My Old Ruger P85 Got a Face Lift

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gggman

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My 20 year old P85 was looking a little rough after being "rode hard and put away wet" a few too many times. I decided she needed a little sprucing up. I had seen some pictures of 1911's with olive green frames, and I decided that I would give that a try. Brownell's has some spray on finishes that don't require any baking, and their website has some short instructional videos that are available to download for free. So after a new finish, and some Uncle Mike's grips, she has a new look. Here are before and after photos.

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Nice, I have those grips as well, Unkle Mikes. Unfortunately I have only one pair and I use them either on a P85 or a P90. How durable is the new finish?
 
Only time will tell how durable it is. It feels pretty solid, and held up fine to my handling during reassembly. I think it would be susceptible to holster wear like anything else, but routine handling and shooting shouldn't bother it.
 
Uncle Mike's are definetely the best grips for the P series Rugers.
Nice lift up. Not to scracth your gun's finish as the previous one, please be more carefull during the take down procedures :D.
 
Looks like a totaly different gun. You did a nice job. It will probably hold tighter groups now.......? Have fun with the new facial !!
 
Great "personal job", and color comb w/grips

...

Looks great, and I'm sure her spirit is happy, and will most likely sing ya some sweeter songs..

Kinda like washing and waxing your car, or changing the oil, they seem to like it and go a bit faster.. lol


Ls
 
The new finish looks good. Like to hear more about how it holds up. The original finish on mine has held up pretty well but might consider redoing it. I also like the Uncle Mike grips as you can see

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its just a shame that we can't convince the DoD that we need an overbuilt, super reliable American design for our soliders and marines to carry into harms way.
A Ruger P-Series in .40S&W would be perfect for our boys. They don't break. They don't jam and they fire something beginning with the number 4
 
Love, love, love My P90.

Hate, hate, hate the original grips.

Love, love, love the Hogue wrap-arounds.

Those Uncle Mikes grips look pretty darn good though. If I come across a set, I would give them a try.

Also, your pistol looks darn good. Good enough that I am thinking that I might want to do the same to my P90, just to spruce the old dog up a little bit.
 
Looks good, the new grips are WAY better looking than the old one. I don't like the feel or look of ribbed grips, myself.
its just a shame that we can't convince the DoD that we need an overbuilt, super reliable American design for our soliders and marines to carry into harms way.
Click to expand...
Well, I guess 1 out of 3 isn't too bad. :p
 
WOW! That is spectacular looking! Very nice job. Without a doubt the best looking P85 I've ever seen. Man, if they made them look that good at the factory I would probably own one!
 
You might also notice that I removed the lanyard loop. That was an easy job too. I just removed the pin that holds in the mainspring retainer, then used a dremel to grind off the loop. Finished it up with emery cloth, and it looks like it was made that way.
 
gggman,
Can you post exactly which product you used, please? I've got a CZ-70 with a beat up finish that I'd love to look that good.
Thanks!
 
The P85 was intended to compete in the Army's 9mm competition in 1985 (hence the '85'), but was just a little too late, and had a few bugs to be worked out. Fortunately, Ruger went ahead and carried the pistol to market.
 
Ruger P-series are my favorite guns I own...I own others but the P-series remain my favorite and most frequenty used :)

Nice pics...I love the OD frame.
 
Well, I don't tote my P85 much at all and the original finish is still decent on it, but that does look quite cool. :D My KP90DC usually gets the nod if I wanna tote a big auto. My Sparks Summer Special will fit either gun, but the P90 has a better trigger, is stainless, and I like the decocker. It's more accurate and I just flat shoot it better. I don't have a big bias to the .45ACP, but just prefer the gun. I ain't sellin' my P85, though. I got it from a friend with 3 pre-ban mags (before they lifted the ban) for $225 and it's like new. He hardly ever fired it.

I've not noticed much if any finish wear on the P90, being stainless. I tote an old worn, blued .357 mag occasionally, but hey, it has character. I don't worry a lot about the finish on a carry gun. After 12 years constantly in sweaty pockets, my Kel Tec P11 ain't real spiffy lookin, either, but still puts 'em where I want 'em.

I do like that olive look, though. This is giving me ideas. Now, how about getting a realtree finish on the frame? That would be different, eh? :D It might wear a bit fast, though, in a holster I guess.

Oh, I've got Hogues on both my Ruger P guns. Love the Hogues.

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