Hmmm. Treblig's post raises questions. Everyone, including Ruger-lovers like myself, has always bemoaned the heavy weight of the RL (except the 28). But the light weight of the GL is held against it?
Admitting my biases--I would never have spent the money (about $1650-1700 real world at the time) for a GL. I just don't have, nor ever have had, that kind of money for a gun. But when my considerably wealthier older brother gave me one at the same time he got himself one, I was DELIGHTED. Still am. Sentimental value? You bet! (My brother actually earned his relative wealth--32 years in the USA with 3 tours in VN, "Operation Just Because," planning first Gulf, and then 18 more years in the Alphabets, including 'Stan tourism before the Wall came down...).
The gun works, every time. It hits where it is pointed. It kicks when you feed it heavy loads. I know that there are more beautiful guns out there (by far), but the GL was made, like most Rugers, for "rough duty." Over-engineered, like a GP-100 (or a C-47). A retro concept, but one dear to my heart. An old Balkans gentleman (his home country "didn't exist" at that time, but now it does again...) once showed me HIS sentimental favorite double, a JP Sauer field grade BLNE SxS 12 with "export" 2 3/4" chambers and 29+" metric barrels F and XF. A very plain boxlock, plainly well cared for since its birth in the 1920s and sold by a retailer in Salonika with an Armenian surname. I wish he could have told me all its stories, but what he told me stands for a certain class of high-quality, low finish double the world over: "Mike, you can kill a duck or a Duke with a gun like this!" And everything in between.
This ramble aside, the GL is at least a very interesting development in the history of American gunmaking. It will continue to be talked about. Probably never made again. Mine will continue to be shot, mostly with 1 oz loads. Who the hell notices hot barrels when he's shooting at game? It was meant for GAME, not GAMES! I'll leave it to my Marine son, in case he ever needs to pot a Duke.
And, treblig1958, I DO wonder what would happen if Ruger came out with a lighter-weight RL. I bet it would sell like hot cakes.
