Ruger 8639 safety, did I make a mistake?

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johnny248

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
4
Hello

I am brand new to the Ruger forums. This is the first Ruger firearm I have purchased.

I really wanted to purchase a Ruger American 8635 Compact Pro model and was anxious to buy one today. It seems that any of the shops around me only carry the 8639 model with the manual safety. I didn't want to wait , and decides to purchase it anyway.

When they processed the purchase, it came back on "delay" from the state (I've never had this happen before) and the shop told me that it's common, and generally I would receive a call in the next day or two with the ok to pick up the gun . Worst case I could pick it up 12/6. So I paid the entire process less 1 penny , technically putting it in lay-a-way until I get the ok and pay the last penny to complete the transfer.

I'm now questioning what I did. I really didn't want the safety model. This is where my question comes. Is it possible to remove the manual safety? Since I've never been in this purchase situation before, I wasn't sure if I could cancel the lay-a-way and have them order and purchase the 8635 model that I really wanted? Is that something that would normally be possible to do? I don't know now lay-a-way works, and once the purchase approval comes back ok from the state, am I committed to this serial number? Or could I back out and resubmit the purchase on the new serial number and model pistol? I'm sure they would have to resubmit the purchase with the new pistol and I may have to wait again, but I'm not an expert in this area.

So to sum it up, did I make the wrong decision by making an impulse purchase on the model with the manual safety None of my other pistols have manual safeties. Should I attempt to get the non-safety model that I really wanted? Or just keep the manual safety once it's approved to pick up.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.
 

roylt

Hunter
Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
3,100
My Dad taught me if you settle for something you really didn't want you won't be happy with it. Also if you bought a gun without holding it it may stink anyway, safety or not. Maybe you won't like it at all.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum,
 

gtxmonte

Buckeye
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
1,073
Location
Alabama
What you have done is bought something you didn't want, because you didn't have the patience to wait on or find what you DID want.

That penny doesn't matter. As far as the store is concerned the pistol is bought and paid for. It belongs to you. Now as to whether they will refund your money or put it toward the pistol you really want is totally up to the store in question.

Depending on what state you live in, you are committed to nothing, because the serial number is NOT submitted. It's just on the form, the state knows only that you are attempting to purchase either a long gun or handgun, nothing more. So it will only require a little extra paperwork for the store.

As to what you should do........that's entirely up to you. Nobody here can answer that question. Can you swap it for what you want? That's up to store you bought it from. Again, nobody here can answer that question either
 

johnny248

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
4
Thanks for your feedback. I spoke with the dealer today and they were willing to give me the 8635 instead of the 8639 since I had not yet yaken possession. I am looking forward to my new Ruger. It fits very well in my hand, although not quite as good as my CZ P-07 , which as far as polymer pistols go is by far the best fitting , most natural pistol that I own. The ergonomics are helped out my the beaver tail.

Back to the Ruger. This is a newer model and the few reviews I've seen online have been generally favorable. Some gripe about the Tigger reset being a little long, but from the error time that I was able to use it, it didn't seem to bad. Every trigger seems to be a little different, and everyone has their own preferences.
 

tacticalreload

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
77
Location
Florida
I think you probably made a good choice switching. I'm not a big fan of manual safeties on defensive pistols. You should also be grateful to the store for letting you change your mind. Many retailers aren't so accommodating.

The reset is a tad longer than I prefer; but once you get some rounds downrange, you'll probably not even notice it after a while. I stopped noticing it until I switch back and forth with my SIG P226 with the short reset trigger.
 

johnny248

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
4
I was worried about the whole situation with getting the gun that I wanted, and the as prepared for a fight with the gun shop, but the owner was more than happy to pick up the gun I wanted from their other location and switch it for me.

I picked up my 8635 yesterday on the way to work, and just got back from the range today to use it for the first time. I put 150 rounds through it and so far am pretty happy. I've read people complain that the trigger reset is very long on it, but to be honest with you, I didn't seem to very long to me. I don't know if there was any variance between earlier and later triggers or anything, but I was expecting a longer reset from what people have been saying.

This is my first striker fired pistol so I didn't really know what to expect. But from my first impressions, it seems to shoot very flat. Recoil feels good on it. With the medium back strap, it feels pretty good in my hand. If anything maybe just a little bit wider grip that I like, but I might toy around with the other included back straps to see how it feels

I also put about 100 rounds through my CZ P-07 Duty (this is the first gen P-07) , which I shot a little better with. I guess that is expected though because I have fired thousands of rounds throigh it, and I'm still new to the RAP.

So far, for the most part I am very happy with my new Ruger. If there was anything to complain about it at this point, I would say say that the magazine release is a little difficult for me. I have a hard time releasing it with my right thumb when compared to my CZ. I actually have an easier time using the release on the other side with my index finger. This is a little strange to me since I'm so used to using my thumb. Secondly, I know that it doesn't matter in real life, but I wish that the magazine butt plat e fit tighter into the gun. There is a small gap between the end cap and the grip which is just aesthetics, but I think it would look better if it fit tighter with less gap.

Those are small complaints so far. Right now I just look forward to running some more ammo through it and to become more comfortable with it.

