Market research for Lipsey’s Ruger exclusive’s?

A fellow over on the Accurate Reloading forum found out directly from Jason Clausner that the 2020 Lipsey's Exclusive Ruger Hawkeye African will be chambered in 280 AI, of all things. I suspect this will come as something of a shock, as the trend from the previous three years has been Classic Mauser cartridges from the first few decades of smokeless powder development. While I don't think the 280AI is necessarily a bad choice, I doubt it's anything close to what the market was looking for (hopefully the market was unknowingly looking for it, as it is a great round!) in this particular rifle. Assuming I'm correct in this assumption, I'm wondering if forums such as this one, Accurate Reloading, 24hourcampfire, etc. can try to convince Lipsey's to conduct marketing polls on these forums. This might help them sell more guns and get us more of what we want and not just what is marketed to us. I'm not just talking about the Hawkeye African either. What say you?

I agree, was hoping for something more classic. i'm sure 280ai is a great cartridge just not for me, hope it makes others happy, waiting for next year.

Market research is all fine and dandy but when ruger and their distributors do a piss poor job of advertising a new model then what's the point?

I need more fingers to count the number of times a new mode was gone and sold out before knowing it even existed...

In addition ..... see a new model introduced (22LR LCP comes to mind) then mark your calendar for 12 to 18 months before any show up locally.

I called 5 local shops the day I heard about them. None of the shops knew they existed yet but found all suppliers show "back order". :x

I was disappointed with the 6.5X55 I "just had to get one".
the pencil barrel and the standard small bead and blade sights

JFB said:

I was disappointed with the 6.5X55 I "just had to get one".
the pencil barrel and the standard small bead and blade sights

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Was it the accuracy? I heard another person say their 6.5 African wasn't very accurate.

71shooter said:

JFB said:

I was disappointed with the 6.5X55 I "just had to get one".
the pencil barrel and the standard small bead and blade sights

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Was it the accuracy? I heard another person say their 6.5 African wasn't very accurate.

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didn't feel like shooting it.

rugerjunkie said:

Market research is all fine and dandy but when ruger and their distributors do a piss poor job of advertising a new model then what's the point?

I need more fingers to count the number of times a new mode was gone and sold out before knowing it even existed...

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I don't think Lipsey's does any real general market research. I think they do more of a collaboration with the factory and feed off of trends identified by the industry and gun writers. A perfect example is the .280I. The general shooting public is not exactly screaming about it, but who could hear anything over the 6.5 CREEDMOOR hype anyway? But Lipsey's will have No.1's special made to sell out fast to collectors. Hell they could probably sell out in .348 Win or 25-35 too. Ho-hum

Id buy a number one in 348 Winchester...

To paraphrase Yogi, "If no one wants a No. One in 348 Win., how are you gonna stop them?"

While I'm a huge fan of the 280 Remington, owning a #1A, M70 Super Grade, M70 Featherweight, and a 1979 M700 stamped 7mm Express, I don't see the appeal of the 280AI in this special run Ruger African. I think 7 x 64 would have been a better choice if it had to be a 7mm as it is a classic European/African caliber, much like the 9.3 x 62. While the 280 AI is a very potent round, it is basically unknown unless you are a rifle loony or handloader, or both, like myself. If, the 280 AI, 260 Remington, 7mm WSM, 338 Federal, and others had received as much press as the 6.5 CM, they would be more popular as well. Bob!! :mrgreen:

Might as well have just gone with 7x65R then.
A classic RIMMED European cartridge that was a favorite of Ross Seyfried, one of my favorite gun magazine writers.

Well a .348 Winchester No.1 makes sense, cuz it's a pretty powerful rimmed round. Right now Hornady has released ammo again for it, and there are still a few Winchester and Browning 71's out there that need to be fed.

7x64 Brenneke is nice too!

I emailed the CEO at Ruger that 7.92x57 or plain old 30-06 would be neat. One of each would be in my safe.

gs50401 said:

I emailed the CEO at Ruger that 7.92x57 or plain old 30-06 would be neat. One of each would be in my safe.

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Not to be the wise guy, but plain old 30-06 is just that........"plain old" :?

A 33806 would be awesome in a ruger 77 or another run of 260 rem .I wish they made ruger 77 all the time but they dont .I wish the would bring back runs of the tang safety ruger 77 rifles they are my favorite ones !

The 7.92 x 57 crossed my mind too, as it is a classic European/African colony caliber. I have 3 of the 700 Classics in 8mm, one of which I had rechambered to 8mm-06, one was left as is, and the other is an 8mm Remington Magnum BDL which was restocked with a classic stock and glass bedded. Add to that a Browning BLR in 325 WSM, an A Bolt II in 325 WSM and a M70 in 325 WSM, 8mm bullets have a good chance to get loaded. Bob! :mrgreen:

Two classic African rounds I would like to see are the 318 Westley Richards and the 10.75x68 Mauser. Both will easily fit in Ruger's standard action. Ammo availability is the big problem for both right now, as neither has been produced by anyone for quite some time.

charlies said:

Id buy a number one in 348 Winchester...

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I would buy one as well..............