86's receiver walls are robust and not chopped up or hollowed out as are those on the '94, in particular.
The new Browning/Winchester 1886 and Model 71 are virtually identical offerings, made of good, through-hardened steel, and will serve as the basis for some VERY powerful loading.
Be careful, and don't try this at home...
Regards,
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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One of you “gunwriters” out there go blow someone over there for a run of 32/20 levers.
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Campfire Tracker
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Even though I have had zero issues with my Marlin 45-70's pressure or other wise,the Marlins are not perfect..I doubt Ruger will change anything but one can hope..
The Marlins are not necessarily easier to work with. Matter of fact, they can be quite finicky when it comes to making them digest fodder for which they were not originally intended. One of the main Marlin complaints I hear from CAS shooters is that their Marlins will suddenly develop feeding and digestion problems, which can only be remedied by new parts, or by judicious welding of the old ones. They are notorious for failing to stop cartridges from advancing out of the magazine, at inopportune moments, jamming a fresh cartridge under the carrier/lifter. Only a major inconvenience in a CAS match, but a real disaster in a real-life situation.
Other differences aside, the Marlin WILL handle loads in the 40,000 - 45,000 psi range all week, with a double helping on Saturday night - as will the '94 Winchester - but there's a BIG difference between that kind of pressure and the 65,000 psi generated (and SAAMI-allowed) by the .454 Casull. Neither the Marlin 1895/336 nor the Winchester 1894 was designed or manufactured with THAT kind of pressure in mind. My own rifle was put together with exactly those high-pressure parameters foremost in mind.
As Jim Taylor said, the data is there, and the results are irrefutable.
Jayco
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