Ruger P Series pistols. How good are/were they?

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I agree and I guess I'm going to be the art critique here... I don't think I would have much of an appetite if I had to sit and look at that picture.
Takes the idea of the "urban cowboy" a bit too far in my opinion.
 

epags

Single-Sixer
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I have always thought that myself about the P Series. They had it pretty much perfected, and to me especially the P89 and the P95.....Then all of a sudden gone. 2013 for the year that it just sort of disappeared from the line-up. I think the P95 was and still is a terrific gun. You truly cannot go wrong with it. Tough, durable, and accurate! 👍
I concur with the tough, durable and accurate.....downside is Ruger does not support it any longer......upside (on eBay) you can buy almost every part (used) for it for a song. I have multiple replacement parts for my P95DC including a upper slide and barrel assembly for less then $90.
 

Star43

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I concur with the tough, durable and accurate.....downside is Ruger does not support it any longer......upside (on eBay) you can buy almost every part (used) for it for a song. I have multiple replacement parts for my P95DC including a upper slide and barrel assembly for less then $90.
What do you mean about not supporting it ?? True, one cannot buy it new anymore from Ruger going back to 2013. But, if one has a problem with a P95 or P89, whatever, you can send it back to Ruger for them to fix it. That is the beauty of Ruger in that they stand buy their guns and can repair it if necessary.....although to be honest, I don't really worry about my Rugers on breaking down. That is the other beauty about Ruger.. True one can go on Ebay to buy parts or accessories. I was just looking a half hour ago at some Single Six 22 Mag cylinders......If you buy a Mag cylinder from Ruger, you have to send the gun in for them to "fit" it. There is a lot to talk about there that I won't get into here, but I am sure Ruger would fix your P series gun no problem......Are you saying that you sent in a P series gun and Ruger did nothing for you ??? That doesn't sound right. Please expand on that ??
 

Star43

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I concur with the tough, durable and accurate.....downside is Ruger does not support it any longer......upside (on eBay) you can buy almost every part (used) for it for a song. I have multiple replacement parts for my P95DC including a upper slide and barrel assembly for less then $90.
Now true, I also bought an extra slide and Barrel about a couple of years ago, only because I saw it and it was a great deal. The reason I bought them was basically to have it as a spare, in case "I" did something wrong like drop or damage, or scratch it, whatever .....to me a scratch on a gun is Not a warranty issue. I just bought it for some type of insurance in case again, I , screwed up, not the gun......but if my gun had any issue to it not being safe and/or working right, I would have all the confidence in Ruger to help me out. 👍
 

epags

Single-Sixer
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What do you mean about not supporting it ?? True, one cannot buy it new anymore from Ruger going back to 2013. But, if one has a problem with a P95 or P89, whatever, you can send it back to Ruger for them to fix it. That is the beauty of Ruger in that they stand buy their guns and can repair it if necessary.....although to be honest, I don't really worry about my Rugers on breaking down. That is the other beauty about Ruger.. True one can go on Ebay to buy parts or accessories. I was just looking a half hour ago at some Single Six 22 Mag cylinders......If you buy a Mag cylinder from Ruger, you have to send the gun in for them to "fit" it. There is a lot to talk about there that I won't get into here, but I am sure Ruger would fix your P series gun no problem......Are you saying that you sent in a P series gun and Ruger did nothing for you ??? That doesn't sound right. Please expand on that ??

Now true, I also bought an extra slide and Barrel about a couple of years ago, only because I saw it and it was a great deal. The reason I bought them was basically to have it as a spare, in case "I" did something wrong like drop or damage, or scratch it, whatever .....to me a scratch on a gun is Not a warranty issue. I just bought it for some type of insurance in case again, I , screwed up, not the gun......but if my gun had any issue to it not being safe and/or working right, I would have all the confidence in Ruger to help me out. 👍
I stand corrected (in part) on Ruger support. Their website currently does not list any parts for the P95 for sale.
However, the cost of support (since it is out of warrenty) is high. There is a link on their website that says:
PISTOLS
SERVICE Flat Rate Pricing (includes return shipping)
Drill & Tap for Scope Base (includes Weaver®-style scope base) $65.00
New Centerfire Barrel (must send in firearm for fit) $85.00
Slide Replacement (must send in firearm for fit) $35.00 + Cost of Slide
Reconditioning - Replacement of worn internal parts
(does not include major components) $85.00

Reblue / Refinish including Reconditioning $110.00
Frame Replacement (if not serialized) $35.00 + Cost of Frame
Function / Sight In Target $65.00
Prepaid Return Label $45.0

Since UPS and Fedex will not take Firearms from an individual, I would have to go to a FFL and pay another fee to ship it to them.
deer-eats-popcorn_64.gif
 

Star43

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I stand corrected (in part) on Ruger support. Their website currently does not list any parts for the P95 for sale.
However, the cost of support (since it is out of warrenty) is high. There is a link on their website that says:
PISTOLS
SERVICE Flat Rate Pricing (includes return shipping)
Drill & Tap for Scope Base (includes Weaver®-style scope base) $65.00
Yeah, That's pretty much what I was thinking. But If it is is a safety issue or just not functioning properly, I don't think they will charge us anything. Used and or worn parts is another thing, but you know, I still they will take care of us period. They just don't come out and say that, but it is pretty much that. I can remember buying Rugers starting back in the 80's and on up....it was always mentioned with each gun that I bought, that there was no lifetime warranty in writing, BUT, they said Ruger will always stand by there products and their customers.... To me, that speaks volumes right there. I do have all the confidence in the world in Ruger to do the right thing. That is why, myself, and most guys on this Forum are Ruger guys !!! By the way, I like your avatar with Bambi eating the pop corn. 🙂👍
this negates the need for an FFL.
But if UPS and Fed X won't take it from a regular guy, will USPS take it then ?? This whole shipping thing is a pain in the butt.....Back in the 80's when the original P85 came out there was a safety recall by Ruger......hence the P85 MK11.....Ruger contacted me and sent me a wrapped white box, still got it......I put the gun in there, gave it to the mailman.....it Went to Ruger and in a couple or 3 weeks, whatever, it came back in the same box. It didn't cost me a dime back then. Ruger took care of everything and gave me a free magazine, that technically isn't even offered here anymore. All done quickly, no hassle and no cost....The only weird thing was when the mailman brought it back, he just left it on my doorstep, at that time where I lived. 30 feet from the sidewalk and he just left it there. Thank goodness there were no porch pirates back then. It was there when I got home. Still got that original box and letter.....
 

