KP89DAO or is it?. . . . . .

[roylt]

Seems there has been lots of P-series talk of late so I was in my shop today tinkering on something for my girlfriend and thought I would share one of my last projects.

First one to post what tinkering I may have done wins a virtual trip to wherever their dreams take them. (I pretty much gave it away though)

Keep the P-guns alive!!!!!

 

[pyth0n]

My best guess is that it's not DAO. Hammer can't be cocked on DAO. I suspect the slide might be from a DAO. As this gun has the hammer cocked, there should be a de-cock or de-cock safety lever on the slide.
Oh and there shouldn't be a hammer spur as a DAO.

 

[roylt]

I was hoping for more conversation I guess. I'm a P-nut for sure but thought other might comment.

Oh well.


Keep the P-guns alive!

 

[blume357]

Yep, not that hard to figure out.... but I'm not so sure I like the modification.... I really like the de-cock lever on the DA/SA pistols. I suppose it's 'okay' if you know what you got and know how to de-cock it, but for a girl friend? This might just start a conversation......

 

[XUSNORDIE]

Wasn't there another thread about this recently by you roylt? Or am I tripping?

 

[roylt]

Yep, not that hard to figure out.... but I'm not so sure I like the modification.... I really like the de-cock lever on the DA/SA pistols. I suppose it's 'okay' if you know what you got and know how to de-cock it, but for a girl friend? This might just start a conversation......

I ran that together a bit. I was working on something for my girlfriend (no gun related) and this was the last P-gun tinkering I had done a couple years ago.

 

[roylt]

Wasn't there another thread about this recently by you roylt? Or am I tripping?

Someone else posted an issue with their DAO and I added a pic of this for fun is all.

Thanks,

 

[XUSNORDIE]

Someone else posted an issue with their DAO and I added a pic of this for fun is all.

Thanks,

All good....more folks need t understand fun here......I was just making sure I wasn't bourbon tripping ......tripping is allowed, falling is not

 

[the_leper_colony]

I was hoping for more conversation I guess. I'm a P-nut for sure but thought other might comment...

I hadn't seen this thread, but I'm always interested in tinkering with the P-series guns!

:)

 

[roylt]

I hadn't seen this thread, but I'm always interested in tinkering with the P-series guns!


I don't think I've ever tried a 89 frame like that. Can't make out the number on the upper. Is that a 94 or 93?

 

[roylt]

Those Uncle Mike and wood grips are nice too.

 

[the_leper_colony]

IIRC, the P93 & P94 slides won't fit on the earlier frames. That's a P95 slide, with the lower front of the slide recontoured to fit the frame (which in this case is a P91DC frame, but it also worked fine on a P85 frame). ONLY a P95 slide with the standard safety will work, because the relief cut for the trigger bar is in the right location (the P95DAO & DC use a different trigger bar design, and their slides have the relief cut in the wrong location for the P85/P89/P91 trigger bars). AND I had to use a shortened P85 barrel & recoil spring guide rod - don't recall exactly why, but a P93 barrel & recoil assembly wouldn't work. BUT if you want a P93 with a safety (something Ruger never made), this modified P95 slide works fine on a P93DC frame, with the standard 93 barrel/recoil assembly.

I'm not sure why, but I really like the compact slide on the earlier style frame! The first P95 slide I modified was blued, but I prefer stainless, so I did this one also (each one was a few hours work, because I did most of the work slowly & carefully, by hand)!

As always FWIW, IMHO, YMMV, etc., etc.
:)

 

[the_leper_colony]

Those Uncle Mike and wood grips are nice too.

Was thinking about your P89 above - any thoughts on the possibility of adding a half cock position for the hammer? Although I guess since it's capable of firing double action, a half cock option wouldn't add much in terms of safety, the way it does on some single action firearms (Soviet TT33, various lever action rifles, etc.).

Speaking of safeties, I've thought about modifying a P-series pistol so it can be carried "cocked & locked", but so far haven't got around to it...
:)

 

[jav]

I saw one of these older one at a gun shop I liked a lot but the gun shop guy could figure out how it to field strip he kept trying no avail. I never had one so I left it there the price really reasonable good looking gun always liked how they look

 

[roylt]

I saw one of these older one at a gun shop I liked a lot but the gun shop guy could figure out how it to field strip he kept trying no avail. I never had one so I left it there the price really reasonable good looking gun always liked how they look

Ruger has the manual on their website. Give it a read and go back and teach the guy how to do it and make a good deal on it for yourself. You'll be happy you did is my guess.

 

[roylt]

Was thinking about your P89 above - any thoughts on the possibility of adding a half cock position for the hammer? Although I guess since it's capable of firing double action, a half cock option wouldn't add much in terms of safety, the way it does on some single action firearms (Soviet TT33, various lever action rifles, etc.).

Speaking of safeties, I've thought about modifying a P-series pistol so it can be carried "cocked & locked", but so far haven't got around to it...
:)

Wow! Lots more going on there than I first thought. I'm not a smith really just messing around as far as I feel safe to do so. I don't want to make something and end up being called lefty or anything. HAHA

Mine was a simple swap of standard 89 parts with a hammer mod to make it easier to safely uncock the hammer if the need arose. And a slot in the slide for the extra hammer height to fall into. It was fun and I enjoyed myself.

If you feel like sharing more on the specifics of your mods, you should make posts about them. Very interesting to me for sure.

