New Ruger american pistol compact!

[901Memphis]

Just saw that Ruger is going to produce the American pistol in compact version! I definitely want it.

It's a 3.55 inch barrel handgun with two magazines 12 round and 17 round extended and includes the adjustable back straps. MSRP of $579 should hopefully put street price closer to $425 if the demand doesn't go through the roof.


http://www.guns.com/2016/10/01/ruger-expands-american-pistol-series-with-compact-model/

 

[Robenstein]

According to the website info...it seems to be a bit on the heavy side compared to the competition. Weight is almost 29 ounces while a Glock 26 is a bit under 22 ounces,the FNS is 23 ounces, and the M&P compact is 21 ounces.

 

[QuinZ]

That silhouette looks a lot like an H&K pistol to me.

 

[FirstNissan]

It looks a little over engineered, hence I presume why the wait is so high. If the price ends up in the 400s it'll be pretty OK, I don't see the purpose of this versus other better and more lightweight options.

 

[Robenstein]

The whole American line seems rather an odd and poor business move in my honest opinion. We already have a darn good Ruger striker fired line with the SR (and variants like the 9e).

The American line just seems like it makes competition for themselves in an already crowded marketplace.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: Robenstein
The whole American line seems rather an odd and poor business move in my honest opinion.


Ruger changes their auto pistol lineup like the weather. If you don't like what you see, wait 5 minutes, they'll make something different.

 

[Robenstein]

Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: Robenstein
The whole American line seems rather an odd and poor business move in my honest opinion.


Ruger changes their auto pistol lineup like the weather. If you don't like what you see, wait 5 minutes, they'll make something different.


They sometimes do seem to be just throwing it out there to see what sticks. FN has a habit of doing it also.

 

[AZjeff]

Considering Ruger sells about a billion guns a year something is working OK. General public seems to love them although the blue steel and wood boys aren't too happy.

Anyone wants a job they're always hiring, all the 10 hour days you want.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Considering Ruger sells about a billion guns a year something is working OK.


Hi-Point And Kel-Tec are both making money as well. Flooding the market with cheap Polymer.

 

[Robenstein]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Considering Ruger sells about a billion guns a year something is working OK. General public seems to love them although the blue steel and wood boys aren't too happy.

Anyone wants a job they're always hiring, all the 10 hour days you want.


Yeah, and the people who bought one would have likely bought the SR series if they wanted a Ruger. They are splitting their sales between two different platforms for the most part. About the only people that might be uniquely lured to the American are people with bulky large hands.

Selling "a billion" guns a year does not mean this particular one was a smart business move. Compared to the rest of their product line this has the smallest niche.

 

[Robenstein]

Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Considering Ruger sells about a billion guns a year something is working OK.


Hi-Point And Kel-Tec are both making money as well. Flooding the market with cheap Polymer.


Or in the case of Hi Point....ZAMAK pot metal.

 

[billt460]

S&W and Ruger are afflicted with the same problem. They both make fantastic revolvers, and they have stuck with the same basic design over many decades. The Ruger Blackhawk is the same today as it's been since they dropped the 3-screw design in the early 70's, Same with S&W.

As soon as either of them venture into the world of semi autos, they can't seem to stick with the same model for more than 5 minutes. Look at how many Polymer framed pistol designs they've introduced since the 80's when Glock came out. The same with S&W. They want their share of the Polymer auto pistol market. That part I get. But come to a reliable design, and stick with it. They did it with the Mark series of .22's, basically coming up with simple improvements over the years. The Mark IV being the latest. But it's still the same basic gun. Same deal with Glock.

But when it comes to Polymer, they both change designs more often than their receptionist changes her shoes. Gun people are for the most part, a traditional bunch. Women change their shoes to keep in style. Shooters shouldn't have to do that with their guns. Many shy away from both Ruger and S&W because of this Merry-Go-Round of semi auto's every time they pick up a Ruger or a S&W catalog.

