Thanks Bill. I sure love my Rugers.

gunpaq

Went out to the range today and took along my Ruger handguns. Met my buddy there who had his assortment of the latest high tech high priced handguns of several other manufacturers. Bill Ruger's P-series semiautos were fed all types of ammo that my buddy brought along for us to shoot. I shot my Rugers all afternoon with his ammo with no problems. My buddy would shoot a couple of rounds and then fix a jam or some other problem with his semiautos of other manufacturers. One of the guns he brought for me to try out as I was interested in buying, but after today I think I'll stick strictly with my Rugers. Thanks Bill.

Pack slow, fall stable, pull high, hit dead center.

RugerNiner

I'll Second that Thought.

Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!

robsguns

I sure wish I could do something as well as Bill did, so that I'd have a legacy left behind even half of what he has left behind. I dont care about what people say about him and his contribution towards magazine limitations either. He was truly a great man with vision, and his guns are also my favorite guns. When a fella owns as many as I do, and would tell you right away which ones he wouldnt get rid of, and they're all made by the same company, that tells you something about the guns, and the man behind them. I wish I could make it to his funeral, I'd really like to pay my respects to him and his family, I guess I'll have to settle for saying good things here.

SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC

cbxjeff

Preban SS Mini 14, P89, K77/44, SP101, AC556. Thanks Bill.

cbxjeffIt's too late for me, save yourself.

aglore

Amen.

AlleninAlaska

Free men are not equal and equal men are not free

thesoundguy1

I wouldn't trade my .44 Magnum Redhawk for anything!

www.waveformwear.com
fighting censorship...with an attitude

dads-freehold

greetings, ihave owned 6 of the p-series (3-85's, 2-95's &a94dc) two security sixes 357's , 2-mini 14 folders. iplan to get a p-90 soon. ruger is the only american gun i would trust my life with. respt submitted dads-freehold

rodney colson

pickenup

By "brand name" I have more Rugers than anything else. My thanks also Bill.

If I knew then, what I know now.

Tazmutt

I'll thirtieth the motion. I can't count my Rugers on both hands but I think if I include my feets I got 'em covered. Never had a problem with-a-one, will likely not get rid of any (especially) now ! Thanks again Bill ... RIP !

Gordian Blade

In the well-known science fiction novel, Speaker for the Dead, the main character begins the practice of speaking the complete truth about a deceased person's life at the person's funeral. At first, the community is horrified. Later, they come to realize that the truth, instead of polite lies, helps the community put the person's life in correct perspective and begin to heal any harm he might have done, as well as celebrating the good points of his life.

So it is with the passing of Bill Ruger. He was a master gun designer and businessman. Many people posting on this forum, almost all with more experience with firearms than I have, have attested to the hours of enjoyment they have received from using his firearms. They have also told us to how safe they feel with reliable Ruger firearms for self-defense and law enforcement.

We have had a few members of the forum say negative things about Bill Ruger, one even wishing the fires of Hell on him. That was an ill-considered remark and it deserved the responses it got.

But in the spirit of honesty, I believe we have to consider the things he said and did toward the end of his life that undermined our right to keep and bear weapons for self-defense. And in the spirit of honesty, I should say that I own one Ruger firearm (PC-9) and I don't care for it. However, this is not about the pros and cons of Ruger guns, but about Bill Ruger's ill-conceived political activities.

Almost everyone is familiar by now with his quotes, but let me give them here for completeness (my boldface for emphasis):

"No honest man needs more than 10 rounds in any gun."

"I never meant for simple civilians to have my 20 or 30 round mags or my folding stock."

"I see nothing wrong with waiting periods."

"The best way to address the firepower concern is therefore not to try to outlaw or license many millions of older and perfectly legitimate firearms (which would be a licensing effort of staggering proportions) but to prohibit the possession of high capacity magazines.
"By a simple, complete and unequivocal ban on large capacity magazines, all the difficulty of defining 'assault rifle' and 'semi-automatic rifles' is eliminated. The large capacity magazine itself, separate or attached to the firearm, becomes the prohibited item.
"A single amendment to Federal firearms laws could effectively implement these objectives."

These statements reveal an interesting thought pattern. Apparently, I, as an honest, tax-paying, law-abiding citizen, am dishonest if I think I might need more than 10 rounds in a magazine. I am just a simple civilian, not an elite citizen. And he supported not just a ban on new production of large magazines for civilians, but confiscation of the tens of millions of existing magazines. I find his statements not only illogical, but arrogant and personally insulting.

