(the link he posted revolves to this blog post)

Mr Gibson: I think if you spent 20 minutes at a range with a .22 pistol and 50 round magazine, you would change your mind! A 50 round magazine is 40 rounds more fun than a 10 round magazine

I wonder what Stephen Hunter's take on Tacti-Awesome pistols is ...

I am inspired!

[ Many thanks to Cameron for emailing me the link. ]

Checkout their new pretty damn awesome tactical pistol

The Carbine length model.

The Mini length model.

They have not yet announced pricing.

Mini-14 in Tapco stock and magazine

The price will be $15.

The original .38 Special Ruger LCR was announced at SHOT Show last year.

Ruger Lightweight Compact Revolver (LCR) .38 Special

[ Many thanks to Nick for alerting me to the news. ]

Each gun chambered in the .327 Fed Mag can also chamber the .327 H&R Magnum, .32 S&W Long and .32 S&W.

The .327 GP100 will retail for $701 and the Blackhawk for $681.

SR9c Compact Pistol. Photo from Shooting Wire

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. is proud to announce the Ruger SR9c compact pistol, the first extension in the SR9 striker-fired pistol family.

The SR9 is one of the slimmest and most ergonomic 9mm pistols on the market today, and the compact model offers an even smaller, more concealable option, ideal for discreet carry.

“The SR9c compact pistol is a welcome addition to the SR9 line, giving customers a very comfortable carry option in this reliable, 9mm platform,” said Mike Fifer, President & CEO. “Incorporating the best features the full-sized SR9 has to offer, the SR9c gives Ruger a strong entry into the compact 9mm field. It feels great in your hand and it’s a lot of fun to shoot.”

The SR9c compact pistol weighs in at 24 oz. and features an overall length of 6.875”, a height of 5.00”, and the same slim 1.27” grip width as the full-sized SR9. It comes with two magazines that provide options in both capacity and grip size. The standard magazine holds 10 rounds and features a flat bottom butt plate; a finger grip extension floor plate is also included. The second magazine features a grip adapter and holds 17 rounds, instantly transforming the smaller, compact grip into a full-sized 9mm grip. The 3.50” barreled pistol features an integral accessory rail that accommodates most lights and lasers.

The SR9c compact pistol utilizes the same adjustable, high-visibility 3-Dot sight system as its full-sized predecessor, setting it apart from many compact pistols that rely on fixed sights. New serrations are located on the front portion of the slide, making it easier to both manipulate the slide and to press check the chamber. The SR9c is available with a glass-filled nylon frame and through-hardened slide in either a brushed stainless or blackened finish. State compliant variations are available where necessary and ship with two 10-round magazines.

Just like the original, full-sized SR9, the SR9c is loaded with modern safety features like a 1911-style ambidextrous manual safety, internal trigger bar interlock and striker blocker, trigger safety, magazine disconnect, plus a visual and tactile loaded chamber indicator.

UPDATE:

A stainless and black model will be available ...

Stainless

Blackened

Specifications
Caliber	9mm Luger
Slide Finish	Nitrodox Pro Black / Stainless
Magazine Capacity	10 rounds or 17 rounds
Slide Material	Alloy Steel
Length	6.85"
Height	4.61"
Width	1.27"
Grooves	6
Barrel Length	3.50"
Twist	1|10" RH
MSRP (Price)	$525.00
Availability	15 Jan 2010

Michael Bane has already gotten his hands on a new Ruger single action ...

We took the new Ruger to the range today, and it clocked pretty much rave reviews. It safe to say, I suppose, that the gun is a revolver and it is a single action. A nice gun!

My guess is a Ruger Vaquero chambered in .22 LR. It would be very popular Cowboy Action shooters, with whom the Vaquero is popular.

Caleb spotted a Ruger press release which says that a Mini-30 with 20-round magazines will be available in 2010. What better time to launch it than at SHOT?

The popular Ruger Mini Thirty® rifle is now available with 20-round magazines. Chambered for 7.62×39, the Mini Thirty is an ideal autoloader for deer-sized game. Featuring the reliable action of the Ruger Mini-14® series of rifles first introduced in 1974, the Mini Thirty is simple, rugged and reliable, hallmarks of all Ruger firearms.

Ruger Tactical Mini-14 with 20 round magazine.

It makes perfect sense now that the Mini-14 has factory 20 rounders available.

SaysUncle noticed that a chromed version of the Ruger LCP is listed at Lipseys for $405. This is sure to be at SHOT.

A standard Ruger LCP which was chromed by its owner.

Last week they started a series on the history of firearms. The first episode, about early hand cannons, "aired" last week and is worth watching.

Also online are Part 2 and Part 3.

Ruger LCP 15 rounder

Kel-tec P3AT 15 rounder

The 10 rounders cost about $32 and the 20 rounders are going for $35, although you may be able to find them cheaper at other sources.

And now, before you ask "why?", I say "Why Not? ".

