The Ruger P series is a line of centerfire semi-automatic pistols made by Sturm, Ruger & Company produced from 1985 to 2013. The P-series pistols were designed for military, police, civilian and recreational use. The designs are largely based on the Browning action found in the M1911 pistol, but with minor variations, generally related to the safety mechanism and the barrel-camblock interface. Reviews have considered them rugged, reliable, and strong, though this strength comes at the price of bulk and a blocky appearance.
Design details
The P-series pistols are short recoil–operated, locked breech semi-automatic pistols. They use a SIG P220 type locking system, and an M1911-style tilting barrel. The P series were made with a traditional double-action/single-action (DA/SA), or double-action-only (DAO) trigger mechanism.
The standard models have an ambidextrous manual safety/decocker located on the slide; when the safety lever is lowered to the safe position, the firing pin is cammed into the slide away from the hammer, the trigger is disconnected from the sear, and the hammer is decocked. The decocker models have no manual safety; instead, when the lever is lowered, it only cams the firing pin into the slide and drops the hammer. When the lever is released, the firing pin springs back to the normal position. The DAO models have no manual safety or decocker. All models feature an automatic firing pin safety that blocks the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled fully rearward.
The pistols make extensive use of investment-cast parts and proprietary Ruger alloys. Nearly all internal parts, including the barrel, are stainless steel, while the slide and ejector are carbon steel. The P85 through P944 use an investment-cast aluminum frame, while the P95 and later models use a fiberglass-reinforced polyurethane frame.
The 9 mm and .40 S&W versions use double-column box magazines; the 9 mm has a 15-round capacity, and the .40 S&W has a 10-round or 11-round capacity, the latter being restricted to Law Enforcement use after the Clinton Assault Weapons Ban, that limited magazine capacity to a maximum of 10 rounds. The .45 ACP versions use single-column magazines holding seven or eight rounds (depending on the model). All P-series pistols of the same caliber use a similar magazine design, but slight modifications have been made to at least the 9 mm guns so that not all P-series magazines will function in all P-series frames. Ruger did not keep track of the magazine models so an older magazine may not secure in a newer frame. The Ruger police carbine also uses P-series magazines. The P-series pistols have an ambidextrous magazine release located behind the trigger guard; it can be pushed forward from either side to eject the magazine.
The early-model P95s have fixed, three-dot sights; newer P95s, P97s, and P345s have three-dot sights adjustable for windage.
Service
The P85 was originally developed as a replacement alternative for the U.S. Military's 1984 Joint Service Small Arms Program, a venture to replace the aging M1911A1 to a higher-capacity, NATO-compliant weapon. The P85 met all of the military's requirements, including a 20,000-round life expectancy. Despite this, the P85 was not completed in time for the first two trials. It was, however, able to compete in the later XM10 trials in 1988, for which Ruger supplied 30 P85s to the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. Despite performing well, the Beretta M9, which had succeeded at winning the previous two competitions, won once again and was awarded the contract.
The Ruger P85 did find success with some police departments and civilians, as its rugged design and military qualities did see it adopted by the San Diego Police Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol. Both P85s and P89s were approved for carry by the Chicago Police Department. The P85 was also adopted by the Turkish National Police. In 2004, the US Army awarded Ruger & Co., Inc. a contract for 5,000 KP95D pistols to be delivered to the Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, which issued them to Iraqi Army and Police units.
Variants
P85/P85 MKII
The P85 was developed in 1985, but was not available until 1987.
It was chambered in 9mm, with magazine capacities of 15+1 rounds.
P90
thumb|Ruger KP90DC ([[decocker)]]
The P90 is a scaled-up version of the P89 chambered in .45 ACP with an investment cast aluminum alloy frame. It was introduced in 1991 as the company's first attempt at a .45 ACP pistol, and was in direct competition with SIG Sauer's P220, Smith & Wesson's 4500 series, and to a lesser extent Glock's G21 that came out the same year. The P90 is considered to have above-average accuracy for its price. The P90 was produced until 2010. The P94 was discontinued in 2004, ten years after its introduction. However the P944D variant was produced until 2009.
It can be chambered in either 9mm or .40 S&W, with magazine capacities of 15+1 or 10+1, respectively. There is also a Law Enforcement Use Only 11+1 magazine for the P944 in .40 S&W.
- Federal Bureau of Prisons Ruger KP89 DAO
- Wisconsin State Patrol.
- : Security Forces, Ruger P95.
- : Turkish National Police.