Ruger P-series high capacity magazines

[halfmoonclip]

Many years ago, had one of the original 9PC carbines, from the days when Bill Ruger was making "Guns for honest citizens". Naturally, it came with a 10 round magazine, and the world was a safer place.
I found some aftermarket 30 round mags, which actually worked well enough, but I've always been distrustful of anything not OEM or MecGar.
When some other 9mm carbines became available, I sold mine to a buddy, who never, ever, came back to call me an SOB.
Fast forward; grabbed another 9PC like the old one, used. This one had the factory aperture sights, and had that same, great M1 vibe, as the last one. The previous owner had a dog's breakfast of aftermarket magazines, all of which have worked in limited shooting with ball ammo.
I did pick up 3 15 round factory mags.
My question; did Ruger ever manufacture 20, (or even 30), round mags for the P series guns?
(BTW, parted with a Ruger Mini-14 carbine, back in the day, for the same magazine issue. Hope old Bill is roasting, someplace, for his selfrighteous attitude.)
Thanks in advance,
Moon

 

[JohnMc]

I don't think Ruger ever did.
Mec Gar makes a 17-round mag for the P series which can be had in blue or nickel. They also make a 20-round one that's blue only.

Magazines - Mec-Gar USA Inc - Firearm Magazines

If you are looking for a magazine for your pistol, choose the magazine manufacturer that is the most trusted in the industry.

mec-gar.com

(Edited to add: whether or not they're in stock anywhere, well, that's an open question.)

 

[halfmoonclip]

I don't think Ruger ever did.
Mec Gar makes a 17-round mag for the P series which can be had in blue or nickel. They also make a 20-round one that's blue only.

Magazines - Mec-Gar USA Inc - Firearm Magazines

If you are looking for a magazine for your pistol, choose the magazine manufacturer that is the most trusted in the industry.

mec-gar.com

(Edited to add: whether or not they're in stock anywhere, well, that's an open question.)

John, that appears to be a fix. I'll look for a better price, but at least MecGar makes them.
Thanks,
Moon

 

[1KPerDay]

Search Results -> Ruger p89 : Greg Cote LLC

 

[wnycollector]

Search Results -> Ruger p89 : Greg Cote LLC

Greg Cote is my "go to" supplier for pistol mags.

 

[W.E.G.]

I've never seen a RUGER factory mag for the P-series pistols in other than STANDARD (full grip length) and commie-capacity (some sort of restriction in the mag-body, or the mag-body sawed-off and fitted with a commie floorplate.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Search Results -> Ruger p89 : Greg Cote LLC

Thanks, 1k and wnycollector; didn't check back here before going searching on my own. Happily, Gun Mag Warehouse had the same $26-something price as Greg Cote, but I'll keep him in mind for future reference.
The original Ruger PC9 always had a sturdy feel to it; it seems one plastic rifle that would actually tolerate a buttstroke. I'll be happy for full capacity magazines for it. I'm not going back to a Mini 14, though.
Thanks, guys.
Moon

 

[JohnMc]

John, that appears to be a fix. I'll look for a better price, but at least MecGar makes them.
Thanks,
Moon

You're welcome.
I should have added that the ones I have work well. I got my P95 before the AWB sunset, so the mags that came with it are 10-round. I have a couple of the Mec-Gar 17-rounders and have been happy with them.

 

[halfmoonclip]

You're welcome.
I should have added that the ones I have work well. I got my P95 before the AWB sunset, so the mags that came with it are 10-round. I have a couple of the Mec-Gar 17-rounders and have been happy with them.

John, I've no end of confidence in MecGar magazines, which is why they were included in my initial post. After St. Bill's departure from Ruger, I'd hoped that they might have seen fit to make some higher capacity mags. They did; up to 15 rounds, but I'm guessing, by then, the PC9 wasn't too high on their worry list....it may be it was out of production. They were moving on from the P-series, in any case.
Having endured the Clinton ban, I've become an awful magazine junkie.
Thanks again,
Moon

 

[halfmoonclip]

I've never seen a RUGER factory mag for the P-series pistols in other than STANDARD (full grip length) and commie-capacity (some sort of restriction in the mag-body, or the mag-body sawed-off and fitted with a commie floorplate.

There appear to be alternatives, if not OEM. I share your frustration; had a Steyr 9 that was actually an interesting gun, but discovered that 10 rounds were all that was offered as OEM. Got rid of the pistol. It appears Steyr has had another run at the American market, with full-capacity magazines.
Moon

 

[Frulk]

I’ve owned Ruger P series pistols since the mid 90’s and have been trolling Rugers web site since it came on line and have never seen OEM mags by them in larger capacities (20+).

I run a couple of these no name (zero nomenclature on the mag to indicate manufacturer) in a P89. They work well with FMJ ball ammo.

 

[halfmoonclip]

I’ve owned Ruger P series pistols since the mid 90’s and have been trolling Rugers web site since it came on line and have never seen OEM mags by them in larger capacities (20+).

I run a couple of these no name (zero nomenclature on the mag to indicate manufacturer) in a P89. They work well with FMJ ball ammo.

