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Old October 29, 2013, 06:56 AM   #26
kozak6
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We've known Ruger's been working on a new shotgun for a while, but I'm disappointed that it turned out to be a new Red Label.

I was hoping it was going to be a solid and affordable semiautomatic.
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Old October 29, 2013, 11:26 AM   #27
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I'll soon have a chance to shoot one as a gun writer friend is getting one for a review - we'll see how well it works
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Old October 29, 2013, 12:44 PM   #28
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There was one at the gunshow in Corpus Christi this week and it sure was a beauty. I'm glad they're brining it back.
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Old October 29, 2013, 04:39 PM   #29
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I wonder if the new Red Label will be manufactured at the new Ruger plant in Mayodan, NC?
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Old October 29, 2013, 05:09 PM   #30
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Sorry to say, if price is your concern, you need to look elsewhere; they weren't that expensive about 15-20 years ago
Says one that recommends a three thousand dollar used gun.

Ruger is known for putting out a quality product at a bargain price. Not so with the Red Label.
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Old October 29, 2013, 08:15 PM   #31
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I must have been lucky. I have one in 12 ga and one in 28 ga. Never had a problem. Shot hundreds of rounds for doves..never missed a lick. Oh well.
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Old October 29, 2013, 08:41 PM   #32
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Says one that recommends a three thousand dollar used gun
What 3K USED gun? 3K new? That is what Browning and Berettas cost. Buy once, cry once. Buy a cheap POS from Turkey or Russia and replace it a lot and you have spent the same AND had to handle a lousy gun with poor features - seems a no-brainer to those of us who shoot a lot

backatcha
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Old October 29, 2013, 08:43 PM   #33
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I must have been lucky. I have one in 12 ga and one in 28 ga. Never had a problem. Shot hundreds of rounds for doves..never missed a lick. Oh well.
Hundreds? Really? I shot 200 today 6 weeks after hand/wrist surgery. My main O/U has almost 300,000 rounds through it. When your Ruger comes close, please let me know - that Browning has had $100 in parts replaced and that was at 90,000 rounds
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Old October 29, 2013, 09:06 PM   #34
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I and several people I know own at least one red label, Mine is a 1995 model and has had thousands of rounds fired through it. It was fired quite a lot for trap and skeet, along with acquiring a few minor scratches and such in the field.

I find it interesting that the Red Label was introduced in 1979 (12 gauge) and was produced until when, 20XX? This is not the typical production run of a POS shotgun as some would have you believe.

To be honest, the only complaint I ever heard first hand from a Red Label owner was that it was a little heavy, and maybe they didn't think the wood was "fancy" enough.
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Old October 29, 2013, 09:32 PM   #35
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It was not only heavy, it was VERY muzzle heavy, even with the short barrels. It opened TOO easily, indicating a loose and sloppy fit. When opened, there was side-to-side play with the barrels and action, not a good thing
Again, the concept was good, the execution of the concept sucked - glad yours worked out for you, but for many of us, it was a big let down - especially among us 28 gauge owners which was the model they supposedly got "right" (but didn't)

Time will tell this time around whether they corrected things

And sorry to tell you, but 20 years does not make a good production run - 100 does as a start
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Old October 31, 2013, 03:07 PM   #36
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Well, I bought them as field guns...which is what they were designed for. As far as the looseness, there designed that way. Looser as the barrel falls to eject and tighter as you raise them up to lock. The receivers are tapered for this. That way you don't need two hands and three buddies to open and close them.
I also know people that shoot a lot of skeet with theres with no issues. Mine do what I bought them to do. To each his own.
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Old October 31, 2013, 06:47 PM   #37
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Originally Posted by BigD in FL
What 3K USED gun? 3K new? That is what Browning and Berettas cost. Buy once, cry once. Buy a cheap POS from Turkey or Russia and replace it a lot and you have spent the same AND had to handle a lousy gun with poor features - seems a no-brainer to those of us who shoot a lot


No, NOT 3K new, by your own word.

In post #13, you said: (direct quote)
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigD in FL
You might want to look at a RBL from CSMC - well made, no major issues and minor ones immediately corrected, handles well and was nicely done. Used they run about 3K, including a nice case
While you're thinking about how you can next brag about all your multi-thousand dollar guns and the hundreds of thousands of rounds you put through them, stop and think that maybe, just maybe, not everyone is as wealthy as you, (Or pretends to be) and try to remember what you posted before. I've never spent over 1200 dollars on ANY gun, and I've done quite well for myself. I don't intend to ever spend more than that.
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Old October 31, 2013, 07:46 PM   #38
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I've had my straight stocked 20 since 1992. Beautiful wood (except for my scratches) and has served me well. I'm sure the new ones will be typical of Ruger. Good value. Not the best shotgun but a very good one for the price.
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Old October 31, 2013, 07:54 PM   #39
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Yup..I have browning grade 3's..and yet my Ruger functions just as good. I hope the newer ones are good too.
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Old October 31, 2013, 08:41 PM   #40
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Sorry Stevie ray - THAT recommendation was towards the person who wanted a US-made gun and said there weren't any. As to being wealthy - not hardly - shooting is my hobby, I do not fish, own a boat, RV or camper, nor do I drive a pickup that gets 5 miles to the gallon - I shoot targets, and a lot of them and I do without in other areas to pay for it - so get over your wealth envy in that regard.

