Sandy's Soapbox: The Ranger

[cedarview kid]

Hey guys, did you notice the November issue of Sandy's Soapbox? It's about naming our famous break-top as

   "The Ranger." Sandy also says that so far, 200 units have been manufactured. So, I guess that means we have 1/200

   for the first run instead of 1/500. This makes me curious what's going to be different in each set of 100, up to 500.

   

   Check it out.

   

   http://naaminis.com/soapbox/sandy1.html">http://naaminis.com/soapbox/sandy1.html

   

   Dar

[mayvik]

Hrm..$399 target for production pieces, vs the $449 early bird, does not seem like such a bad deal now for those who were griping about prices.  

   

   Here's hoping they also can upsize the design to .32!

[cedarview kid]

I paid $450 x 2 and I HOPE they can get the break-top out the door for $399. If they can, I may buy another one--or two.

   

   Dar

[45flint]

Has anyone got a price from a distributor as of yet?

[silvershooter]

Very informative and interesting soapbox, thanks Dar and Sandy. I hope to see the Ranger in one of my dealers display cases in the future. I like the name too. It's easier to say than break top and reminds me of the Texas Rangers, the old west......good people/good times(nostalgia).

[cedarview kid]

Too bad the name didn't go on the gun. :-( Hmm, I have some metal stamps... LOL.

[silvershooter]

Good idea Dar. Would that fall under "custom&curio" at the Naa factory? I guess you could call and ask them but I doubt you could stand to be separated from your BT/Ranger during shipment: I could see you running down the street chasing the UPS truck

   Like the mother of an only child who couldn't have kids for a long time and just put the lil'one on the school bus for the first time.

[cedarview kid]

LOL. Fortunately, there's no shipping for me to the factory. I'll just run it down there. Takes only 30 minutes. :-)

[redhawk4]

You could always return the two you have under the 30 day money back guarantee and then buy two production ones later and save $100

   

   I think the extra 50 bucks is well worth it to have the original and billet made guns. If the production model is a success and lots sell, it will be even better to know you own one of the first and best.

   

   "I could see you running down the street chasing the UPS truck Like the mother of an only child who couldn't have kids for a long time and just put the lil'one on the school bus for the first time".

   

   That paints a great mental picture. I see him taking the box of the truck and embracing it on it's return too.

[45flint]

Naa Collector, so glad the name didn't go on the gun, it is so lame.  The break-top was patterned after the break-tops of the turn of the century. Probably the Smith and Wesson 1 1/2 is very close.  The Texas Rangers would have never used such a gun.

[redhawk4]

They can call it what they like as long as I don't have to have it engraved on mine - as I've said before it will always be referred to as the Break Top by me.

   

   It's well worth the extra $50 if only not to have Ranger anywhere on it, IMO.

[45flint]

I agree best $50 I have spent to have a pure break-top.

[cedarview kid]

I kind of like the name myself--better than just calling it "the break-top." I also think the extra $50 was well spent.

[coinchop]

I already have a couple of spur trigger 22 cal Rangers. They have Ranger stamped on the top strap. They are 22 short and very old. They look like old time minis.

[redhawk4]

Ranger sort of implies the open range to me, I don't see the BT in that role somehow. Makes it sound like someting bigger in size and Caliber too. Something exciting, but more urban and implying self defense would be better. I'll let you know if inspiration strikes.

[silvershooter]

http://www.texasranger.org/history/BriefHistory1.htm">http://www.texasranger.org/history/BriefHistory1.htm

   

   Interesting history at link above, two pages. Seems Texas rangers would bring their own weapons to their profession; carrying multiple pistols since they were often outnumbered 50-1. I think a few of them would have felt comfortable having a 22M NAA Ranger as a backup. Seems they've sought out the best weapons over the years, whether it be a colt revolver, a 1911, or auto 12guage.  

   

   Posts some pics if you can coinchop

[cedarview kid]

I also don't equate the name The Ranger to the Texas Rangers. I also thought about the shooting range or the open range. I'm curious why Ken came up with the name--if he's the one who named it. I like it, though.

[silvershooter]

Redhawk4, how about a left-handed British model BT called the "Sherlock".....as in Sherlock Holmes?

[grayelky]

quote:

   

   Has anyone got a price from a distributor as of yet?

I just checked with 3 of mine, and none of them list it yet. Lipsey's does list a 1 1/8 Wasp, and none of the others do. As soon as I find one listed I will let you know.

   

   As to my Ranger, I have gotten used to calling it the Break Top. I also feel the extra $50 I spent for it is money well spent. Perhaps it is just my imagination, but it just seems like it is made better than the other Minis I have.

[stungun]

Had I known that the BT would be changed to the Ranger... I would have bought the BT, knowing it would be FARRR more rare than had the BT just turned into thousands of more BTs.

   

   Shucks.

[mayvik]

I imagine that the future production, like every other commercial item out there, will be determined by current sales.  That said, the "BT" will likely always be more valuable than the "Ranger" unless some catastrophic failure or oversight is discovered.  From what I've experienced of NAA, I doubt that's likely to happen...