You would buy from a company who's former head had stated:
"No honest man needs more than 10 rounds in any gun."
and
"I never meant for simple civilians to have my 20 or 30 round magazines or my folding stock."
This "simple civilian" will never buy from Ruger again until this high capacity magazine law is tossed out (good luck in that). I have never bought anything from Smith and Wesson either, but if the only two gun companies left were Ruger and Smith & Wesson; Ruger would not be my choice.
It's because of Ruger that high capacity magazines are now getting very rare. What widespread effects did the Smith and Wesson deal have on U.S. firearm owners?
Smith and Wesson was attacked by many lawyers with lawsuits versus Ruger who willfuly jumped up unto the opponents' side on to get some more money.
Ruger is far worse than Smith and Wesson. I will not purchase from Smith and Wesson either until they have fixed up the mess that they have made with former Clinton administration.
As for the ban on high capacity magazines I can't make heads, or tails of it. I know you speak the truth, because I remember when the Law went into effect. The factory magazines are disappearing fast. Luckily for me I stocked up a few years ago when they were still cheap. The weird thing is that there are plenty of the after-market cheapo plastic magazines available. How do you account for that?
As for the comments of Mr. Ruger I think that he was pandering in the face of (then) powerful opposition. As you said it was a misguided effort to save a little, rather than lose it all. The pandering/sell out makes me sick, but the problem is that the Mini-14 is a darn good rifle! Ideal for someone in the position of having to fight a geurrilla war. Reliable with a minimum of parts. Plus it uses .223 round that is readily available. I'm afraid I'm already on board. I'm considering the future- how bout you? A Smith & Wesson is more of a status symbol than a practical firearm.