The project started when Ken Jorgenson, Ruger's Shooting Sports and Media Relations Coordinator, mentioned to TALO that the Boy Scouts were interested in a making a Ruger 10/22 rifle a special BSA edition. TALO had just finished a successful Ruger John Wayne Vaquero edition and Ken suggested that we look into the BSA program. I will skip right to the edition, because dealing with some of the licensing compliance folks is not for the faint of heart. TALO wanted to create something unusual for the Boy Scouts. I myself was a former scout who fondly remembered his weeks at Camp Sequassen.
The challenge was to produce a rifle worthy of the project. After many attempts and redrawing, we were able to take an original Norman Rockwell image, combine it with other Boy Scout themes and reproduce it beautifully on the stock with state of the art laser engraving. Ruger pitched in with an upgraded finish to the metal. The stockmaker found a great supply of nice walnut for the stock.
The collectable box was a departure for Ruger. It required weeks of work and redrawing and the official blessing from BSA, but in the end it contributed nicely to the package. The gun's brochure was produced to tie the whole concept together. We wanted to honor the scouting tradition and produce a collectible rifle at an affordable price. I believe the BSA 10/22 is unlike any 10/22 produced to date.
While we are not supposed to mention it, the sales of the rifle have caused some nice checks to be written to Boy Scouts of America. There are many folks to thank for its success, especially the TALO dealers who purchased and display the rifle. TALO is very proud to have had a part in it.