Ruger 944, P90, Kaput?

[gatorhugger]

Is the 944 pistol being made? Here I am on Rugerforum and not a post in the last year about the last of the Alloy framed guns. (well maybe the 90 is still coming in small numbers)
I take that means the kids are just buying polymer, which is bad news for this product line.
Bye Bye 944? Goodbye Hardened Aluminum alloy. Gonna miss ya!

The AL frames are only 4 ounces heavier than plastic, and the strenght and durability is tremendous.
What a Shame.

 

[P90]

Polymer will replace metal in Cars, Guns, and a lot of things. The younger generation won't notice the change. There will always be a place in the hearts of us Old Farts for the all metal Cars, Guns, and tools that we have used all our lives. I have plastic Guns, but my Favorites are the all metal ones. I'm thinking that the all metal guns will be a lot more expensive than the polymer ones, when you can find them, in a few years.

 

[Mike J]

The P-944 & P-90 were still on Rugers website the last time I looked Gator. It has been a while back but someone was posting about buying a new P-944.
Calvin is right about the difference in expense between polymer & metal. Of course metal costs a lot more to manufacture. I actually like both.

 

[Cheesewhiz]

My preference is an all metal hammer fired pistol, I own one polymer pistol at the moment, an SR9.
If I had to have another plastic gun, it would also be another striker fired gun. I don't like hammer fired plastic guns, that's just my opinion on that.

 

[collector rob]

Maybe Ruger will discontinue them and then re-release them with the "Classic" label like S&W did. :lol:

 

[NixieTube]

One of the other pistols I bought when I went shopping was a Smith & Wesson 4040PD, which is a fairly rare scandium-aluminum alloy framed gun from the S&W 3rd generation of semiauto pistols, very similar to the 3913 and 3913TSW but bigger caliber and without the accessory rail of the latter.

Who cares about the accessory rail on a real CCW gun? It's a little retro gun with big features and a lot of oomph behind the bullet. It was designed for concealed and backup carry and it excels at that, was popular among FBI agents, and you don't want to be on the wrong side of the barrel in a fight. Good enough for me, and it holds its value.

The content of the scandium in the aluminum matrix is less than 2% from what I have read, but it makes a difference in the structure of the metal particularly where the slide rides. Same reason bicycle manufacturers use it. I bought this gun used and the slide-frame interface is tighter than the one on my new SR9. Plus, I love the little atomic glyph on the left side of the frame. How cool is that?

I don't mention it here very much, but I like it as much as my SR9 -- for different reasons. Hogue grips, low-profile Novaks, black finish, and it feels great in the hand. You can balance this pistol perfectly on the middle finger underneath the trigger guard, and it shoots beautifully, particularly for a compact .40. I use the 4040PD as the CCW weapon and I prefer it in that role over the SR9. The plastic frame on the SR9 wasn't the primary reason I bought it, it was the feature set, and when I saw the 4040PD I knew I had to have it also. If anything it feels lighter than the SR9 probably because it's more compact.

I like this little single stack .40 a lot, and I wish Ruger would make something comparable, with an all-metal frame:

http://www.gunshopfinder.com/smithandwesson/smithandwesson4040PD.asp

I'm kind of halfway retro and I actually think about buying a revolver as my next purchase...

Finally, I have to say that I did choose this pistol before Ruger had introduced the SR9c. If one of those had been on the shelf that day, the story might be different, but after having learned a little of the history of the 4040PD I'm almost glad the SR9c wasn't being manufactured yet.

 

[NixieTube]

By the way, after you see some of the S&W 3rd generation guns up close, you wonder where Ruger got its reputation for making "chunky" or "bulky" guns to the exclusion of other manufacturers.

The 4040PD is a really nice gun but svelte or lithe or styled like a whippoorwill gossamer breeze it ain't. It's pretty chunky. It feels lighter and smaller than it looks, though -- which I guess is the point.

 

[GhosT]

gatorhugger said

Goodbye Hardened Aluminum alloy. Gonna miss ya!

UUUGGGHHH! Hate might be true.


P90 said...

Polymer will replace metal in Cars, Guns, and a lot of things. The younger generation won't notice the change. There will always be a place in the hearts of us Old Farts for the all metal Cars, Guns, and tools that we have used all our lives. I have plastic Guns, but my Favorites are the all metal ones. I'm thinking that the all metal guns will be a lot more expensive than the polymer ones, when you can find them, in a few years.

Too damn true.


Highly suggest to any newbie...
If ya come across a good used deal..
Don't sweat the plastic VS metal deal.

Both from Ruger have proven themselves!

 

[Fishslayer]

A pistol should be made of metal and it should have a hammer.

I thought EVERYBODY knew that... 8)

 

[FED327]

A pistol should be made of metal and it should have a hammer.

I thought EVERYBODY knew that... 8)

And should be .45 Auto caliber.....P90's FOREVER!

 

[Pixs]

Hi Folks,

Just got the new 2010 catalog and the P-90, P-944, and P-945 are all in there along with the Tupper Ware P-345

Best to all,

Pixs

 

[fastexas]

Gander Mtn. has them for $579.....

 

[Anonymous]

I know nothing's been posted in here lately but just wanted to add that I just purchased a P944 a week ago. On sale at Gander Mtn for $389 I might add.

 

[Mike J]

Congratulations on your purchase remember. That's a great price. I think I paid $335 when I bought mine new back in 2000. I may have to dig the receipt up just to see if I remember right. It have seen the new ones around here priced around $489.00 IIRC.

 

[rugerfreak]

I'd have to say no--not yet at least.

A dealer about 70 miles away---so I only get there from time to time--had a P944 and I was going to buy it---go there to get it and it was sold---fast forward a week ago they had another one sitting there--but I didn't have the funds and they don't do lay-a-way anymore. So still sitting there.

 

[wixedmords]

I just bought my 3rd P944. I guess I like them a tad.

How that SR40 goes over may be a telling tale for the EOL of the P944.

The "youts" just want those plastic guns and at or below 5 bills, they are pushing out the more traditionalists who want more substantial guns. Lets face it though, the plastic guns aren't intended to last a lifetime, like many of the products we buy today in this Walmart world. You have to ask yourself is a "lifetime pistol", or firearm for that matter, something we are seeing the end of? Guns may have been the last holdout, but we may be seeing the end of the ability to pass our firearms on due to cheaper construction techniques and materials.

 

[Mike J]

Some of the polymers they have now are as or more durable than metal in certain applications. They keep getting better & better. There are still plenty of nylon 66's around. I believe they started making them back in the 60's. Todays polymers are better than they were then.

 

[inisfree]

I love my P94. It might be a bit heavier than the plastics but never had a problem with it. I keep looking at the forum and there seems to be a lot of posts with things going wrong with the new stuff that is made from melted down barbie dolls It almost feels like the end of the muscle cars and the beginning of the compacts

 

[Gizmo42]

I think I paid around $425 for my KP944 a couple years ago from a local shop. Which was over $100 cheaper the gander mountain. I wont buy anything from that place. Everything is very over priced unless its on sale.

 

[Fishslayer]

The "youts" just want those plastic guns and at or below 5 bills...

Did you say "Yoots?"