G
Guest
·I love mine but I've heard a few people remark that they are just not good. Please advise.
Ruger O/U Sporting Clays
1 - 20 of 40 Posts
Joined
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7,182 Posts
Thom,
Welcome to Shotgunworld the friendliest forum on the net.
If you do a search on Ruger (top of the page) you'll notice a pretty wide swath of comments on Ruger and their wares.
I myself am a fan of their weapons not a fan of the company but that's just me. They build a pretty nice shotgun and sometimes you can find a great one at their prices.
Just my 2 pennies.
Welcome to Shotgunworld the friendliest forum on the net.
If you do a search on Ruger (top of the page) you'll notice a pretty wide swath of comments on Ruger and their wares.
I myself am a fan of their weapons not a fan of the company but that's just me. They build a pretty nice shotgun and sometimes you can find a great one at their prices.
Just my 2 pennies.
G
Guest
·I just received the Ruger catalog today. I do not see a Sporting Clays model anywhere. If there is, I would be interested. I have searched the internet w/ no luck. So is there an actual sporting clays model O/U from Ruger?
Quack..Quack...BOOM!
Quack..Quack...BOOM!
G
Guest
·My advise:
Do not pay much attention to what "other people" say. Ruger is a well built gun. Lots of people like them. Lots of people shoot them. I shot with one guy who broke everything with his ruger, and he could be shooting any gun he wanted (wealthy). He bought his kids rugers too.
There is no gun you can pick that will not draw snide comments from some people.
I do not have a ruger. truth is I prefer my brownings and winchester 101's. But that does not mean that Ruger is not a great choice.
Ruger was a pioneer, he brought modern investment casting to the gun busisness, Ruger makes a pretty good shotgun. Maybe not offering them in the upper grades hurts them reputation wise. Browning makes a $3,000 citori, but it is the same gun as the $1,000 one with more engraving. If they ever get the side by side out on the market there will be a lot of people bragging on them.
Do not pay much attention to what "other people" say. Ruger is a well built gun. Lots of people like them. Lots of people shoot them. I shot with one guy who broke everything with his ruger, and he could be shooting any gun he wanted (wealthy). He bought his kids rugers too.
There is no gun you can pick that will not draw snide comments from some people.
I do not have a ruger. truth is I prefer my brownings and winchester 101's. But that does not mean that Ruger is not a great choice.
Ruger was a pioneer, he brought modern investment casting to the gun busisness, Ruger makes a pretty good shotgun. Maybe not offering them in the upper grades hurts them reputation wise. Browning makes a $3,000 citori, but it is the same gun as the $1,000 one with more engraving. If they ever get the side by side out on the market there will be a lot of people bragging on them.
G
Guest
·no snide comments here, just an unhappy customer.
from day one it would misfire top barrel (hammer hit, but did not fire the shell) about 1 in 25 of the light target winchester loads. I switched to rem. heavy dove loads for all shooting, incl. skeet & sporting clays.
this worked for about 5 years with only 1 in probably 100-150 not firing.
then it went to 2-3 in a box of ANY load. I took it to briley who diagnosed it as "head space too deep" they said ruger should fix it no problem, but likely would require barrel replacement.
sent back to ruger, they had a whole list of parts they claimed to have replaced, but not barrels.
misfiring continued immediately...i actually think the first shell in the top barrel did it. HOW could they miss that? Subsequent phone call convinced me to take the gun to the next gun show and sell it. I don't have time to mess around with customer service. I want a gun that goes BANG when you pull the trigger. Bought a Browning 525 Field and haven't looked back.
best of luck whatever you decide.
from day one it would misfire top barrel (hammer hit, but did not fire the shell) about 1 in 25 of the light target winchester loads. I switched to rem. heavy dove loads for all shooting, incl. skeet & sporting clays.
this worked for about 5 years with only 1 in probably 100-150 not firing.
then it went to 2-3 in a box of ANY load. I took it to briley who diagnosed it as "head space too deep" they said ruger should fix it no problem, but likely would require barrel replacement.
sent back to ruger, they had a whole list of parts they claimed to have replaced, but not barrels.
misfiring continued immediately...i actually think the first shell in the top barrel did it. HOW could they miss that? Subsequent phone call convinced me to take the gun to the next gun show and sell it. I don't have time to mess around with customer service. I want a gun that goes BANG when you pull the trigger. Bought a Browning 525 Field and haven't looked back.
best of luck whatever you decide.
