Ruger P90

[Texasred]

Well looks like I was too late for the Ruger P97. So I'm getting the the P90 instead. But seeing as the new P95 just became a service gun and is battle worthy, does it seem that same for the P90?

What I'm asking is that if the military was using 45s, would the reliability and overall utility of this gun be up to task?

I am on a budget and I need a 45. My only other autoloader is a Glock 20, and the bullets are to hard to find cheap in the real world. This isn't the 45 I want forever but I will love and care for it. But I just need a 45 until the day that I can find and afford a HK Mark 23. My only other option to feed the 45 hunger that I was thinking was maybe a Glock 21 but I dont want to spend 200 dollars that I don't have and that I can one day spend on my dream handgun. Plus I want something different and two glocks would be boring.

In final will a P90 shoot forever until the day my grandson dies?
Did they have the same slide issues the P97 had?
They come STAINLESS right?
Handle +P, or +P+ loads?
Reliable?
Accurate?
Glock or P90?

 

[ugaarguy]

Texasred, if the Ruger fits your hand go for it. The Ruger P Series autos have always been tough, military contract or not. Their bulkiness has been the only thing that kept them from gaining widespread acceptance. Yes the P90 is available in stainless, like all their guns, Ruger designates them with a K prefix, i.e. KP90 stainless, or just P90 blued. Will your grandson be shooting it? I'd think so. I wouldn't be afraid to feed it +P or +P+, but like any pistol a steady diet of hot stuff will wear on it. What is your dealer selling it for? I don't wanna Hi Jack the thread, but there are a few other low cost 45 alternatives besides the Glock, so let us know if you're open to other suggestions.

 

[weregunner]

Ditto on the above.Have a P97DC. Like it a lot.No the P97 wasn't having slide problems. 1200 round thru it and no hitches or hiccups. The P90 is supposed to have accuracy up there with some target 45s. 2005 Handgun Guide by Mas Ayoob has the story on why his Police Department went over to the P90.Good solid reasoning and criteria.

 

[psychophipps]

As for the idea of being "too late" for the P97DC, have you really tried looking for one? gunbroker.com has 5 auctions for them running right now. In fact, none of them are going for over $325.

Just thought I'd let you know that they are still out there...
Mark(psycho)Phipps( HAHAHA! )

 

[Grampa]

P90TH

I was where you're at, and am very happy with my purchase. The gun is big and heavy, so an OWB holster is necessary. The Hogue grips make it fit my hands very comfortably. I actually like some aftermarket mags (in the photo) better than the factory mags. This thing shoots any .45 ACP ammo that I feed it.

 

[BoomBoom25]

Im with everyone else if you like it buy it. I have both a P90 and P97, both are fine guns the P90 is a bit more accurate itll shoot 1 1/2in groups at 50 yards for me.The P97 shoots about 3 in at 50 yards and to answer your question about the slide issues the P97 had it wasnt slide issues they had made a few slide stops a bit to small and they were flying out of the guns during firing.

I had this happen to me so I took the gun back to dealer and he told me I had not put the gun back together right. I knew he was wrong because i had a P95 and it is put together the same way. Anyway I sent the gun back to Ruger and they replaced the part and I got a letter also explaining what had been wrong with the gun as well as saying they were sorry for the trouble.​

But they are both great guns and if you wont a P97 im sure you can find a quality used one somewere. As for +p or +p+ well the manual doest really state it just says they can be used with any load tested for saami (dont think I spelled that right) specifications. If you know anything about those specifications the manufactures of these cartridges use this +p designation to seperate the new presure limit for these old cartridges from the old lower standards. All this means is that they use this designation for the newer cartridges so people with older guns wont use them and possible have a catastrophic failure. I have put countless +p rounds though both my guns without a failure I do however change my recoil spring more often but thats just me.

 

[the pistolero]

The Ruger P90 is indeed a fine sidearm, built like a tank. It may not be the .45 you want forever, but it'll probably last that long, and I really think you'll like it enough to keep it. Big, heavy and inelegant, but it gets the job done. I've put over 2,000 rounds through mine in the last year, and aside from two or three instances of the slide locking open before I emptied the mag (I think that might have been because it was my first time shooting it), I've had no malfunctions with FMJ 230-grain WWB and Magtech, or Hydra-Shok, my defensive load. I've never tried 100-yard shots or even 50, but I can keep 'em close enough at 15, which is good enough for what I use the gun for. I would like to see what I could do at those greater distances, though...

 

[TimboKhan]

Rather than repeat a bunch of stuff everyone else has said, I will just say that I have been very, very happy with my P90. The one modification that I find absolutely mandatory is the addition of Hogue grips, as displayed in Grampas picture. I suppose that their comfort factor is subjective, but for me, they made a tremendous difference.

