oldgreenie

So I was on ruger website and found that you can tell the ceo things with this handy link they got on there so I asked where all the SR1911's are and then when the question was sent it told me due to the volume of email they receive there are no replies to the tell the ceo things so I thought I just won't get me an answer oh well. then to my suprise i checked my email today there was an email from Mike Fifer CEO of RUGER and this is what he told me:

We have shipped more than 7,000 SR1911s and continue to make and ship approximately another 250 to 275 each week. The challenge is that the demand far surpasses our capacity to make them. To address that, I have authorized another $2.5 million of capital equipment to double our capacity. Nonetheless, it will be months before that capacity, and the new employees we hire to run it, are up to speed and producing SR1911s that meet our standards.


There are things you can do to improve your chances of getting a SR1911 sooner. One, is to watch our website for Ruger promotion days at retailers around the country. If you can get to one of those promotions on opening morning (and right at opening!), there is some reasonable chance you can get one. We often allocate a few extra SR1911s to these promotions, and sometimes they last through the first one or two hours of the promotion.


You might also look at the largest independent retailers around you; typically the larger retailers command more attention from the distributor and get, perhaps, a larger share of the available SR1911s than a smaller retailer might think is fair. Getting on a waiting list there might help. We do not, however, recommend getting on a waiting list where they want more than $50 of your money to hold your spot in line. There is no reason for a retailer to get the full price from you when he has no assurances of when he will get a SR1911 to fulfill your order. No good reason, anyway.


Good luck! And thanks for your patience and your support of Ruger. Once you get a SR1911, I'm sure you will see that it is worth the wait.


Best regards,
Mike Fifer

Ruger Redhawk

I had emailed Mr Fifer right before the 4th of July.

This is part of his reply.


As for your 1911, we have shipped 3,504 as of yesterday, with about 300 more going out every week. I cannot speak to the specifics of your retailer's situation, but the 1911s are getting out there. Perhaps you might want to try another retailer who might have more pull with his favorite distributor.

Reading your reply they've about doubled the number since early July.

oldgreenie

yeah they are puttin them out pretty good I say

Lethalchem

Too add to that, I've had mine since June and I can say without a doubt that he is right on with his statement. You WILL be happy with it once you get one!

DDelambre

^True. I'm very pleased with mine. Its true what he said, they may allocat more for a particular sale. I happened to luck out in my LGS was having an anniversary sale and got 20 in. I got number 16 and that was two hours after they opened!

Sorata

Good thing they are upping production. I want to get one for new years.

Speedfreak

Its clear that some of the people who run ruger used to work at GM. They get a hot product and it takes them totally by suprise when it should not. What they should have done is manufacture 5k of them prior to relase.

but thats water under the bridge................most of us will keep waiting...........and waiting..............

Note to failbama - The CEO's repsonse is exactly how jobs are created in this country....

Sodbuster

I'm glad to see they're adding production and jobs. Nice to see that buying American actually pays off for some folks in this country. I plan to buy one of these eventually, but probably not for a year or two once initial demand is down. I'm also curious to see what other variants they will offer, although I think I'd prefer the classic Government size that they have now.

whtsmoke

once you get one you will be a happy camper, I got mine the first weekend in August at the lgs that was having Ruger Days and they did get a nice shipment of them in and they went out, i was lucky to get mine.

1977cj5

Not real sure how I feel after reading the response from Ruger. Kind of frustrating knowing that I in good faith went on a waiting list 2 months ago, and it may not even matter. I chose to give my down payment to a smaller shop who is a good Ruger retailer and has always been good to me. Sounds like they may get side stepped. Some people may luck out if they are near a Ruger event, and have the time to get there early... I know, I know this is how business is done etc, etc. Not trying to start anything, I'm just frustrated...

oldgreenie

it is frustrating but I'll just keep waiting for the call that its at the shop waiting for me!

whtsmoke

Heres the deal, Ruger sells to a distributor who interns is the one that sells the guns to the shops, so its not really a Ruger doing. I realize the bad feelings some are having but whats it going to be like when and if they make other models? Good luck o all that are on a list or want one they are a nice weapon and worht the wait in my opinion.

terry_p

They are shipping 250-275 per week maybe I'll have enough money to get one when there are a few around because I suspect pent up demand is gobbling those up pretty quickly.

Golfbuddy45

I know you are frustrated but you can not fault Ruger for that - in all fairness as Mr Fifer said - paraphrased - "SOME DISTRIBUTORS HAVE FAVORITE DEALERS" - you did your best trying to support your favorite dealer but that is how it is in business these days. What I can say that I am very happy about with Ruger is the statement - "Nonetheless, it will be months before that capacity, and the new employees we hire to run it, are up to speed and producing SR1911s that meet our standards.'

THAT my friends is what makes Ruger, Smith&Wesson, Kimber, Kahr and the other QUALITY GUN makers different than what Remington has done to Marlin production. The Remlins coming out of the Ilion New York plant are trash and should never have been shipped to consumers because they used untrained labor to build the Marlin levers after they shut down North Haven and fired 100% of the trained work force in North Haven. Ruger will not push the quality envelope JUST TO MAKE A BUCK on the current demand. I for one am willing to wait for my SR1911 and know that when I get it the gun will perform like we expect a RUGER to perform.

GB45

oldgreenie

talked to my lgs they said they would make some calls and get back to me this week.