At the end of his life, Bill Ruger had the choice to be a patriot and support the right of the common citizen to effective self-defense, or to be an appeaser and try to work the system to his company's advantage. He chose to be an appeaser. This fact must be considered as we assess his life, the good points and the bad points.

RugerNiner

If it wasn't for the Ban on Hi-Cap mags, it would have been a ban on Hi-cap Guns and Rifles. You even printed that part yourself:

The best way to address the firepower concern is therefore not to try to outlaw or license many millions of older and perfectly legitimate firearms (which would be a licensing effort of staggering proportions) but to prohibit the possession of high capacity magazines.
"By a simple, complete and unequivocal ban on large capacity magazines, all the difficulty of defining 'assault rifle' and 'semi-automatic rifles' is eliminated. The large capacity magazine itself, separate or attached to the firearm, becomes the prohibited item.
"A single amendment to Federal firearms laws could effectively implement these objectives."

One man did not get Hi-Cap mags Banned. Only a Politician can do that.


Remember...Terrorist are attacking Civilians; Not the Government. Protect Yourself!

Gordian Blade

Since what we ended up with was not what Ruger proposed, we'll never know for certain if he "saved" rifles with detachable magazines or simply gave the antis another thing to regulate (magazines). I was referring not only to the specific 1994 legislation, but the patronizing tone and illogic of his arguments, which stand by themselves.

Nighthawk

May you rest in peace Bill,you were another Sam Colt in my book. I hope the company he spent his life building,doesnt change except for the better if possible.

Rugster

sandman2234

I own many Rugers. My first full-auto machinegun was a Ruger. I do not like Ruger's attitude toward my owning hi-caps or even the AC-556. I am concerned that over time, they will refuse to service the firearm itself, or refuse to sell parts for it.

Have Gun, will travel

Rembrandt

Hope no one takes this wrong....but I wouldn't put Bill Ruger in the same catagory as Colt, Browning, or some of the other greats....he really didn't come up with any new designs, just improvements or variations on existing guns. His contribution to the firearm world will be missed and he no doubt was a leader in the manufacture of a good product line.

robsguns

Well, Gordian Blade, the truth of the matter is that I dont have a problem with what you posted in regards to what Bill Ruger said. I dont have a problem with what Bill stated either. If that is the only thing anyone has to say bad about Bill Ruger, I guess his honor stands for all time. I do not think I am a dishonest man for wanting the ability and choice to own a magazine for over 10 rounds, but it doesnt bother me its been said, because its just an opinion. I have no problems with anything else Bill said, gun control intelligently used is a requirement, and there is not an argument alive that can convince me otherwise. Background checks, waiting periods, doing things legally as they are done in most normal states,unlike CA, it doesnt bother me, and thats all there is to it. Like I said before, Bill Ruger was a great man, and a man of vision. His guns and his thoughts on required gun control are just fine in my book. Stating that no gun control should be required is just dumb. Stating that magazine capacity shouldnt be addressed as a possible solution to certain types of multiple shootings is just dumb also. The truth is, I have the ability to own mags. of more than ten rounds, but I dont, I dont HONESTLY NEED them. Maybe thats what Bill meant by honest, I dont know. If it will prevent my friends and family, and possibly some of us, from having to worry so much about a gunman opening up at McDonalds with a Mini-14 and getting off 30 rounds before anyone can say boo, then I think its a good thing. Its not hurting any of us to make that concession. This isnt a popular view coming from a gun nut like myself, but I live in reality. Do I want more gun control than we already have?, no. But there are some things that make sense, just like riding a motorcycle with a helmet, some think it infringes on their fun, while others believe they'd like to give a medal to the man that made it a law, because a helmet saved their life. Its all in the perspective you have on life I guess. My perspective is simple, you'll never make everyone happy, so why try. Bill saw that and did what he had to do, as he thought best. I will miss him, and others like him that will go after him. I will miss his unique designs that he surely still hadnt thought of, as I know he had more ideas in that head of his. I will not forget him. I will think of him often when I look at my gun rack.

SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC

n/a

Thanks to Bill for my .357 mag Blackhawk, my two .44 mag Vaquero's, my three 10-22's, my one 77/22 in .22 mag and my two (yes I said two) Ruger no 1's one 30-06 and one 300 win mag.

Lt the satisfied

"We become what we habitually do. If we act rightly, we become upright men. If we habitually act wrongly, or weakly, we become weak and corrupt" - *ARISTOTLE*

**Like Grandad used to say--"It'll feel better when it quits hurtin"

Edited by - lt496 on 07/11/2002 15:43:12