Say what you will about Rugers......

[cousin jack]

But has anything done more to bring people into hand gunning than the Rugers MK I, II, and IIIs?

I shoot in a venerable old indoor range, built in 1946 by soldiers, marines, and sailors recently home from WWII. The place was well-built, with huge, thick down-sloping steel plates and turning target carriers. Old range records show that they initially shot .45s in the place, and even some M-1 carbines.

As the town grew around it, the members switched mainly to .22 target rifles, and the range furnished a home for the town rifle team, which participated in the Yakima Smallbore League, established in 1906 (!) for sixty or so years....

Recently our numbers began dropping drastically, both in our home range and for the Yakima league. Suddenly, we were down to three regular members, not enough for a viable team or club. In desperation, we dipped into a CD and bought six Ruger Mark IIIs with bull barrels for club use, and advertised the beginning of NRA Bullseye pistol competition. Within a year, we had 30 solid members shooting a postal and local match twice a week...... the initiation of Bulleye pistol literally saved our club and range.

Why? The relatively affordable $300-$400 Ruger .22 MK III versus a $2000-$3000 Anschutz target rifle. The old Win 52's and Remington 37's are long gone, and newcomers entering shooting competition cannot afford the European imports. They may move to a more expensive pistol once they're hooked, but...the Ruger does away with the "Dragon At The Gate" and allows people to sample the sport without mortgaging the farm. Within days of shooting on the line with a club pistol, the newcomer often would go downtown and buy his or her own Ruger. It's too bad we haven't a US manufactured smallbore rifle that's as competitive as the Ruger pistol, but....that's the way the cookie crumbles!

Thank God for the Ruger Mark III!

[Bullseye]

Add some junior shooting programs in basic pistol and light rifle and watch your numbers rise. Plus you're investing in the next generation of club members for your range. Nothing more satisfying than seeing a child of 9-10 with a big smile as they see the target they just filled with holes.

R,
Bullseye

[Slanteyedshootist]

Good job Jack. You've been able to keep a range open, help introduce new shooters to the fun and keep a piece of history alive.

[Hakaman]

After reading Cousin Jack's post, I checked out the Ruger website to see what's new. I am never "out of the market" when thinking about shooting.
I did run across some holsters that are pretty interesting, check 'em out:
http://shopruger.com/Holsters/products/103/
TK MK III™ Sight Track Holster 6 7/8"
The only other 22lr pistol I have is a Sig Mosquito, that doesn't compare to
the Mark lll Hunter I have. I hear Brownings are nice, but I don't want to learn another platform to shoot.
Haka

[cousin jack]

Well, we had a successful junior program for a decade plus, but they've all moved off to work and get married and have babies and all that....and not even those who remained local carried on the sport....

We also make our range available to the local 4-H program, which has an excellent marksmanship component using Marlin light rifles and Avanti air guns. Unfortunately, the same phenomenon applies -- once they can no longer use the 4-H rifles, they don't seem to buy their own.

I don't know; but I think rifle marksmanship is in trouble and drying up in this country, except for High Power. And even High Power is limited to certain localities. Hopefully the three-position air rifle will begin to fill the gap, but the high cost of good air rifles will still be the main problem.

[ruger22]

Amen to Ruger pistols being a starting point. A Mark I was the first gun I ever bought, in 1978. And when I got "back" into shooting in 2008, my Mark III was the first purchase.

After reading Cousin Jack's post, I checked out the Ruger website to see what's new..........I did run across some holsters that are pretty interesting, check 'em out:
http://shopruger.com/Holsters/products/103/
TK MK III™ Sight Track Holster 6 7/8"
Haka

I have the Ruger holsters for the Mark II/III bull barrel, and Single-Six. Made by Triple K, really well made. They're both thumb-break style. Ruger has a few Galco made holsters, the DAO (Dual Action Outdoorsman) style with a tension screw. They are slotted for both strong side and cross-draw.

Main difference buying the holsters from Ruger, they have the Ruger logo and a price break. I did just order the Ruger holster belt. It's made by Triple K, but I don't see it on Triple K's website.

[Yleefox]

I love Rugers. I've owned quite a few of them over the years and have several still. Good luck with the range and competitions. If we want to keep shooting, it's is imperative that we keep bringing in new shooters or returning shooters into the sport.

Y