[ Many thanks to the reader who sent this in ]

I first learnt about the Ares Carbine from GunPundit who spotted it at SHOT Show '09. It was supposed to go one sale in the first or second quarter but nothing was seen of it since SHOT.

Tyler Kreis, the NRA's Firearms Inventory Manager, is the first to have gotten his hands on the Ares Defense Systems Ares-22 RCU and has shot a video of it in action. It looks like a very fun system.

Rezolution Tactical

The CNC machined receiver features a full length monolithic top picatinny rail. A bottom rail and side rails are bolted onto the receiver. Internally it makes use of a Ruger 10/22 compatible bolt, trigger group, magazines and v-block barrel mounting system. Rimfire Technologies, a well known supplied of after market 10/22 parts, supplies many of the internal parts, including the barrel.

Precision model with bull barrel.

Rails

The familiar shaped receiver and bolt

As most of you have already guessed, the Rezolution is compatible with standard AR-15 stocks. What is slightly disappointing is that it is not compatible with AR-15 pistol grips, although this is a minor fault.

The pricing starts at $941.81 for the R-RT-21BL (Rezolution Tactical with 21" length receiver). This model features a 16" .750 diameter fluted stainless threaded barrel with AR-15 A2 flash-hider and a M4 style stock.

Production has only just begun and some models will not be available until next month. I personally think these guns are a very good deal and are going to sell very well.

Ruger No. 1 Tropical Style in .300 H&H

Ruger No. 1 Standard Style in 6.5mm Creedmore

Hat tip: Guns Holsters and Gear

There is nothing unusual going on at Bea's loading bench, except this 78 year old grandmother has been a handgunner for just over a year, and now she is loading her own .45 ammo! Her journey as a shooter has been rather remarkable, but she has always had lots of pioneer moxie, and she is still an active person who wants to be able to defend herself and her home.

Dwain, Bea's husband, passed away in 2005, and owned several guns. One was his 'house gun,' a Smith and Wesson Model 36 snubbie. She realized that the little .38 would be difficult for her to master, so she had one of her sons help her pick out a new pistol for her to build her shooting skills. Her first purchase was a Walther P-22, and on her 77th birthday she went to the local range for the first time. The little Walther was easy for her to handle and to shoot; the only problem she had was stripping and reassembling after her range trips. As long as it was fed plated .22's, this gun never failed to function. Bea was now a handgunner, and a pretty good shot, too. Check out the target with thirty offhand shots at thirty feet with her little auto.

P-22 target with thirty shots at thirty feet.

Bea next learned to handle revolvers by starting with her son's Ruger Single-Six, and she found that she could shoot it more accurately than she could with the little Walther. She got lucky and found a used Single-Six in excellent condition at her local Scheel's store, and soon she was shooting the revolver more than the auto. Her son then introduced her to centerfire with a Ruger Blackhawk, and she found that shooting .38's was easy for her. She looked at the options with Ruger Blackhawks, and when the Scheel's store got a .45 convertible, she bought it. The big slow bullets are easy for her to handle, even though she weighs less than 110. At the range she will shoot several cylinders through the Single-Six, and then one or two through the Blackhawk, then switch back to the .22. Careful practice has kept her from developing flinch problems.

Bea buying her Blackhawk

Shooting the Blackhawk for the first time.

Her son has been reloading for many years, and he set her up to reload for her .45. A surprise benefit of the convertible Blackhawk is the free once fired brass other shooters leave behind at the range. Every range trip begins with policing for new brass before setting up to shoot.

Bea at loading bench

In September Engineering Johnson, her grandson, took her along to the Gun Blogger Rendezvous, and she was thrilled to meet Mr. Completely, KeeWee, and the other bloggers she has been reading. She says it was the most fun she has ever had. Mr. C even let her shoot his long barrelled High Standard, and Bea had some respectable times hitting the steel plates on the second range day. She is planning to go again next year.

Bea with her .45 at the GBR Show and Tell

From left: Engineering Johnson, Bea and Mr. Completely

She has several range friends in her hometown, and she is spreading the joy of shooting by teaching the basics of gun safety and pistols with new shooters. One of her new found friends is a nine year old boy who is regularly beating his dad at hitting the bullseye with her Single-Six.

Bea would like for more women to realize that they do not have to be defenseless, and that even a small framed womam can shoot a gun that is powerful enough to stop an attacker. Thank you for setting such a great example for all of us, Bea.

Gun bloggers KeeWee and Molly with Bea.

[ GBR photos were taken by The Packing Rat ]

This Ruger .45 my Dad left me is one of the first weapons I ever fired.

My grandparents had a farm in central Minnesota, near St. Cloud, and we would drive the two hours to visit every month or six weeks or so. Nearby was an old iron bridge, crosshatched with braces, bedded with wood that beginning to rot as the bridge neared the end of its first century of usefulness. The newer highway bridge went over the slow moving creek a couple of hundred yards upstream, so the metal bridge on the dirt road was relegated to cars and small trucks. It was too small for any modern farm machinery to pass across it.

