I've been shooting Rugers for more than 50 years. All of my guns are Rugers except for a S&W Model 29 (.44mag) that sneaked into my collection. The fact that Ruger is an American company and that the guns are made in America by Americans is a big reason I buy them. (I also shoot ammunition made by American companies using American manufacturing plants and American workers.)
I just bought my first new Ruger in a long time, a NM Blackhawk 45LC/45acp conversion. I was disappointed to see that the safety lock included in the case was made in China. Would it really have cost Ruger much more to have the lock made in America by American workers? Is this really the road that Ruger wants to start down?
I don't think that that's the road they are starting down. All their firearms are made in America and they just introduced the new SR1911 that is fully made in the good ol' USA! The frame on my Springfield Loaded 1911A1 is made in Brazil. Ruger most likely uses third party padlocks, and cannot control where those are made. Show me a lock company that doesn't outsource or is 100% made in the US. As far as Ruger making locks, that is out of their scope of production.
When you think of the buildings, equipment/tooling, materials, chemicals, electricity, workers salaries/benefits, etc....Yes, it would cost QUITE a bit for Ruger to get into the lock-making business
The lock is just something big brother mandated. Why spend and charge extra money for an american made one when it's just crap that nobodys going to use anyways.
The whole lock requirement law thing was started by the dairy queen, Herb Kohl, in order to boost sales of Master Lock (which used to be made in Milwaukee, but not much anymore).
Probably one of the most useless and cynical gun laws on the books.
TMD, Well stated! In this day and age, it's hard to find any product that is still made in the USA. Ruger puts its name on other Chinese made products such as the Ruger Air Hawk, Explorer, and Blackhawk Air Rifles.
I wouldn't be surprised if some of the accessories Ruger sells are also foreign made. Not a big deal to me as long as they keep making their firearms in the USA.
There are padlock manufacturers still in the USA. While I agree this lock requirement is complete BS, I too would prefer fully American made products whenever possible, and in this instance it's entirely possible. But for me it's a matter of personal conscience and I understand when others would rather save the money.
I believe some of their magazines are foriegn contract as well, my SR mags are from Italy, guessin Mec-Gar, good magazines by the way.
Who cares where the locks come from, I know where they're going, the trash.
Ruger claims to be all American but the are dollar just like most.Appeal to your American loyalty to buy their product but have no such values themselfs. I buy Ruger for value and quaility and if the Taurus was as good I may well have it insted.
More than likely the plastic case and user manual are made/printed in China. Ruger doesn't scrimp on their guns, they scrimp on everything else. That's why they have a competitive product that is 100% Made in USA.
The way I look at it is, that it is only a lock and probably needs to be included for litigation reasons.
The priority remains that Ruger firearms continue to be produced Stateside.
Does anyone actually use those locks that come with new guns? If you do I have several I'll sell real cheap. (Just kidding!) I think most secure their firearms in other ways.
I use them all the time. I have them on tool boxes, winch boxes, ammo cans, bicycle cables, storage boxes in the back of the Jeeps...Wait... you use these on guns?! Nah... thats what safes are for!
On another forum I belong to, there's a spec-ops-I'd-tell-you-what-I-really-do-but-then-Id-have-to-kill-you type member that we send our gun locks to and he'll email a series of pictures back on how he picks it, disassembles it, and what's inside it.
Gotta be. And when holstered on your hip (that's how I transport mine sometimes) it must be a 'pain' when you go sit in your vehicle or on a log, or ...... . And if you ever need it 'while' transporting ... hmmm....
The forks that Harley uses now are not cheap. They use them because they are better forks they Harley ever made. Just like the mags in the SR9's. They use that company because they make damn good mags. In both situations the world knows it. Harley has been on a trend returning to american made stuff in the past five years or so. In the late 90's they were at there worst. Wow both of my loves in the same thread it has finaly happened. haha
If you get enough of the Chinese locks you could lock them together and make a good boat anchor. The zippered pistol rugs are made in China with the Ruger name on it. Like mentioned the magazines for the LCP are made in Italy. We bought some Ruger LCP coffee mugs. They are made in China. I might add some of the printing on them is coming off. There's no telling what Ruger is getting from overseas. Bottom line they are out to make profit and they are saving money by going to foreign countries like the rest of the country has done.
Yep, I can handle the fact that my HP laptop has lots of parts that are not made here in America. And, having read all the posts in response to my original post, I'm not as disappointed as I was. However, I still think we are outsourcing too much of our production and I don't mind paying a few dollars more if it will keep jobs in the US.
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