P-95 Carry Question

[Beergut]

I've had a P-95 for 2 years. It chews up any ammo I put in it and spits it out with no problems. I like this gun but don't plan to conceal carry it. I thought IDPA might be interesting. My question is: That first double-action shot is a booger because of the trigger-pull and really affects accuracy, the following shots are much smoother. To avoid that heavy trigger-pull on the first shot do you load the gun and holster it with the hammer back and the safety off or load de-cock and turn the safety off and holster and just deal with the first shot? (I had an instructor tell me it was a POS and to buy a Glock.)

 

[Flash]

First of all, there isn't a gun made by Ruger that's a POS so your instructor is somewhat biased in my opinion.
Second, if the first shot is off the mark due to the double action trigger pull, practice that. Practice a draw and fire. Lower the hammer and practice it again, and again, and again.
You'll find that after doing so, your double action pull will be much smoother and won't effect your aim at all.

 

[Phil In Idaho]

For IDPA your P95 is a SSP gun. Stock Service Pistol. Per the book you must draw with the hammer down and deal with the DA pull.

The solution is dry fire and practice. In about a 1000 rds that pull will ease up. Partly because the trigger gets broke in and partly because you will get used to it.

Don't let the instructors or the gun gods at IDPA give you any crap about the P-95. For the distances you are shooting it's your skill and not the gun that makes the differance. You will see the Glocks and the M&P's and especially the 1911's have FTF issues. You won't have any!

 

[Pops 1]

I bet the instructor was a cop. Pops

 

[dwd]

I shoot a little IDPA with my Rugers. I load the chamber, decock the hammer, and turn the safety off before I holster it. Then I just deal with the DA trigger pull. I suppose you could reach up with your thumb and pull the hammer back before you shoot it if you wanted to, I think that's legal. In some stages you would have time to do that.
Remember it is only the first shot that is DA, after you empty a mag the slide will lock open and when you change out your mag and drop the slide you will be SA.

 

[Beergut]

I bet the instructor was a cop. Pops

The guy is actually considered one of the best. (He has his own TV show). He was a nice enough guy but he doesn't like any Ruger semi-autos or M&P's. He also has a rule against Blackhawk Serpas in his class and says Remington ammo sucks. (He was slightly opinionated) Glock is one of his sponsors. I will say that I was definately shooting better by the end of the day. The class was a basic pistol class and I thought it would be fun and I did enjoy it. I don't plan to get rid of my P-95 and I'm not buying a Glock.

He is an ex-Delta Force firearms instructor.

 

[Beergut]

I bet the instructor was a cop. Pops

The guy is actually considered one of the best. (He has his own TV show). He was a nice enough guy but he doesn't like any Ruger semi-autos or M&P's. He also has a rule against Blackhawk Serpas in his class and says Remington ammo sucks. (He was slightly opinionated) Glock is one of his sponsors. I will say that I was definately shooting better by the end of the day. The class was a basic pistol class and I thought it would be fun and I did enjoy it. I don't plan to get rid of my P-95 and I'm not buying a Glock.

He is an ex-Delta Force firearms instructor.

I almost forgot...he didn't like my Fobus holster either. :lol:

 

[cruzerlou]

I had a Breatta 92FS and had the same problem at first .Just as Flash says pratice drawing and dry firing and then start pratcing with live ammo . Shoot one round ,decock,reholster repete , you'll soon overcome this problem .My buddy has a p-95 that the DA pull feels just as light as the S/A pull ,yes it's longer but it's a real shooter . I may bring it to the east coast forum meet ,it's a joy to shoot and to be honnest it's easies to hit with than my Beratta was .
Lou

 

[Phil In Idaho]

In another thread in this section Michael Bane shot the World IDPA with a SR9. He loves it. That would rid you of the DA trigger pull.

I've shot revolvers for years so the long DA pull feels normal to me. I agree it feels funky on the P-95 for that first shot. But like others have stated. Practice, practice,practice and soon you won't notice it.

Practice reloads from slide lock while you're at it. Comes in handy.

Don't tell the Ex-Ranger guy.

 

[Phil In Idaho]

I bet the instructor was a cop. Pops

The guy is actually considered one of the best. (He has his own TV show). He was a nice enough guy but he doesn't like any Ruger semi-autos or M&P's. He also has a rule against Blackhawk Serpas in his class and says Remington ammo sucks. (He was slightly opinionated) Glock is one of his sponsors. I will say that I was definately shooting better by the end of the day. The class was a basic pistol class and I thought it would be fun and I did enjoy it. I don't plan to get rid of my P-95 and I'm not buying a Glock.

