Good purchase. There's is something special about Ruger's P90 version in that series they usually shoot very well.

My Ruger P90 has been reliable and will make smaller groups at the 25 yard line than many semi auto pistols I've shot over the years. I bought mine new back in the day not for its natural beauty but to just to test handloads. Was pleasantly surprised by its accuracy.

quote:

What’s so amazing about these guns

While you are correct that they are big, heavy and the ergonomics suck, they are extremely reliable and very accurate. Their heft also makes them soft shooters.

At $289 for a P90 in mint condition, in the box with 3 mags and a holster, it is by far the best bang for the buck in a .45acp.

quote:

Originally posted by Basher42:
Alright, at the risk of being labeled a heretic, I gotta ask. What’s so amazing about these guns? This is perhaps the third or four thread I’ve seen on a forum about the Ruger P-series in the past few weeks describing how people seem to absolutely love them. I don’t see the appeal. They’re ugly, heavy, they don’t feel like anything special in the hand the few times I’ve held one, and with a slew of other options out there that are just as accurate and reliable I don’t see why I’d want to spend my money on one unless I was super strapped for cash and it was the best option in my price bracket. Enlighten me.

So, you don't like them. Ok.

The old Ruger centerfire P-series pistols.

1- Reliable
2- Tank tough
3- "Combat accurate". If you cannot hit the broad side of the barn, it's not the gun's fault.
3- "Ugly" is in the eye of the beholder. They look mighty fine to me.
4- Very inexpensive, when they were in production. You can still find them cheap (proof is in the OP).

I owned several of them in the past (still have the P90T), and I put them right up there with the SIGs, Glocks, Berettas and HKs that I owned.

I have had a P85 MKII and P90, both good guns with no problems at all, just kind of bulky for the calibers. I have kept my P345, the best of the P series Rugers to me. And it takes the same mags as the P90. Don't see many of these anymore.

quote:

Originally posted by hberttmank:
I have had a P85 MKII and P90, both good guns with no problems at all, just kind of bulky for the calibers. I have kept my P345, the best of the P series Rugers to me. And it takes the same mags as the P90. Don't see many of these anymore.

I liked the P345 better than the P90 series too, although I've never owned either.

The P345 was not common , even back when it was produced, it fit my hands much better than the P90, the P345 was still built super strong. Thanks for posting a picture of your really nice Ruger.

My first full sized pistol was a P90
I loved it. I literally wore it out.
Good times!

That’s a great find OP!

Years ago I sent my Ruger P89 out to have night sights put on it as well as getting the slide recoated.

One pistol that’ll get passed to the next generation:

Who does night sights for this model. The only complaint about my P90 is that the sights could be better.

Gun snobs don’t like Ruger pistols.

Not directed at anyone here.

quote:

Originally posted by Wolfpacker:
Gun snobs don’t like Ruger pistols.

Not directed at anyone here.

LOL, but it would be directed at me if it were to be directed at anyone, given my earlier post, haha. No offense taken either way!

I have to admit, I’ve been mildly tempted to pick one up after reading the comments here, for some weird reason. Haven’t done it (yet), and have other things I’d buy first (need several optics to finish some guns up, and I’d like a S&W Gen3 first), but I may just get one eventually to see what all the fuss is about. It may be a long while, we’ll have to see! Got a move coming up in a few months, so spending is getting cut way back for now with a few noted exceptions.

Don’t feel bad basher, I don’t see the appeal either. Price wise yes but after that not so much. My bil has/had one and I certainly wouldn’t have traded any of my guns for it. It’s too easy to find ergonomic, reliable, accurate guns to tinker with these IMO. Now if I believed in the concept if the truck gun, these would fit the bill.

I’m not a Ruger hater either I got scads of Rugers. Just not these.

quote:

Originally posted by Basher42:

quote:

Originally posted by Wolfpacker:
Gun snobs don’t like Ruger pistols.

Not directed at anyone here.

LOL, but it would be directed at me if it were to be directed at anyone, given my earlier post, haha. No offense taken either way!

I have to admit, I’ve been mildly tempted to pick one up after reading the comments here, for some weird reason. Haven’t done it (yet), and have other things I’d buy first (need several optics to finish some guns up, and I’d like a S&W Gen3 first), but I may just get one eventually to see what all the fuss is about. It may be a long while, we’ll have to see! Got a move coming up in a few months, so spending is getting cut way back for now with a few noted exceptions.

I have visited other gun forums where you could think that Ruger pistols were a knock off of an old Jennings or Bryco. Glad that you are not offended. I didn’t even realize that you had said something that could have been related to my post.

P.S. I went back just now and read your post again. I didn’t see anything that made you sound like a gun snob. I am very relieved. I don’t like to stir up any controversy. LOL

Congrats on a good purchase!

back in the 90s, my boss had a P90 and loved it.

In 2002, when I was shopping for my second semi-auto handgun [the first took me a year to get over], I began some research into the P90 and read a bunch of articles and reviews: many of them by Ayoob.

Off to my LGS I went. After handling the Rugers, I actually bought the P97DC instead of the P90.

The P90 just felt too big in my hands, while the P97 felt just a smidge smaller- especially the DA trigger reach.

I bought it and think it would be the second to last centerfire handgun I'd ever consider selling.


Around 2009/2010, I decided to do a .45 shootout of my handguns.

By that time I had acquired [beyond the Ruger P97], a Sistema 1911, a SA 1911 Target [blackened], an S&W M&P, a HK USP .45Compact, and a Sig P220Combat.

I took all of them [except the Ruger] to the range and put 50 rounds through them. This was over a 6 month period.

Then, I did the shoot out comparison.

7 yards, B-27 target, 8 rounds in magazine [to keep the M&P in line with the rest], two handed slow fire.

My best group of them all was the P97, which I had NOT fired in about 5 years at that point. This was a group of about 2.5".

Of the others, my worst groups were with the Sig P220 and the HK USP .45. These were groups of about 6" and about 5.5" respectively. [or was it 7" and 6" respectively? I forget]

The third worst was the SA 1911 Target, while the Sistema was the second best. Sistema was about 3" groups and the SA 1911 was about 5" groups.



At that time, I sold off the three handguns I was the worst with,and invested the money in other projects.



Despite not having 'warmed up' on the Ruger, it still was the smoothest, softest and most accurate in my hands.

oh, and with factory springs, the DA pull is around 7.5-8#, while the SA pull is around 3.5#.

I just wish the long reset could be fixed- but Bill Ruger probably wanted it that way as accident insurance from riding the reset and firing a second shot before aligned.

These Rugers can SHOOT!!!!

They are 'something only a mother could love'- but they function REALLY well.