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Mixed feelings on the Ruger P89 Login/Join 
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Picture of vthoky
posted
I had a P89 some years ago, it was the first semi-auto I ever bought. I loved it. It wasn't as "refined" as more modern pistols, but I shot it well and it absolutely never failed. It was big (in my hand) and clunky, and made "sloppy" noises. But it never. stinking. failed.

Stupidly, I traded it off a couple of years ago. I got something more "modern," more sleek, better suited to my hand. Old Reliable got shuffled off to a new home, in favor of The New Hotness. Perhaps embarrassingly, as I sit here right now I don't remember what pistol took its place.

In classic seller's remorse, I've kicked myself often for trading it. Each time I visit my LGS, I go straight to the used-gun section, hoping Old Reliable may have found its way back. Each time, I'm disappointed.

I've told friends, "if I see one in the wild again, I'm going to buy it. Practicality be damned." An idle threat, I suppose, for I never see one available.

So yesterday, "it happened." A friend at work told me about an auction in the next county over, taking place this morning, and asked me if I wanted to go. Truth is, I have other ways I need to be spending my time today. But I took a look at the auction listing, and -- yes, you know it -- there's a 98% P89 in the auction catalog. A hundred and sixty bucks, as of last night.

Dangit, man! I don't need to spend money on that! Responsible Vthoky comes along like the angel on the shoulder in Porky's: "No! Don't spend those dollars there! You're saving for a new car! You're pursuing other hobbies. You could put that money toward training, or reloading, or getting your sorry butt back in shape. You've got a trip to visit friends coming up. Don't buy an antique gun that you'll never get to spend a lot of time with. It'll sit there in your safe, taking the place of Old Reliable, but it won't truly be Old Reliable. You can't get parts for it anymore if you happen to break something. Don't be stupid. Bid on the P226 instead, if you're going to throw money down the hole."

And then Irresponsible Vthoky chimes in from the other shoulder: "It's less than two Benjamins, man! Grab it! You've 'spent more on less,' as the saying goes. You're doing some side jobs... take the proceeds from one of those and treat yourself. It's an old gun? So what! Half the guns you've got are "old." Whose to say what's 'old,' anyway? DO IT!"

So late last night, I signed up on the auction site and placed a bid at $170. I was instantly outbid, and impulsively boosted my bid to $190. Then Responsible Vthoky piped up again, reminding me of the buyer's premium, sales tax, and the fact that I'll make a 70-mile round trip to pick it up if I win.

The auction commences in about an hour. I need to go to the gym. Hopefully the auction will be over before I get home.

Question:
While I 'm trying to pound out 2+ miles, what do I do?

Choices:
Hope I win it.
Hope I get outbid.
Other

 




God bless America.
 
Posts: 13425 | Location: The mountainous part of Hokie Nation! | Registered: July 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Living my life my way
Picture of molachi
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I think you should hope you win it but don't get wild on bidding. You can always start saving again.
 
Posts: 1756 | Location: The Backyard of Nowhere | Registered: August 09, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Not really from Vienna
Picture of arfmel
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No parts available? Pffft. As if you're ever gonna break anything on one of those.
 
Posts: 26852 | Location: Jerkwater, Texas | Registered: January 30, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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There's one on Gunbroker right now for $52.
 
Posts: 480 | Registered: February 01, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Lead slingin'
Parrot Head
Picture of Modern Day Savage
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I've never owned a Ruger P series, but one of my younger brothers has his P-90 and I still find myself handling that gun occasionally and actually enjoying it for what it is...I'd like to own a P-89/ P-90 in some flavor one day myself.

I've found that the longer you ignore an itch the longer it bugs you...scratch it and it goes away. I'm with molachi and arfmel on this, I wouldn't go hog wild in bidding, but if you can land it for a bid that makes sense to you then go for it, and forget about parts breaking...especially if it won't be used for any defensive purposes.

Be sure to post pics once you snag one! Wink
 
Posts: 7324 | Location: the Centennial state | Registered: August 21, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I personally am partial to the P85. Even more clunky beast of a gun. I paid 275 for my p85 I wrote about it in this thread here
https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...10082244&f=430601935

The pics are not up. I will see if i can find them.
The pics can be seen her just click next.
http://www.pbase.com/dsgrouse/image/168220486
 
Posts: 6633 | Location: Virginia | Registered: December 23, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
It's all part of
the adventure...
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Great workhorse guns. My P89 has only failed me twice, but they were both MY fault - once I failed to fully seat a mag during a speed reload in a match, and the other I simply limp-wristed a shot and caused a stovepipe. Big, clunky, rattles a lot yes; feeds anything and always goes bang (when you do your part) YES!

I carried mine in the early ‘90’s and I still have it. Just like the OP, I became enamored of sexier guns such as Sigs and HKs, but I will hang onto my P89 out of sentimentality and practicality.


