If Ruger Had Brains They Would Compete With SW and Taurus in the J frame Size

[eliphalet]

"

Marketplace awareness is why Toyota is now the #1 auto maker in the world"

Too bad Toyota doesn't get into the firearm market. I can envision high polished blue with great walnut or other good fit feel wood, or the strongest,sturdiest best feeling and looking synthetics with with the best stainless. Silky slick actions that would barely shoot MOA groups when you got a bad one...That his been my experience with the Toyota Motor Company, from my 1965 FJ40 to my 4X4 P/u and the wifes Camry. "Build a better mouse trap and the world will beat a path to your door". Toyota has done just that, now if they would just make guns.

Did I say I was a Toyota fan?

 

[Jomax]

Toyota paid close attention to what people wanted in and expected from their vehicles all the while they were working their way up to being number 1. Unlike GM, Ford and Chrysler who have continually seen themselves as knowing more about customers want than the customers do. I tell folks to sit inside a Toyota and see how much attention they paid to the little details that others ignore.

As that relates to guns, some gun manufacturers are probably looking at the twilight of their existence and couldn't make the big investments even if they wanted to. So, they continue churn out what they've been making for decades until no one wants them any more. American-based manufacturing operations are getting smaller in size or going away altogether as a rule of thumb, not getting bigger. Labor, benefits and geneal overhead costs in the U.S.A. are becoming prohibitive for many.

IMO:

Like in "The Graduate", "plastics" - polymer is the present and the future of handguns because molds are cheaper to tool for and so the ROI can come sooner. Molding and assembly processes are right up the alley of Third World countries where labor is cheap. I think that revolvers as we know them will continue along with only modest changes and improvements until the supplies are exhausted 100 years from now.

 

[Sundles]

All I know is that if Ruger made a scandium framed, 3 inch SP101 with adjustable sights, Id buy it and so would a lot of savy guys.

From that platform, Ruger could then make the same scandium SP101 with fixed sights in a 2 inch revolver and it would be lighter than a D frame Colt and about the same size--Id have to have one of those too.

 

[Owen]

If Toyota made guns, they would have one entry in each niche, and would offer no options on each of those guns. IE, the duty revolver would be a .357 Mag, with no other offerings. The hunting rifle would be a mid-length action bolt gun in .308 Win, with no other options.

Polymer costs more to tool than machining does. The saving are in piece price. These days polymers are used because they are superior to steel or sluminum for the pistol frame application.

 

[Rexster]

I don't know about anyone else, but my wee little S&W M430, a 642 PC variant, sits in the safe most of the time, and my SP101 snubbies are everyday carry guns; this includes while wearing shorts in summer. The J-smith has probably not been carried in 3 years or so, and one J is enough. I sold off my Ti-lite J-frame. There are 3 SP101 snubbies among my working handgun battery. The SP101's size makes it behave more like a service-sized fighting handgun that a pocket pistol, the factory grip is a perfect fit in my hands, the heft makes it steadier for fast shooting, and the lugged barrel is good for the times a bad guy might might bump his head on your barrel.

 

[Croyance]

polymer is the present and the future of handguns because molds are cheaper to tool for and so the ROI can come sooner. Molding and assembly processes are right up the alley of Third World countries where labor is cheap.

Actually molds can be pretty expensive. The per unit cost after that is very low. Mass production makes the initial investment worthwhile.
You don't need much trained labor for it either. It isn't that third world labor is cheap - it is that they don't have large numbers of skilled tradesmen - which injection molding does not require.
But molds can be shipped and anybody can stick it on a rack.

 

[big44]

I don't want to rehash the S&W vs Ruger debate because it's been done to death. I've had a SP101 before. It's a descent gun. Very well built and very capable. But other than my Glock 20, I carry my J Frame S&W Model 60 Stainless Steel 357 Magnum mostly now. I had to get rid of my SP101 some time ago and just haven't gotten another one yet. But even if I bought one tomorrow I'd still carry my J.