But it was a great place to learn how to shoot. Dad would bring out his Ruger Mk1 .22 and this Blackhawk, and my three brothers and I would take turns shooting pop cans and empty ammo boxes floating in the river, tossed in on the upstream side of the bridge. Dad would occasionally take a turn with the .22, but he mainly used his .45, usually stoked with ACP ammo, since it was less expensive than Long Colt. It was also a way for him to see if we’d been fooling with his pistols in his absence, as he caught my younger brother once when he hadn’t put the ACP cylinder back in. Dad loaded a .45 ACP round, and it dropped deep into the LC cylinder. One look at the bunch of us, and he knew which brother was guilty.

When we exhausted the .22 ammo, we’d each get a cylinder full of .45 to shoot, or most of one, since five rounds each made the box come out even. It was harder to shoot well than the .22, and much louder (I don’t remember that we bothered with ear protection back then), but it was very satisfying to shoot it well and have Dad comment as much.

I miss him, and think of him whenever I shoot the old Ruger, or really, whenever I handle firearms in general. The interest I have in firearms now was sparked long ago by shooting with him.

Internally it differs from other rifles that make use of the Farquharson action by its use of a in-line striker driven by a coil spring rather than a rotating hammer. This decrease lock time and allows repeated dry firing. Soroka says ...

Firstly it is 100% manufactured in New Zealand. Secondly, my action whilst looking like a later model Gibbs Farquharson is completely different inside. It uses a striker (firing pin) that is in-line with the bore that is powered by a chrome silicone coil spring. This gives extremely fast lock time and reliable ignition. The design also allows for dry firing which many single shot designs abhorr. Every single component in this action is either CNC'd or wire cut. All the major components- receiver, trigger plate, underlever, quarter rib are CNC'd from Boehler P 20 vaccuum re-melted billet bar stock, a couple of minor items, safety button and bar from 4140, the internal links and other components EDM wire cut from from 17-4 ph stainless ground plate. My machinists are are arguably the best 3d machinists in this part of the world. I can assure you it takes some doing to machine the compound curves found in this design. Ask anyone who knows.

This stunningly beautiful work of art comes at a price. The total price (inc. shipping overseas) is US$14,500!

Many thanks to Mehul for the link and info about the rifles.

Ruger 10/22 VLEH Target Tactical Rifle

The 10/22 VLEH¹ features a Hogue OverMolded stock, in my opinion the best for the Ruger 10/22. The barrel is 16" heavy .920" profile match-grade barrel with target crown. It has the same trigger group as the Ruger 10/22T, which is much superior to the standard factory trigger. To top it all off, a bipod is included.

The VLEH configuration is almost identical to my favorite 10/22 configuration. It makes perfect sense for hunting and general plinking. My only complaint would be the lack of iron sights, although few people will miss them.

Specifications
Caliber	.22 LR
Capacity	10 Rounds (with factory magazines)
Finish	Black Matte
Stock	Black Hogue OverMolded
Barrel Length	16.12"
Groove	6
Twist	1:16" RH
Overall Length	34.5"
Weight	6.88 lbs
Front / Rear Sight(s)	None
Suggested Retail Price	$ 555.00

Hat Tip: Down Range TV

Ruger SR-22

Jeff Quinn holds a tricked out SR-22

You are probably thinking that the action in the above rifle does not look much like a Ruger 10/22. This is because a standard Ruger 10/22 action and trigger group sits inside a Nordic Components designed conversion chassis / enclosure.

Nordic Components Stock Kit - very similar to the SR-22 rifle.

The chassis allows a standard AR-15 stock and pistol grip to be used on the rifle. It also allows a standard Ruger 10/22 barrel, which attaches to a v-Block, to be used with a the AR-15 style handguard. This breakdown photo illustrates how it all fits together:

The mid length handguard is drilled and tapped to allow picatinny rails to be installed on the 3,6,9 and 12 o' clock positions, if desired. These rails allow all standard AR-15 accessories to be used with the rifle.

Ruger 3" SR-22 TR 3 Picatinny Rail ($14.95)

SR-22 Full Length Picatinny Rail ($39.95)

Another benefit of the SR-22 over a standard 10/22 is that the barrel is factory threaded and a Ruger SR-556 / Mini-14 flash suppressor is installed.

