Pregunta: Ruger American Pistol

[Perd Hapley]

I just don't see how this could work. The way the grip panel meets the backstrap, up on top, just looks awfully uncomfortable to me. It looks like some kind of Hi-Point nonsense. The grip is just tacked on underneath, like an afterthought. Obviously, looking at it is not the same as shooting it. I can accept that it might work, but I would still be amazed.

And then I keep reading that it's a "good-looking" gun.    I don't ding many pistols for being ugly. I don't think Glocks are ugly. But this gun just is. I know looks are not the point, but why do people keep complimenting this ugly gun for being pretty?  

[cordex]

Doesn't do anything for me, but isn't the grip issue a function of using the smallest of the replaceable backstraps?

[lee n. field]

And then I keep reading that it's a "good-looking" gun.  Face Palm!  I don't ding many pistols for being uhh-glee. I don't think Glocks are ugly. But this gun just is. I know looks are not the point, but why do people keep complimenting this ugly gun for being pretty?  Huh?

What this gun reminds me of is my old Kel Tec PF9.

Guy I know bought one.  I don't think he's shot it yet.  I should see him tomorrow.

[BlueStarLizzard]

That extreme curve is one thing I see and say "I'll bet that hurts"

The intent seems to be to allow more hands to fit the gun by allowing the smaller back straps, but the thing is it creates a pivot point on the base of the palm, throwing the recoil back into the web of the hand. What's worse is that the smaller back straps don't really flatten it anyway so you just end up with slightly less pivot.

Molding grips to fit hands doesn't work unless the grip is molded to specific hand (or type of hand) or it sticks to a more middle ground. It seems like the people designing this stuff have gone overboard. It's all just too much of what was once a good thing.

[AJ Dual]

I'm intrigued.

I'll have to at least hold one with the smallest backstrap on it at some point. I have short-ish fingers, and it's kind of a crap shoot to find handguns that allow me to grip them in line with my wrist and forearm bones properly.

They either have to be rather narrow, allowing me to grip their entire circumference, or extra long so I naturally want to get a good first finger pad/knuckle on the placement.

[MechAg94]

I handled one at the local dealer.  It didn't feel bad, but didn't jump out at me as something I need.  The one I handled did not have that small grip on it.  It did feel better than the SR9.  That pistol always seemed kind of awkward to me.  I like the feel of my FNX-9 better.

One thing I have noticed is a lot of really cheap high capacity Ruger pistols online (older models).  I am curious if I will see that reflected at gun shows. 

As far as grips, I like a more squared up grip.  Just seems to have a more positive feel to me and I know I am gripping it straight by feel alone.  I have owned a couple of S&W M&P pistols.  I thought they took the curved molding too far.  They feel great in the hand, but I didn't like it when shooting.  The Gen 4 Glock 21 feels great in the hand to me for example.  Same for my Para P14. 

[Scout26]

Is not 1911, therefore is crap.

[Brad Johnson]

I still regret selling my P90. It was an ugly chunk of a gun, but it was an accurate, anvil-tough, dead reliable ugly chunk of a gun.

Brad

[Fly320s]

I still regret selling my P90. It was an ugly chunk of a gun, but it was an accurate, anvil-tough, dead reliable ugly chunk of a gun.

Brad

Which is Ruger's forté.  And that explains this gun.

[Hawkmoon]

Is not 1911, therefore is crap.

Agreed.

It's also one of the ugliest pistols I've ever seen.

[MechAg94]

I still regret selling my P90. It was an ugly chunk of a gun, but it was an accurate, anvil-tough, dead reliable ugly chunk of a gun.

Brad

You forgot inexpensive.  Last I looked, they do still sell a version of that gun.

[lee n. field]

You forgot inexpensive.  Last I looked, they do still sell a version of that gun.

Nope.  AFAIK, all the P-series Rugers are history.

[Perd Hapley]

There's gotta be a million of those old P90s out there, and even more inexpensiver than before.

[brimic]

I'm undecided as to whether Ruger hires asthetic designers from taurus or if its the other way around.

[mtnbkr]

I've fondled one.  It feels better in the hand than I would have expected and has a decent trigger.  However, I've read in multiple reports that it batters the thumb pretty bad.  I might have considered one if they had something in the G19 size (this one is closer to a G17).

Chris

[lee n. field]

There's gotta be a million of those old P90s out there, and even more inexpensiver than before.

Which means I may as well not even bother trying to sell mine to fund something else.

[T.O.M.]

To my eye, it's just another one of the many polymer frame pistols on the market.  None of the polymer frame handguns available are pretty, IMHO.  Functional?  Yes.  Cool looking?  Maybe.  Pretty?  Nope.  But from my perspective, pretty means blued steel and wood.  Maybe stainless.  Maybe some tasteful engraving. 

As for feel, I've yet to handle a pistol that felt as good in my hand as the Walther P99.  I'm interested in handling a Walther PPQ to see if it is similar, as that grip with the PPQ trigger I've heard so much about could make me interested.  But, for now, the only Ruger I'd consider is one of their 1911s, but that's a different story.

[brimic]

To my eye, it's just another one of the many polymer frame pistols on the market.  None of the polymer frame handguns available are pretty, IMHO.  Functional?  Yes.  Cool looking?  Maybe.  Pretty?  Nope.  But from my perspective, pretty means blued steel and wood.  Maybe stainless.  Maybe some tasteful engraving. 

Polymer isn't pretty, but it looks a lot worse when a bunch of odd triangles and trapezoids and weird transitions are molded in. Just make the dang things smooth with checkering or rubber inserts where it needs to be grippy, no need to make it look like it came from 1980s sci-fi, just make it look similar to a glock and make sure there are plenty of aftermarket accessories. The way something looks is important, even if its just a tool that noone else will ever likely see. People spend big bucks on 1911s for good looks alone.

[lee n. field]

To my eye, it's just another one of the many polymer frame pistols on the market.  None of the polymer frame handguns available are pretty, IMHO.  Functional?  Yes.  Cool looking?  Maybe.  Pretty?  Nope.  But from my perspective, pretty means blued steel and wood.  Maybe stainless.  Maybe some tasteful engraving. 

Don't forget nickel.

[MechAg94]

To my eye, it's just another one of the many polymer frame pistols on the market.  None of the polymer frame handguns available are pretty, IMHO.  Functional?  Yes.  Cool looking?  Maybe.  Pretty?  Nope.  But from my perspective, pretty means blued steel and wood.  Maybe stainless.  Maybe some tasteful engraving. 

As for feel, I've yet to handle a pistol that felt as good in my hand as the Walther P99.  I'm interested in handling a Walther PPQ to see if it is similar, as that grip with the PPQ trigger I've heard so much about could make me interested.  But, for now, the only Ruger I'd consider is one of their 1911s, but that's a different story.

I have fondled the new Walther 45 ACP pistol.  It is nice, but the shape just seems awkward to me and the price wasn't something I wanted to just try.  I would like to try shooting one if I got the chance.