$299 Ruger American 9mm 17rd 4.2" Pistol 8605 @ Rural King

[doddg]

I saw this and wondered: Should a person have this gun as an inexpensive 9mm range toy instead of the older Ruger P95.
Prices are about the same at this stellar deal for $299 + tax ($21) = $320.
What is it I don't know?
This Ruger was built from the ground up.
Is the older Ruger 95 built better and longer-lasting, not that it is a deal-breaker for as few rounds as I might put through either.

Ruger American 9mm 17rd 4.2" Pistol 8605

 

[Usmccookie]

I will double check, but I think I saw something about a recall from ruger with these. Or else I would jump on one. I have an sr9e and I absolutely love it.

 

[doddg]

I will double check, but I think I saw something about a recall from ruger with these. Or else I would jump on one. I have an sr9e and I absolutely love it.

1. I thought I saw something, but paid no attention at the time about a recall on the American.
2. I tried to get it to come up with a google for "problems with the Ruger American 9mm 17rd 4.2" Pistol 8605," but I didn't see it.

 

[Areoflyer09]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/459840-ruger-american-9mm-safety-advisory.html

There is a thread about it.

 

[doddg]

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/handguns/459840-ruger-american-9mm-safety-advisory.html

There is a thread about it.

1. Thanks!

 

[Usmccookie]

Oh wow it only lasts 10k rounds... noone buy it!... Actually I might pick one up just to have one and expand my "collection" I don't plan on shooting more than a couple hundred round a gun a year. The exception being my "go to's" which are all steel and take the brunt of my addiction. The more I buy the less I shoot the "not go to's"
O think this is a great deal. Any one that plans on shooting 10k rounds will probably not have the american as a "go to" On a serious note, I hope I don't have a reason to go to rk or else I'll probably leave with one.

 

[88E30M50]

We truly are living in the great age of American firearm ownership. Just about anyone can afford a decent pistol. There are lots to choose from too.

That said, I don’t so much see this as a range toy, but more over as a backup gun or carry gun of some sort. My idea of a range toy is a gun that you love to shoot but that might not be ideal for carry. Something like a CZ TSO or one of CM’s high cap 10mm 1911s.

If I were to buy something like this, it would be the gun I’d carry while crawling around under cars at the junk yard. The vast majority of these will never see 10k rounds. Heck, a lot of them will probably never even see 1K as they will be bought, shot occasionally to practice and kept in the nightstand drawer.

 

[doddg]

They are sold out online.
I know where I can get one, so I'm getting dressed and headed out b/c they only have 1 left.
I think the price to too good to pass up.
Noone has given any feedback on whether my Ruger P95 is a better gun than this Ruger American and I don't need to do it, so I'll have to find out my usual buy and sell routine.
I won't keep both.

 

[Ryninger]

Go to academy sports, they'll beat that price by 5%!

 

[Areoflyer09]

I don’t think you are going to find the American to be a “better” option than anything else you have. It’s a basic pistol at an affordable price. Effective for its target market.

 

[doddg]

I don’t think you are going to find the American to be a “better” option than anything else you have. It’s a basic pistol at an affordable price. Effective for its target market.

1. I was just comparing it to the Ruger 95 that I just picked up.
2. Would the Ruger American be a better option for a range toy, home defense.
3. I just thought a new one with a warranty might be a better option, and it might even be an improvement in shooting/accuracy.
4. I don't know how old my P95 is, just thought this would be an upgrade. Thoughts? Anything wrong with my logic?

 

[Route 45]

I doubt that there is any significant difference in accuracy between the P95 and the American. It would all boil down to whether you like striker fired vs. hammer fired.

I had a Ruger American .45 and did not find it to be a particularly exciting pistol. Kinda heavy for a polymer frame pistol, felt kind of funny in the hand. Ok for a budget gun, and quite adequate for home defnse. But it was no M&P or Glock. Nothing against Ruger, I'm just not particularly impressed with the American model. I have an SR9 (9e) that I feel is a much better gun than the American.

 

[doddg]

I doubt that there is any significant difference in accuracy between the P95 and the American. It would all boil down to whether you like striker fired vs. hammer fired.