Specifications
Receiver	Ruger 10/22
Trigger Group	Ruger 10/22
Caliber	.22 LR
Pistol Grip	Hogue Monogrip pistol grip
Capacity	10 Rounds
Finish	Black, Hard Coat Anodized
Stock	6-Position M4-Style (on a Mil-spec diameter tube).
Barrel Length	16.12"
Groove	6
Twist	1:16" RH
Overall Length	32.35" - 35.25"
Weight	6.5 lbs
Flash Suppressor	Mini-14 / SR-556 with 1/2”-28 thread
California Approved	No1
Massachusetts Approved	No
Front Sight(s)	None
Rear Sight(s)	None
Other Features	Cross Bolt Safety
Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)	$625.00

The Ruger press release:

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) announces the introduction of the Ruger® SR-22™ Rifle, an autoloading, rimfire rifle that combines the legendary reliability of the Ruger® 10/22® with the ergonomics and configurability of the new AR-style Ruger SR-556™. The new SR-22 Rifle allows shooters to use economical .22 LR ammunition, while still enjoying the look and feel of an "AR" and experiencing the reliability they have come to appreciate from Ruger.

Because it utilizes the unique rotary magazine supplied with the Ruger 10/22, the SR-22 Rifle offers the same gold standard for reliability in autoloading rimfire rifles. Like the 10/22, the AR-style SR-22 Rifle also has an extensive array of accessories available, allowing shooters to select a custom configuration that best suits their tastes and needs.

The SR-22 Rifle uses a standard 10/22 action inside a top-quality, all-aluminum chassis that faithfully replicates the AR-platform dimensions between the sighting plane, buttstock height, and grip. The SR-22 Rifle provides a Picatinny rail optic mount, and includes a six-position, telescoping M4-style buttstock (on a Mil-Spec diameter tube), plus a Hogue® Monogrip® pistol grip. Buttstocks and grips may be swapped out for any AR-style compatible option.

The SR-22 Rifle also features a round, mid-length handguard mounted on a standard-thread AR-style barrel nut. Picatinny rails, specifically designed for this handguard, are available from Ruger, allowing the handguard to be configured to accept any number of rail-mounted sights or accessories. A barrel support block is installed in the handguard, ensuring accuracy and allowing the standard 10/22 V-block barrel attachment system to be used.

The SR-22 Rifle is equipped with a precision-rifled, cold hammer-forged alloy steel barrel. The 16-1/8" barrel is capped with an SR-556/Mini-14 flash suppressor mounted with a 1/2"-28 thread.

More photos:

Ruger advertisement for SR-22:

Michael Bane has also created a video review over at the Down Range TV Blog. Michael hinted at the rifle earlier this week, but I must admit I did not imagine a tactical Ruger 10/22 was what Ruger had in store for us!

He drew a Ruger .454 Casull revolver. There was no time to aim, barely time to squeeze the trigger. He’s not sure whether he got off two shots or three, but one proved fatal.

“Total luck shot,” he said.

“It doesn’t get any closer. He slid by me on his chin when I shot him,” Brush said. “I was backpedaling as fast as I could. I wasn’t even aiming. I tripped over my own feet as I pulled the trigger.”

He estimated that the animal weighed 900-plus pounds, and was 15 to 20 years old. It had grass packed in its molars and little fat on its bones.

“It was starving to death and saw an opportunity,” Brush said.

I sometimes get asked what should be carried in bear country. I always say the same thing: “I know nothing about bears but if I was in bear country I would want a .44 Magnum by my side”. I despair when people say they would rather carry their 9mm or .40 S&W Glock because they can get off more shots! This story perfectly illustrates that you may only get off one or two shots at a charging 900 pound beast! A 9mm round is not going to do much good.

Greg was most likely carrying a Ruger Super Redhawk. The Low-Glare Stainless model has a 7.5″ barrel and is available chambered in .454 Casull or .45 Colt. It has a MSRP of $992.

Big thank you to Don for emailing me the link.

UPDATE: Commenters point out that he was using the Super Redhawk Alaskan. This snub nosed .454 Casull has a 2.5″ barrel . It also has a MSRP of $922. Thanks guys for the correction.

Tom Gresham has an interview with Greg on his Gun Talk show. Thanks to Jake for the link.

Looks like a lot of fun!

A parts list and computer code to build a similar system can be found at Waterloo Labs.

Many thanks to Antonio for the link.

UPDATE: Nookyon points out in the comments that the game appears to be a flash based “remake” of Half Life, not the original.

Beretta says:

Beretta U.S.A. Corp. announces outstanding June results. “We are extremely pleased by our commercial pistol market sales”, said Gary Ramey, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, “June sales are up 219% compared to last year. All of our pistol families are performing very well, with the Px4 Storm family up an amazing 451%. Our Cx4 Storm Carbine is also doing extremely well, up 1249% compared to last year”.

Ruger says:

* Our firearms sales grew 94% from the second quarter of 2008 and 14% from the first quarter of 2009.

* The Company estimates that its year-to-date sales growth of $54.7 million can be attributed to the following:

* Approximately 50% New products (LCP, LCR, SR-9, and SR-556),

* Approximately 25% Industry-wide surge in demand that began in the fourth quarter of 2008, and

* Approximately 25% Increased marketshare.

* Our firearms unit production grew 63% from the second quarter of 2008 and 18% from the first quarter of 2009.

