Ruger just announced two new lefties. One being a "Guide Gun" in 375 Ruger. Ugly as shit if you ask me. Complete with muzzle brake as well as a short stock with a super thick recoil pad. The other rifle is a stainless version of that Scout 308. Brought back the 480 as well. Nice to see them introducing new models. You can see them on Rugers web site. For some reason I can't copy and paste here anymore.

.375 Ruger Guide gun:


African



The muzzle breaks are removable - I just saw this on Ruger's website.

Are they trying to compete with Remington for guns that make a horse's ass look pretty? WTH kind of idiot do they have in design?????

So, they went halfway and actually did bring out stainless again in lefty. So you pay $800 to get that, and scrap the stock and barrel. I guess the muzzle break will be liked by some, but why not just have it as an option, like laser grips on their pistols? To me it looks like the break is not even contoured to the barrel but left oversize, and the front sight band is trying to hide the difference. That stock looks like hell. They just copied the scout rifle stock for it.

I don't get it.....they did the limited runs that sold very well, and were in high demand (time will tell on the 223), but anyhow, why not just do standard production on the lefty stainless 308 and 375, as run before. Those looked good. Then if they wanted to spark new interest, simply add calibers (416 Ruger, or an RCM run, and several more in the 308 family).

Looks like they dropped the RCM calibers as well; at least I didnt see it in either right or left hand models. Didnt see the 9.3x62 in righties either....damn. I was hoping they would do a lh chambering in that.

You are correct, according to their online catalog. They do still show the RCM chamberings in the new Guide gun model though. Strange that they would not carry on offering their own developed cartridges in standard rifles.

It appears to me that the amount of drop in those stocks is going to make those rifles kick like a spring jackass, too!

I smell Boddington written all over this. He likes the weird shit and has the pull to get them to make it. Who else would think of needing a 12.25" length of pull on a 375 Ruger?

quote:

The muzzle breaks are removable - I just saw this on Ruger's website.

All Ruger needed to do was show a pic. with the Muzzle Brake cap on what were they thinking! Killed a lot of sales IMHO. And keep the nice looking lines of the original LH SS Laminate stock Hawkeye design.

Sales will be minimal, and they will once again drop the stainless lefty actions for "lack of demand".

I am appreciative that Ruger produces left hand rifles but they need to fire their been counters and production advisors.
They need to hire an exceptional stock man such as D'arcy Echols or Goseph Smithson pay them well and have them redesign the stock measurements on all their rifles which are akin to a 2x4. Cost will be awash due to the amount produced.
Basically they need to listen to what customers want and step up there game. It will only produce more profit for them.

Like so many Ruger offerings, these are abominations.

I have not bought Rugers for years; I do not see any reason to change that.

George

Who are they trying to sell to?

that guide gun looks very "unusual"

I don't get it.

the brake makes it look like a Chinese anti aircraft gun.

make classy, accurate, reliable rifles, and they will sell.


Let the customer add the goofey stocks if they choose.

as long as the first thing you are going to do to the rifle is give it a rattle can paint job, I say the guide gun is spot on.(minus the brake)

Get a African Cut off the brake and recrown will look good. Clint

Or buy a 2012 model and shoot it like it is. Craiggy is a break fan so I'll bet he will do a write up on how great they improved it.

The guide gun sure is ugly but the idea of a stock that can be easily adjustable for LOP is a nice idea. I took a scout stock and put it on a stainless .308 just because it was adjustable for LOP. I hate brakes though. They make you deaf. If you aren't tough enough to shoot without a brake get a lighter caliber. What's with the two sling swivel studs? I didn't see anything wrong with the second version of the stainless .375 Alaskan with the sling swivel on the barrel.

I tried a gun with a break once, never again.

Wow, those are IMO butt ugly! I'm with some others here in my presumption that some big name writer might of had a hand in the design, that or they asked a forth grade class to design it.

Son of a crap, I'm writing Ruger a letter. All we lefties want are a little variety in the usual and USEFUL offerings, not some wacky cracked ass mall ninja video game guns. Is a lefty 338 win mag too sensible, maybe a 24" barreled ss 22-250. But no, we get the rainbow colored mix-match of ideas.

How is it they can sell this stuff and not a LH 77/22?

I am with you on wanting the LH 77/22. I send the CEO an email every year telling him that is what we lefties want most. I am not sure he cares! It just makes sense to me. I have a left hand ruger 30-06 and 375 ruger. I lefty 77/22 would make the perfect training companion to these rifles.

Someone wrote in a previous post that "Craiggy" likes muzzle brakes. If you are referring to Craig Boddington then I would have to disagree. He has put in print multiple times how he thinks it should be the last resort for reducing recoil. He had a couple of rifles with brakes go off close to him while hunting and he says those experiences are why he prefers not to have them around while hunting.

