The First Ruger In American Rifleman

by
posted on July 18, 2012
2012718114820-billrugerrifle_m.jpg

In doing some research for the “From the Editor” for the September issue, I spent some time looking at William Batterman Ruger’s first contribution to American Rifleman, and no it wasn’t his “.22 Ruger Pistol” that made its debut in a September 1949 advertisement, nor was it Technical Editor Julian S. Hatcher’s extremely favorable review of “two production-line samples of the .22 Ruger” that ran in November 1949.

No, the first Ruger in the magazine was an article written by the young inventor in December 1943, at a time when he was working on a machine gun design for the U.S. Ordnance Dept. Titled “Semi-Automatic .250-3000,” Ruger detailed the conversion of a Savage Model 99 from a lever-action to a gas-operated semi-automatic, noting “This conversion can be accomplished with only superficial changes in a few of the parts.” Even in this first gun, aesthetics mattered to the young inventor: “The rotary type magazine has adequate capacity and does not require projections on the exterior of the gun.” Of course, some of those features would be seen in Ruger’s later designs, especially a flush-fitting rotary magazine.

Prophetically, Ruger closed the description of the conversion with the following: “I believe after this war there will be a great upsurge in the popularity of self-loaders for sporting purpose, just as there was a great increase in the popularity of bolt-action guns after the last war. If such a trend does come, this trim little self-loader, if it were made commercially available, should be right in step with prevailing fashions in firearms.” He later set the trend in that fashion in 1961 with the introduction of the Model 44 Standard Carbine in .44 Mag., followed, of course, by the 10/22 in 1964.

The rifle, the first Ruger, was donated to NRA’s National Firearms Museum by Bill Atkinson, one of Ruger’s oldest friends dating back to the “red barn” days, after William B. Ruger, Sr., died in 2002. Atkinson was allowed to select one gun from Ruger’s personal collection, and he chose the .250-3000 and immediately donated it the National Firearms Museum. This was the design that gained the young Bill Ruger employ as an arms designer, and it put him on the road to becoming a household name in firearms. And you can see it for yourself the next time you are in Fairfax, Va.

Latest

New Guns Gear Nraam 2025 F (1)
New Guns Gear Nraam 2025 F (1)

New Guns & Gear At The 2025 NRA Show

The 154th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, held at the Georgia World Congress Center, April 24-27, was teeming with new guns and gear. Here's a taste of what you can see on the show floor.

Gun Of The Week: Smith & Wesson Model 1854 Stealth Hunter

Welcome to American Rifleman’s Gun Of The Week. For this episode, we have a version of Smith & Wesson’s Model 1854 lever-action that’s specifically made for field use. Meet the Model 1854 Stealth Hunter.

The Armed Citizen® April 25, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

The Great FN Gun Giveaway At NRAAM 2025

Here’s a chance to win a custom, one-of-a-kind FN 545 Tactical pistol at the 154th NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits, April 24-27, in Atlanta, Ga. No purchase necessary.

Training With Moving Targets

Most target shooters understand static or bullseye-type stationary targets quite well, but did you know that adding motion into your training routine will improve practical marksmanship and the skills necessary to conquer defensive situations?

USA Shooting Celebrates 30th Anniversary

USA Shooting marks a historic milestone in April as it celebrates 30 years as the national governing body for international shooting sports within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.