The Frontier rifle featured a forward scout-style scope mount and a very short 16.5″ barrel. Sixteen inches in barrel length may be considered normal for rimfire or intermediate cartridges, but the Frontier was chambered in full power cartridge such as .308 Winchester and .300 Winchester Short Magnum.

The short barrel would certainty have had quite an impact on performance. These cartridges are usually fired in 20+ inches of barrel length, and this may have contributed to its demise.

The advantage of a short barrel is less weight and easier maneuverability in a tight space, such as shooting varmints from a vehicle, or when traversing heavy bush.

I was really hoping this concept would take off and am saddened that it did not catch on. Once you have fired, or owned, a short barrel (SBR) rifle, everything over 14″ seems much too long!

Does anyone own one of these rifles? I would really like to get my hands on the ballistic data for the cartridges the rifle fired. Ruger have not responded to my requests.

Ruger SASS Vaquero

The new revolver features a high-gloss stainless steel finish, the lower and wider hammer from the Ruger Montado and SASS markings. It is chambered in .357 Magnum and has a 4.62″ barrel. MSRP is $1459 (that is for a pair of revolvers) and will be available in August.

More info available at Ruger.

There are at least five bullets stuck in that revolver barrel. RugerForum members seem to think is a Ruger Blackhawk in .357 Magnum. The squib loads could have been low powered .38 Special rounds or very badly loaded .357 rounds. That the shooter did not notice it after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th round is crazy!

It is hard to see if there is a bulge in that barrel, a symptom of a round fired into a blocked barrel. I think if had been a semi-automatic pistol there would have been a disaster. A revolver can vent gas in the gap between the cylinder and the barrel but in a autoloader pistol for a brief period of time the gas has no where to go and the pressure build up would be considerable.

A few weeks ago I was shooting some old .22 Longs out of a rifle which I had not fired them out of before. I nearly crapped my pants after the second round when I realized to forget to check the spotting scope to ensure that the first round made it out of the barrel and hit the target. I was shooting iron sights and could not see the target. I learnt a good lesson. Always make sure you hit the target, especially when you are shooting low powered ammunition.

Thanks to Advocate for the link.

There is no better illustration for this change than the Evil Black Rifle itself which has just joined the Ruger product offering. The slogan for the SR-556 is "a platform redefined". I say it should be "a company redefined". I present to you the Ruger AR-15, the SR-556:

Ruger SR-556

Ok, I will wipe the tear from my eye, be a man and shove my emotional outburst back down where it came from Onto the features ...

The most significant feature is a new short stroke gas piston designed by Ruger. It shares the same benefits as other gas pistons system: a cleaner, cooler bolt carrier as the excess gas it vented out the gas block, far from the upper receiver. The AR-15 was not designed for a piston and retrofit piston systems can cause problems, for example the pressure from the piston operating rob can cause the bolt carrier to bind. It was been suggested that the Ruger bolt carrier is designed to mitigate this particular problem. Time will tell (I am no expert on this topic).

The chrome lined SR-556 bolt carrier.

Disassembly of the gas system.

Another feature is a four position gas regulator. The first position prevents any gas entering the piston system. This turns the rifle into a single shot which requires the bolt to be manually cycled between shots. The next position allows the normal quantity of gas into the piston system to cycle the bolt. The next two position each let in more gas than the previous system which can help when the rifle is dirty or the ammunition is low powered. It is a compelling feature for reloaders because it gives them a greater range of adjustment for thier powder loads.

Chromed gas regulator.

Gas regulator positions.

The rifle also features:

• Full length Troy Industries Quad Rail with rail covers.
• Hogue Pistol grip.
• Ruger branded Troy Industries flip up Backup Iron Sights (BUIS).
• Ships with three 30-round Magpul PMAG magazines.

Ruger branded Troy Rear Sight

The Specs:

Caliber: 5.56mm NATO / .223 Remington Barrel: 16.12" Barrel Twist: 1:9 Right Hand Weight: 7.92 lbs Total Length: 32.75" - 36" (depending on stock position) Stock: 6 position M4 style

It is nice to see Ruger has explicitly said .223 Remington AND 5.56mm NATO are compatible with the rifle.

The MSRP is $1,995. It is expensive and you could build one your self from parts for less, but if the gas system works flawlessly then I think it will be a good seller. I think it will sell for about $1800 on the street.

Here is the Ruger promotional video. They seem to be keen to promote it to law enforcement and military:

GunBlast.com made this video showing the rifle in action:

This photo is from Snowflakes in Hell. For the high resolution version and many more photos as well as on the ground reporting from the launch visit Snowflakes in Hell:

This photo Adam's Incoming blog. For many more photos check out the Guns and Hunting Incoming blog.

More information about the rifle is at Caleb's Gun Nuts Media blog.

Thanks to y'all who emailed me about the SR-556. I appreciate it. Contrary to popular belief I am not dead just slow and overworked.