View attachment 1204063

Thanks, Frulk. With the original, years ago, I acquired a bunch of big mags of unknown origin (ProMags?) that looked a lot like yours. While I can't recall a malf, I ended up selling the gun to a friend, who never had an issue. I gave him a full explanation of the magazine situation before the sale.
Always liked the concept of PCCs, and have owned a bunch, but always liked the original PC9. Mine even has a decent trigger.
Moon

 

[halfmoonclip]

Okay, the MecGar mags showed up today; like Baby Bear's porridge, they are 'just right'. The aftermarket 30s are actually kind of silly, making a handy carbine both unwieldy and too heavy.
Hold the same opinion with the CZ Scorpion; the 30/33s are just too much of a good thing, the 20s are better.
John Mc/others, thanks for the bird dog; happy to have the new mags.
Moon

 

[jmr40]

Hope old Bill is roasting, someplace, for his selfrighteous attitude.)

Your anger towards Bill Ruger is misplaced. The original P series pistols in 9mm came with 15 round magazines just like Beretta, Smith & Wesson and most every other manufacturer making pistols of the same size. That's 2 more rounds than the Browning HP at the time. There are probably plenty of 15 round factory mags out there and even more aftermarket.

Yes, it's true that Bill Ruger used his influence to get the mag capacity limit set at 10 rounds, but that is taken out of context. The 1994 AWB was going to happen, they had the votes, it was just a matter of working out the details. At the time most politicians were pushing for a 5 round mag limit in all pistols and rifles. Bill Ruger used his influence and worked hard to get the 5 round limit changed to 10 rounds before they voted on the bill. Instead of condemning Ruger we should be thanking him. Had they gotten the 5 round limit the law may not have been allowed to sunset in 2004.

And you have to look at the world as it was 30 years ago. Virtually no one owned an AR-15 or any other "Assault Rifle" at that time. The concept of a handgun holding 15 rounds was hard for most people to contemplate. Most of us were used to 6 shot revolvers and 7 round 1911 magazines. There was simply no interest in a handgun holding more than 15 rounds at that time. And that wasn't just Ruger.

Ruger did make 20 round factory mags for the Mini-14 back in the day. There was no interest in them, they stopped making them because they didn't sell.

 

[JohnMc]

Okay, the MecGar mags showed up today; like Baby Bear's porridge, they are 'just right'. The aftermarket 30s are actually kind of silly, making a handy carbine both unwieldy and too heavy.
Hold the same opinion with the CZ Scorpion; the 30/33s are just too much of a good thing, the 20s are better.
John Mc/others, thanks for the bird dog; happy to have the new mags.
Moon

I'm glad they fit the bill.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Ruger did make 20 round factory mags for the Mini-14 back in the day. There was no interest in them, they stopped making them because they didn't sell.

Sorry, jmr40, due respect, I'll stick with my position. As others here have noted, Ruger never made factory 20 rounders that would have worked in the PC9. Even the 15s were initially available only to law enforcement. I had a Mini-14, and was never aware of any OEM mags, back then. I moved to ARs, simply because I could get reputable GI 20/30 rd mags, while I still couldn't get OEM 20s for the Ruger.
I will give Ruger credit for pioneering work on investment castings, the sheer, simple genius of his original .22, or even the now industry standard rotary .22 magazine (Let us note that revolutionary magazine was limited to 10 rounds.)
But he stuck with the 10 round mag business, even after the ban sunsetted, and did the gun rights movement no end of harm with his Fuddish "arms for honest citizens."
Let's remember that those full capacity magazines were available as aftermarket, even while Ruger still wouldn't sell you one.
Your mileage may vary, but that is how I recall it.
Moon

 

[.455_Hunter]

I like my original PC9 way better than the sci-fi current production examples. I am looking for a good blued P89DC or Gen II P95DC to team with it.

 

[JohnKSa]

Ruger did make 20 round factory mags for the Mini-14 back in the day. There was no interest in them, they stopped making them because they didn't sell.

They wouldn't sell them to you unless you were LE. I had a Mini before the AWB. Tried to get some of the 10 and 20 round factory mags from Ruger and they flat told me no. You could get aftermarket mags but they were poor quality. That was all before the magazine restrictions due to the AWB.

 

[halfmoonclip]

I like my original PC9 way better than the sci-fi current production examples. I am looking for a good blued P89DC or Gen II P95DC to team with it.

They were overbuilt, as were all Rugers back then, but had a rep as good, reliable guns. My personal experience is restricted to the carbine, so I can't take advantage of the common magazines.
Often wondered if Ruger met their goal of selling the PC9 to law enforcement? From out here in the cheap seats, it appears that the LE transitioned from shotguns to ARs, without any PCCs in between.
Moon

 

[.455_Hunter]

They were overbuilt, as were all Rugers back then, but had a rep as good, reliable guns. My personal experience is restricted to the carbine, so I can't take advantage of the common magazines.
Often wondered if Ruger met their goal of selling the PC9 to law enforcement? From out here in the cheap seats, it appears that the LE transitioned from shotguns to ARs, without any PCCs in between.
Moon

Slightly off topic, but I remember the Colorado DOW having a display at our county fair back in the early 90's- the show pick-up had a FOUR (!) station gun rack in the back of the cab with a full-caliber scoped big game rifle, a .30-30 Winchester 1894, a full-size M16/AR15 A1/A2 styled platform, and a basic 12 ga pump riot gun. The officer stated that was his daily loadout, along with the 686 on his hip. Back in the day, they were not a group to be messed with, and didn't run with a PCC.