Joined
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111 Posts
i have had a ruger 20 gauge for that i bought just last june. i love this gun i have't had any problems with it in the last couple of months. i think it shoots well has good balance and i know where it is going to hit every time. i plan on taking it with me everytime that i go pheasant hunting this year. i would have no reservations about going an buying a 12 gauge red label. i happen to really like the all weather model that they offer.
I OWNED A 12 GA. RED LABEL AND HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE CHOKES, THE RECIEVER BECAME LOOSE FROM THE STOCK, AND IT NEVER REALLY FELT LIKE IT POINTED RIGHT FOR ME. THE RUGER FACTORY REBUILT THE ENTIRE GUN FOR ME IN A VERY SHORT TIME (I TOLD THEM IT WAS HUNTING SEASON) WHICH PLEASED ME. I ENDED UP SELLING THE GUN AND BUYING A BROWNING 425 SPORTING AND I LOVE IT. I SWEAR THAT ONLY FACTORY LOADS WERE EVER PUT THROUGH THE RUGER, BUT IT FELL APART ON ME AFTER ABOUT 500-600 ROUNDS. MAYBE IT WAS JUST A LEMON BUT I WAS TOLD THEY WERE NO GOOD FROM SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE AT MY CLUB.
I have recently heard from several people hear on this forum that the new Red Labels have been having trouble with barrels not firing and the like. I also was thinking of buying one for my first gun. It feels really nice, but there were little things that bothered me. The release lever could be pushed almost out completely and stay there without the action breaking open. The rib would rattle. When opening the action of a new gun you could just work the lever and the gun would fall open. I don't think it should do that. Every other gun I looked at, that was new, had to be worked to get it to break. These little things, and I looked a several different Rugers at different stores (all new), along with the problems I've been reading about on this forum made me decide to not get a Ruger. If there were these little things that just didn't seem right to me for a new gun, what else might there be that I don't see that will come to bite me later. I like their pistols but will stay away from their shotguns. At least for now.
GUESTHUNTER,
Your story about your Ruger sounds exactly like the problems a friend of mine hade with his Browning 525 skeet.
He finally solved the problem by shooting only reloads, and not sizing the brass. The chamber was cut too deep in the area of the rim, and factory shells as well as reloads that were sized dropped too far into the chamber where the fireing pin could not make proper contact.
JackL
Your story about your Ruger sounds exactly like the problems a friend of mine hade with his Browning 525 skeet.
He finally solved the problem by shooting only reloads, and not sizing the brass. The chamber was cut too deep in the area of the rim, and factory shells as well as reloads that were sized dropped too far into the chamber where the fireing pin could not make proper contact.
JackL
G
Guest
·He should send it back to Browning and give them a chance to fix it. The problem with Ruger is they had a chance to fix it, failed, and then wouldn't do anything else to help me. If Browning did the same, i'd be looking for a new brand.JackL said:
I have a Red Label 20ga with 26 inch barrels I've shot for the past 3 years. I hunt dove, pheasants, quail and geese, I've shot everything from trap loads to 3 inch steel out of it and i've never had a misfire or a problem with it. It's a solid shotgun.
I've also never had a problem with Ruger's customer service.
I've also never had a problem with Ruger's customer service.
Evening gents, I have owned and used RUger products since as far back as I can remember. My hidden gun in the jungles of Vietnam, Republic of....was a 357 Ruger revolver that saved me on a number of occassions. Now let us get to today and the negatives on Ruger.
I own an all weather 28" Clays that I paid a nice buck for. If I had followed the forums here I would not have bought it and that would have been a mistake. It is a beauty and with Briley's added it shoots as good as the nut that holds the stock can do. No issues yet. BUT but but....
I ordered and took possession of another Red label over under in 28 gauge. Got the baby home, opened the box and realized that something was wrong, dead wrong. The left side cocking rod was in the box and not in the receiver where it belonged. Called Ruger and the girl told me to push it in and it would be fine. I thought for a second "maybe this is a new floating system....?" Well, that was not going to do it. The gun would fire only one barrel. Mind you, this is all with not a shot fired from this brand new gun!!!!