UPDATE: Many thanks to Brian for sending me these photos of his new Ruger SR-556.

Fore-end and gas regulator. The Backup Iron Sights. Nice touch with the buttstock Ruger logo.

* Polymer 1911
* Regular 1911
* Mini-14 in .308 (ie. a M1A / M14)
* SR-9 pistol in .45 or the long awaited SR-10 (.40 S&W).
* Scaled up Ruger LCR polymer revolver in a more powerful cartridge.
* Ruger gas piston AR-15

A 1911 is possible. Wilson Combat will have a polymer 1911 on the market soon. Another variant on this rumor is a compact single stack polymer 1911. Having launched two new autoloader pistol platforms in the past few years I wonder if they want another.

N.U.G.U.N thinks a .308 Mini-14 is possible. Ruger does not have a medium game hunting autoloader so this would fill a hole in their product offering. I think it is unlikely because I don’t think the M14 design is going to appeal to hunters and so far the Mini-14 accuracy has not been all that great.

Ruger SR-9 in .45 or .40 S&W. This would could not be considered “Another platform redefined” but many people are hoping for the long delayed, almost mythical, SR-10.

Ruger Light Compact Revolver in .38 Special

Caleb thinks a scaled-up Ruger LCR polymer revolver in a more powerful cartridge to compete with S&W. I think this would be a good idea and a great seller.

Sebastian found a photo showing a AR-15 bolt carrier with a Ruger logo. I have been harping on about a Ruger AR-15 for a long time. I hate to commit myself to this rumor because I have many times in the past and been wrong again and again.

The below images comes from the Ruger 2008 Annual Meeting report (I added blue arrows):

This year they introduced a compact carry revolver. This following image is from the Annual Meeting report held last month (I added blue arrows):

You can only tell your shareholders you are missing out on a major growth area so many times before they start getting angry! I reckon it will be an AR-15.

A **FAKE** photoshop I made back in 2007.

[ Pretty nifty alliteration in the blog post title ]

UPDATE: As many of you noted in the comments. Ruger unveiled a AR-15. Read my coverage here.

Got to race down to Boulder to pick up a big ole Ruger box this AM and get to the range…once again, a spectacular new product announcement scheduled for the NRA Show…and, of course, you’ll see it as it happens on DRTV Friday.

He says a “big” box … so maybe it is a long rifle … AR-15? Shotgun? 1911?

I well placed source of mine who has seen the product tells me it is a very cool product! Unfortunately that is all I know, and even if I knew more I would probably not be able to say Us plebs will have to wait till the NRA convention to find out.

UPDATE: As many of you noted in the comments. Ruger unveiled a AR-15. Read my coverage here.

Emiliano Zapata Salazar is a revered Mexican hero. He formed and led the Liberation Army of the South during the 1910 Mexican revolution until 1919, when he was killed in an ambush.
TALO has a history of commemorating both US and Mexican statesmen and heros. The previous TALO Special edition Ruger Vaquero was a commemorative John Wayne revolver.

The ATS on a glock and the sight picture.

The Universal Shotgun sight fits any non-ribbed 12 gauge barrel that is 14″ – 20″ long and of .840” to .890” in diameter, which includes most non-ribbed Mossberg and Remington barrels.

Mossberg 500 Shotgun

The Ruger 10/22 variant is only compatible with the aftermarket Tactical Solutions fluted .22 LR barrel. It is designed specifically for .22 steel matches.

Ruger 10/22

Both sights can be purchased online and cost $129.95. You can read more about the pistol sight system in an article [PDF Link] from this months GUNS Magazine.

Read it here.

This is a great move by Ruger. At this rate we should be seeing a 100 round drum pretty soon

Bob Dylan got it right when he sung

Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway, don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled
The battle outside ragin’
Will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’

They are selling for $49.95 at Ruger.com.

Hat Tip: Michael Bane via. Say Uncle

Picture it with a 50 round drum magazine

It is guaranteed to scare 100% of the hippies you may encounter

It features:

- Mil-Spec battle proven polymers
- Free float handguard with Picatinny rails
- Front and rear Archangel folding sights
- Tactical magazine release

The price is $269.99. Not cheap but it is one awesome package.

I have emailed my contact at TALO asking what the MSRP. I will update the page when he replies.

UPDATE: The MSRP is $419

One of the photos submitted. Taken by Suzanne Cecci.

There are four categories of photos: “Friends and Family”, “Trophy Room”, “Tricked-Out 10/22 Rifles” and “Ruger Gallery” (the latter being photos of guns only).

It features a “GI” style post and aperture sight picture, return to zero system (presumably after the receiver dust cover is removed) and detent locking click adjustments. UPDATE: War Wolf called them and found out the MSRP will be $100 – $125.

I think this could be a very popular accessory, if the return to zero works as advertised. Peep sights are great, I learnt to shoot with a peep sight and still prefer them over scopes.

More info here.