 

[eastwood44mag]

These are my experiences. You're free to agree, disagree, or ignore.

Pros
They go boom reliably
They will shoot any ammo
They're relatively cheap (mine was less than $300 shipped)
Complete strip in 5 seconds

Cons
Any repair/replacement work must be done by Ruger, and costs a lot
After-market magazines SUCK--you'll have many FTF's with cheap mags
Recoil is fairly heavy
Accuracy is not consistent--some are tack drivers, some are pitiful


Despite what's been said, they can be carried IWB--Get an Uncle Mike's #5, and position it forward of your side (it rolls with the contour of your body)

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Cons
...
Recoil is fairly heavy

Compared to what?

I have three handguns in .45 ACP. Ranked by heaviest to lightest recoil they are:

1. Springfield Loaded 1911, 5" with 18 lb spring
2. Ruger P-90
3. S&W M625 w/5" full underlug barrel

I'm not a fan of heavy recoiling guns and I find the big Ruger to be quite pleasant to shoot, aside from being reliable and accurate.

 

[eastwood44mag]

Seems heavier than a 1911. Course, that's just me.

 

[El Barto]

I was lucky enough to score a KP90 from Turners for only $124. I thought that it might be a bit big, but it is really comfortable to shoot. The decocker takes a bit to get used to and I would like it better if the slide release was reachable with my thumb. The trigger pull for the single action shots is very light and I am not sure if that is the norm. Other than that, I like the gun. Recoil is a lot less then I expected.

When I took it to the range for the first time, I realized that I am a bad shot with it. I don't know if it is a problem with the gun or if it is because I haven't shot since 1996. My ego leads me to believe that it is the fault of the gun.

The only other .45 I shot was the Colt 1911 that we had in the Navy and then it was only once a year. I never liked the way those guns felt.

 

[RobW]

I have a P90 two tone/w Hogue grips, built for Davidson's and would never sell it!

As far as I know, this model was intended to shoot the high pressure 10mm/.40" rounds but ended up with the low pressure .45".

The only drawback: it doesnt feed semi-wadcutters without alteration of the feeding ramp, but all other shapes of bullets are ok.

 

[MCgunner]

Mine is exceedingly accurate. I love that thing, naturally point it. It does, however, have a good bit of muzzle flip compared to a 9 or a 1911 in .45. It rides a little higher in the hand and weight bias is toward the slide because the frame is very light aluminum alloy. I've fired under 6 seconds on six pins from low ready (not from leather) with it, though. That's pretty danged fast, as fast as I've ever done it with my 1911s.

The gun with handle any SAAMI load, +P, whatever. It will handle more pressure than a 1911 for sure. Also, I put a 16 lb 1911 spring in mine and it functions great! It's stiffer than the stock spring and I can shoot +Ps without undue battering. +P is not really necessary in .45ACP for carry, though, and my carry loads only put up about 400 ft lbs. That's plenty to suit me and the P90 will last for generations with those loads no more'n I shoot the thing anymore. I probably have 5 or 6K rounds total through that gun, under 10K anyway. I shoot 9mm more now days, at least until I get a .45 die set for my Dillon progressive. Oh, and I carry mine comfortably in a Milt Sparks summer special (pictured) IWB. And, both the DA and SA pulls on my gun are very good. And, most of my shooting is with 200 grain SWC tumble lube Lee bullets, 100 percent and no alterations anywhere. It will actually feed an empty case! It's the most reliable auto I've ever owned, don't care what it's fed.

http://www.imageigloo.com/images/4919PICT00371.JPG

 

[bakert]

I chose the P97 over the P90 for a concealed carry gun but the P90 is a darned good all around pistol. My P97 was one of the ones the slide stop backed out at about 300 rds. Called Ruger and they sent a new slide stop, camblock and recoil spring. Problem solved quick and easy. After about 1800 more rds it's absolutely reliable now. It's my every day gun carried in an IWB holster.

 

[lee n. field]

I am on a budget and I need a 45. My only other autoloader is a Glock 20,

Sell the Glock, buy what you want, if it's a genuine need and not just a want.

In final will a P90 shoot forever until the day my grandson dies?
Did they have the same slide issues the P97 had?
They come STAINLESS right?
Handle +P, or +P+ loads?
Reliable?
Accurate?
Glock or P90?

Yes.

What slide issues?

Yes. I see way more stainless than blue.

Yes. Internet gunboard rumor is that the P90 was originally intended for 10mm.

Yes. There is a feed issue that comes up occationally. The factory, and/or a heavier recoil spring will take care of it.

Yes.

Your choice.

