considering Ruger American 9mm

janderson021 · Jan 3, 2017

Hello - I am seriously considering purchasing a new American 9mm, trading my P95 with some additional $$ for it. I'm not sure if I am going to go full size or compact, Pro or not.
Can any American owners here provide me with their views on the pistol, negative or positive?
I like my P95 but now I want something else and I prefer 'made in the USA' label.
Thanks in advance.
Jack

tacticalreload · Jan 3, 2017

If you're good with giving up a hammer-fired gun for a striker-fired gun, then I think the RAP is a good option. Personally, I'm not a fan of manual safeties so I only have the Pro models. If you're not going to carry concealed, the full sized is a much better option.

janderson021 · Jan 3, 2017

I don't think I have any issue hammer vs. striker. I carry a Kahr CM9 now, much smaller than my P95 (and less rounds). During the winter I do carry my P95 somewhat concealed, using a N2 holster. I think I am more inclined to the full size Pro American

WAYNO · Jan 4, 2017

I have posted previously of my pleasure with the Ruger American Pistol.

I've owned the full size Pro model without a safety, and the Compact size amateur model with a safety. I prefer this pistol with a safety. To each his own.

WAYNO.

Hillbilly Jim · Jan 5, 2017

By far not the most accurate of 9mm pistols, but goes bang every time. Mine likes heavy [147] bullets, bur still not as accurate as my Spgflds or glocks.

tacticalreload · Jan 5, 2017

Hillbilly Jim said:
By far not the most accurate of 9mm pistols, but goes bang every time. Mine likes heavy [147] bullets, bur still not as accurate as my Spgflds or glocks.

Ironic since I find my RAPs to be more accurate than a number of XD's that I've shot... some of them were pretty poor. Glocks are Glocks... they aren't the most accurate, but are consistently decent. I personally find the RAP to be as accurate as any of the factory Glocks I've shot.

cyborgt800 · Jan 9, 2017

I've got both, a P95 and a RAP9 I wouldn't give either up for the other...GET BOTH!

Better yet, get a P90!

jfcisme · Jan 12, 2017

I bought a RAP compact pro and I have been quite pleased with it. I got it to carry and like that the full size magazines fit it with the plastic spacer. Even with the shorter sight radius it is still easy to hit steel plates at 20 yards. My crossbreed supertuck deluxe is on the way. I'll be shooting in the Compact Carry Pistol (CCP) class for IDPA when my rig is ready.

WAYNO · Jan 12, 2017

And having owned both models, my suggestion would be...Being striker fired, with a relatively light trigger pull, AND NO SAFETY...Be extremely careful holstering this thing in a inside the pants holster, or any holster.

WAYNO.

neilin · Jan 13, 2017

janderson021 said:
Hello - I am seriously considering purchasing a new American 9mm, trading my P95 with some additional $$ for it. I'm not sure if I am going to go full size or compact, Pro or not.
Can any American owners here provide me with their views on the pistol, negative or positive?
I like my P95 but now I want something else and I prefer 'made in the USA' label.
Thanks in advance.
Jack

I have both full size and compact, and like them very much. I have written about them in some other threads. You will notice a big differnce between the RAP and the P95, better handling, better trigger, a joy to shoot. There are three grip configurations you can use. If your thumb second joint is getting thumped (more noticable when shooing left handed), change to different grip configuration. Take down for cleaning is quick, and goes togetger quick. Do NOT remove the trigger mechanism mounted inside the frame. Parts will fall off, and it is hard to put back together. I use ball ammo only, for maximum reliability.

janderson021 · Jan 14, 2017

Thanks all, good information.
So, after much back and forth between the full size and the compact, I pulled the trigger (pun intended) on the full size pro. One reason was I can use the holsters I have for my P95.
And I thought as long as I am replacing a full size might as well keep it going.
Now the only problem is waiting for it to get here so I can try it out.

One more question, is there a recommended number of break-in rounds to fire on the full-size? I ask that because the Kahr CM9 I have had a recommendation of x number of rounds as a break-in period.

tacticalreload · Jan 14, 2017

I wouldn't worry about break in. Some Kahrs have been spotty, especially before being broken in. I don't think the RAP has similar issues.

James · Jan 22, 2017

janderson021 said:
Hello - I am seriously considering purchasing a new American 9mm, trading my P95 with some additional $$ for it. I'm not sure if I am going to go full size or compact, Pro or not.
Can any American owners here provide me with their views on the pistol, negative or positive?
I like my P95 but now I want something else and I prefer 'made in the USA' label.
Thanks in advance.
Jack

First off i don't have a Ruger American in 9mm. But i do have a compact Ruger American in 45acp and i love it. Reminds me greatly of a Glock30 i used to have which i liked very much. It has the trigger safety like the Glock and no external safety, so like the Glock it is a draw point an shoot weapon.

If you are planing on concealed carry i would recommend the compact model over the full sized one, they hide very well. I carry mine in an Alien Gear IWB holster at the 3:30 spot, and with the neoprene backing of the holster it is very comfortable and even after 12 -14 straight hours of carry i sometimes find my self checking to see if to is still there.

The trigger pull is not real light, but it is a short pull and you don't really want a hair trigger in a combat gun anyway or you might end up with a bullet hole in your foot...

I like the gun very much, it seems to be well made and fits my hand just great. I highly recommend Ruger guns to all. I now have 2 Ruger revolvers, 1 Ruger SR1911, 1 Ruger SR40, and now the Ruger American 45 on top of 3 Ruger Rifles.

janderson021 · Jan 25, 2017

I finally took my RAP to the range, and came away glad I made the purchase. After about 10 rounds I got used to the trigger and really like how it works. Accuracy is real good, even with me behind the trigger.
<finish my thought> 60 rounds total, the last 50 convinced me this is a keeper.