Called again, this time I was in no mood to be fooled with. She informed me that I had to pay to send it back...At this point she found out where I stood as far as that goes. She agreed to send me a shipping label and the gun is now in their possession as of 10:45 this morning. Tomorrow I will be on the phone asking about it sincve I will not stand for a 6 week backup on a brand new gun.
Now we get to the point of contention herein on the forums...DO I love Ruger ? YES! Am I satisfied with this gun...Hell no! WHere is the problem? The problem is with the condition of the workforce at Ruger. WHen a company cannot reign in the employees and get a fair day's work etc. the product suffers and then the company suffers. How is it I bought an EAA O/U 28 gauge for 345.00 at CDNN and it shoots like no tomorrow? The reason I bought the Ruger was that my daughter shoots only 28 gauge but the EAA is too hard to open and she is unable to do it. The Ruger we tried opened like a dream and thus I went for the money. I will see how this develops with Ruger. I will not be a happy camper if they drop the ball on this one.
I own an all weather 28" Clays that I paid a nice buck for. If I had followed the forums here I would not have bought it and that would have been a mistake. It is a beauty and with Briley's added it shoots as good as the nut that holds the stock can do. No issues yet. BUT but but....
I ordered and took possession of another Red label over under in 28 gauge. Got the baby home, opened the box and realized that something was wrong, dead wrong. The left side cocking rod was in the box and not in the receiver where it belonged. Called Ruger and the girl told me to push it in and it would be fine. I thought for a second "maybe this is a new floating system....?" Well, that was not going to do it. The gun would fire only one barrel. Mind you, this is all with not a shot fired from this brand new gun!!!!
Called again, this time I was in no mood to be fooled with. She informed me that I had to pay to send it back...At this point she found out where I stood as far as that goes. She agreed to send me a shipping label and the gun is now in their possession as of 10:45 this morning. Tomorrow I will be on the phone asking about it sincve I will not stand for a 6 week backup on a brand new gun.
Now we get to the point of contention herein on the forums...DO I love Ruger ? YES! Am I satisfied with this gun...Hell no! WHere is the problem? The problem is with the condition of the workforce at Ruger. WHen a company cannot reign in the employees and get a fair day's work etc. the product suffers and then the company suffers. How is it I bought an EAA O/U 28 gauge for 345.00 at CDNN and it shoots like no tomorrow? The reason I bought the Ruger was that my daughter shoots only 28 gauge but the EAA is too hard to open and she is unable to do it. The Ruger we tried opened like a dream and thus I went for the money. I will see how this develops with Ruger. I will not be a happy camper if they drop the ball on this one.
Evening gents, I have owned and used RUger products since as far back as I can remember. My hidden gun in the jungles of Vietnam, Republic of....was a 357 Ruger revolver that saved me on a number of occassions. Now let us get to today and the negatives on Ruger.
I own an all weather 28" Clays that I paid a nice buck for. If I had followed the forums here I would not have bought it and that would have been a mistake. It is a beauty and with Briley's added it shoots as good as the nut that holds the stock can do. No issues yet. BUT but but....
I ordered and took possession of another Red label over under in 28 gauge. Got the baby home, opened the box and realized that something was wrong, dead wrong. The left side cocking rod was in the box and not in the receiver where it belonged. Called Ruger and the girl told me to push it in and it would be fine. I thought for a second "maybe this is a new floating system....?" Well, that was not going to do it. The gun would fire only one barrel. Mind you, this is all with not a shot fired from this brand new gun!!!!
Called again, this time I was in no mood to be fooled with. She informed me that I had to pay to send it back...At this point she found out where I stood as far as that goes. She agreed to send me a shipping label and the gun is now in their possession as of 10:45 this morning. Tomorrow I will be on the phone asking about it sincve I will not stand for a 6 week backup on a brand new gun.
I own an all weather 28" Clays that I paid a nice buck for. If I had followed the forums here I would not have bought it and that would have been a mistake. It is a beauty and with Briley's added it shoots as good as the nut that holds the stock can do. No issues yet. BUT but but....
