Question about P95 Ruger

[Jim NE]

My Ruger works great. My question is: I've noticed when the hammer is cocked and in the ready to fire position (safety off) the slide has a SLIGHT but noticable looseness (wobbliness?) to it. You can slightly rock it from side to side with your fingers, just a bit. It's not as loose after the gun has been fired and the hammer is in contact with the firing pin. If you put the safety on (or "decocker") it loses all of it's looseness and the slide seems to be attached tight to the frame. Is this looseness normal for that gun?

I noticed this after I field stripped, then reassembled the gun. I don't know if it was that way before I took the gun apart, because I didn't check. I'm pretty sure I put everything back together correctly, as I did it several times just to get familiarized. The slight looseness was there everytime. It seems to me the slide should feel more secure than that, but I don't know.

Could anyone out there with a P95 check and see if that slight looseness in the slide is there on your gun as well? (Again, it's when it's cocked and the safety is off. - of course, you'll want to do this when it's unloaded .)

Thanks in advance

 

[Igneous]

Mine does the same thing and the pistol has been 100% reliable.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

In all probability this is normal. Frame to slide play is not nearly as important as the barrel to slide lockup.

 

[Jim NE]

Thanks guys. I thought maybe this this was normal, but wanted to check. Mine has also been very reliable and I love it.

 

[Z-Michigan]

All my Rugers do this, it's normal.

 

[Caliper_Mi]

Yup, my P95 has this play as well. Just the way the clearances are specced. Could also have to do with the polymer slide rails and maybe the manufacturing process is not able to hold as tight a tolerance. If anything, it probably helps reliability, but would only be a factor in extreme situations (think mud and dirt torture test).

The SR9 design (which has metal slide rail inserts) has tighter clearances and much less wiggle, if that is your taste.

 

[Jim NE]

Good to hear. Yeah, I too thought it might be the polymer to metal contact that was a consideration. Two different materials in critical contact with each subjected to higher temperatures and all. They don't want them binding or anything. It certainly doesn't bother me.

Just kind of hard to believe the gun is so accurate and reliable with those clearances. I've learned something new about engineering, I guess.

Thanks for checking everyone.