When Bill Ruger, Sr. founded Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. in 1949, his newly minted company faced an uphill battle. Experts cast doubt that a new firearms company could stand up to the established name-brand gunmakers in an industry that was already viewed to be in a state of decline.
More than 60 years later, the Ruger name is respected around the world. In the spirit of Bill Ruger, Ruger CEO Mike Fifer and President/COO Chris Killoy have taken a stand to not only provide customers with a great firearm, but to ensure their customers have the right to use them for years to come.
They know the real threats looming just around the corner:
•The next President could nominate three or more anti-gun Supreme Court Justices, making possible the virtual eradication of Second Amendment freedom.
•The reinstatement of the failed federal ban on semi-automatic firearms.
•Increased federal funding on gun control research.
•A policy to use secret government lists to deny Second Amendment rights.
•The creation of a federal firearm registration scheme.
The Ruger leaders were determined to make a difference by doing more than just donating. They wanted to get their loyal customers and gun owners across America involved.
“We started with the One Million Gun Challenge a few years ago because the NRA-ILA needed money to fight the battles on our behalf,” explained Ruger CEO Mike Fifer. “It seemed like a stretch goal for us. So, we went out and did it. We made more than a million guns and we sold more than a million guns.”
Flash forward four years, and support for the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action was more important than ever. Fifer says that after hearing Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox explain that they were hoping to raise fifty to sixty million dollars, the 2.5 Million Gun Challenge was born.
“We thought, gee, could we do it again? And it just didn't seem like enough. So, we said, let's double everything. Let's try to raise four million dollars."
“And we hope that they know that their decision to buy a Ruger means more than just owning and shooting a great firearm,” explained Ruger president and COO Chris Killoy. “It means supporting their Second Amendment rights, helping Ruger support the NRA-ILA, especially in this critical election year.”
Undeterred, Ruger again met the challenge goal of selling two million new firearms, raising a total of $4,000,000 for the NRA-ILA between the 2015 and 2016 NRA Annual Meetings.
"Ruger's continued commitment to supporting the NRA-ILA is outstanding," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox. "The funds raised from this program will help us in both our fight to protect the Second Amendment and our effort to educate voters and get them to the polls in this crucial election year."
But Ruger’s unwavering support for the Second Amendment and the NRA didn’t end there. On August 1, 2016, Ruger announced the $5 Million Match Campaign to continue its support for the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). Until October 31, 2016, any donation made to the NRA-ILA that is affiliated with the challenge will be matched by a donation from Ruger, up to a maximum Ruger contribution of $5,000,000. All donations will benefit the NRA-ILA’s efforts to protect the Second Amendment in the upcoming November elections.
The Ruger $5 Million Match Challenge further exemplifies Ruger’s commitment to our Second Amendment rights. This campaign provides firearms enthusiasts and supporters of the Second Amendment with an opportunity to give at whatever level they choose, whether or not they have participated in the 2.5 Million Gun Challenge.
“We wanted to offer an opportunity for folks to contribute to the NRA-ILA, knowing that their donation will be backed by a matching contribution from Ruger,” Fifer added. “Make no mistake, the Second Amendment is on the ballot this November and we all have to be completely committed to preserving it.”
As of September 16, 2016, the Ruger $5 Million Match campaign has raised $3.8 million in donations alone, and with Ruger’s matching contributions that is a total of $7.6 million in funds to protect our Second Amendment rights. But there’s still time for you to show your support for Ruger, the NRA and the Constitution by donating to the $5 Million Match Challenge.
“NRA members, loyal Ruger customers and everyone who values their right to bear arms together constitute a force to be reckoned with—whether it’s at the polls or with our checkbooks,” said Fifer. “Now is the time to put that power behind the NRA to ensure they have the resources they need to defend our rights from an ever-increasing anti-gun agenda.”
To make a donation, visit Ruger’s contribution page on the NRA-ILA website at www.nraila.org/grassroots/contribute/ruger-5-million-match/, or through the Ruger website at www.Ruger.com/TakeAction. You can also learn what is at stake this election year, discover how you can “take action” to defend the Second Amendment— from buying a Ruger® firearm, writing to congressmen, voting in the upcoming election, joining the NRA and finding out more about how Ruger is on the frontlines of the fight for freedom.
“When it comes to the Second Amendment, every election is important but this year especially we know the results are going to be critical to our future as an industry and our future as firearms owners,” explains Killoy.
“Here's what you can do,” says Fifer. “First, get out and vote. Second, take at least one friend with you to vote. Help folks get out to the polls who wouldn't otherwise get there on their own for whatever reason. And third, participate in the challenge because we can really make a difference if we help fund NRA-ILA.”
Fifer and Killoy want to impress upon gun owners across America that although the $5 Million Match Challenge will be over on October 31, the battle will continue. “The NRA needs our support more than ever,” says Killoy. “Together, we can answer the call for freedom and stand together to protect and defend our constitutional rights. Only we can provide the NRA with the monetary funding and grass-roots manpower it needs to safeguard the Second Amendment for our generation and the next.”
“Friends, the fight is already on. If we wait until November, we will lose everything. So challenge every gun owner you know,” stated Chris Cox, Executive Director of the NRA-ILA. “This is a fight for our freedom!”
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