Red Label Advice

[MalteseHoss]

Im sure this question has been asked a million times but for some reason I can only search one page of old posts.
Im thinking of picking up a Red Label in 20ga. My local gunshop has one but I havent looked it over yet. Is there anything to know beforehand with these? Anything to watch out for? Anything thats more desirable or something to avoid? This one has a stainless receiver and although I typically prefer blued, this is a nice looking gun. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[trapperon]

As you are most likely aware, the Red Label is no longer in production. Some see this as a disadvantage as the factory will undoubtedly stop servicing them when the parts run out at the factory. Others see this as an advantage--as supply and demand will undoubtedly cause value to rise eventually as time goes on. I think the 20ga Red Label is a fine shotgun. As far as value, the screw in choke models are valued higher than the early fixed choke models. Also, the early blued receiver models are less valuable than the stainless versions. By far the least produced model (I believe roughly 250) is the 20ga new version that was brought back for a couple years and then discontinued. These were by and large all 12ga models, and the factory released just a handful of the 20ga versions when the announcement was made that they would be discontinued again. This last "new" variation is recognizable by a stainless top lever and receiver bottom will have no square lug protruding through it.

If the price is right and the shotgun is in good shape, I wouldnt be afraid to snag one. I love mine!

good luck!

Ron

 

[ndcowboy]

I ended up with a like new 80's Red Label 12 a couple weeks ago at a gun show in Bismarck, ND. Looks fantastic but I think the reason it wasn't fired much is the top barrel didn't eject very well. I took it apart three times, polished the chamber and even re-torqued the bolt through the stock - now it ejects great. I gave $900 for it not knowing the top barrel was an issue.
In a day where a Stoeger costs $450 to 500, I don't think an American made shotgun for $900 is too much money.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

We had a few thru our shop when they first came out. They were "typically Ruger" as my ol' gunsmith boss would say when he was being charitable:

It's basically a good design, fairly rugged, with a couple of quirky things that may or may not be deal breakers (an automatic safety is ok in the field but on a clay target range is a terrible idea! Ruger used to offer to remove that feature if you wanted to send it back--dunno about now. And it handles like a 2x4 compared to most O/Us I've shot.) If there's anything to look out for, it's subject to Ruger's legendary quality control, meaning you'll probably benefit from a full tear down and some serious "fluff and buff" on all the bits (see ndcowboy's comments.) That's what most of 'em we saw came in for. Then it should work pretty well, especially as an upland field gun.

Unless I was particularly sold on having a Ruger, I'd be saving my money while looking for a nice used Browning Citori instead. Might be a bit more pricey, but a lot more gun for the buck in my eyes...

Rick C

 

[MalteseHoss]

I looked over the one I had my eye on. It seems well used but not abused. I wouldnt doubt it was worked on seeing as how it smooth it was to open and close, and had a very nice trigger as well. I decided to pass on it and hold out for a blued receiver. It will only be a field gun. I was looking forward to having it today for a planned pheasant hunt but my old pump will have to do for one more year. One of the guys Im going with shoots a Perazzi and a Browning. Maybe Ill try a couple shots with those and see how much I really need an O/U.

 

[eastbank]

for 900.00 you can find a good used browning-beretta ect if you shop around. we had three red label,s at the clays games over the last 20 years and all three were sold off because of troubles, two went back to ruger for repairs and still went tits up. now we are talking about several hundred rounds a week, for general hunting it may be ok. the only ruger shotguns I would buy would be a ruger doublebarrel and ruger single shot trap gun for collecting, not shooting. eastbank.

 

[ndcowboy]

I might be in the minority here, but I like the feel of the Red Label. It swings well for me and points true.

 

[eastbank]

in the end it realy depends on what you like and what fits you. but there is a reason they are not made anymore, after bringing it out two different times it just didn,t make the grade for a long time heavy use shotgun. eastbank.

 

[ndcowboy]

Not sure I agree 100 percent with you eastbank. Part of any product being successful is price-point. Not easy to make a quality double barrel in the good old USA for a dollar amount that competes with a foreign made job. Combine that with the fact that Ruger can crank out plenty of plastic guns that sell cheaply by the boatload, and you have a firearm that just doesn't make sense financially for a company to sell. The Red Label died more from that cause than claims about quality. Kind of the same road the Number One seems to be heading on.

 

[ABNRGR]

The blued 20 gauge Red Label with fixed chokes (IC/M) is an excellent shotgun. I started with a Stevens Model 77D that was my father's gun, moved up to the Red Label when it first came out (with phenomenal success), flirted with the Belgian Browning Superposed (an absolutely superb shotgun of great design and unmatched craftsmanship), and settled on Parkers (DH grade, 16 gauge, 1 1/2" frame, straight English stock, skeleton butt plate, double triggers. 7 lbs., and currently a VH, 16 gauge, O frame, pistol grip, 5 1/4 lbs., a dream to carry and shoot. These guns and the dogs do the work, I just carry and pull the trigger for a one shot kill. The Parkers were the best double barreled shotguns made in America, according to many experts, although the English categorized them as "farmer's guns.". The Superposed are expensive, but do not approach Parker values. These are guns for purists, as is the 16 gauge. In my humble opinion (but an experienced one, I am 65 and have been hunting and shooting for more than 47 years), you could not do better than a fixed choke, blued receiver Red Label, with a beautiful stock, common in early production. I recommend 28" barrels. Over and unders (superposed) are easier to master for the beginner than side by side doubles. Stainless receivers with screw-in chokes have heavier barrels and swing like two by fours and are heavy. Good luck and if I can help in your decision-making process, send me a PM.

 

[mohavesam]

If you've bought the gun, I hope all the chokes came with it!

Ruger wants $50 per choke, which I see as a bit ridiculous, as every customer is an owner of their product already. Just marketing greed.