 

[Robenstein]

The only two Ruger pistols I own were made for a moderately long time. A Security Six wheelgun and a P85 which evolved into the Mark 2, and eventually P89. The P series was a bit blocky, but were SOLID semi autos.

 

[901Memphis]

This new pistol is supposed to have an amazing trigger, about 5.5 lbs striker fired with crisp break and short reset. I think the extra weight is good as it's rated for continued +p usage if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Robenstein
According to the website info...it seems to be a bit on the heavy side compared to the competition. Weight is almost 29 ounces while a Glock 26 is a bit under 22 ounces,the FNS is 23 ounces, and the M&P compact is 21 ounces.

Not a Ruger hater. I have the LC9-s. But its no Glock and as mentioned... Why buy this "me to" one when you can get the 26?

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Robenstein
According to the website info...it seems to be a bit on the heavy side compared to the competition. Weight is almost 29 ounces while a Glock 26 is a bit under 22 ounces,the FNS is 23 ounces, and the M&P compact is 21 ounces.

Not a Ruger hater. I have the LC9-s. But its no Glock and as mentioned... Why buy this "me to" one when you can get the 26?


The stock trigger on this will kick the glock easily so you save money there. The sights are steel so you don't have to replace those either like you might with the glock stock plastic sights and the street price is already much cheaper than the glock so money will be a big part here as well as the trigger.

 

[Robenstein]

The problem with the weight is it is all up high and in the reciprocating mass, so from what I am seeing the gun has much more muzzle flip than a Glock or M&P. So if that is true, that will negate a short reset as you will have slower follow up shots. I have seen some complaining about the rear of the gun digging into the hand when firing making it not so comfortable to shoot.

I also wish they would have some magazine interchangeability between this and the SR instead of having another proprietary mag.


For all my criticism I will say that the Ruger will go bang when you need it to which is the most important.

 

[AMC]

Originally Posted By: Robenstein

For all my criticism I will say that the Ruger will go bang when you need it to which is the most important.


That is the part that stops many people from buying a Ruger semi auto of any type. Ruger has never been known for their semi autos. The Ruger p89 and p95 were OK guns, pretty reliable but big, ugly and blocky.

The SR series is kind of a disappointment if you ask me. The initial release was huge flop which resulted in a recall like many of their products at first. The newer SR guns are a little better although the SR Compact series has had major problems with light strikes (not sure if they fixed it yet). I bought an ex girlfriend an SR-9 compact and it had constant problems; light strikes, not going into battery and the slide rusted quickly. We traded in the SR for a Springfield xdm compact and never looked back. The SR did have a very small grip and light recoil. Those are about the only good things I could find with it.

The SR9 E version should have been the model that had no manual safety, no loaded chamber indicator and no magazine disconnect but it is not.... W.T.F.?

This American series was designed to compete in the Army's next handgun trial but AFAIK, the Army trials were cancelled about the time the American was unveiled.....

Leaving the Army trials a side, the American kind of reminds me of the p89. Big, heavy, tall slide profile, high bore axis and a squared off tang shape. All that slide mass may make it feed reliably but it probably is going to kick pretty hard. Unless the American turns out to be very reliable, accurate, durable and easy to work on as well as priced lower than the competition, I don't see it being a big seller or getting Ruger's reputation for semi auto's off the ground.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: AMC
I don't see it being a big seller or getting Ruger's reputation for semi auto's off the ground.


Knowing Ruger, they're already working on a replacement.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis


The stock trigger on this will kick the glock easily so you save money there. The sights are steel so you don't have to replace those either like you might with the glock stock plastic sights and the street price is already much cheaper than the glock so money will be a big part here as well as the trigger.

In a combat situation glock's trigger will be better. Having said that...I like the trigger better on the LP9 but I am more accurate with the Glock. Either the glock is a better shooter or I shoot better with the glock. For me its immaterial..I carry the glock and plink with the SR9.

Again that's just me.. Carry whichever is most reliable/better for you.

There is a reason the majority of world law enforcement agencies and militaries use glocks.