Ruger Temporarily Suspends Acceptance of New Orders

[imschur]

SOUTHPORT, CT --Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR), announced today that for the first quarter 2012, the Company has received orders for more than one million units.  Therefore, the Company has temporarily suspended the acceptance of new orders.

Chief Executive Officer Michael O. Fifer made the following comments:

• The Company's Retailer Programs that were offered from January 1, 2012 through February 29, 2012 were very successful and generated significant orders from retailers to independent wholesale distributors for Ruger firearms.

• Year-to-date, the independent wholesale distributors placed orders with the Company for more than one million Ruger firearms.

• Despite the Company's continuing successful efforts to increase production rates, the incoming order rate exceeds our capacity to rapidly fulfill these orders.  Consequently, the Company has temporarily suspended the acceptance of new orders.

• The Company expects to resume the normal acceptance of orders by the end of May 2012.

The Company will announce its results and file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2012 on Tuesday, May 1, 2012, after the close of the stock market.

About Sturm, Ruger

Sturm, Ruger was founded in 1949 and is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of high-quality firearms for the commercial sporting market.  Sturm, Ruger is headquartered in Southport, CT, with manufacturing facilities located in Newport, NH and Prescott, AZ.

[tayronachan]

I know firearm sales have picked up, but this is something. A major manufacturer having to stop taking new orders? What the heck is going on?

[planeflyer21]

I know firearm sales have picked up, but this is something. A major manufacturer having to stop taking new orders? What the heck is going on?

Ruger is a special case, taking on a challenge to sell one MILLION (pinky to mouth) firearms in a one year period, in cooperation with the NRA.  Not only were Ruger and the NRA advertising the push but almost every nonassociated website and magazine within the shooting community. 

Ruger reached the half million mark WELL ahead of their goal, blowing through the million mark too.  Last number I saw was something like 1.3 million SOLD!

As those who've worked in manufacturing know, overtime is AWESOME...for the first 4 weeks or so.  By week 12 you're ready to plant a magnetic tool base into your coworkers face.

Mind you too, Ruger is trying to fill current back orders...on top of their regular production.

I wouldn't mind seeing a Lipsey's .357/9mm convertible Blackhawk Flat Top.

Jon

[unforgiven]

That's great,people working overtime fantastic.The nation needs more of that. <thumbsup>

[planeflyer21]

We certainly can, brother unforgiven!

Especially in weapons manufacturing.  <thumbsup>

Jon