Thanks for the insights and conversation.


Keep the P-guns alive!!!!

 

[Heidero]

IIRC, the P93 & P94 slides won't fit on the earlier frames. That's a P95 slide, with the lower front of the slide recontoured to fit the frame (which in this case is a P91DC frame, but it also worked fine on a P85 frame). ONLY a P95 slide with the standard safety will work, because the relief cut for the trigger bar is in the right location (the P95DAO & DC use a different trigger bar design, and their slides have the relief cut in the wrong location for the P85/P89/P91 trigger bars). AND I had to use a shortened P85 barrel & recoil spring guide rod - don't recall exactly why, but a P93 barrel & recoil assembly wouldn't work. BUT if you want a P93 with a safety (something Ruger never made), this modified P95 slide works fine on a P93DC frame, with the standard 93 barrel/recoil assembly.

I'm not sure why, but I really like the compact slide on the earlier style frame! The first P95 slide I modified was blued, but I prefer stainless, so I did this one also (each one was a few hours work, because I did most of the work slowly & carefully, by hand)!

As always FWIW, IMHO, YMMV, etc., etc.
:)

Looking to do this on my P85 MKII frame with a standard safety. I’ve found several P95 parts kits on Gunbroker with standard safety as well. Instead of cutting my barrel, couldn’t I use the P95 barrel, recoil spring and bar and trigger?

I’ve already modified the gun to use the P95 trigger and it works well and shortens the LOP. I’m thinking if I keep all the 95 parts together and modify the end of the slide as you did to fit the frame, it all should work together and I’d have the right barrel length.

Really like your gun btw!

 

[the_leper_colony]

Looking to do this on my P85 MKII frame with a standard safety. I've found several P95 parts kits on Gunbroker with standard safety as well. Instead of cutting my barrel, couldn't I use the P95 barrel, recoil spring and bar and trigger?

I've already modified the gun to use the P95 trigger and it works well and shortens the LOP. I'm thinking if I keep all the 95 parts together and modify the end of the slide as you did to fit the frame, it all should work together and I'd have the right barrel length.

Really like your gun btw!

Welcome to the forum! Ruger started using a different recoil spring assembly/barrel design (don't remember what they called it) in the late P94s, P95s, etc.; earlier P-series guns used the traditional Browning "swinging link". I don't think the P95 parts would fit a frame designed for the swinging link system; I had access to those parts at one time, but I honestly don't remember the specific issues. The swinging link is quite narrow side-to-side, so I suspect the rear end of the P95 recoil assembly was too wide to drop into a frame designed for the earlier system (and following the old gunsmithing advice to "always modify the cheaper or easier-to-get part", I never modified a Ruger frame ;^).

The P85 barrel & recoil spring guide rod that I shortened were spares, from a cheap parts kit with an abused slide (someone had scratched a name or number into the side & it wasn't worth restoring). If you decide to pursue this & might be interested in my spare "already modified & previously used" blued P95 slide, let me know (but it doesn't have the P95 barrel or recoil assembly with it)!

Your P85 looks really nice!!

As always IMHO, FWIW, YMMV, I'm not a gunsmith, etc.
:)

 

[Heidero]

Thanks, I have a P95 as well and I'll check some of the areas you mentioned with it side by side to my P85. I may take you up on your slide especially if you've already trimmed away the material at the end so it'll go into my frame.

How did you shorten the barrel? Used P89 barrels are pretty steady to find if I screw mine up or wanna have a spare.

Does it have the safety and firing pin still? That's how I started thinking about doing a swap. My safety levers are really hard to flip, guess this was common with that model, and I can't find any used parts on all the typical sites. Best option has been to find a complete slide, so let me know and maybe we can work it out. I'm watching several parts kits on GB now too.

Appreciate thee compliment on my 85 too. I've done three of these now and they turn out pretty cool. Plus I polish the slide and other parts so they work very smoothly and are a pleasure to shoot.

 

[the_leper_colony]

FWIW, the slide is complete with safety, firing pin, etc., and already trimmed/recontoured (photos below; barrel & recoil assembly are to show what worked for me, are not 'spares' and are NOT AVAILABLE). I used it on a P85 frame before I sold that handgun. Don't know how well it shows, but it seems to be getting that purple tint Ruger bluing is known for!

I shortened a P85 barrel (very carefully, by hand, with a hacksaw), and recrowned the muzzle with a tool from Brownell's and a .375 cartridge case inside neck reamer (to get a clean termination on the rifling). I've done that kind of project before (using the tools & methods recommended to me by a professional gunsmith), so it wasn't my 'first rodeo'; I've been happy with the results, but one size never fits all, and obviously YMMV!

I don't think a P89 barrel will work for you, unless (maybe?) it's an early P89 barrel, that looks like the P85 barrel below. I just tried a later P89 barrel in the slide & frame shown, and it wouldn't drop low enough to allow the slide to be racked.

STANDARD LEGAL DISCLAIMER: I have been satisfied with the modifications described above, but I am a hobbyist, NOT a gunsmith - I recommend that anyone considering anything similar, consult a professional gunsmith regarding safety & feasibility. Your safety is YOUR responsibility!
:)

 

[Heidero]

I forgot to ask how much you want for this modified P95 slide? And if I sent you a P85 barrel could you shorten it and recrown like you have for this setup?