As the old expression goes, If you can do what you say, it's not bragging. If that's the case, Ruger's still hitting the x-ring with consumers. Yesterday afternoon, Sturm, Ruger & Company (NYSE:RGR) announced a quarterly dividend of 79 cents per share based on first quarter 2012 sales of $112.3 million. Ruger reports having orders for 1.2 million units in the first quarter. That's more than the total number of units shipped in 2011. It's also the reason the company suspended new orders on March 18. The latest SEC filing says they estimate reopening orders at the end of this month. The company's also reporting a sixty-two percent increase in sell-through of their products through independent distributors to retailers. That's a heap of products flowing into the hands of what appear to be very willing consumers. More than $40 million of their first-quarter sales were for the trio of new products they announced: the Ruger American rifle, SR22 pistol and 10/22 Take Down rifle. If you've not been able to find one on retailer shelves, that's probably the reason- they can't make 'em fast enough. Ruger's not the only company facing what an old retailer friend in New York City would call "the blessed problem". A couple of weeks ago, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed a bit of legislation (H.F. 1816) into law that accomplished a couple of things. The primary goal - allowing Minnesota firearms dealers to legally possess suppressors for research and development, product demonstrations and law enforcement sales, was one that was easy to see. The second thing it accomplished was actually what it prevented. It kept JP Enterprises from leaving Minnesota for more a more hospitable business climate. If the bill hadn't passed, JP Enterprises had planned a relocation to either Wisconsin or South Dakota -places where the suppressor laws were more lenient. That's because JP has devoted a lot of time, energy and money into their military and law enforcement division. And that expansion was being stifled because Minnesota didn't allow suppressor ownership- and the military was increasingly requiring "fully-engineered rifle systems". Without the ability to fine-tune designs for rifles and components, JP was being restricted in the duty market. "It's beneficial to everyone in the industry and our state when government listens and understands the needs of the business community and orchestrates a workable solution," says JP general manager Mel Koenig. Koenig also testified in favor of the bill during the legislative process, and promised JP Enterprises would stick around if the bill passed. We're happy to report that JP has made good on that promise, having purchased a new industrial building that doubles their current size - and they're already in the process of hiring new staff to grow their workforce. And the "zombie thing" isn't showing any signs of slowing down these days. The latest zombie even you might have read about in the wires is "Zombies in the Heartland-Pandemic 2012 3-Gun Match". This event's set for June 29 through July 1, 2012 at the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Nebraska.

The Zombie Truck. Not driven by zombies, but designed to round 'em up. All the accessories to hunt (above) and hold (below) those pesky undead. Photos courtesy of www.zombietruck.com

The sponsors? Hornady Manufacturing and the Nebraska Army National Guard. Honest, we're not making this one up. And here's one zombie-inspired story we're betting you've not seen anywhere else (at least not yet- tomorrow maybe): The Zombie Truck. It started out as a promotion scheme for Kitchener, Ontario's Haunted House of Horrors, an annual Halloween attraction, but it's taken on a life (ouch) of its own. What started life as a Suzuki Carry mini-truck has become the first vehicle re-engineered for zombie hunting and disposal work. As you see in the photos, it's largest feature is a six-foot metal containment cage, but the decapitating front bumper, 100W siren (with custom zombie sound), zombie weaponry kit, Gatling gun and zombie graphics package help complete the unheard-of rig for haulin' the undead. The floor of the containment area has been coated in an easy-to-clean surfacing (yeck) and the cab has a zombie bite kit, mounted shotgun, samurai sword and an LCD screen with a customized zombie GPS system. "The vehicle was conceived as a promotional vehicle for the haunted attraction we run every October," says creator Shawn Gusz, "Zombies have become a huge part of pop culture in recent years, and have become the most important part of the horror genre thanks partly to an influx of zombie films and TV shows such as 'AMC's The Walking Dead'." The Zombie Truck will be making promotional appearances across Canada and the upper United States through the rest of the year. As usual - you heard it here first. --Jim Shepherd