Even though I've only had my new Ruger for two days, another new pistol had caught my eye which I will probably have to pick up once they are available. The new CZ P-10. This is CZ's first striker fired pistol, and from what I have seen online so far, it looks like a winner. I know this is a Ruger forum, but I don't discriminate :) people should check this out if they haven't already and might be interested in a Glock killer.

I'll update more in my new 8535 once I get some for use out of it. Until them I'm going to sit on my couch and smile while I aim it at things in the house to get used to holding it :)

At this point I have zero regrets on this new pistol.
 

tacticalreload

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
77
Location
Florida
Congrats on the purchase.

As for the mag release, I will say that I've noticed a similar issue with my compact that isn't present with my full sized pistol. I'm guessing it might be a small burr or possibly the surface finishing on the part of the mag release that interacts with the notch in the magazine. I've thought about tearing it down and stoning the part.

I'm also of the opinion that it shoots very flat. I think part of this is the weight, and part of it is the beavertail area that some people complain hurts their knuckle. Like I mentioned, the reset is a little longer than I prefer; but it's nearly unnoticeable after a few range sessions. As someone who has spent a lot of time shooting revolvers, I think some folks are spoiled by the short reset of a lot of pistols these days.

For whatever reason, I've noticed this strong bias toward criticizing the RAP / RAPc for things that go unmentioned on other guns. I'm not sure why. Even the people who speak positively of the gun feel the need to temper their praise with "It's not a gun that I personally would buy / own / carry, but it would probably work well for some people". I feel like there might be some preconceived notions from youtube about why this gun sucks. Tack on the brand-snobbery that often creeps in when a gun isn't a high-dollar example from a high-end manufacturer, and you have a recipe for people to be afraid to admit that they believe it's a solid shooter. I think that potential buyers should take advantage of Ruger's demo days and actually put some rounds downrange before coming to any baseless conclusions without actually having shot the pistol.
 

johnny248

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
4
I agree with the release. I just field stripped it, an see that the "release button rod" had a notch that the release lever sits in and is offset to the right side of the gun. This may explain why it rrleaees easier from right to left since the release notch is on that side. I haven't taken it apart further as "online" has said it is very difficult to reinstall the insert mechanism and to leave it alone if you can. But you are probably right that a little polishing to the ramp in the release rod would probably help out a little bit.

There are a lot of biased reviews online, and a lot of brand loyalty. Not much objectivness when it comes to firearms. People like what they own and feel they have to bash other products to justify their purchase to themselves. This is human nature. People want to feel good about their purchases. That being said, I like all sorts of different guns. Im not brand specific on anything. I can say that if I do purchase a gun from whomever, if I like it , I would be more willing to consider their other products when shopping, but it's not a guarantee that I would buy again. I don't own more than one handgun from a single manufacturer, although as I said before I am really interested in the new CZ P-10c. I own a P-07 Duty and I absolutely love it. It also tends to get a lot of negative press from people online also. For me, it has been absolutely perfect and I would never get rid of it.

Back to the Ruger, while I was waiting for the range on Saturday, there was a woman talking to the sales associate about different hand guns. The guy told her that there are some brands that are just not know for their quality or "toughness". This was followed by something along the lines of "a Ruger is never going to be as durable or have the same quality level as this Glock. If you throw these two guns across the room and then try to pick it up and fire it to save your life, youd better reach for the Glock on the ground because chances are the Ruger is going to fire and stop the threat". As I said, this is my first Ruger, but I've always heard that they are known for over building their guns, and they are very durable, quality firearms. The sales associate had a Glock 19 on his hip... Just saying...
 

tacticalreload

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
77
Location
Florida
Glock fanboys are the worst and gunshop commandos are morons... combine the two and you get what you witnessed. Trust me, I worked part time at a gun shop back in the day. There was probably about a dozen employees there, and there was literally only one non-manager employee who wasn't a complete tool.

To be fair, it's possible that it could have happened with another brand. It's also possible that someone with a Ruger on his hip could have said the same thing in reverse about the Glock... but it is fairly unlikely. I've noticed that Ruger owners aren't typically goofy fanboys in that way. Now that I'm older and more sensible, I can look at things more objectively. The reality is that Glocks are cheap, easy to use, fairly uniform from gun to gun, reasonably reliable, reasonably accurate, and simple to work on. Their fit-and-finish is nothing to write home about and has been getting worse in the past few years. The finish in particular is extremely weak nowadays. They are built loose, and that keeps them running. Other than that, they are what they are... solid, decent, reliable pistols. Anyone who believes they are significantly more than that is buying into the "perfection" hype... especially fanboys who elevate them to some sort of holy grail level firearm. And like you said, I'm not sure why people can't appreciate other makes and models without bashing guns that aren't their favorites.
 

FergusonTO35

Hunter
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Messages
2,420
Location
Boonesborough, KY
Glock fanboys are the worst and gunshop commandos are morons... combine the two and you get what you witnessed. Trust me, I worked part time at a gun shop back in the day. There was probably about a dozen employees there, and there was literally only one non-manager employee who wasn't a complete tool.

