Ruger To Display First Firearm at SHOT Show

The original Ruger Standard Pistol that established Ruger will rest next to the 25 millionth Ruger firearm (an SR9c compact pistol) that has been embellished and engraved to commemorate this remarkable achievement.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. will be displaying the first Ruger firearm and the recently produced 25 millionth Ruger firearm at SHOT Show 2011 in Las Vegas, starting Tuesday.

The original Ruger Standard Pistol that established Ruger will rest next to the 25 millionth Ruger firearm (an SR9c compact pistol) that has been embellished and engraved to commemorate this remarkable achievement.

The dramatic differences between these two firearms serve as an illustration of the growth and development of Sturm, Ruger & Co. over the course of its 62-year history, according to Ruger.

William B. Ruger and Alexander Sturm founded Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. in 1949 with a $50,000 investment and one firearm design.

Bill Ruger had invented the Ruger .22 Standard Pistol, a rimfire autoloading pistol with a cylindrical bolt that moved inside a tubular receiver. With a profile resembling the popular German Luger pistols, the .22 Standard Ruger (later renamed as the Mark I pistol) proved to be reliable, affordable and incredibly popular. Mark I pistols were produced until 1981, when they were replaced by the next-generation Mark II pistols. This classic firearm is still produced today in the form of Ruger Mark III pistols and the similar, 1911-style 22/45 pistols.

The 25 millionth firearm is a polished stainless steel version of the SR9c compact pistol that is engraved with the words "25 Millionth" and includes an enlarged Ruger Eagle on the left side of the slide, while the right side has the words "Ruger SR9c" engraved into the slide serrations. The SR9c is a centerfire pistol with a glass-filled nylon frame and a slim, compact size for concealed Rucarry.

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