I purchased a couple Ruger MPR 556 rifles when they were on sale a couple months ago. A close friend was having a birthday and I decided to gift them one of these rifles as an upgrade to their current M4gery. So, I open the box and go to grab the rifle so I can do a quick confirmation of the serial number and….
The Magpul pistol grip comes off in my hand.
WTF? Somehow this thing left the factory with no grip screw or grip screw washer. That’s not nice. Fortunately I had other MPR’s to fall back on. I wrote off an email to Ruger politely suggesting that they might wanna have a talk with whoever is supposed to inspect these things before they leave the factory, and to please send me, at no charge, the missing parts.
And now I have to go grab my USMC TM for the M16 and find their checklist of what to inspect and verify when getting a rifle warmed up for service.
I am a bit of a Ruger fanboy, and every manufacturer sometimes has something slip past the goalie, but it’s still a bit alarming when it does. Now I have to detail inspect everything on that rifle to make sure the grip screw wasn’t the only problem.
Still a Ruger fan, though.
I’m a big Ruger fan also. I have a number of Ruger rifles and pistols and the only problem I ever had was with a GP-100 in 357mag. It was the first year of manufacture for them. Every now and then the cylinder would lock up and the gun couldn’t be fired. The cylinder would not rotate without significant force applied to the hammer and trigger. I took that gun apart over a dozen times trying to find out the problem. Each time I reassembled it, it would work well for a while and then jam up again. Finally I got fed up and when it jammed again I sent it back to Ruger with a full explanation of was happening. About 4 weeks later I got the gun back with a very nicely written letter (somewhat tongue in cheek) from a service tech telling me that the reason I couldn’t find the problem was that I was fixing it without knowing it. Apparently, the powder I was using, Herc 2400, was not burning completely and some particles were getting under the star extractor and not allowing it to sit flush with the cylinder. So when closed it would jam. Now he never quite called me an idiot, and I was laughing pretty hard at his wording of the corrective action required. But his letter ensured that I never had that problem again. Ahh, I was so young! I sold that Ruger, and my friends son still has it and shoots it to this day. Fast forward to 2020 or so when I purchased a GP-100 Match in 10mm and low and behold, an insert in the manual cautions the new owner about how to clean under the extractor if the action becomes stiff! I chuckled quite a bit reading that. You live and learn. So That is my Ruger horror story! TTFN
I like Rugers too. Nearly all of mine are older than 30 years, when I was just getting started firearms fascination. The Mini-14 and Mini-30 were all they offered in centerfire semi-auto at the time (Too bad about the aborted .308 Winchester version – that would have been cool !)
Quality control sometimes misses.
File it under shit happens.
likely lost the safety detent and spring too.
if they screwed up something as simple as the grip wonder what the bolt carrier group looks like?
Handled guns intake and sales etc at a busy gun store. It is rare for these obvious missteps, but they occur, with all manufacturers. Front sights on backwards, gun box serial number not matching the gun, extra assembly line loose part in mechanism jamming the glock!. It happens, like with cars and trucks and appliances nowadays. Quality controls do not align with costs and profits flowcharts these days. We are now our own technicians and troubleshooter, it only gets worse from here. Stay frosty with manuals handy.
I haven’t seen guns come in with parts missing, but I’ve had mag and feeding issues.
The big thing I’ve noticed is model name and company name varying between invoice, box, and the firearm itself. With the ATF being so strict on paperwork, it’s a potentially significant issue.
Here’s something interesting…ever get a Browning HiPower and have to enter it on your books? Nowhere on the gun is there a name of the model. Nowhere does it say ‘HiPower’, ‘P35’, or any other identifier for the model. Go figure.
CZ –
My Browning Hi-Power says “Hi-Power” on the slide and was made in Argentina under FN license. Even if not marked, the serial number and proof marks will ID it as such.
Interestingly, there isn’t a federal requirement for model number.
If it isn’t on the gun, I don’t put it in my books.
“Prior to Final Rule 2021R-05F, licensed manufacturers and importers were required to identify each firearm they manufactured or imported by placing a serial number on the frame or receiver. In addition to the serial number, licensed manufacturers and importers were required to place the following markings on firearm: model (if designated), caliber or gauge, name of manufacturer or importer, city and state, and the name and country of the foreign manufacturer (when applicable). These additional markings could be placed on either the frame, receiver, or the barrel.”
SO if the gun did have a model designation, it appears it was mandated to be marked on the gun.
I see they have announced that those goofy Carbines in 45acp. Why. Nothing I’d want to own. Kinda like those cheapo guns that take their shape from an impact wrench.
Although I am rather interested in the SFAR in 7.62x51mm NATO. Still waiting to see if they offer that model in say 6.5mm Creedmore.
