Ruger "P" series pistols

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Contents 1 Overview 2 Options and Model Numbers 3 Individual model information 3.1 P-85 (1985) 3.2 P-89 (1989) 3.3 P-90, P-91, P-93, and P-94 3.4 P-95 (1995) 3.5 P-97 (1997) 3.6 P-345 (2003) 3.7 P-95PR (2005) 4 Table of specifications 5 External links

[edit] Overview

The P Series pistols are the line of centerfire semiautomatic pistols made by Sturm, Ruger. The P Series pistols are double action, short recoil operated designs, designed for military, police, and civilian self defense and recreational use. They are widely considered to be highly rugged and reliable, and exceptionally strong, though this strength comes at the price of what many consider to be an unattractive bulk.

[edit] Options and Model Numbers

Most models are available with blued steel or stainless steel slides. The K prefix indicates a stainless steel slide, no prefix is blued. As noted above, in addition to a manual safety, there are "Decock-Only" (D) and "Double-Action-Only" (DAO) models, which carry the designation as the suffix. For example, a 9 mm polymer frame with stainless steel slide that can only decock for safety would be KP95D. However, many catalogs put DC instead of D, incorrectly listing the previous example as KP95DC or even P95DC w/SS slide. This confusion likely stems from that model's slide being stamped P95DC, but Ruger's official web site and catalogs use only the "D" suffix. Additional suffixes can include 15 for 15 round capacity magazines (where available) and PR for the Picatinny rail. Adding these options to the previous example results in KP95DPR15 as seen here.

[edit] Individual model information

[edit] P-85 (1985)

The first P Series pistol was the P-85, which was developed in 1985, but did not reach the market until 1987. The P-85 used an investment cast aluminum frame, and made extensive use of cast parts and proprietary Ruger alloys. Nearly all internal parts, including the barrel, were stainless steel, while the slide and ejector were carbon steel. Disassembly was simple, as the P-85 was origninally intended to compete as a 9 mm Luger replacement for the US Army's Model 1911A1. Unfortunately, development was not finished on time, and the Army chose the Beretta M9. The P-85 met the basic requirements; it was chambered for the NATO standard 9 x 19 mm, and was designed to handle the high velocity submachine gun ammunition commonly used by the military. From the P-95 owner's manual:

The Ruger P-Series pistols are compatible with all factory ammunition loaded to U.S. Industry Standards, including high-velocity and hollow-point loads, loaded in brass, aluminum, or steel cartridge cases. No 9 mm x 19 ammunition manufactured in accordance with NATO, U.S., SAAMI, or CIP standards is known to be beyond the design limits or known not to function in these pistols.

It was light weight, due to the aluminum frame, and the magazine held 15 rounds. While smaller than the 1911A1, it was still considered a full sized pistol, with a 4.5 inch barrel. The safety and magazine release were operable from either side, and the slide lock was large enough to be operated by a left handed shooter's index finger.

While described as "tank tough, solid performing, and utterly reliable", the P-85 design did have some problems. The safety levers, mounted high on the slide, were too small to be easily reached, and the accuracy, while acceptable for a defensive pistol, was not up to the high standard of previous Ruger handguns. In addition, there was a safety issue that resulted in one accidental discharge; if the firing pin broke in front of the firing pin block, applying the safety, which dropped the hammer, could transfer enough energy to the broken firing pin to cause a discharge. The P-85 was recalled, and a new safety installed that prevented contact between firing pin and hammer during a decocking operation. A new model, the P-85 Mark II, was at the same time released with the safety fix, new, larger safety levers, improved accuracy, and the option of a stainless steel slide. Another round of minor improvements was made, creating the final version, the P-89, released in 1989. All P Series pistols developed through the year 2000 would be named for the year in which development was completed.