Star43

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Now granted on the above, that was a "Ruger Recall" and that is probably why there was no cost to me but the prepaid shipping box came from the regular mailman, USPS, and it was all done easy and quickly thru the regular mail..
 
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For all the love hate over the P Series Rugers... I have an early P345. I bought it off a buddy who needed to make his house payment. I hadn't planned on shooting it but more to hold it until he could buy it back. One trip to the range and shot it I quickly changed my mind about it. I've shot a lot of the other P Series gun without much enthusiasm. The P345 ended up in the rotation of guns eventually replacing a steel frame Colt Commander as my EDC gun. It's lightweight didn't pull my trousers down. One time I was at the Ruger plant in Prescott AZ and was talking to one of the engineers who worked developing the P Series guns. He said the P345 was the best P Series they had built.
 

hittman

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FIREARMS WITH LIMITED PARTS / SERVICE AVAILABLE:
Please contact Customer Service to determine the extent of parts and service that is available for the models below.

  • Mark I, Mark II and Standard .22 Caliber Pistol
  • Mini-14 Rifle (Serial # Prefixes Below "580-")
  • "Old Model" (Three-Screw) Single-Action Revolvers - (Free Factory Safety Offer)
  • P85 9MM Pistol and P85 MKII 9MM Pistol
  • P89 9MM Pistol
FIREARMS WITH NO PARTS / SERVICE AVAILABLE:
  • 10/22 Magnum Rifle
  • .357 Maximum Revolver
  • .44 Magnum Carbine Rifle (Original Model)
  • 96 Series Lever Action Rifle
  • 77/50 Blackpowder Rifle
  • AC-556 Rifle
  • Deerfield Carbine Rifle
  • Gold Label Shotgun
  • Hawkeye Pistol
  • M77 Mark II Express Rifle
  • M77 Mark II Rifle in Short Ultra-Mag Calibers
  • Mini-14 Rifle (Serial # Beginning with "180-")
  • Model 77 Rifle with Tang Safety
  • No. 3 Rifle
  • Old Army Revolver
  • PC4 and PC9 Carbine Rifle
  • Red Label Shotgun (Serial # Beginning with "400-" or "410-")
  • Red Label Wood Side Shotgun
  • Security-Six Revolver
  • Single-Six Revolver with .17 Hunter Convertible Mach 2 Cylinders
  • Trap Shotgun
 

Star43

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So everything depends on parts availability. They can only help us with the parts that they have. Well that all makes sense to me to an extent. But I would think that for all "popular gun models" that were produced over the years, that the company would have the ability to create or recreate those parts. Because in essence, without the parts, what good is ANY lifetime type of warranty really worth ? Think about that for a bit and it's kind of a scary thought.....so from the list above, if I had an old Army revolver, or a Security Six revolver, and I have a problem or a need, the best I can do is look for a used part somewhere, sort of like looking for an old car part in a junkyard, or just throw it in the bay ?? It's kind of sobering to think about any of this....
 

hittman

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I don't think Ruger advertises a lifetime warranty.
Those who do ( in my experience ) label it a limited lifetime warranty.
Old Model single actions haven't been made for over 50 years now. Six Series double actions not made for about 40 years. To me, those are no longer a "popular gun model" but rather a discontinued item.
What's more, I doubt Ruger themselves made ALL the parts that make a gun work.
 

Star43

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Well that is a good point in that maybe Ruger did not even make all the parts needed in making the gun. I had not thought about that. Personally, I thought they did. But then again, look at today when they have Altamont or whoever make grips for the single action line and the grips don't even fit right a lot of the time...but back to the warranty I remember reading in the owners manual where it was specifically mentioned about something like why a lifetime warranty card was not given with the gun, BUT,...Ruger wanted to let people know they were there for us to back up their Ruger products and help their customers. To me and I think the average guy, that sort of amounts to a lifetime warranty......but then again, if there are no parts, what good is any lifetime warranty. The best thing Ruger has going for itself and also for us as Ruger gun owners, is that they make for the most part, one heck of a good product, that most of us have not had to worry about this stuff
 

hittman

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Ruger owners manual says they don't provide a written warranty but strive to comply with state and federal laws.
 

Star43

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Ruger owners manual says they don't provide a written warranty but strive to comply with state and federal laws.
I am thinking of the old manuals from the 70's and 80's. I thought I read that in the old manuals. I will have to dig them out to check. But I do know they never actually gave a life time warranty, but again, for the average guy, one would probably think there was one....It really doesn't make a difference though if there are no parts at the factory. I can see from the list there is limited service availability for the P89 & P85Mk11,etc. as they made so many of them. But when those parts are gone, they are gone. When you think about it, it makes sense. It is what it is. Since the SS and Blackhawk, 10/22, etc etc, are still in production, we don't have to worry about those. Either way, I still believe Ruger will do for us what they can do for us, and we can't ask more than that, in my opinion......May your Ruger guns keep working smoothly and ok, for all of us....👍
 

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