Ruger Gold Label

Infobox Weapon
name= Ruger Gold Label


caption= Ruger Gold Label
origin= United States
type= Double barreled shotgun
is_ranged= yes
designer=
design_date=
manufacturer= Sturm, Ruger
production_date= 2002 – present
number=
variants=
weight= 6½ pounds
length= 45½ inches
part_length= 28 inches
caliber= 12 gauge
action= Break-action
sights=

The Ruger Gold Label is a double-barreled shotgun. It is marketed and distributed by Sturm, Ruger & Company, Incorporated, a company based in Fairfield, Connecticut. The Gold Label is made at the Sturm, Ruger manufacturing facility in Newport, New Hampshire.

The Ruger Gold Label is a side-by-side shotgun, designed to be similar to traditional English shotguns used for upland bird hunting and for clay target games such as trap, skeet, and sporting clays. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_7_48/ai_87413413 Bodinson, Holt. "Ruger's Elegant Game Gun", "Guns" magazine, July, 2002] ]

Features

The Gold Label has a stainless steel receiver and blued barrels. The stock and fore-end are made of AAA-grade American walnut. [ [http://www.billhanusbirdguns.com/archive20.html Hanus, Bill. "It's Time to Make Nice with Your Ruger Dealer", Bill Hanus Birdguns] ] At 6½ pounds, the Gold Label is relatively lightweight for a double barreled shotgun.

The gun has a single trigger. A barrel selector mechanism is used to choose whether the left or right barrel fires first. The second shot can be fired even if the first shot was a misfire and the gun has not recoiled. The barrel selector is combined with the manual safety and is located at the top rear of the receiver, behind the top lever. Opening the action automatically engages the safety mechanism. [ [http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/PDF/InstructionManuals/31.pdf Ruger Gold Label Instruction Manual] ]

The Gold Label has been produced in 12 gauge only. The chambers are three inches long, to accommodate either 2¾ inch or 3 inch shells. [ [http://www.gunsandammomag.com/long_guns/gold_091205/index.html Miller, Payton. "Ruger Gold Label", "Guns & Ammo", April, 2005] ] The gun uses screw-in choke tubes that are steel shot compatible. [ [http://www.gun-tests.com/issues/17_10/features/5283-1.html "Ruger’s Gold Label Takes On British 12-Bore Game Guns", "Gun Tests", October, 2005] ]

Models

There are two models of Gold Label. One has an American style pistol grip stock. The other has an English style straight grip stock. Both models have a splinter style fore-end.

The Gold Label shotgun was produced from 2004-2006 and has not been produced since. While the shotgun is still pictured in Ruger's 2008 Catalog, it is listed as "Current Production Sold Out, Anticipate Availability in 2009." According to most reports, including emails from Ruger Customer Service to customers who have asked, the Gold Label will not be produced again due to the high cost of manufacturing it.

Awards

In 2002, the Gold Label was named Shotgun of the Year by "Shooting Industry News". [ [http://www.shootingindustry.com/si9202/sht9202.html "Shotgun of the Year, 1992 - 2007", "Shooting Industry News"] ] In 2005, it won the "Golden Bullseye" Shotgun of the Year award from "American Rifleman", a magazine published by the National Rifle Association. [ [http://www.nra.org/Article.aspx?id=2395 "2005 Golden Bullseye Award Winners", nra.org] ]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/FAFamily?type=Shotgun&subtype=Side-By-Side&famlst=51 Ruger Gold Label official website]
* [http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/PDF/InstructionManuals/31.pdf Ruger Gold Label Instruction Manual]