The MCS comes with front and rear TROY BattleSights, an M4 style stock and M4 pistol grip. The weight of the stock is 3.4 lbs and will be available in black or “flat dark earth”.

The price will be $845.

More info here.

Tactical Ruger 10/22 chambered in .17 Mach2 for sale at GunBroker for $1,255

Sound off in the comments with your opinion …

Ruger – if you are reading this … pay me lots of money as a consultant and I will make you even more money

As you can see in the photo, the stock features a 6-position M4 style adjustable stock, pistol grip and free floating barrel channel. The MSRP is $99.99

I think this is going to be a *very* popular product. I think the price is good and it has been build for accuracy. Rimfire rifle tactical stocks tend to be build for looks not function.

More info and online ordering at Blackhawk.

[ Usual disclaimer for linking to an online store ... I get no financial benefits from linking to Blackhawk ]

Ruger M77 Hawkeye Compact 6.8mm SPC.

They feature a shorter stock and proportionately shortened forends and buttstocks. This shortened forend makes the rifle look longer than it is in the above photo. The intermediate caliber rifles weight 5 3/4 lbs.

I think these will be big sellers, especially the models chambered in intermediate cartridge where the short barrel will not have a significant impact on performance.

From the press release:

These 16-1/2 inch barreled rifles have an overall length of 35-1/2 inches, making them ideal hunting rifles for rugged terrain and heavy brush. The Hawkeye Compact rifles are available in a Hawkeye Matte Blued with an American walnut stock or the Hawkeye Matte Stainless model with a black laminate stock. The slim American walnut stock offers wrap-around cut checkering on the forearm and more rounded contours on the bottom of the stock and top of the pistol grips.

The Ruger M77 Hawkeye Compact rifles are offered in eight short action calibers, including .300 RCM, 7.62X39 and 6.8SPC. The walnut and blued models weigh approximately 5.75 pounds, while their laminate and stainless counterparts average 6.25 pounds each. Magazine capacity is 4 rounds.

The M77 Hawkeye Compact rifles feature the smooth and crisp Ruger LC6™ trigger, Mauser-type controlled feeding and a powerful claw extractor. A 3-position safety, hammer forged steel barrels and Ruger patented scope rings (provided at no charge) that install on the integral mounts and never shoot loose are also standard fare on all Ruger M77 Hawkeye rifles. The steel floorplate, bearing the distinctive Ruger logo, provides easy unloading and eliminates accidental “dumping” of ammunition.

They feature
* 20″ heavy barrel
* Hogue OverMolded stock
* Harris bipod! Yes, they actually come standard with a harris bipod.
* A newly designed two stage target trigger.
* Built-in magazine, an odd choice for a tactical styled rifle.

Three calibers are on offer: .223 Rem., .243 Win. and .308 Win.

Specs for the .308 model:

Capacity: 4 Rounds
Finish: Hawkeye Matte Blued
Stock: Black Hogue® OverMolded®
Barrel Length: 20″
Groove: 6
Twist: 1:10″ RH
Overall Length: 40″
Weight: 8 3/4 lbs
Front Sight(s): None
Rear Sight(s): None
Other Features: Two-Stage Trigger; Three-Position Manual Safety
Miscellaneous: Harris Bipod included.

MSRP is $1138.

“New” Receiver.

From the photos I have seen I cannot see any differences. Ruger has altered Mini-14 many times over the years so this is not a big deal. It would be a big deal if accuracy has also improved.

The Mini-30 and 6.8mm models have not been updated.

Ruger LCR. Click to expand.

The revolver features:

* Double Action
* Polymer fire-control housing
* Aluminum frame with black “synergistic” hard coating
* Fluted stainless steel cylinder, lightweight and compact.
* 5 Rounds in the cylinder
* Replaceable front sight.U-notch rear sight.
* The fire control system has been designed with a friction reducing cam that allows a very smooth trigger pull.
* The internal lock has been designed so it will not interfere with the fire control components.

The Specs:

Caliber: .38 SPL+P
Capacity: 5 Rounds
Finish: Matte Black/Target Grey
Grip: Hogue Tamer w/ Sorborthane Insert
Barrel Length: 1.875″
Groove: 6
Twist: 1:16″ RH
Overall Length: 6.50″
Weight: 13.5 oz.
Front Sight(s): Replaceable, Pinned Ramp Front
Rear Sight(s): Integral U-Notch

The standard model has a recommended retail price of $525.

Ruger are also simultaneously releasing a model with Crimson Trace Lasergrips. It has MSRP of $792.

Ruger LCR-LG. Click to expand

GunBlast have already reviewed the LCR and were impressed (thanks to cmblake6 for the link):

The trigger pull on the LCR is very smooth, and very light for a pocket revolver. Many pocket revolvers have dreadful trigger pulls, and I get a lot of email from readers who buy a gun for defense, and have a very hard time pulling the trigger. If the production LCRs are like the one that I shot, the trigger pull problem is solved. That gun had what could be called a perfect trigger pull for a pocket revolver; a smooth and light double action. I do not know the pull weight of the LCR, but will measure such things when a production gun arrives.