Ruger must be making money. They brought Marlin during the sell off of the Remington divisions. But at the pace thry are introducing Marlin rifles going first with the lever action rifles. It might be 50 years before they begin to make some of the Marlin rifles I’d like to have. I only own two Ruger models. A 10/22. Which I upgraded with a target heavy barrel and a Hogue stock. And one of the first 200 Ruger Bearcat single action pistols. The letter from Ruger said it was made within the first two weeks of production in Oct 1958. It’s a nice little piece.
The 6.2 one came out at the shot show.
I own 7 Rugers , rifles and pistols, and I can say I never had issues with any of them. Although the trigger on my Ruger Frontier .308 has a less than sterling trigger. But on the Frontier scout rifle in .300 WSM it’s got an excellent crisp trigger. But no malfunctions or factory QC issues. I too am a bit of a Ruger fanboy. My next buy is their 10mm carbine. Been waiting for that one.
My last (probably) Ruger had the muzzle device cranked on so tight it took a Dremel tool to get it off. Then I noticed composite stock was warped and putting pressure on side of barrel. No excuse for either when these are new models and reports of similar issues are circulating already. I’m off Ruger at least for a while until they get production quality fixed.
Commander:
Are you saying you DON’T check things costing that much as soon as they arrive?
A bit like leaving your car door open because you trust your neighbour…
Ceejay
I like the Rugers I own. And even the ones I wish they’d make, but don’t.
But the company motto, since way back when Bill Sr. was still screwing things up is perpetually
Ruger: Never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity.
Yes and no. One thing that I think you have to give Ruger credit for is that they are the only American gun company that responds to market demand as fast as they do. They may stumble through the doorway, or hit their head on the frame, but theyre often the first ones through the door.
Agreed, without reservation.
Unfortunately, it’s on a timeline measured in either dog-years or decades.
That’s how low the bar is to beat the other dawdling manufacturers to the punch, for any value of that phrase.
The closest equivalent crown is King Of The Retards.
If appliance companies treated customers’ demand and desires the way gun companies did (when they even acknowledge their existence at all), we’d still be beating clothes on a rock, and cooking over campfires.
Ruger does do solids for people in the gun businesses. I scored some p95s and 22/45 mkIII pistols on a range safety officer sales program. Way cheaper than wholesale, it was like raw materials only silly pricing cheap. I sent in a 44mag redhawlk stainless with a circular barrel crack at thread points and frame juncture for inspection or repair. Used gun aquisition, things are discovered during cleaning. Ruger rebarrelled it, replaced 5 internals parts as a go through, highly polished it up and shipped it back in a fresh box , manual, lock etc. No charges, best customer service. So most big corps usually do right by customers in competitive industries. We are just such high volume gun sluts and whores, that our grubby hands touch many a gun’s private parts, this leads to us having higher probabilities of encountering these mutants out there. Stay frosty.
Ruger does have a great sense of Customer Service. I ordered two .338 RCM rifles when they first came out. One was for a friend, we got a better price ordering two. I used one Ruger part number and the first rifle came in (I sent it to my friend first) it was the standard heavy barreled iron sighted rifle as depicted on the Ruger sight. The next came in two weeks later and it was a completely different configuration, no sights, slender hunting barrel. So I emailed Ruger and asked which model I had received. My answer came back with a prepaid, addressed adhesive stamp to return the rifle and they would return a new rifle to me once they received the package. Now since I had already fired 20+ rounds through it , I couldn’t return it in good conscience so I declined the return. They sent me two more requests for return asking if I was sure and satisfied with the rifle. I still am happy with that rifle. But that is a good example of Ruger Customer Service. They never did tell me if there was a difference in order numbers. TTFN
I still love a gp100 and super Blackhawk pistols. They both always shoot great and tough as hell. If they would only improve those dang triggers.
The one Ruger complaint I’ve ever had was when the sr22 threaded model hit the market I had to have one. It functioned on 11 types of ammo.
But, when I put a can on it it key holed at 15′. Three trips back to Ruger, and two bbl replacements later it still did it. It was a bore concentricity issue. I sold it to a buddy who didn’t own cans and he was aware of the issue. I’m sure it was teething pains and all is well now. But I’ve never bought that particular model again.
I really liked that little pistol. Ended up with an M&P .22 that has been flawless and doesn’t care about ammo either. And groups with a can correctly.
A bit late to the party, but I just got here.
I have, um, uh, let’s see: two Ruger .22s handguns, a 10-22, aMini-14, an SR-9c, a convertible Blackhawk in .45ACP/.45 Colt, and a American rifle in .308. I think that’s it. From memory, without looking up records. Oh, yeah. Also a P90DC in .45ACP.
The only problem I’ve had was with the flush-fit mags on the American. The one it came with plus the spare I bought and the replacement one Ruger sent to me are all garbage. The springs don’t have enough lift to reliably move the rounds into position. Fortunately, in the current iteration they offer the ability to swap out the magazine well for AICS style mags. And they don’t charge an arm and a leg for it. My swap kit only cost $26.05. Of course, I had to get a new mag, but even that wasn’t too spendy.