# Ruger Gold Label Field Test



## The Norseman (Jan 8, 2005)

(Circa February 2005)

Finally got to go and shoot my Ruger Gold Label SxS 12ga shotgun, after having it a week. America's first side by side shotgun for decades and Mr. Ruger's last design come true.

Bear in mind when reading my Field-Test, this is the only other shotgun I have (never been much of a Shotgun Fancier), but always been drawn to the Side x Side. I like rifles, pistols and reloading for them.

Boy, oh boy, talk about sweet looking and shooting. The RGL is lightweight, slim, trim, easy to control, and carry. Very appealing to the eye. It came up to the shoulder nice and pointed what I thought was perfect.

I had only seen the stock indoors under lights and the wood was extraordinary and beautiful grain. The sun really brought out stock wood, it is magnificent, sort a fiddle back look to it. It has that semi shiny non-glare Ruger stock finish, conservative, and not gaudy looking like a trap/skeet gun.

The barrel select switch moves up/down and swings left/right. S (top position) and L (on left side) and R (for the right barrel). The S showing means "on safe (can not pull the trigger) and L/R for which ever barrel to shoot first. Pick the L/R barrel to shoot first, push switch up, and fire. Very safe operation.

Field Test was done with just plain old Federal Game Load 12ga 2-3/4", 1oz, 6 shot, muzzle vel. 1290fps (blue box) bought at Wal-Mart.

My son and I took turns shooting. We shot about 21 shells. I missed a few having not shot much shotgun, but my son that has never shot guns as much as I have, hit every hand thrown clay bird. I used the classic barrel hold, thumb pointed forward along the barrel, fingers holding by the rib, no touching the splinter forearm. My son just held at the forearm. Son was having a blast, I was proud.

I was expecting to just get pounded, but RGL was very pleasant shooting. Kick was straight back and with cheek on the comb, stock never came up to hit me. Actually I enjoy shooting the RGL more then my circa 1984 Remington 870 Special Field 20ga English Stock with 21" barrel.

I don't know what the trigger weight is but it is great for me. It broke crisp and cleanly, no sponginess. There was no after travel that I could detect. Must have been good for my son too, since he hit every clay.

We checked the screw-in chokes and they were still tight and not frozen in the barrels. I learned it is good to check them once in a while. I had carefully taken them out during my initial cleaning (I clean every new gun first before firing). Cleaned and made sure lube was on the threads (a very small tube of RIG came with it). Chokes are stainless steel and recipe card thick. The choke tubes stick out just a hair to protect the thin wall muzzles (also outlined in the instruction manual). This is a very smart idea to protect the thin wall muzzles, some machinist was thinking, it surely wasn't the engineer behind the desk. Barrels are made thinner than other hunting shotguns I have seen. There is a tag in the box warning that the barrels can be dented if not handled carefully (no throwing the RGL in the pick-up truck).

I am more then very happy with the Ruger Gold Label SxS. The RGL is just what I wanted for Upland bird hunting on the farm. I will not only be able to hit more birds, I will also look classic doing it during the Fall Pheasant season. Mr. Ruger knew exactly what he was doing when he made this Side by Side.
Thanks for reading my Field Report.


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