The Ruger I owned was a POS, and it was the one they supposedly got right. I will take a well-made Japanese Browning over a poorly made US gun every time. I can get a nicely-made Beretta for what the Ruger will sell for - to me, that is a no-brainer - either of the Browning or Berettas are time-proven to be well-made - the Ruger sucks and was pulled from the market because it sucked
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Old November 1, 2013, 11:50 AM   #41
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Originally Posted by BigD in FL
Sorry Stevie ray - THAT recommendation was towards the person who wanted a US-made gun and said there weren't any. As to being wealthy - not hardly - shooting is my hobby, I do not fish, own a boat, RV or camper, nor do I drive a pickup that gets 5 miles to the gallon - I shoot targets, and a lot of them and I do without in other areas to pay for it - so get over your wealth envy in that regard.
Oh? Pray tell, where in this thread was there somebody wanting a US made gun, "but there aren't any?" You must be thinking about another thread. Why you chose to answer him in THIS thread though, escapes me. And wealth envy? Well, most of us on fixed incomes would like more money, but believe me when I say, I don't envy the likes of you!
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigD in FL
The Ruger I owned was a POS, and it was the one they supposedly got right. I will take a well-made Japanese Browning over a poorly made US gun every time.
You keep saying that and yet there are many posts here saying the Red Label is good for them. But of course, you know better, right?
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigD in FL
I can get a nicely-made Beretta for what the Ruger will sell for - to me, that is a no-brainer - either of the Browning or Berettas are time-proven to be well-made - the Ruger sucks and was pulled from the market because it sucked
I seriously doubt it, unless of course it's a 20 or 30 year old Beretta. If I could get a new Beretta for the price of a Red Label I would've already had one. However, if Ruger got this right, and the price is even lower, I would be glad to have another American made gun. Adding another Ruger to the fleet would be fine with me. You're not doing a very good job of bailing yourself out of this-I suggest you choose your words more carefully in the future. You're using the term no-brainer a bit much.
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Old November 2, 2013, 06:28 PM   #42
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Try again. you can get a new Beretta for about $1500 or so which is not bad or an O/U

Yes, I know better it seems as I actually owned one - something you didn't

Take the wealth envy to your oval Obamacare site and whine, not interested
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Old November 3, 2013, 05:18 AM   #43
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I don't know about what the Red Labels were in the past or any problems they may or may not have had.

I do know that I watched on TV a Ruger sponsored show. They were showcasing the new Red Label's. The gentleman from Ruger was showing some of the changes they made from the old ones. He specifically brought attention to the locking mechanism and talked about better weight distribution. So, It looks like they may be addressing some issues that people found in the past and are striving to put out a better version.
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Old November 3, 2013, 08:13 PM   #44
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Take the wealth envy to your oval Obamacare site and whine, not interested
WTH is that supposed to mean? I've read that twice and it still doesn't.....eh, put it off to another no-brainer I guess. Back to topic. Oh, and PM if you want to enlighten me.
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Old November 5, 2013, 07:11 PM   #45
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Someone needs to take a deep breath

and that someone is not Big D.

I can see where someone would be confused, but before the attack someone they should make certain they have things correct. Going back and reading Big D's posts, it is clear that when he was speaking about $3K for a new o/u he was talking about Brownings and Berettas. His reference to a used CS RBL with a nice case for $3K was to a sxs from Connecticut Shotgun.

Where is that troll alert?
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Old November 5, 2013, 09:28 PM   #46
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I bought my Red Label 12ga about 6 years ago in like new condition for less than $900. It sees a fair bit of trap and sporting clay trips and has been a great shotgun with no issues what so ever.
I like the balance, it shoots well and fits me perfectly.

I bought mine because a friend has had one for about 15 years, shooting league trap with it, with no issues at all.
Once I shot his, I started looking for one of my own.

No regrets here.
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Old November 6, 2013, 06:42 AM   #47
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100 glowing testimonials on here will not make up for all the issues other owners experienced with the last batch of red Labels. People did not make up these problems. I must have sent one customer's back five times. I seem to remember Ruger's glowing sales pitch from last time, also. I hope they have solved all the problems, as I do like Rugers. But, I think I will wait and let others do the beta testing before I jump.
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Old November 10, 2013, 07:59 PM   #48
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Has anyone on here shot one of the new Red labels? Impressions?
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Old November 11, 2013, 03:57 AM   #49
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Well lets hope they've improved the wood to metal fit on the new Red Labels... The fit on the old ones was pathetic.. The way that the buttstock met up to the receiver was just plain ugly..
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Old November 13, 2013, 05:57 PM   #50
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RRL New and Improved?

Sorry for the long post, but as an owner of the new ones, am going to say I am, so far, well pleased, and will propose the following reasons I had for buying it.

I first saw a RRL on a goose hunt on the Katy Prairie in Texas in 1988 (back when there was a Katy Prairie there). None of us amateurs was hitting anything, and the guide reached around his back, pulled out a plain jane O/U and dropped a big snow goose clean.
Whatever an actual guide, who does this for a living would use must be worth a damn, so I asked him what it was, and he said simply "It's a Ruger Red Label." At that moment I was hooked.
Fast forward 25 years, and I finally have the $$$ to upgrade from the 870 Express I have been shooting since then. I can buy a Browning like my brother's, a Beretta like my buddy's, or a Winchester like my son's pals. Problem with these? Though they're all beautiful and durable, not a single one of them is made by an American who otherwise wouldn't have a job.

I have a job because someone wants to pay for what I do, and I am happy to return the favor to other companies that produce here, and keep Americans employed. I will only buy American whenever at all possible. The fact that it is a gun that I saw a working guide use makes this perfect.

Now when I saw my LGS had one. I bought it immediately. I believe it was Halloween. I have shot it every weekend since, and twice on Sunday without a single malfunction (so far, about 500 rounds). It handles smoothly, the recoil is not bothersome (maybe I just got used to recoil by the 870(?)), the action is slick, and the wood is quite nice, even if not heavily grained. The wood to metal finish isn't as pretty as I'd like, but the Beretta silver pigeons to which I compared it to weren't much better, actually.

To me it's durable, subtly attractive, and American made.
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