I ordered and took possession of another Red label over under in 28 gauge. Got the baby home, opened the box and realized that something was wrong, dead wrong. The left side cocking rod was in the box and not in the receiver where it belonged. Called Ruger and the girl told me to push it in and it would be fine. I thought for a second "maybe this is a new floating system....?" Well, that was not going to do it. The gun would fire only one barrel. Mind you, this is all with not a shot fired from this brand new gun!!!!
Called again, this time I was in no mood to be fooled with. She informed me that I had to pay to send it back...At this point she found out where I stood as far as that goes. She agreed to send me a shipping label and the gun is now in their possession as of 10:45 this morning. Tomorrow I will be on the phone asking about it sincve I will not stand for a 6 week backup on a brand new gun.
Opinions vary. Personally, I like the fit and feel of the RRL's but I've just had too many problems with the ones I've owned to have any confidence. To make a long story short, I had a persistent problem with misfiring in the top barrel only, after several trips back to the factory the problem was never fixed. Ruger actually replaced the gun and the new gun developed the same problem.
Lee
Lee
I just bought a RRL Sporting Clays engraved. Before you tell me I'm on crack and they don't make such a thing, call Ruger.
It was a limited time, special something or another. Basically it's just the engraved receiver version with the 30" sporting clays barrel set, a combination which normally isn't offered.
My first impression of it and IMHO the gun splits the difference between what one might describe as the Mossberg 500's of the O/U world and the more expensive snob-appeal guns.
That is what I expected for the price and is by all appearances what I received.
It is worth noting that at the published retail price the gun would be overpriced, but at typical www or shipped-to-your-favorite-FFL-from-a-warehouse-outfit prices, it seems to fit well in the market at that price point.
That is to say it's about what I expected at the price point it is realistically and universally available for.
My first impression of the gun is that it is uncharacteristically thin, both horizontally (across the receiver) and vertically.
That, with the nice (but not snob price/class) gold+engraving, the long barrels, the relatively low-volume (in my estimation) stock and forearm, and the separate barrels the gun has an overall lean and (to my eyes) attractive lines.
The gun fits me better than most guns do out of the crate, which is Ok but not great. But I'm also not an experienced enough clays shooter to know exactly what a great fit is, and at 6'1" and 270, built like an offensive lineman and with longish arms, most guns simply don't fit me well right out of the box anyway. I can't fault the gun for the fit, and in fact it does fit me better than most guns (even the snob-class guns) do.
My initial impressions are that the controls/break were a little stiff right out of the box, but with some gun oil and manipulation they are starting to loosen up. The stock and forearm appear to have not been hand-fitted to the metal before being removed and finished, but again in this price range I wasn't expecting that. And although (and obviously) not hand-fit, the fit is nonetheless better than the current offerings of field/hunting grade guns I've been exposed to. And certainly the wood, checkering, fit, and finish are better than the Spartans/Baikals/Khans/Mossberg SR's/etc that I've handled and looked over.
I am concerned about the reported issues, most of which appear to be the same rumors being reported over and over ad nauseum along the lines of "Well, I know someone who knows someone who saw a post on a board in Europe about some guy who's sister shoots with a guy whose friend's cousin saw one at some shoots..."
That's not to dismiss or diminish the real experiences of some as posted herein and elsewhere. But balanced against the number of guns sold and the positive estimations, I decided it was worth taking the chance...
Is this thing hand-milled with toothpicks out of a single block of ancient super-high-grade mystical off-shore steel that was slowly heat-treated for over two centuries by remaining in the always-burning dung stove of Tibetian monks who prayed over it every day, later to be cooled during new-moon ceremonies in milk taken only from virgin yaks, then hand-carried to Belgium/Japan/Italy by 13 yo blind monk acolytes in bags made only from the skins of albino yetis born under full moons on the slopes of Annapurna, complete with signed affadavits testifying to all those facts (with appropriate notorized translations and a sample of the dung thrown in for authenticity)?
No.
But by all appearances, according to Ruger's reputation, and according to my rather thorough all night exam last night, it appears to be very well and solidly made + fitted and of appropriate high-grade alloys.
Were the parts hand-milled (see above), hand-finished, and then polished so highly that I can see my own rugged, dashing, "I've killed a continent's worth of critters and shot over a bazillion rounds of super-duper-they-only-sell-it-to-good-ole-boys-who-know-the-secret-handshake-and-wear-only-$10,000-handmade-Belgium-shooters-vests-special-target-loads" mug in it?
