Budget Brand Anderson Manufacturing Closes After Ruger Buyout

Anderson Manufacturing, most known for producing budget friendly ARs, announced it’s closing its doors.

The company took to social media to let customers know that, after 70 years of service to the gun industry, the time had come to say goodbye, selling off the company to Ruger.

"After careful consideration, we made the difficult decision to sell the company and close this chapter of our story," Anderson explained.

"With the sale now complete, the Anderson brand has been discontinued, and Anderson products will no longer be offered. As a result, warranty services on Anderson firearms, parts, and accessories are no longer available."

Anderson’s guns, parts, and accessories were known for their affordability, often lovingly referred to as “poverty pony.” Ruger has said it has no plans to continue with the budget-minded brand. In a statement, the gunmaker clarified that it will simply absorb the manufacturing and tooling to broaden its own operations but will not continue the legacy brand or add any of its products to its catalog.

“This acquisition is an incredible opportunity to advance our long-term strategy and expand Ruger’s capacity,” Todd Seyfert, President and CEO of Ruger, said in a news release.

“We’re excited to welcome members from the talented team at Anderson Manufacturing and leverage their knowledge and infrastructure to better serve our customers. This move reinforces Ruger’s position as a leader in the industry, and reiterates my focus on continued growth, even as others scale back.”

The acquisition will likely push Ruger into the top spot as the largest rifle maker in the U.S. According to the ATF’s Annual Firearms Manufacturers and Export Report, the company manufactured over 610,000 rifles in 2023 while Anderson produced over 338,000 rifles that same year. Savage sat in the top spot in 2023, manufacturing a total of 639,591 rifles.

The acquisition could also mean good news for other manufacturers in the industry. Though Anderson’s rifles were among the cheapest in the industry, they were also a legendary force in the AR lowers segment. According to federal regulators, the company’s AR lower output was 308,566, surpassing Palmetto State Armory (252,735) and Aero Precision (224,333) as the largest lower manufacturer in the U.S. With Anderson out of the way, PSA and Aero stand poised to claim the top spots as most prolific lower makers.

Reaction to the news varied on social media, with some gun owners lamenting the loss of cheap components and rifles. “Rip poverty pony lowers for $30,” A Redditor commented on the news.

Others seemed to accept that the industry frequently sees companies step up when others close. “Someone else will fill the void most likely,” another comment read.

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What do you think of Ruger-Anderson buyout? Let us know in the comments below. For more news, check out the News Section.

Additional Resources

• Anderson Manufacturing Statement
• Annual Firearms Manufacturers and Export Report
• Street Insider
• Reddit