[edit] P-89 (1989)

The P-89 also introduced a number of new variants. The standard model used a decocking manual safety; when applied, it blocked the firing pin, disconnected the trigger, and dropped the hammer. To fire, the safety was first removed, and then the trigger was pulled. This cocked and released the hammer, firing the first shot in double action mode; subsequent shots were fired in single action mode until the hammer was decocked. The "D", or decocker models replaced the decocking safety with a decocker; when applied, it blocked the firing pin and dropped the hammer, and then sprung back to the ready position. This left the pistol in a safe, hammer down position, ready to fire with a full (double action) trigger pull (much like a double action revolver). The third action variant was the "DAO", or double action only model, which had a spurless hammer, and no manual safety. The DAO model always fired in double action mode, and upon firing the hammer automatically decocked. Every shot then was fired from a hammer down position.

[edit] P-90, P-91, P-93, and P-94

The much anticipated P-90 quickly followed the P-89 to market. Available only in stainless steel, it was chambered in .45 ACP, and had a capacity of 7 rounds. The P-91 added the new and very popular .40 S&W chambering, with an 11 round capacity. The P-93 was a compact 9 mm model, with a shortened 4" barrel and a streamlined slide. The P-94 was a mid-sized 9 mm, with a 4.2" barrel and the P-93's streamlined styling, while the P-944 the same as the P-94 but in .40 S&W. Also introduced in 1991 was a limited run P-89X convertible model, which came with a second barrel and recoil spring assembly that allowed conversion between 9 mm and .30 Luger calibers.

The P-91 is no longer listed in the Ruger catalog, having been replaced by the P-944 model. By mid 2006, P-93 and P-94 had also disappeared from the Ruger website.

[edit] P-95 (1995)

The P-95 was something of a revolutionary design. The P-95 used the P-93's slide and barrel, but changed from the 1911 style rotating link design to a linkless design designed to transfer energy to the frame less abruptly, reducing the stress on the frame and in the process reducing the felt recoil. More obvious to the average shooter than that, however, was the change from an aluminum frame to a long strand fiberglass reinforced polyurethane resin frame based on Dow Chemical's "Isoplast". This reduced the weight of the pistol by 4 oz., and also reduced the price significantly, as the polymer frame was less expensive to produce than the aluminum one. Unlike any other polymer framed hangun on the market, the P-95 had no metal inserts in the frame. The combination of the rugged Ruger design and the high strength polymer allowed the slide to ride directly on the polymer frame rails, which simplified the casting of the frame and helped keep the P-95's price low.

[edit] P-97 (1997)

Just as Ruger released the P-95, however, the market for 9 mm pistols started to crumble. 1994 legislation limited new civilian magazines to 10 rounds, which made full sized 9 mm pistols, which normally held 15 rounds, lose a lot of their appeal. Full sized .40 S&W pistols started gaining even more popularity, since they generally only lost 1 round of magazine capacity with the restriction, and the .45 ACP surged in popularity as consumers shopping for a defensive pistol went for the cartridge that gave them the most perceived value per shot. The P-97 addressed that need--based on the P-95s polymer frame, the 4.5" barrelled P-97 held 8 rounds of .45 ACP. This completed the Ruger P Series lineup for the next six years. The P-97 has been dropped from the Ruger website as of 2005, presumably due to the introduction of the new P-345.

[edit] P-345 (2003)

With the expiration of the 1994 magazine ban came new legislation in certain US states that required elaborate new safety measures on hanguns (effectively banning all handguns on the market at the time the legislation was written). Integrated locking mechanisms, loaded chamber indicators, strenuous drop tests (which most police and military handguns would fail), and magazine disconnects were all required. Most of these states also had state laws still in effect banning magazines with capacities greater than 10 rounds, so Ruger chose to address the new requirements with an all new .45 ACP design. The P-345 (developed in 2003) was released in 2004, and incorporates an integrated keyed lock that locks the safety in the safe position, a loaded chamber indicator, a disconnector that blocks the firing pin when the magazine is removed, plus ergonomic improvements such as an all new polymer frame design (narrower than the double column derived P-90 and P-97) and low profile safety levers. The model P-345PR adds a Picatinny rail to the frame, for mounting lights and other accessories. The P-345 is also the first .45 ACP Ruger to be offerred as a standard catalog item with a blued steel slide, in addition to the stainless steel. Consumer response to the P-345 has been mixed; those who shoot it have good things to say about it, but many consumers in areas that do not require all the added safety equipment view it with uncertainty.

