Two of the biggest names in the shooting sports industry are marking their 75th anniversaries this year, with no signs of slowing down.
Sturm, Ruger and Hornady Manufacturing were both founded in 1949 in an era when increasing numbers of people were getting seriously interested in recreational shooting and hunting, and metallic cartridge reloading. Both companies earned high marks from American sportsmen and women, Ruger for its affordable firearms and Hornady for making among the best bullets for everything from target shooting to hunting small, big and dangerous game.
Sturm, Ruger began as a partnership between William B. Ruger and Alexander McCormick Sturm. According to an online history, the company’s first entry into firearms was the .22-caliber Ruger Standard pistol, based on the designs the Japanese Nambu pistol, and the looks of the German Luger and Colt Woodsman.
Sturm passed away in 1951, but Ruger maintained the Sturm, Ruger company name, though nowadays, the firm is more widely known as just “Ruger.”
Within years of its founding, Sturm, Ruger became a dominant name in the manufacture of rimfire pistols and also single-action centerfire revolvers. No doubt, the company’s profile rose thanks to resurging interest in single-action sixguns due to an abundance of theatrical western films and western television programs such as Gunsmoke, Bonanza and a slew of Warner Bros. shows such as Cheyenne and Maverick.
The company expanded and grew rapidly with the introduction of the classic .22-caliber semiautomatic rifle known as the 10/22. Millions of those rifles have been sold over the years, along with Ruger revolvers, semi-auto pistols and modern centerfire rifles and shotguns. According to Wikipedia, between its founding and 2004, Ruger produced more than 20 million firearms, including such classics as the Blackhawk, Super Blackhawk, Single-Six, Bearcat, Redhawk, GP 100, SR 1911, the No. 1 Single Shot, M77 and, of course, the .22 autoloading pistol, which became known as the MKI, MKII, MKIII and the current MKIV series.
While all of this was going on, Joyce Hornady had founded the reloading company bearing his name. Headquartered in Grand Island, Neb., Hornady expanded its operations to the manufacture of reloading dies and presses, and an assortment of reloading accessories.
The company has also developed ammunition, including the LEVERevolution line of cartridges with spitzer-like bullets featuring softer synthetic tips so they may be used in lever-action rifles with tubular magazines. Hornady also introduced new calibers, coincidentally in cooperation with Ruger, including the .480 Ruger .375 Ruger and .204 Ruger.
Hornady also introduced the 6.5mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC and .300 PRC cartridges, all of which have developed devoted followings. This year, Hornady has announced the 22 ARC (Advanced Rifle Cartridge) with three bullet weights, 62, 75 and 88 grains. The bullet diameter is .224, and it delivers muzzle velocities ranging from 2,825 to 3,300 fps, depending upon the bullet weight.
When Joyce Hornady died in a plane crash in January 1981, his son, Steve took over. Under his leadership, Hornady has expanded into marketing gun cabinets and safes, and other accessories including some clothing items.
Bill Ruger passed away in July 2002, and was succeeded by his son, Bill, Jr., who led the company for about six years, until he retired. Bill, Jr., passed in 2018 at the age of 79.
In observance of their respective anniversaries, both companies are introducing several new products.
Hornady has announced V-Match ammunition, featuring the company’s new ELD-VT bullet. Initial offerings are a .22 ARC, 6mm ARC,6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Grendel and 6.5 Creedmoor. Featuring a polymer tip, the ELD-VT (Extremely Low Drag, Varmint | Target) is a varmint bullet designed for long range accuracy and rapid fragmentation.
Another new entry is the 5.7x28mm, available in both the Critical Defense and BLACK families. The Critical Defense load has a 40-grain FTX bullet while the BLACK offering has a 40-grain V-MAX bullet.
Ruger announced four special gun models to celebrate its diamond anniversary. The lineup includes a Mark IV standard pistol, a pair of 10/22 Sporter models and an LCP Max semi-auto pistol.