I will update this post as more information arrives.

UPDATE: More info from Ruger

Friction Reducing Cam. Patent pending.

Fire Control Housing. Patent Pending.

There are a total of three new pending patents. Not bad for a wheel gun!

UPDATE: Holster compatibility:

* Blackhawk Inside Pocket – Size 4
* Black Hawk Inside Pant – Size 0
* Fobus TA85 (Standard)
* Fobus RU101 (Evolution)
* Uncle Mike’s Inside Pant – Size 0

UPDATE: The Ruger LCR will be available 1st March 2009

UPDATE: A video

The press release is after the jump.
The full press release

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) is pleased to announce the new Ruger Lightweight Compact Revolver (LCR), an evolution in revolver design. The 13.5 ounce, small frame, 5-shot LCR has three main components: a polymer fire control housing, an aircraft quality aluminum monolithic frame, and an extensively fluted stainless steel cylinder. The Ruger LCR represents one of the most significant new revolver designs in over a century, with three patent applications pending.

The LCR’s lightweight, chemical-resistant polymer fire control housing contains the entire fire control mechanism. Because the fire control components are located within this single housing, their dimensional relationship can be held much more closely than if divided between traditional grip frames and cylinder frames. The end result is that the fire control components are assembled with no hand fitting, resulting in a highly consistent product at an affordable price.

The long-fiber, glass-filled polymer fire control housing provides a reduction in perceived recoil. The fire control housing’s grip peg allows for a variety of grips to be installed, and the LCR’s standard Hogue® Tamer™ grip with Sorbothane® insert reduces perceived recoil even further. A joint effort with Hogue, the LCR’s standard grip was designed using US military anthropomorphic data on hand shape, so the LCR can be comfortably held by a broad spectrum of hand sizes. An available Crimson Trace® Lasergrip® offers the advantages of a laser sighting system.

The LCR’s monolithic frame is an aerospace grade, 7000 series aluminum forging treated with a black synergistic hard coat that is applied after machining. Successfully tested with over 30 different aggressive chemicals, this synergistic hard coat exceeds mil-spec salt spray tests, and offers performance considerably greater than hard coat anodizing. The monolithic frame provides sturdy, rigid support for the cylinder and the barrel. The 1-7/8″ long barrel, with a 1:16 twist, is made of 17-4 PH aerospace grade stainless steel, chosen for its strength and dimensional stability during machining and heat treatment.

The extensively fluted 400 series stainless steel cylinder is lightweight and compact, measuring only 1.283″ in diameter in the chamber area. Treated to an advanced form of Ruger’s Target Grey® finish, this stainless steel cylinder is strong, durable and designed to handle .38 Special +P loads. The Ruger LCR’s patent pending cylinder front latching system uses titanium components, optimized spring tension, and enhanced lockup geometry to ensure that the LCR’s cylinder stays locked in place during firing.

The LCR’s double-action-only trigger pull is uniquely engineered to minimize friction between the fire control components. This friction-reducing cam fire control system results in a non-stacking, smooth trigger pull. The LCR’s trigger pull force builds more gradually, and peaks later in the trigger stroke, resulting in a trigger pull that feels much lighter than it actually is, while still providing positive ignition of all primers. This results in more controllable shooting, even among those with smaller, weaker hands who find traditional DAO triggers difficult to operate.

The sights are replaceable ramp front, and a fixed U-notch rear. An internal lock, unobtrusively hidden under the grip, does not interfere with the fire control mechanism in any way when disengaged.

Mini-14 Tactical Rifles Model 20GBCPC

The 20GBCPC model features a flash suppressor, synthetic stock and 16 1/8″ barrel. It weights 8 lbs. It has an MSRP of $894.

Mini-14 Tactical Rifles Model 20CF

The 20CF model, which we saw previously, has an ATI Stock and a 16.12″ barrel. Oddly enough, it has no flash suppressor. The 20CF weights: 7.25 lbs. MSRP is $872.00.

Both feature an “Improved receiver with rounded contours.”, 20 round magazine and 1:9 barrel twist.

WOW! I can barley believe my eyes. Ruger has finally gone tactical! The tactical mini-14 appears to feature:

* Folding and collapsible stock
* Ergonomic pistol grip
* 20 round magazine
* Quad rails
* Polymer stock

Well done Ruger!

I wonder if a Tactical Mini-30 is on its way.

Ruger will probably take this photo offline as they have been hyping this announcement. So here is a screenshot showing the photo in my web browser:

UPDATE: The stocks looks *very* similar to the ATI Strikeforce stock. Mini-30 Stock sold at Midway:

Hat Tip to wetidlerjr for the info.

UPDATE: I noticed that the files creation date is 9 January 2009.

UPDATE: It has been officially released.