Any repair/replacement work must be done by Ruger, and costs a lot
After-market magazines SUCK--you'll have many FTF's with cheap mags
Recoil is fairly heavy

Repair work done by Ruger costs nothing, beyond shipping.

Factory magazines are good quality. They're expensive, compared to 1911 magazines, but by haunting ebay and gunfora, I've accumulated a bunch. Cheapest $6, most expensive, $14.

I personally do not find the recoil in a P90 to be any problem at all.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

They work with steel cased ammo

One other good point about Ruger autos -- according to the owner's manual, it is ok to use any factory-loaded steel cased ammo in them. IOW, Ruger has given its blessing to shooting cheap Wolf ammo. If you don't handload this can be very attractive.

IME, Wolf .45 ACP shoots as accurately in my M1911 and P90 as WWB or Federal American Eagle.

 

[JCB1911]

Rugers

I have a P90 and a P97. they are Both great guns in terms of Reliability and accuracy. Never had a mal. of any kind in either.For a carry gun though, the P97 would be my choice of the two. the draw backs of either (which is just Ruger autos)is the Bulkiness and triggers. Ive never gotten used to the triggers on the 90 or 97. Being a 1911 man though this is easy to see why.But for the money you COULDNT go wrong with either. They ARE the best bang for the buck going.

 

[Essex County]

I bought a used saftey version P90 to keep my 1911s company. I've heard all the usual complaints...It's ugly, too bulky, etc. I think it's one heck of a piece of machinery and my example shoots very well and digests some things a coyote wouldn't. I carry mine in a Bianchi shoulder rig. It's not my favorite handgun but, I think VERY highly of them. Essex

 

[MCgunner]

My P90 is thick through the slide compared to 1911 size guns, but it's quite light weight. It goes something like 33 ounces unloaded. That's a result of the aluminum frame which is very light. All the weight is in that bulky slide, but that's what makes the thing so strong.

Weight wise, it's an easier gun to carry than an all steel 1911, just need more cover garment because its slide thickness bulges a little more in an IWB holster.

I had a P95 and have a P85. While the P95 was a little smaller and lighter, I like the hogue grip so much on the aluminum frame guns, the extra bulk is worth it to me. I bought my Sparks holster for the P90, yet the P85 and P95 both fit it, just slightly thinner slides and the P95 was slightly shorter. I find the P90 little harder to tote than the P95 was. The trigger on the P90 is better than either of those two 9mms, too. Might be an anomaly there, don't know, but the trigger on the P90 is really good as DA guns go. I can also say I much prefer the grip feel to a 1911, fills the hand better and those Hogue grips do make a difference.

 

[bestseller92]

I just got a stainless P97 at gunbroker for $245 ($290 when all the shipping and other expenses were factored in) and I love it. Fits my hand great, looks great, totally reliable so far, and dead on accurate.

 

[TimboKhan]

Interesting comments about the feed issues. My gun is known within the group of guys I shoot with to be the benchmark gun. If it won't feed through the P90, the common consensus is that it just plain isn't going to feed. I won't say I have never, ever had a problem, but in terms of a common, repeatable feed issue, I have never had a problem. I have fed it some truly crappy ammo that caused some problems, but that has been the exception. Yes, it will handle +P, but in my opinion the stock spring is inadequate for that task. MCgunner says he has a 16lb spring, and if you insist on shooting +P, thats probably the way to go. My gun handled the +P allright, but it just seemed to me that the slide was really getting worked.

 

[Texasred]

I'm sold. thanks fellas

 

[MCgunner]

Interesting comments about the feed issues. My gun is known within the group of guys I shoot with to be the benchmark gun. If it won't feed through the P90, the common consensus is that it just plain isn't going to feed. I won't say I have never, ever had a problem, but in terms of a common, repeatable feed issue, I have never had a problem. I have fed it some truly crappy ammo that caused some problems, but that has been the exception. Yes, it will handle +P, but in my opinion the stock spring is inadequate for that task. MCgunner says he has a 16lb spring, and if you insist on shooting +P, thats probably the way to go. My gun handled the +P allright, but it just seemed to me that the slide was really getting worked.

Your "benchmark" remark is exactly my experience. If it won't feed in the P90, it won't feed in anything. Like I say, just to try it, I loaded an empty case in the thing behind a live round and fired and it fed the empty case.

The weak stock spring in the gun is exactly why I put the 1911 16 lbs spring in mine. It works great with standard loads and doesn't chunk the brass all that far, just to the right of your feet in a little pile. The spring that came in it seemed like it was set up for soft ball or something, really weak. As I load a hotter round for carry, the 16 lbs spring is my choice.

 

[screwman]

I'm glad I read this thread. I haven't shot mine in awhile. Better get some more ammo loaded for tomorrow. I've got a date with my P90.

Mike