However. On his tv shows he has commented on how effective recoil was reduced with breaks and has been one to complain of recoil on even smaller calibers. I wrote ruger and told them the muzzle breaks addition was one of their worst decisions and that it will lead to poor sales of that lineup

Here is my letter sent today, and his reply:


I am writing regarding new products in your catalog. First of all, as a left handed shooter, left handed rifles are very important to me, and I look to your company when looking for something new. However, I am extremely disappointed that the only left hand rifles of a desirable configuration were released as limited runs to Davidson's without any announcement from your company, and without cataloging those same guns. These limited stainless lefty runs have all sold very well, and have all been in high demand. So, why not catalog them???? Also, I am an active member of three major internet forums, and I have seen absolutely no interest in the new models you have cataloged. Added a muzzle break to your rifles was a major mistake. This alone is keeping numerous buyers from buying your guns. I have not heard of ONE person who views the muzzle break addition as favorable or an incentive to buy the rifle. Many are saying they will never buy the guns with a muzzlebreak. Also,
> the new Guide gun looks terrible, and has become a source of internet mockery. Remove the muzzle break from it, and put a standard laminate stock on it without the adjustable pad, and call it an "Alaskan 2" or something like that. If you want to do something favorable for recoil reduction, use Kick eeze or Pachmayr decelerator pads on your guns. I changed the pad on every Ruger I buy because the stock pads are so terrible.
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Dear Mr. Cline,

The very favorable reaction to our new rifle at the various hunting shows this January, as well as the strong orders from retailers, contradicts and balances out the negative opinions you report. Certainly some people do not like muzzle brakes, but many, many others do like them. And that includes professional hunters from Africa who like the thought of their clients showing up with a lot of practice (typically unusual for large calibers). And they like the ability to swap out the brake for the weight and not lose the point of impact. And they like the adjustable length of pull (that was a specific request from PH's who more often now need to supply the guns in camp as fewer hunters want to go through the hassles of traveling with a firearm).

And for those truly in need of the former look, putting the thread cap on and swapping out the stock for a aftermarket one is quite easy.

Best regards,
Mike Fifer
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I replied:
Thank you for your reply. I guess only time and sales numbers will tell. I'm just going by what I have heard from the buyers and hunters that hunt and shoot here in the states. I have to believe that this is the majority of your buying market. Wholesale numbers are not really a bottom line that can be looked at.

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So, Ruger is basing all their production decisions on what professional hunters in Africa want for guns that they might be letting their clients use? What is the percentage of sales that this constitutes? I'd say 5% or less, at best.

Like I said, they were influenced by "professionals" in these decisions. Sorry, but the "professionals" are not the buyers. I cannot even believe he would suggest that for a buyer to get a reasonable looking gun, they would have to buy it, then replace the stock and eliminate the muzzle brake.

His direct email is: Mike.Fifer@ruger.com

gets even better....he replied again...guess if you are looking to shoot icebergs, Ruger has the perfect gun:

Dear Mr. Cline,



At the end of my Alaskan hunt last September, I had 3-1/2 boxes of 270 gr. 375 Ruger ammo left over. And we were next to the 400 yd wide Alsek river, which had many small icebergs floating rapidly downstream. The outfitter said it would be fun practice to try to hit the rapidly moving (and bobbing up and down) icebergs about 200 yards out. So my daughter and I used those 60+ magnum rounds in less than 30 minutes and had a great time. Neither of us could have done that without a muzzle brake on our Guide Rifles.



Best regards,

Mike Fifer



so, he's got himself, his daughter and about 10 (guessing) at most PH's on board with the new guns......that's some marketing genius

Gimme that knucklehead's email address.

It is above at the end of one of my posts

Ken thank you for the effort and willingness in sharing your saga. It is obvious Ruger has blinders on and only want a small share of the market. For any one in the market for a CRF bolt rifle spend a little more and get a Montana rifle comlete or in part and build to you're whim. You will have a better product in the long run. Just my two cents worth.

We need to all email him that we want a Left hand 77/22! Now! I definitely am (again)

Get a CZ left hand .22WMR and close the chapter. Around $450 and they are tack drivers.

I will request a matching 77/44 as well.

I have a left hand 452 in .22 LR. It is a nice gun but the backward safety alone keeps it from being a perfect training companion to my Rugers. And besides, I just want a left hand ruger 77/22.

wonder if they come with bent barrels as well

Huh, just figured I'd weigh in with my $.02. In seeing these rifles I was excited at first, but the elation subsided when I stood back and actually looked at the whole package. You hear about a factory LH 375 or 416 Ruger and get your hopes up, but when you see the configs, it's a bit disappointing. I'd own one of the African models were it not for the brake. I don't really care for the looks or the noise created by them, and replacing them with a cap or "muzzle weight" is just as aesthetically displeasing. The cam-lam stock isn't actually that unattractive in person - it'd certainly blend into the woods.

I own an M77 LH in 270 and have toted it all over the place. It's a plain-looking rifle, but classic to the core. To Ruger's point, they're not necessarily concerned about selling them to US; their primary concern is selling them to DEALERS. If the dealers buy the whole stock, Ruger have done their job. If anyone's going to make them change their ways, it'll be the dealers.

I suppose the bright side is at least they're still aware of the LH market, which is more than some manufacturers.

That's exactly what I was trying to say to their CEO, who would hear nothing of it, and was determined that these were going to be the hottest thing that all left handers would want.

The stock color is fine....that's one of the least of my problems with it. Ditch the stupid adjustable stock and muzzle blaster, and you have a decent looking gun. If they want to listen to dealers, start with Davidson's. That is where they have sent all the non-cataloged stuff, that didn't have a problem selling, and was in demand after the shelves were empty. My way of thinking is that is what a gun company would want. Not some hairbrained thrown together mess, that has not even been tested on a limited market.
I guess they did listen to Davidson's in one respect......the lefty stainless 375 Rugers. Somehow they got Ruger to crank out another boatload of them, cause they told Ruger they WOULD SELL. "99+" probably is around 200, if I'm guessing, and I wouldn't be surprised to see that number down to about nothing by mid summer.
A distributor that just sits on these new models is not going to order many, and probably will send them back, if the demand just isn't there. So, the money can't be counted, till the customer has the gun in hand.

quote:

Originally posted by urbaneruralite:
How is it they can sell this stuff and not a LH 77/22?

Winning question! Why can't they give us a 77/22?