Moon Shine Camo

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BBarn

New member
I recently received an email from Ruger announcing six new pistols being offered in their Moon Shine Camo pattern. I've noticed that Ruger has introduced several products in recent years that are very modern with regard to style.

I was wondering what Bill Ruger might have thought of the styling of these products (we'll never really know of course). He seemed rather conservative, often introducing modern versions of classic firearms like the Blackhawk when single actions were nearly dead and the Number 1 when single shots were nearly dead, as a few examples. Styling wise, he seemed conservative as well, with the paddle stock 77 Mark IIs being about as far as he went beyond traditional styling.

I'm not intending to be critical of the path of Ruger since his passing. I was just thinking about how much it appears (to me) Ruger's new product offerings may differ from what might have been under the leadership of Mr. Ruger.

I will confess to being rather conservative when it comes to styling, and not liking many of the latest product offerings from many companies including Ruger. But I'm sure I don't represent a majority of buyers and understand that the gun manufacturers are simply offering what buyers want and what they believe will sell.
 
Bill Ruger is rolling over in his grave. Rugers investors are making a fortune, Ruger is probably the most profitable firearms company. Bill Ruger was a genius in many ways, but his conservatism held back the company. The products he preferred are the ones sitting on shelves unsold.
 
I checked out the Moon Shine Camo and it would not suit me either. As jmr40 said, Ruger has been very successful identifying and producing what the market wants. I own more Rugers than any other brand, and am well satisfied with the value and quality of their products. My guess is Bill Ruger would support the direction his company has taken, understanding that materials, methods, and products change over time. I also think he would be fine with the companies emphasis on concealed carry handguns and magazine fed semi-automatic rifles. Whether he would have approved of all the perrty colors is hard to know.:D
 
jmr40 said:
Bill Ruger is rolling over in his grave. Rugers investors are making a fortune, Ruger is probably the most profitable firearms company. Bill Ruger was a genius in many ways, but his conservatism held back the company. The products he preferred are the ones sitting on shelves unsold.
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I understand your sentiment, but I do disagree with some of what you said.

Ruger stock is about the same price today as 5 years ago. Same with the dividend. So I don't see the investors making a fortune.

Not sure whether Mr. Ruger's conservatism held the company back or not. They certainly grew a great deal during his reign, though they seem to have a broader selection of products today. A few of the older products have gone away, like the shotguns and lever action rifles but I'm guessing they are selling more product today. If so, it may be because they currently offer a greater number of lower cost products.

Some of the products he preferred are the ones I have a hard time finding on shelves. Like single and double action revolvers, Hawkeyes, and Number 1s. It may be more accurate to say that Ruger is not producing and selling many of the products Mr. Ruger preferred, IOW, the market for those products is very small. But I'm glad they still make many of them.
 
The products he preferred are the ones sitting on shelves unsold.
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I agree with BBarn's sentiment, with exceptions...

Some of the products he preferred are the ones I have a hard time finding on shelves. Like single and double action revolvers, Hawkeyes, and Number 1s. It may be more accurate to say that Ruger is not producing and selling many of the products Mr. Ruger preferred, IOW, the market for those products is very small. But I'm glad they still make many of them.
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I wouldn't call the market for Ruger Revolvers "small." Are they produced in the same numbers as Glock? No, but the revolver IS still a popular firearm and Ruger enjoys a healthy market share next to S&W. If you want a SA revolver, Ruger is the go-to. Furthermore, there are more 10/22's in existence than all other polymer semi-auto Rugers combined.
 
Yes, the 10/22 (and 22 Auto pistol) are Bill Ruger era designs that still remain very good sellers to this day, and seem to be available in as many flavors as ever.
 
How this thread worked:

Moonshine camo? What is moonshine camo? Google?

On a gun? Are you kidding me. Guns are not toys. They should be wood. Or black. Occasionally something else is ok like olive drab but no not this coloring scheme. The only place that would look good is on some clothing. Maybe for running.

Oh look... they have clothing :)
 
Moonshine camo is similar to "true tree" camo but scaled down for use on pistol frames and grips. Ruger also added some tints that are "for the ladies" in pink and light blues. They do come in greens, gray, and brown too.

I prefer stainless and blued/black finishes but ... different strokes for different folks. :)
 
nearly dead

I've written before regards my thoughts on Old Ruger v. New Ruger. In short, I'm not much of a fan. I've also lamented the demise of a lot of Old Ruger products. New Ruger's logic, that the discontinued products do not sell, is repeated here by others. That is true, but I'd add the caveat that they do not sell in numbers to yield sufficient profit as desired by New Ruger. And that issue is widespread across the industry.

Costs go up......labor and materials. That cost is either passed on to the consumer......or makers find some way to reduce cost. A choice between pricing oneself out of the market as other makers produce more affordable guns, or making more affordable guns yourself. Thus we have the American rifle line,and the steady decline of the finish and appearance of the M77 and MkII, now called the the matte finished Hawkeye. Remington, same story. The M700 CDL is now a stablemate to the 783. Savage, the 110 & the Axis. And we see production farmed out of the country, or minimally, moved to other areas in this country where labor costs are not as high.

I'd agree with jmr40, Bill Sr is likely rolling in his grave. But I don't agree that the founder held the company back, nor that his older designs were languishing on the racks, unpopular. Yeah, the shotguns were not sellers. But No1's and N0 3's do not last long on the used racks in my area,and bring premium prices too boot. I'd add here that the rimfire M77's, quietly discontinued in recent months, is now supposedly back in production. By shooter demand so I read. I don't see them lasting long...but if you want a conventional, conservative, high quality adult rimfire,and can't go a Cooper, better get one now.

Finally, what Bill Sr did very well was to recognize a segment of the market, and producing a quality, affordable firearm to fit. I've already mentioned the 77/22. An adult .22, premium item, Bill Sr saw the niche. The SA revolver was not "nearly dead", it was abandoned and unrecognized by Colt, and S&W. The Single Six and the B-hawk,and later the Super B, had the market all to themselves in terms of US, quality SA revolvers. They still sell too. The M77 was a traditional stocked, conventional sporter, and flew in the face of the gaudy Weatherby's, glossy M700s , whiteline spacers, monte carlo stocks and so on. Yet there was a whole community of conservative hunters who did not want their deer rifles to look like the latest trend, and plain jane rifles suited them just fine. Bill Sr saw that market too. Long before the AR craze, when Colt was the only maker, and prices were sky high (remember labor costs) the Mini14 hit the market, sold well, and was widely popular. More insight by the founder.

Moon Shine camo, ....Bill Sr would have never gone for it. I don't like it either. Nor pink, aqua blue, or any other lipstick colors on my guns.
 
It looks like they gave a somewhat small independent company a lot of publicity and profit by doing this. Never a bad thing.
 
With gun sales dropping for all manufacturers, many of them are now doing small runs of finishes/options not usually available, in hopes of catching the interest of those that "just have to have it cause it's different". Things that used to be only available from a custom gun shop or aftermarket are now being offered as a "stock" item. Cant blame anyone for merchandising, especially when there are investors looking to make a profit. No body has to buy it, but oddball finishes seem to be the norm anymore.
 
It looks like they gave a somewhat small independent company a lot of publicity and profit by doing this. Never a bad thing.
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They have pretty good turn around times too. I had heard about the company at about 11:30 AM yesterday, placed a small order after lunch, and had a tracking number before 3:00PM
 
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