Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #841822 in Books
• Published on: 1996-11-04
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 368 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Fans of firearms won't find a more handsome gun book this season than Ruger & His Guns: A History of the Man, the Company and the Firearms. Here, R.L. Wilson (Steel Canvas) offers the definitive history of William B. Ruger (b. 1916) and of the company, Sturm, Ruger & Co., that he fashioned into the world's premier firearms manufacturer. Even non-gun lovers may admire the craftsmanship of Ruger's revolvers and other guns, which gleam and glisten in the nearly 300 illustrations, 185 in color, that complement the text.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
As this volume amply illustrates, Ruger is undoubtedly the most innovative American firearms designer and manufacturer of the latter 20th century and could honestly be described as a living legend in that field. As the subtitle states, this heavily illustrated volume offers a multifaceted portrait of the man and his creations. Ruger built his firearms empire by marrying the old-fashioned with the modern and improved on standard designs by pioneers Colt and Browning to produce high-quality shooting irons at reasonable prices. But along with ingenuity in design, it also took a certain bravery to release single-action handguns and single-shot rifles in a market dominated by double-action and semiautomatic weapons. His gamble, however, paid off. Wilson (Steel Canvas, LJ 1/96) offers much biographical information on Ruger plus the background, history, and statistics for each firearm made by Sturm, Ruger & Co., with numerous superb color photographs. Though this book is pricey, libraries supporting communities where shooting/hunting is popular will want it.?Michael Rogers, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Wilson's lavishly illustrated large-format book presents the official history of William B. Ruger of Sturm Ruger & Co. and of Ruger firearms. Dedication to traditional yet innovative designs and manufacturing excellence have made William B. Ruger a legend in the firearms business. Wilson presents how a man's hobby plus a meager investment in 1949 grew within a span of 45 years into an industrial powerhouse, outselling all of its competitors. This is a companion volume to the author's three other popular works: Colt (1986), Winchester (1991), and The Peacemakers (1993). The quality of the hundreds of illustrations is comparable to the other volumes, but in an attempt to capture its multifaceted subject, there are quite a few collage-style photos that contain so many components it is difficult to decipher the individual elements. Extensive reference tables provide serial numbers and years of manufacture for every model produced. A must volume for collections dealing with firearms and business history. Fred Egloff

Customer Reviews

Absolutely Wonderful!!!
Gosh, this was a pleasant book to read. The only negative I recall was the lack of detailed information about all of the photographs scattered throughout the book. I admit I was hoping to read a little more about some of the business failures and reasons why some firearms did not go into production. However, we don't need to focus in on the negative when it comes to Mr. Ruger's wonderful life! Other than my desire to want a little more description about the photographs and business dealings, this was an absolutely wonderful book on Mr. Ruger.

If you like Ruger guns, you will love this book!
From the first Standard Auto, to Flatgate Single Six's, Flattop Blackhawks, Hawkeye's, Bearcat's, Model 77s, Redhawks, you name it, it is all in here. I love this book. It is the best book on Ruger firearms that you can buy.

The ultimate Ruger Collectors reference
This book is perfect for anyone interested in the history of Sturm, Ruger and Co. The information is presented in a very organized fashion. I highly recommend this book at twice the price.