Why did Ruger discontinue the Old Army?

[MCgunner]

I'll still buy Ruger, they make a great product and I love the Blackhawks, have 2 of 'em. I NEED a Vaquero. I lament the passing of the Old Army, but I understand it. Let's just admit it, folks, BP is a small, cult market pretty much and the Old Army is a lot more money than the Piettas and Ubertis.

 

[arcticap]

Many ROA's Were Exported

Ruger also exported a lot of ROA's to Europe where shooting black powder revolvers has always been popular and center fire pistol permits are more difficult to obtain.
Many of them were sold in the UK and Germany so it's not like there was only a small niche market in the US that supported its continued production.
It was produced for so many years, and even toward the end of production the price of a new one was considered by many consumers to be too expensive compared to the imports.

 

[junkman_01]

I'm glad they are out of production. That move made my ROA worth a lot more!

 

[Tallbald]

My stainless ROA's are there for my wife and kids to sell off when I'm gone. I've decided that with the value of the dollar dropping, my Ruger's are increasing at a better than average rate. I don't buy gold or silver (too expensive) but I feel I can enjoy a Ruger for a long time and increase the value just by holding on to them. Maybe I'm living in a fool's paradise, but it's as good a reason as any to keep my babies...... Don

 

[robhof]

Yeah I feel the same way and as I was trolling The gun auctions the other day; a SS ROA appears for a buy it price of $350, hit the button, now I've got 2. My wife's not so understanding, but she'll get over it and she can sell it for a profit as they don't make them anymore... The seller said he had only placed the ad 1 hr before and when he went to look at the ad for the 1st time to see if it were correct, it was already sold.

 

[Jaymo]

Declining sales. That's the reason Ruger gives, anyway. Whether or not that's true, or if the new management just wanted to make room to build some new design that they got a wild hair for, we'll never really know.
How can the strongest BP revolver available not have a market?
.44 Colt 51 Navies aren't HC.
Most of the muzzleloading sidelock rifles that are mass produced aren't HC.
I call corporate BS. Just like when Mossberg stopped production of the 9200A1 Jungle Gun and their bolt action turkey guns in order to build a butt ugly, overpriced single shot rifle, and called it a "manufacturing decision".
I don't believe anything that is said by anyone who want's to separate me from a good chunk of my hard-earned money.

 

[Jaymo]

I'm happy enough with mine to keep it as issued.

 

[ReloaderEd]

I agree with te declining sales. Its a shame maybe someday.

 

[junkman_01]

ReloaderEd wrote:

My my but don't we act childish here. He who thinketh by the inch and talketh by the yard should be kicketh by the foot. But you have a right to your opinion. I am certainly glad we live in a free country. Get over it!!!!

Yes Ed, we all have a right to our opinions.

 

[andrewstorm]

why oh why.....

I actully called the sturm co. and asked the production manager,and he said it was production costs,to keep the old army in production with declining sales they would have to charge over a thousand dollars a unit........as all good things come to an end .......so goes the r o a...........

 

[CharlesK80]

Makos, do you have some written documentation or evidence that Ruger’s european liability concern was the reason Ruger quit ROA production? I find that hard to believe.

American liability might well be greater and I do not think it would be sufficient cause to stop production. My guess is very limited market. Compared with their other offerings. Which means limited sales income. However, you have significant industry source and I would like to know what you base your opinion upon.

 

[arcticap]

For liability reasons...

They were afraid that some European shooter would try and stuff the chambers full of Swiss #1 and maybe even Null B. They knew that 175 years of percussion revolver experience to the contrary wouldn't be enough to stop them.

CharlesK80,
Please don't take that explanation seriously. Makos_Goods was only attempting to make light of the actions of a THR member who recently experimented with and chronographed that same load. He wasn't seriously addressing the OP.

 

[Jaymo]

They don't have to make them full time, 24/7/365.
They could make them seasonally, like the way .380 ammo is made.

 

[CharlesK80]

Jaymo, thanks. Makos is the best.