Again, no. And my mug isn't dashing or rugged anyway.
Does it come anywhere close to the fit-n-finish of a Beretta or Citori or... ____________ (fill in the blank with the name of your favorite snob-class-only-the-best-can-afford-it-handcarved-inlayed-engraved-handlapped-barreled-Briley-choked-ancient-old-growth-stocked-handrubbed-forever-my-butt-plate-alone-costs-more-than-your-car) gun??
Well, no.
But I also paid no where close to what that type of gun costs, and again I wasn't expecting that.
What the heck then was I thinking and what do I expect, you might ask?
Well, first off I can't afford a Beretta or Citori, at least right now (I'm recovering from a divorce and some career nonsense.) To get much more gun, either in terms of fit/finish/etc and in terms of actual functionality or quality or what not, I'd have had to spend roughly twice the price (and on up from there.)
Do I expect the gun to last FOREVER and NEVER need maintenance or repairs or replacement parts or what not?
No.
Then again, I have a half-dozen friends whom all bought USED Berettas or Citoris, who paid two or more times what I did, and one by one they've each had problems with their own guns.
They've not had big problems (firing pin or misfire issues, that sort of thing), and perhaps only very infrequently but problems nonetheless.
So, in my own estimation paying two to three times as much for a gun that is alledged to never ever EVER EVER FOREVER have ANY problems at all, when I know from personal experience (perhaps anecdotal, but personal and real nonetheless) that such thoughts are not true anyway, just didn't make sense.
How does the gun shoot? I don't know, it'll be this weekend before I can put a box or two through it. And frankly I've never owned an o/u before. I've put some rounds through Beretta's, Citoris, and Baikals, and on rare occasion was allowed to shoot a full round of trap with a sampling of each. But I've never owned one.
I'll come back here and post my experiences and thoughts as time goes by. The one thing I am disappointed in already is that I have to send the gun back to have the safety converted from field configuration to target configuration, but in fairness I knew that going in and can't fault either the gun or Ruger for that.
It was a limited time, special something or another. Basically it's just the engraved receiver version with the 30" sporting clays barrel set, a combination which normally isn't offered.
My first impression of it and IMHO the gun splits the difference between what one might describe as the Mossberg 500's of the O/U world and the more expensive snob-appeal guns.
That is what I expected for the price and is by all appearances what I received.
It is worth noting that at the published retail price the gun would be overpriced, but at typical www or shipped-to-your-favorite-FFL-from-a-warehouse-outfit prices, it seems to fit well in the market at that price point.
That is to say it's about what I expected at the price point it is realistically and universally available for.
My first impression of the gun is that it is uncharacteristically thin, both horizontally (across the receiver) and vertically.
That, with the nice (but not snob price/class) gold+engraving, the long barrels, the relatively low-volume (in my estimation) stock and forearm, and the separate barrels the gun has an overall lean and (to my eyes) attractive lines.
The gun fits me better than most guns do out of the crate, which is Ok but not great. But I'm also not an experienced enough clays shooter to know exactly what a great fit is, and at 6'1" and 270, built like an offensive lineman and with longish arms, most guns simply don't fit me well right out of the box anyway. I can't fault the gun for the fit, and in fact it does fit me better than most guns (even the snob-class guns) do.
My initial impressions are that the controls/break were a little stiff right out of the box, but with some gun oil and manipulation they are starting to loosen up. The stock and forearm appear to have not been hand-fitted to the metal before being removed and finished, but again in this price range I wasn't expecting that. And although (and obviously) not hand-fit, the fit is nonetheless better than the current offerings of field/hunting grade guns I've been exposed to. And certainly the wood, checkering, fit, and finish are better than the Spartans/Baikals/Khans/Mossberg SR's/etc that I've handled and looked over.
I am concerned about the reported issues, most of which appear to be the same rumors being reported over and over ad nauseum along the lines of "Well, I know someone who knows someone who saw a post on a board in Europe about some guy who's sister shoots with a guy whose friend's cousin saw one at some shoots..."