To be fair, it's possible that it could have happened with another brand. It's also possible that someone with a Ruger on his hip could have said the same thing in reverse about the Glock... but it is fairly unlikely. I've noticed that Ruger owners aren't typically goofy fanboys in that way. Now that I'm older and more sensible, I can look at things more objectively. The reality is that Glocks are cheap, easy to use, fairly uniform from gun to gun, reasonably reliable, reasonably accurate, and simple to work on. Their fit-and-finish is nothing to write home about and has been getting worse in the past few years. The finish in particular is extremely weak nowadays. They are built loose, and that keeps them running. Other than that, they are what they are... solid, decent, reliable pistols. Anyone who believes they are significantly more than that is buying into the "perfection" hype... especially fanboys who elevate them to some sort of holy grail level firearm. And like you said, I'm not sure why people can't appreciate other makes and models without bashing guns that aren't their favorites.

I have three Glocks because they are pretty much the S&W Hand Ejector of bottom feeders. Reasonably priced, parts and accessories are plentiful and easy to find, the whole lineup shares the same mechanical design, super simple to operate, and they always work for me. Perfection they are not by any means but Glock does alot of things really well. Still, I gotta throw this out there:

28442339240_09d7478e74.jpg
 
Joined
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Messages
6,243
Location
Oregon City, Oregon
This thread has morphed, as most threads do.

Back to the OP, and his intent. And these are only my preferences and/or experiences.

The OP bought a gun, and hated it from the instant he bought it, only because it has a manual safety.

How we've evolved. Glock and Glock clones have been without a safety, and maybe it's been okay since out of the box, the terrible trigger prevents most negligent discharges. Then folks tinker with the trigger, making it smoother than an old mans face after his weekly shave. I'm not comfortable holstering what is now a cocked and locked pistol with no safety. And maybe it was my good Army training, where flipping off a safety is second nature.

Now I'm on my second Ruger American Pistol. The first one had no safety, and I was not comfortable carrying it. It was a range only gun for me. Now I've got the neanderthal version with the manual safety, and I can comfortably carry it.

WAYNO.
 

tacticalreload

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
77
Location
Florida
WAYNO said:
This thread has morphed, as most threads do.

Back to the OP, and his intent. And these are only my preferences and/or experiences.

The OP bought a gun, and hated it from the instant he bought it, only because it has a manual safety.

How we've evolved. Glock and Glock clones have been without a safety, and maybe it's been okay since out of the box, the terrible trigger prevents most negligent discharges. Then folks tinker with the trigger, making it smoother than an old mans face after his weekly shave. I'm not comfortable holstering what is now a cocked and locked pistol with no safety. And maybe it was my good Army training, where flipping off a safety is second nature.

Now I'm on my second Ruger American Pistol. The first one had no safety, and I was not comfortable carrying it. It was a range only gun for me. Now I've got the neanderthal version with the manual safety, and I can comfortably carry it.

WAYNO.

Box stock Glock triggers are not exactly what I would call "terrible enough to prevent most negligent discharges". I agree they aren't very good, but they also aren't very heavy. Anything short of a traditional, hammer-fired double action really helps with negligent discharges, IMO. Additionally, I have been one to "tinker with the trigger" on Glocks and have been able to get a competition gun down to about 2.5# and still have it reliable with Federal primers. Even then, they weren't what I would consider "smooth". The break also gets squishy. It was undoubtedly more prone to negligent discharges due to the weight, but not terribly so since 5.5 to 6.5 lbs for a stock Glock trigger isn't exactly heavy.

I understand your desire for a manual safety on a striker-fired pistol. With a good holster, once the pistol is in there I'm comfortable that it won't discharge... but I still personally feel much more comfortable holstering a traditional DA auto where I can put my thumb on the hammer during insertion into the holster. However, I just can't reconcile myself with manual safeties on defensive pistols. I had an experience in the past that taught me that, despite lots of repetition / training / good intentions, stress does weird things and sometimes flipping off a safety just doesn't happen in a high stress situation in the same way that it does during training drills. YMMV.
 

FergusonTO35

Hunter
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Messages
2,420
Location
Boonesborough, KY
My Glock 42 has about an 8 pound trigger with a harsh break, not exaggerating. I suspect Glock designed it to be on the heavy side as they knew the 42 would get alot of pocket and purse carry
 

tacticalreload

Bearcat
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Messages
77
Location
Florida
FergusonTO35 said:
My Glock 42 has about an 8 pound trigger with a harsh break, not exaggerating. I suspect Glock designed it to be on the heavy side as they knew the 42 would get alot of pocket and purse carry

Actually, there is a known issue with the trigger pull on some Glock 42 / 43 guns. They even released an updated connector to try to correct the problem (although they won't admit there is a "problem"... same as always with them). People have reported various levels of success with swapping for this connector. Some of the updated ones are even marked with a minus -- others aren't. Fortunately, my 43 has a clean <6# pull. IMO, the issue is the design of the trigger return spring / connector / trigger bar on the 42 / 43. They are different than their big brothers... more like a NY trigger spring than the original Glock design.
 
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