SR1911SHOOTER · Jan 29, 2017

janderson021 said:
Hello - I am seriously considering purchasing a new American 9mm, trading my P95 with some additional $$ for it. I'm not sure if I am going to go full size or compact, Pro or not.
Can any American owners here provide me with their views on the pistol, negative or positive?
I like my P95 but now I want something else and I prefer 'made in the USA' label.
Thanks in advance.
Jack

janderson,
What model P95, DC? anything but DAO. I could be talked into a trade. I am also looking at the Ruger
American, with the Hi-Cap mags. I carry a Hi-Cap 9Mm 1911 and would like to lighten up with the
Ruger American. 18 rounds means no extra mags to find a hiding place for.
My 1911 would make a great truck gun.
Blackie.

SR1911SHOOTER · Jan 29, 2017

James said:
janderson021 said:

Hello - I am seriously considering purchasing a new American 9mm, trading my P95 with some additional $$ for it. I'm not sure if I am going to go full size or compact, Pro or not.
Can any American owners here provide me with their views on the pistol, negative or positive?
I like my P95 but now I want something else and I prefer 'made in the USA' label.
Thanks in advance.
Jack

Click to expand...

First off i don't have a Ruger American in 9mm. But i do have a compact Ruger American in 45acp and i love it. Reminds me greatly of a Glock30 i used to have which i liked very much. It has the trigger safety like the Glock and no external safety, so like the Glock it is a draw point an shoot weapon.

If you are planing on concealed carry i would recommend the compact model over the full sized one, they hide very well. I carry mine in an Alien Gear IWB holster at the 3:30 spot, and with the neoprene backing of the holster it is very comfortable and even after 12 -14 straight hours of carry i sometimes find my self checking to see if to is still there.

The trigger pull is not real light, but it is a short pull and you don't really want a hair trigger in a combat gun anyway or you might end up with a bullet hole in your foot... I like the gun very much, it seems to be well made and fits my hand just great. I highly recommend Ruger guns to all. I now have 2 Ruger revolvers, 1 Ruger SR1911, 1 Ruger SR40, and now the Ruger American 45 on top of 3 Ruger Rifles.

James.
you draw with your finger on the trigger? Please be careful! It takes no time at all to put your finger on the trigger
after the gun is at point. Only movie stars draw with their finger on the trigger! Not putting you down, just my
opinion.
Blackie

James · Jan 30, 2017

SR1911SHOOTER said:
James.
you draw with your finger on the trigger? Please be careful! It takes no time at all to put your finger on the trigger
after the gun is at point. Only movie stars draw with their finger on the trigger! Not putting you down, just my
opinion.
Blackie

Ok, i was trying to figure where you got that idea, but i think i see now...NO, i do not draw my pistol with my finger on the trigger. First off when the gun is in the holster it sits low enough that you can not get your finger on the trigger until you lift up high enough where it clears the trigger, so my finger never goes actually on the trigger until the gun has cleared the holster and has leveled out towards the target.

As the gun comes up my finger is along the frame just above the trigger and stays there till the gun levels towards the target. I may be a little dumb about some things but yanking a gun out of a holster with my finger on the trigger is not one of them. Your opinion is quite valid, thank you for caring.

oldfart64 · Feb 21, 2017

janderson021 said:
Hello - I am seriously considering purchasing a new American 9mm, trading my P95 with some additional $$ for it. I'm not sure if I am going to go full size or compact, Pro or not.
Can any American owners here provide me with their views on the pistol, negative or positive?
I like my P95 but now I want something else and I prefer 'made in the USA' label.
Thanks in advance.
Jack

I tried out everything before I bought my duty size pro 9mm. I like everything about it except the grip which I quickly fixed with the "rubbery" talon grips. It is near perfect with one exception, that being that the reset is a little bit too deep for my liking. By this i mean that the rest comes almost all the way back out before resetting and I would be a little happier if it were closer to the hard stop of the trigger action. In regards to which I like better the full size or compact. I also shot the compact when I was looking. The recoil was a bit stronger on the compact and since my RAP is primarily for range and home defense, I got the full size (I have a S&W shield in 9mm and that is my carry pistol {btw, it is perfect for me for carry, light concealable and 100% reliable with any personal defense ammo}). Lastly, I know you wanted american, but the H&K was hands down the best trigger of all the pistols I shot while searching, but capacity was not enough and price was too high in my state. Good luck with your search.

PAVTXER · Feb 22, 2017

janderson021 said:
Hello - I am seriously considering purchasing a new American 9mm, trading my P95 with some additional $$ for it. I'm not sure if I am going to go full size or compact, Pro or not.
Can any American owners here provide me with their views on the pistol, negative or positive?
I like my P95 but now I want something else and I prefer 'made in the USA' label.
Thanks in advance.
Jack

Do tell more about the P95 if you would please. I'm possibly interested in one/yours. I have a P93/P94/P94489/90 and have mags for all, so that P95 would have some spare mags with me.

FergusonTO35 · Feb 28, 2017

I was at the fun store yesterday and examined an RAP compact and SR9c side by side. Surprisingly, the SR9c was a bit larger in most ways except width. The RAP manual safety lever is alot nicer than the SR series, it's big and easy to access. I'm not really crazy about the full size version of either the SR9 or RAP but I have always liked the SR9c and the RAP compact could be a worthy successor. The owner of the shop has lately been getting $379.95 for new SR series pistols, he thinks this will be the last year for them. I'll stick with my Glock 26 but the RAP compact does seem to be a nice gun, hopefully it will go on to make a good name for itself.

considering Ruger American 9mm

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