Ruger Adds Six Guns to Its 250th Year of American Liberty Series

Last updated June 2026 · By Nick Hall, covers Ruger, Marlin, and the collectible-firearms market for USA Gun Shop

Quick take: Ruger just stretched its “250th Year of American Liberty” commemorative lineup with six new limited-production guns timed to America’s 250th anniversary in 2026. The set spans an SR1911 pistol, two Hawkeye bolt rifles, a No. 1 single-shot in .375 Ruger, and a pair of Marlin Model 1894 lever guns. Every one wears gold-accented engraving and the line “Made in the 250th Year of American Liberty.” The numbers are tiny, so collectors will need to move fast.

• What it is: A six-gun expansion of Ruger’s 250th Year of American Liberty commemorative series, tied to the semiquincentennial — the United States’ 250th birthday in 2026.
• The six models: An SR1911 pistol, two Hawkeye bolt-action rifles, a No. 1 single-shot in .375 Ruger, and two Ruger-made Marlin Model 1894 lever guns (one in .44 Magnum, one in .45 Colt).
• How limited: The SR1911 is capped at 1,776 units. Each of the rifles is capped at just 250 units.
• Who it’s for: Collectors, patriots marking the anniversary, and fans of Ruger’s classic platforms who want a gun with a story behind it.

The America-250 Tie-In

The whole series hangs on one date: 2026, the year America turns 250. That milestone, the semiquincentennial, has manufacturers across the industry reaching for the flag, but Ruger is leaning in harder than most by spreading the theme across a full slate of its best-known platforms instead of a single token piece.

The unifying touch is the engraving. Every gun in the series carries gold-accented work and the inscription “Made in the 250th Year of American Liberty.” That shared mark is what ties a 1911 pistol, a single-shot rifle, a pair of bolt guns, and two lever actions into one cohesive collection rather than six unrelated specials. For a buyer, the inscription is also the thing that gives each piece its collectible identity years down the road.

The Two Marlin 1894 Lever Guns

The headliners for a lot of shooters will be the two Marlin Model 1894 lever-action rifles. One is chambered in .44 Magnum and the other in .45 Colt — two pistol-caliber rounds that have been at home in the 1894 for generations and still make the platform a favorite for woods carry, plinking, and short-range work.

What makes these particular guns notable is the lineage. Ruger acquired Marlin in 2020 and has spent the years since rebuilding the brand’s quality reputation, and these commemoratives are Ruger-produced Marlins through and through. If you’ve followed the lever-action revival and the way Ruger steadied the Marlin line, a gold-engraved 1894 capped at 250 units is about as pointed a statement of confidence as the company could make. Each chambering is limited to 250 rifles, so between the two of them you’re looking at 500 lever guns total.

The SR1911, No. 1, and Hawkeyes

The rest of the lineup pulls from Ruger’s deep bench of American classics. The SR1911 is Ruger’s take on John Browning’s century-old design, and the commemorative version is capped at 1,776 units — a number that needs no explanation for anyone who knows their American history.

Alongside it sit the rifles. The No. 1 is Ruger’s elegant single-shot, here chambered in the hard-hitting .375 Ruger, a round built for big game. Two Hawkeye bolt-action rifles round out the set, drawing on the line that carries Ruger’s modern bolt-gun reputation. Each of these rifles, like the Marlins, is held to a 250-unit cap. It’s a deliberate spread — a defensive pistol, a hunting single-shot, two bolt guns, and two lever actions — that lets a collector pick the platform that already lives closest to their heart, whether that’s a 1911 on the nightstand or a deer rifle in the safe.

Should You Buy One?

This is a collector’s series first and a shooter’s series second. With the rifles held to 250 units apiece and the pistol to 1,776, these guns are built to be owned, inscribed, and held — and a fair number will go straight into safes and never see a range.

Ruger didn’t release pricing alongside the announcement, so we’d hold off on guessing what these will run until the company or dealers post real numbers. If you want one to shoot, any of these platforms is a proven performer in standard form, and you can usually find the everyday versions for a lot less money. But if the draw is the anniversary, the engraving, and the low production numbers, that’s exactly the kind of thing a true commemorative is for — and with caps this tight, the ones you want won’t sit on shelves long.

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