Regards From Sunny Tucson,
SigFan

NRA Life - IDPA - USCCA - GOA - JPFO - ACLDN - SAF - AZCDL - ASA

"Faith isn't believing that God can; it's knowing that He will." (From a sign on a church in Nicholasville, Kentucky)
 
Posts: 1677 | Location: Tucson, Arizona | Registered: January 30, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I hit the range with a friend a couple of years ago; he was shooting a ruger. It wouldn't function, and had issues cycling.

A little grease and a few minutes later, it ran like a top.

A lot of guys hitting POST and the corrections academies used to start with rugers, as they were less expensive, and new-hires had to supply their own pistols. After graduating, they dumped the pistols and got something else, usually the department issue sidearms, which meant lots of inexpensive rugers on the market.
 
Posts: 6650 | Registered: September 13, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The Unmanned Writer
Picture of LS1 GTO
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I have a KP-90DC, can hit quarters all day long at 7 yards. When I was looking for a 9mm just as accurate, the P-89 was my first thought. There was a member on the Ruger forum back then (by the name of Para?) who convinced me the Ruger might not be as accurate as the 226.

Cannot say I regret not buying the P-89 but I will probably still acquire one.







Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.



Only in an insane world are the sane considered insane.


The memories of a man in his old age
Are the deeds of a man in his prime


 
Posts: 14020 | Location: It was Lat: 33.xxxx Lon: 44.xxxx now it's CA :( | Registered: March 22, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Life is short, if it calls to you, why not?


Sigs
S&Ws
Walthers
H&Ks
and a few others
 
Posts: 399 | Location: Idaho | Registered: July 22, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I love mine and use it as my h.d. pistol. My son says when he is of age, many years to go, he wants it. I had the factory grips on it originally but they were a little slippery so I was able to get a set of polymer checkered grips,kind of like the Uncle Mike's rubber grip panels. What a difference they make.
 
Posts: 6840 | Location: Treasure Coast,Fl. | Registered: July 04, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Gracie Allen is my
personal savior!
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I feel your pain. Now I'm gonna go send an email to Georgia and hope what I'm looking at is already sold.
 
Posts: 27291 | Location: Deep in the heart of the brush country, and closing on that #&*%!?! roadrunner. Really. | Registered: February 05, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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They are a lot of gun for the money , I picked up the P89 and also a P95 and they just work , for the money its worth it just for an extra gun put up .
 
Posts: 936 | Registered: July 10, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of vthoky
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Well, friends, I learned a lot today.

The bid I placed last night was on what I perceive as a pre-auction thing. I found later that the term is "absentee online bidding." That, I've learned, is not the same as the actual during-the-live-auction bidding. So my $190 bid was wasted, IMO. The gun went (during the live auction) at $270. Add the fees and taxes and all, and I would have been close to $350, all-in. Not horrible. (The P226, by the way, sold for $375.)

I didn't fuss a lot over missing it, though I'd still like to have one again. So thank you, Chuck Perry, for the info. I'll check that out momentarily.

quote:
Originally posted by arfmel:
No parts available? Pffft. As if you're ever gonna break anything on one of those.


Truth! Cool




God bless America.
 
Posts: 13425 | Location: The mountainous part of Hokie Nation! | Registered: July 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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This is REALLY not going to help you, but the P89 is a really great gun. Sexy, maybe not, but a true workhorse in a sea of tupperware.
Skip
 
Posts: 765 | Location: West Central Ga. | Registered: August 17, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
:^)
Picture of BillyBonesNY
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Hope to win it!

P89 is a great pistol and at that price... what’s to question?


----------------------------------------
http://lonesurvivorfoundation.org
 
Posts: 7177 | Registered: March 19, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of CAR
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I own an original Ruger P85, it has been a good solid reliable gun. I will never sell it.
 
Posts: 926 | Location: Ohio | Registered: May 11, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Bought a 239 magazine for $10, got banned for free.
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If you are looking for a Ruger P series gun that is not chunky get a P 93, 94, or 95. They are slick sided and not as large as the 89. I have a KP 93 and a KP 94. These are stainless. Picked up the 94 at a flea market this summer LNIB. Bought the 93 off GB several years ago. I bought a 93 when they first came out and after several years sold it. Buyers remorse. I told myself if ever another came along I would get one. BTW the 94 is just about 1/4 inch longer than the 93.
 
Posts: 279 | Location: West TN | Registered: February 09, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Get Off My Lawn
Picture of oddball
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My first handgun was a P89 and I still have it. Boxy, rattles, yet 100% reliable and decent accuracy. Used to use it as a truck gun in CA, might do it again.



"I’m not going to read Time Magazine, I’m not going to read Newsweek, I’m not going to read any of these magazines; I mean, because they have too much to lose by printing the truth"- Bob Dylan, 1965
 
Posts: 16612 | Location: Texas | Registered: May 13, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of vthoky
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quote:
Originally posted by black1970:
If you are looking for a Ruger P series gun that is not chunky get a P 93, 94, or 95. They are slick sided and not as large as the 89.


Good to know. Thank you!




God bless America.
 
Posts: 13425 | Location: The mountainous part of Hokie Nation! | Registered: July 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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