That's not to dismiss or diminish the real experiences of some as posted herein and elsewhere. But balanced against the number of guns sold and the positive estimations, I decided it was worth taking the chance...
Is this thing hand-milled with toothpicks out of a single block of ancient super-high-grade mystical off-shore steel that was slowly heat-treated for over two centuries by remaining in the always-burning dung stove of Tibetian monks who prayed over it every day, later to be cooled during new-moon ceremonies in milk taken only from virgin yaks, then hand-carried to Belgium/Japan/Italy by 13 yo blind monk acolytes in bags made only from the skins of albino yetis born under full moons on the slopes of Annapurna, complete with signed affadavits testifying to all those facts (with appropriate notorized translations and a sample of the dung thrown in for authenticity)?
No.
But by all appearances, according to Ruger's reputation, and according to my rather thorough all night exam last night, it appears to be very well and solidly made + fitted and of appropriate high-grade alloys.
Were the parts hand-milled (see above), hand-finished, and then polished so highly that I can see my own rugged, dashing, "I've killed a continent's worth of critters and shot over a bazillion rounds of super-duper-they-only-sell-it-to-good-ole-boys-who-know-the-secret-handshake-and-wear-only-$10,000-handmade-Belgium-shooters-vests-special-target-loads" mug in it?
Again, no. And my mug isn't dashing or rugged anyway.
Does it come anywhere close to the fit-n-finish of a Beretta or Citori or... ____________ (fill in the blank with the name of your favorite snob-class-only-the-best-can-afford-it-handcarved-inlayed-engraved-handlapped-barreled-Briley-choked-ancient-old-growth-stocked-handrubbed-forever-my-butt-plate-alone-costs-more-than-your-car) gun??
Well, no.
But I also paid no where close to what that type of gun costs, and again I wasn't expecting that.
What the heck then was I thinking and what do I expect, you might ask?
Well, first off I can't afford a Beretta or Citori, at least right now (I'm recovering from a divorce and some career nonsense.) To get much more gun, either in terms of fit/finish/etc and in terms of actual functionality or quality or what not, I'd have had to spend roughly twice the price (and on up from there.)
Do I expect the gun to last FOREVER and NEVER need maintenance or repairs or replacement parts or what not?
No.
Then again, I have a half-dozen friends whom all bought USED Berettas or Citoris, who paid two or more times what I did, and one by one they've each had problems with their own guns.
They've not had big problems (firing pin or misfire issues, that sort of thing), and perhaps only very infrequently but problems nonetheless.
So, in my own estimation paying two to three times as much for a gun that is alledged to never ever EVER EVER FOREVER have ANY problems at all, when I know from personal experience (perhaps anecdotal, but personal and real nonetheless) that such thoughts are not true anyway, just didn't make sense.
How does the gun shoot? I don't know, it'll be this weekend before I can put a box or two through it. And frankly I've never owned an o/u before. I've put some rounds through Beretta's, Citoris, and Baikals, and on rare occasion was allowed to shoot a full round of trap with a sampling of each. But I've never owned one.
I'll come back here and post my experiences and thoughts as time goes by. The one thing I am disappointed in already is that I have to send the gun back to have the safety converted from field configuration to target configuration, but in fairness I knew that going in and can't fault either the gun or Ruger for that.
Well said.
I think that's the problem here.
People are comparing B guns and Ruger.
B guns are 500+ dollars more.
But based on the number sold, and the people with problems ratio, It dosn't seem too much of a risk.
Some Rugers do have major problems though. But dont tell me B guns dont also. It may be more common in a Ruger, but they are cheaper.
OR maybe when my ruger has a problem I'll break down, and buy a B gun.
I think that's the problem here.
People are comparing B guns and Ruger.
B guns are 500+ dollars more.
But based on the number sold, and the people with problems ratio, It dosn't seem too much of a risk.
Some Rugers do have major problems though. But dont tell me B guns dont also. It may be more common in a Ruger, but they are cheaper.
OR maybe when my ruger has a problem I'll break down, and buy a B gun.
Joined
·
1,807 Posts
I've got three RRL's and have run 1000's of rounds through each. I've had no problems with any of them. I've also got two Berettas, a Merkel, and have had both a Citori and a Superposed. I liked them all...but they are each very different animals in my opinion.
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