[edit] P-95PR (2005)

2005 saw a new set of P-95 variants. These variants incorporate the Picatinny rail found on the P-345 into the P-95 frame and a new non-slip texturing in the polymer frame. This "PR" option is available on all the P-95 models.

[edit] Table of specifications

Ruger models are offered in variants by safety type, and this chart lists the various options that are available. This only lists standard catalog items; special two tone "T" and "TH" models were and are available through special distributor deals; these models are generally sold at a slightly reduced price, include only 1 magazine, a differnet case, and have a blued slide on the lighter colored aluminum frame normally used for stainless models.

Table codes:

• Blued: blued steel slide
• SS: stainless steel slide
• Al: Aluminum alloy frame; dark gray on blued models and light gray on stainless, except two tone models which use light gray with blued slides.
• Poly: glass reinforced polymer frame
• PR: Picatinny rail on dust cover
• CA: Listed on California approved hangun list
• MA: Listed on Massachusetts approved hangun list
• Manual: Decocking safety that also disconnects the trigger; must be disengaged to fire
• Decocker: Decocking lever only; automatically returns to ready-to-fire state
• DAO: Double action only trigger; no external safety lever
• MD: Magazine disconnector
• IL: Integrated locking mechanism
• CI: Loaded chamber indicator

Listed magazine capacities are for full capacity factory magazines; magazine capacities may be limited to 10 rounds in some locations, and extended aftermarket magazines may hold more than the listed quantity.

Catalog ID	Safety	Slide/Frame	Caliber	Capacity	Weight	Options	Approved
P89	Manual	Blued/Al	9 mm	15	32 oz.
KP89	Manual	SS/Al	9 mm	15	32 oz.
KP90	Manual	SS/Al	.45 ACP	8	34 oz.
KP94	Manual	SS/Al	9 mm	15	33 oz.
KP944	Manual	SS/Al	.40 S&W	11	33 oz.
P95	Manual	Blued/Poly	9 mm	15	27 oz.
KP95PR	Manual	SS/Poly	9 mm	15	27 oz.	PR
P95PR	Manual	Blued/Poly	9 mm	15	27 oz.	PR
KP95	Manual	SS/Poly	9 mm	15	27 oz.
KP97	Manual	SS/Poly	.45 ACP	8	27 oz.
KP345	Manual	SS/Poly	.45 ACP	8	29 oz.	CI, MD, IL	CA, MA
KP345PR	Manual	SS/Poly	.45 ACP	8	29 oz.	CI, MD, IL, PR	CA, MA
P345PR	Manual	Blued/Poly	.45 ACP	8	29 oz.	CI, MD, IL, PR	CA, MA
KP345DPR	Decocker	SS/Poly	.45 ACP	8	29 oz.	CI, MD, IL, PR	CA, MA
KP89D	Decocker	SS/Al	9 mm	15	32 oz.
KP90D	Decocker	SS/Al	.45 ACP	8	34 oz.
KP93D	Decocker	SS/Al	9 mm	15	31 oz.
KP944D	Decocker	SS/Al	.40 S&W	15	33 oz.
KP95D	Decocker	SS/Al	9 mm	15	27 oz.
KP95DPR	Decocker	SS/Al	9 mm	15	27 oz.	PR
P89D	Decocker	Blued/Al	9 mm	15	32 oz.
P95D	Decocker	Blued/Poly	9 mm	15	27 oz.
P95DPR	Decocker	Blued/Poly	9 mm	15	27 oz.	PR
KP89DAO	DAO	SS/Al	9 mm	15	32 oz.
KP93DAO	DAO	SS/Al	9 mm	15	33 oz.
KP94DAO	DAO	SS/Al	9 mm	15	34 oz.

[edit] External links

• Sturm, Ruger & Co. web site
• P-95 instruction manual in PDF format
• Guns Magazine article on the Ruger P Series, Jan 2004 (does not cover P-345)
• Modern firearms site article