Ruger Gold Label
- Thread starter Ahsan Ahmed
- Start date
The Gold Label is a fast handling, lightweight game gun. All of the inherent goodness built into the gun is spent on its balance and handling. The gun is austere and unadorned, and the wood to metal fit on the upper tang is less than ideal. It is a good thing that Ruger got the handling right. It is not a David McKay Brown, but it is the closest thing to a British game gun that the Americans have ever produced.
Because of the thin walled Briley chokes (which do not cause any barrel flare at the muzzles) this is the only gun I own which can be truly successful for both ruffed grouse and heavier, longer range birds such as pheasant or sharptail.
That is, it would be if I could hit the broad side of a barn with it. I shoot well enough with it at the range, but in the field... The length of pull is too short for me (it comes with a 14 1/4 inch LOP), and no length of slip on pad seemed to help. To fix it has required the installation of a Morgan adjustable pad, which was a lot of work to fit and then skeletonize to reduce the weight enough not to disturb the handling of the gun. Time will tell if I have made the gun fit me, but who knows, the Ruger may fit you right out of the box.
I wish it had double triggers, but that will never happen.
Reliability has been good (touch wood) but you have to open the gun fully in order to #### it. It is possible to reload the gun without cocking it if you are not paying attention. The barrels are very well regulated, both shooting to the same spot. The rust blued barrels are a little grayish compared to offerings from across the pond, but well struck with no ripples. The ejectors are a little weak, but effective. The gun has the smallest splinter fore end of any SxS I have seen. The selective safety drives me nuts - just think of it as a non selective trigger and you will be much happier. The safety is automatic, and is not so easy to make non automatic but Ruger will do that for you if you are willing to wait.
Mine was made in November 2004 and I have had it since January 2005. Eventually I will get the stock dimensions right, and it will be a mainstay hunting gun. I like it enough to keep it and keep at it.
What else can I tell you?
Edited to add: My early gun weighs 6 1/4 lbs. I understand that they now weigh about 6 1/2 lbs. but I don't know where the weight was added.
Sharptail
Because of the thin walled Briley chokes (which do not cause any barrel flare at the muzzles) this is the only gun I own which can be truly successful for both ruffed grouse and heavier, longer range birds such as pheasant or sharptail.
That is, it would be if I could hit the broad side of a barn with it. I shoot well enough with it at the range, but in the field... The length of pull is too short for me (it comes with a 14 1/4 inch LOP), and no length of slip on pad seemed to help. To fix it has required the installation of a Morgan adjustable pad, which was a lot of work to fit and then skeletonize to reduce the weight enough not to disturb the handling of the gun. Time will tell if I have made the gun fit me, but who knows, the Ruger may fit you right out of the box.
I wish it had double triggers, but that will never happen.
Reliability has been good (touch wood) but you have to open the gun fully in order to #### it. It is possible to reload the gun without cocking it if you are not paying attention. The barrels are very well regulated, both shooting to the same spot. The rust blued barrels are a little grayish compared to offerings from across the pond, but well struck with no ripples. The ejectors are a little weak, but effective. The gun has the smallest splinter fore end of any SxS I have seen. The selective safety drives me nuts - just think of it as a non selective trigger and you will be much happier. The safety is automatic, and is not so easy to make non automatic but Ruger will do that for you if you are willing to wait.
Mine was made in November 2004 and I have had it since January 2005. Eventually I will get the stock dimensions right, and it will be a mainstay hunting gun. I like it enough to keep it and keep at it.
What else can I tell you?
Edited to add: My early gun weighs 6 1/4 lbs. I understand that they now weigh about 6 1/2 lbs. but I don't know where the weight was added.
Sharptail
Last edited:
Ahsan Ahmed
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Thanks very much for the input, Sharptail. You actually confirmed much of what I was able dig up from Shotgun World.
I walked into the local store a couple of weeks ago with Ruger GL in mind and walked out with a 12ga White Onyx instead as I wasn't too sure about the GL at that time. Should've enquired at CGN first.
Well, I've been eyeing that GL for a bit now.....time to make a move
I walked into the local store a couple of weeks ago with Ruger GL in mind and walked out with a 12ga White Onyx instead as I wasn't too sure about the GL at that time. Should've enquired at CGN first.
Well, I've been eyeing that GL for a bit now.....time to make a move
