Sturm, Ruger & Co. hit a new record last year. For the first time in the company's history, the gunmaker made more than 1 million firearms—1,114,700 to be exact—in one year. But that record won't stand for long. This year Ruger produced its 1 millionth firearm in mid August.
"Last year, Ruger became the first commercial firearms company to produce 1 million firearms in one year, and we were incredibly excited and proud to reach that milestone," Ruger President and CEO Mike Fifer said. "It took us nearly all of 2011 to build 1 million firearms, but in 2012 we accomplished it on August 15th. We continue to invest in and improve our manufacturing processes to help us respond to the strong demand for Ruger firearms. We expect 2012 will be another record-breaking year for Ruger, and we want to thank our loyal customers for their continued support."
Fifer pledged to donate $1 for every gun sold between the NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Pittsburgh in 2011 and St. Louis in 2012, making more guns in a single year than at any time since the company's founding in 1949. Not only did Ruger's American workers deliver on the production side of the "Million Gun Challenge" they actually exceeded it—prompting Fifer to up the ante to the "1.2 Million Gun Challenge." The keys to the record-breaking figure were increased demand, production efficiency and popular new introductions, including the Ruger American Rifle, 10/22 Takedown and SR22 pistol, among others.
So what was the 1 millionth gun for 2012? A Ruger SR1911 pistol, made at the company's Prescott, AZ, factory. The gun is set to be engraved by Baron Technology and will be auctioned to support NRA.
