I like the Ruger P95DC for its rugged end-of-the-world durability. Rental ranges confirm that these things virtually never break. Then again, no one probably has any interest in shooting them so perhaps thats the reason. But…even more robust in Ruger’s “Ignore ergonomics, just make it a tank” style, we have today’s guest…a Ruger P89DC. An outgrowth of the P85 (and P85II) series, this was a somewhat improved version of the P85 series of military contract wannabes.
I genuinely believe this gun is unkillable. With shipping, this ugly duckling (ca.1993) set me back a hair over two hundred bucks. Whats really fascinating is that someone thought highly enough of this gun to put a set of Crimson Trace laser grips on it. Ruger retired the P89 in 2009, but they turn up in evidence lockers and gun ‘buybacks’ everywhere. I’ve never seen a broken one. I’ve seen them with pitting, rust, gouges, scratches, missing sights, and all sortsa staining…..but I’ve never seen one that didn’t work.
Friend Of The Blog(tm), Tam, did a 2000-rd endurance test and other than the cringe-worthy ergonomics, it chugged along without a hitch. That isn’t necessarily a difficult accomplishment. Tam’s 2000-rd tests prove that any well-made pistol from a major brand shooting quality ammunition will usually give that kind of performance. The pistol Tam used for her test, and which has apparently gone on to be a prop for a book cover, was a very worn, very well used pistol that, when I got it, still had the evidence tag wired to the front of the triggerguard. (You can see the wear from the wire on the front of the triggerguard in her photos.)
The P95DC is a lighter, handier gun…but thats like saying a patio paver is a lighter handier brick than a cinder block – its true, but that doesnt take away the fact its a brick. Since they both use the same magazine, and the price was right, and you can never have too many ‘disposable’ handguns to stuff under the seat of your truck, the floorboards of your cabin, or into an ammo can buried in a national forest somewhere, it seemed like a good purchase at the time.
Im still fascinated that someone went through the time and expense to slap a laser sight on it.
If I could find them, I’d buy Ruger P-series pistols at that price regularly.
I’ve seen ONE P series around $200 in the last 10-15 years cruising gun shows & shops here in MN. That blued P95 came home with me.
You aren’t alone there.
Steelheart
Oh, I forgot–great acquisition, CZ!
Iz good. Iz Ruger. Iz made like Soviet tank.
Following. If the gun is an ugly duck aesthetic wise, or is not a member of a cool kids gun brand club, yet performs it’s go bang everytime duties, well then, she is a keeper none the less. Have it engraved with your “on the watch lists” moniker / logo and of course also ceracoated or such in a o.d. green color scheme for many more decades of service. The collecting strategy of acquiring ruger P-series pistols for spicy futures is a more wise purchase than the “trust the plan chuds” collecting those Trump engraved guns.
Stay based, stay frosty.
If we were to ever descend to mad-max levels of wasteland zoomies, I’d expect to see box-stock Ruger P-89’s still chugging along.
Didn’t Denzel Washington use a Ruger in BOOK OF ELI movie ? Maybe he is a reader of your blog.
Eli was fortunate enough to carry an HK45,
https://www.imfdb.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Eli#Heckler_.26_Koch_HK45
I’m done buying 9mm handguns but if I fell into a pair of those Rugers I wouldn’t be sad.
Got one… got it when they first came out and it’s still chugging along. I’ve always been reassured by it being so darn reliable and the bonus is when totally out of ammo you can beat your target senseless! Great gun, loved it and am willing to put up with the ‘ugly’ as it just works.
that’s what my wife says about me
just checked Gunbroker for P89’s, there’s one for $850! wtf
Commander:
I know that this is seriously off-topic but I wanted to comment on the (latest) College denunciation of Israel.
Until Israel does something so twisted, evil and just plain wrong that the Campus Snowflakes start cheering them, I’ll know Israel is worth supporting.
After all, when was the last time Students (and their alumni in the media) did something helping Western Values?
Ceejay