Thoughts-Ruger P89 9mm

BuckeyeBlast, as long as the P89 fits your friend properly, it should be an excellent gun for what he wants to do. I have one I bought not long after they came out and it is excellent.

I don't have a lot of rounds through mine (around 2000), but what I have shot has been uniformly outstanding. Not the most accurate gun I've ever shot, but the thing is a TANK! It is what it is- a full-sized, duty-type gun. As such, it is not real suitable for most people for CCW, but for a range or house gun, the size means it is very shootable.

Due to it's over-engineered construction, it should last for decades, even if shot constantly. While I have read about P89s that have been damaged by outside forces, I don't think I have ever read of one that wore out or blew up. In fact, one of the tests when Ruger developed the gun was to thread a plug into the barrel, then shoot a round. IIRC, the extractor blew off, was replaced and the gun went on to shoot several thousand rounds with no excessive wear or other problems. They also took another P89 and milled off all of the slide below the ejection port and shot the crap out of it. After several thousand rounds, no dimensional changes and no excessive wear.

The trigger is not the best of any auto I have ever shot but it is usable. As the gun is used, the trigger does get better but, even then, it is not stellar but it is OK for what it is. The gun also has some sharp edges but, if you can detail strip the gun and are handy, this really isn't a problem. Even as it comes from the factory, it isn't a real big problem, just uncomfortable after a long range session.

Factory magazines are great, as are MecGar brand aftermarket mags. MecGar also makes a great flush-fit 17 rd mag. Stay away from other aftermarket mags. My P89 turned into a jam-a-matic with ProMags and I have read that other brands don't work too well, either.

The only real problem (if you like accessorizing your guns anyway, I don't so it doesn't really matter to me) is a distinct lack of aftermarket accessories for the P89. Sights and replacement stocks are available, as are holsters, but that's about it. The P89 isn't a good gun to get to turn into a race gun, but I honestly think that it's best left in it's factory form.

Overall, as long as the gun fits your friend, the P89 is a great option. Durable, reliable, accurate enough and hell-for-stout. Should work out very well for him if he decides to get it. I use mine for my nightstand gun, so that ought to tell you my opinion of my P89. If it wasn't reliable and accurate enough to stake your life on, I wouldn't be using it.

Bub

I don’t own one but routinely get to fire one owned by a range buddy. Was on my list of candidates when I was researching my 9mm handgun so I tested it well. I don’t think you will find a more robust or reliable weapon in that price range with the possible exception of a P95 or older P94 (9mm version).

As Army said, it is a full size weapon but, if it fits your friend’s hand well then there is no issue there. The recoil is moderate to light and it is more than accurate enough for home defense. Plus, it's fun to shoot!!! These guns usually eat almost anything you feed them and I will second the motion to use factory magazines to ensure yours does this as well. The price is fair to good based on condition and CA standard pricing for that weapon. I ran across a used one here for a little less ($285.00) but it wasn't in good condition IMHO!

So, I will agree with everything that has been said except I would advise you not to drag it behind your truck as Army states. It may well survive it but it’s probably not the best thing for the gun. They do some strange things in Texas…

Congratulations on your P89. I consider it to be an excellent gun, and while discontinued, by no means obscelescent. Mine is a absolute tack-driver, and is used for carry, IDPA, steel plate competition, and home defense nightstand duty. The only modification I've made to mine were to replace the grips with a set of Uncle Mike's grips (discontinued, but relatively easily available), and to go with one of the original lanyard loop/ mainspring retention components. My rear sight need to be slightly drifted to have an exact center-hold dead center POA/POI.

I believe that the P89 is one of Ruger's best production efforts, and is a very viable handgun today. It's easily competitive with the likes of, believe it or not (in my humble opinion, anyhow) much more recent pistols, such as the HK P30. As a former Ruger engineer has mentioned in the past, make sure that you use a grease as a lubricant for the slide and receiver rails, as the hard anodization of the aluminum receiver is actually harder than the slide's steel, and can cause accellerated wear between the two components if oil instead of grease is used.

Other than that, the P85/P89 recoil spring is one of the few designred for a virtually infinite lifespan, with no replacement interval recommended, and due to its milspec origin, the P85/P89 is one of the relatively few guns designed where you can manually insert a round in the chamber, and then have the slide go into battery without harming the extractor in the process.

In mid-production, Ruger altered the magazines for the P89, so be sure to go to the Ruger website and ascertain which are the corresponding appropriate magazines for your P89, as determined by serial number.

Other than that, enjoy your P89. It's both an exceptional autopistol and an exceptional value.

Best, Jon