Businessweek

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of firearms to customers in the United States. Products The company offers products in four industry product categories: rifles, shotguns, pistols, and revolvers. Its firearms are sold through independent wholesale distributors, principally to the commercial sporting market. Firearms Products The company manufactures firearm products, under the ‘Ruger’ name and trademark, in the following industry categories: Rifles: The company offers single-shot, autoloading, bolt-action, and modern sporting rifles. Shotguns: The company offers various shotguns. A shotgun is a long gun with a barrel interior which fires lead or steel pellets. Pistols: The company offers rimfire autoloading and centerfire autoloading pistols. Revolvers: The company offers single-action and double-action revolvers. Accessories: The company also manufactures and sells accessories and replacement parts for its firearms. Investment Casting Products The company manufactures and sells investment castings made from steel alloys for both outside customers and internal use in the firearms segment. Markets Firearms: The company's firearms are primarily marketed through a network of selected federally licensed independent wholesale distributors who purchase the products directly from the company. They resell to federally licensed retail firearms dealers who in turn resell to legally authorized end-users. The end users include sportsmen, hunters, people interested in self-defense, law enforcement and other governmental organizations, and gun collectors. The company also exports its firearms through a network of selected commercial distributors and directly to certain foreign customers, consisting primarily of law enforcement agencies and foreign governments. In 2011, the company’s major customers included Jerry’s/Ellett Brothers; Davidson’s; Sports South; and Lipsey’s. Investment Castings: The company produces various products for various customers in various industries, including approximately 20 firearms and firearms component manufacturers. History Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. was founded in 1948.