Feb 26, 2021 3 min read

Last week, I brought to attention the works of Bill Ruger, who with the help of his partner, Alexander Sturm, took the Ruger company to third in the top-3 gun companies of all time.

We discussed Ruger, who was a fascinating man with a dream of reinventing some of the old-time western pistols and rifles. His life is fascinating and, if you get the chance to read about him, it is very interesting.

This week. I’d like to explore jhis partner, Alexander McCormick Sturm.

Sturm was an American artist, author and entrepreneur who co-founded Sturm, Ruger & Co. He had faith in Bill Ruger. After the second World War in 1949, Ruger approached Sturm, who was quite wealthy. Sturm provided the startup money and designed the Germanic heraldic eagle, which is still used today. He was a quiet person and had a friendship with Ruger. It’s funny that he never really hunted or collected guns; he just believed in his friend’s dream.

Ruger knew what he thought would sell at that time. He talked Sturm into the investment, which proved to be quite lucrative. Today, Ruger is one of the top sellers and, when I rate it third, that is subjective.

Unknown to most people, Ruger’s fascination with the past led him to take this company in new directions with old products he redesigned. He must have presented some of his great ideas, like the one to produce the Single 6 pistol, which he based on the old western type of single action to Sturm. The amazing part about his idea, which is still a big seller today, is he designed it, so it had changeable cylinders. It was chambered for the 22 magnum and the 22 rimfire. This ingenious idea was one reason that Sturm agreed.

Some of his other designs not mentioned last week were the Blackhawk Pistol that he also chambered for a .357 magnum and a 44 magnum. His designs were so different for that time and he came later than those first great designers of the late 1800s.

There are four very big companies that at that time were producing great guns: Winchester, Remington, Colt and Browning. I think when they heard about some of Ruger’s designs, they probably laughed. His design to attach the gun stock to the action was unique. The angle of the recoil lug, which entered the cutout, was very unusual. It was not straight; it was angled and as it was tightened, it drew both parts together.

I’m sure those old gun companies thought he was nuts. Sturm did not; he backed it. Along with scope mounts built as part of the gun.

His falling block single-shot rifle, which he called the Number One Ruger, was considered very wacky but it sold. Ruger somehow knew it would, and Sturm backed him. Today, the gun still sells, and I own this elegant piece of history.

This finishes my two-part series about Sturm, Ruger & Company. I know there is a lot more I could tell you about him. How he designed his own car, some of his great guns but that’s enough.

Today I saw a Robin and it looked a little bedraggled like all of us, but it spoke to me of spring. I hope the {span}winter has ended and I get to take the Number One Ruger out to the range.