He is an ex-Delta Force firearms instructor.

I almost forgot...he didn't like my Fobus holster either. :lol:

Ah, North Carolina, Glock, T.V. show. Yep. Larry Vickers.

That guy does know his stuff. I really liked his other show Tactical Arms.

I'd love to take a tactics class from him.

What is great for a personal defense gun or IDPA gun may not be the best choice for a special ops or combat gun. Doesen't mean it's a bad choice for the former.

 

[Beergut]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll work on that DA shot.

 

[Dirty Bob]

Spend the money you saved when buying the P95 on practice ammo, and any "advantage" of other pistols is minimized.

The Ruger P95 may not be sexy, but it works!

I have to disagree with the instructor. It's someone I respect, but he may be speaking from the perspective of someone who teaches a lot of beginners. I think a beginner may be better off with a Glock or other striker-fired pistol, because of the consistent trigger and simpler manual of arms.

Experienced shooters develop preferences. I don't like the feel of Glocks. I don't say bad things about them: I just prefer other guns.

Someone mentioned the SR9. I tried one in the fun store, and it felt very good in my hands. The sights are good, also. It seems to hit a "sweet spot" of size/weight/other stuff and just feels better in my hands than many guns in its size range.

...but I don't really want a striker-fired pistol. I like hammers, so tomorrow I'm ordering a P95 from my local FFL. I understand that any limitations in my performance with a P95 will be due to my shortcomings, not the pistol.

Go with what works for you, and to heck with what others say!

Dirty Bob

 

[Beergut]

Spend the money you saved when buying the P95 on practice ammo, and any "advantage" of other pistols is minimized.

The Ruger P95 may not be sexy, but it works!

I have to disagree with the instructor. It's someone I respect, but he may be speaking from the perspective of someone who teaches a lot of beginners. I think a beginner may be better off with a Glock or other striker-fired pistol, because of the consistent trigger and simpler manual of arms.

Experienced shooters develop preferences. I don't like the feel of Glocks. I don't say bad things about them: I just prefer other guns.

Someone mentioned the SR9. I tried one in the fun store, and it felt very good in my hands. The sights are good, also. It seems to hit a "sweet spot" of size/weight/other stuff and just feels better in my hands than many guns in its size range.

...but I don't really want a striker-fired pistol. I like hammers, so tomorrow I'm ordering a P95 from my local FFL. I understand that any limitations in my performance with a P95 will be due to my shortcomings, not the pistol.

Go with what works for you, and to heck with what others say!

Dirty Bob

I am definately sticking with my P95. I didn't buy the gun intending to carry it, I bought it for fun at the range. I have a Judge for home defense and a Bodyguard 380 for carry. (Hopefully I'll never NEED any of them) I took the gun course for fun because I had never taken that type of course. He did say if you're going to continue then you should get a Glock. At this point I don't plan to continue with any tactical training.

 

[Phil In Idaho]

It's all about feel!

A local Tactical shop owner here in Boise took an armorer course from Smith&Wesson on the M&P line. In the course the instructors told everybody why people either love or hate Glocks. The angle of the grips is slighly differant in Glocks than any other gun. So when some people grip a Glock it will either point better for them or they hate the feel. Ever notice not many people are lukewarm about Glocks? They either love them or hate them. Interesting.

Every gun every make and model has it's own personality. You either like it and learn the quirks or you don't. Does not make it a bad gun. Just not right for you. It is interesting how people will tell you that such and such is a bad gun. When really it's just not right for them.

Enjoy your P-95, shoot it a lot, participate in matches and don't listen to anybody if it's right for you.

 

[STGThndr]

Ive had a P-95, and also it's predecessor the P89 for at least 10 years, or more. Both have been carried as duty weapons, and both while a bit bulky, have worked admirably. I no longer carry them "professionally" as the .40 has come of age, but I still have them handy.

 

[Mobuck]

You definitely don't want to holster your P95 cocked. While it might be fine forever, your holster might trip the trigger accidentally. I carry a decock only P95. If you can't learn to handle that first DA shot, you should look at a single action semiauto that you can carry cocked and locked.