I had a Ruger American .45 and did not find it to be a particularly exciting pistol. Kinda heavy for a polymer frame pistol, felt kind of funny in the hand. Ok for a budget gun, and quite adequate for home defnse. But it was no M&P or Glock. Nothing against Ruger, I'm just not particularly impressed with the American model. I have an SR9 (9e) that I feel is a much better gun than the American.

1. Thanks so much for your input your experience and comments mean a lot.
2. Especially saying that the SR9e Is a better gun.
I didn’t know that the American was the “bargain basement.” I could be remembering the wrong model, however.
3. The SR9E is a less expensive gun when I checked it out, comparing asking retail prices a gun shop I have dealt with, the prices on them starting at $250 for the SR9E and the American starting at $430, so I assumed the American had more going for it and the SR9E was the "bargain basement." The fact that you liked the SR9E better is interesting.
3. Also, I do like my hammer on my newly acquired P95 and I also like its safety/Decocker on the P95.

 

[Areoflyer09]

Route45 has a better explanation. I just think you’ll be disappointed by it for your typical uses.

 

[WebSnyper]

I don’t think you are going to find the American to be a “better” option than anything else you have. It’s a basic pistol at an affordable price. Effective for its target market.

Pretty much. I get the allure of checking out something of interest when price points are hit, but I usually have something on my interest radar (with a specific purpose in mind) and start the hunt with my set my price point.

Chasing something just because a special popped up, especially in this mid tier area, is not going to yield anything better than the OP has, and without a specific criteria that it meets that others don't, not quite sure of the purpose, other than just investigational/experimenting.

I've stopped chasing everything/anything that comes up because it's a cheap price.

 

[doddg]

Pretty much. I get the allure of checking out something of interest when price points are hit, but I usually have something on my interest radar (with a specific purpose in mind) and start the hunt with my set my price point.
Chasing something just because a special popped up, especially in this mid tier area, is not going to yield anything better than the OP has, and without a specific criteria that it meets that others don't, not quite sure of the purpose, other than just investigational/experimenting.
I've stopped chasing everything/anything that comes up because it's a cheap price.

1. All good points: my head was turned just b/c of the price point, and I love the thrill of the hunt and range time with a "new" gun especially when I don't have to lose $$ on the acquisition. I've always said I'd buy anything if the value was there and I do have a weakness in the $300 price point. Last time I put a pencil to it, the average price that I had in a gun was $260, but that might need updating. I've spent more money on ammo buys in a weekend.
2. I like my Ruger P95 just fine (especially the hammer and safety/decocker combination), I just thought maybe I should upgrade to a new one (Ruger American) if everything else was equal between the guns.
3. I don't even have any guns on the radar at this point (I have asked questions about the Phantom), although I did make a run for a S/W model 17 .22LR revolver this past weekend b/c I thought it might me more accurate than my Ruger GP100 .22 or my Taurus 990 .22LR if there is any credence that "older" is better when it comes to revolvers.
4. I bought the P95 just b/c it was a trusted member that I have dealt with before and I was missing my P89.

 

[Areoflyer09]

I don’t think you’ll find the American does anything better than the P95. You may find it worse actually. It’s the other side of the spectrum from the P95.

One is steel and hammer fired, the other is plastic and striker fired.

 

[WebSnyper]

I don’t think you’ll find the American does anything better than the P95. You may find it worse actually. It’s the other side of the spectrum from the P95.

One is steel and hammer fired, the other is plastic and striker fired.

Well, to be fair, I think the P95 is polymer framed (though as you state, hammer fired) as well.

 

[doddg]

I don’t think you’ll find the American does anything better than the P95. You may find it worse actually. It’s the other side of the spectrum from the P95.
One is steel and hammer fired, the other is plastic and striker fired.

1. My P95 is a ploymer; my P89 was steel (wish I would have kept the heavier steel one).

 

[Areoflyer09]

Well, to be fair, I think the P95 is polymer framed (though as you state, hammer fired) as well.

Learn something new everyday. Thanks!