There are many times in my life that I wish I was better at photography; and this is one of them, just to capture how clean this thing is.

My first handgun of my very own was an old LE Glock 22 gen 1, but my first 9mm was a Ruger P95DC. It was an unwieldy beast, super top heavy, and ugly two tone as well. But it shot really well, and it never failed to accept any ammo I could find. It’s long since been traded away or sold, and I’d never been back to that particular era, but...

Recently I’d been looking for a cheap chair-side 9mm to keep in a side table. Nothing fancy, cheap to own, safe to store loaded and chambered, and most of all, reliable.

On an expedition for ammo, my father stumbled across and sent me a pic of this one he found local to him. I figured low to mid 3s, given the current market - but I asked him how much.

“$225” he texted back to me.

“Buy it” I said, without hesitation. I figured even if it was garbage, at today’s going rate I wouldn’t lose any money.

But I had no idea from his grainy cell phone pic that it would be this clean. According to Ruger’s website, roughly a 1994 variant.

My new-to-me 25+ year old Ruger P89. Proof that they used to make metal giants that worked well, shot well, and weren’t ammo specific; even without billboards of information and stern legal warnings stamped into the slide.

Maybe this weekend I can dust off a box of elusive 9mm and find out if the darn thing actually works.

Let’s hear your P series story, if you have one to share?

Congrats! P89 was the first semi-auto pistol I ever fired - 1991!

That’s a very clean looking find and a great deal as well. My only Ruger center fire semi-auto is the LCP.

Have fun at the range. Hope it shoots well.

Love them old centerfire P Rugers. I've had the P89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 97. My favorite is the P90. Still have one. It's the .45 that I'd pick over all other .45s out there.

I have a P89 in stainless , never had a problem with it . The nice ones keep going up went into a shop last week and they had a mint P 89 in blue I almost took it home 399 . I do see them in the 300 to 400 range .

Hey I dug the P95/P97. Other then the slick grip they shot great and I personally liked the two toned ones.

Nice looking buy you got there.

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Love them old centerfire P Rugers. I've had the P89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 97. My favorite is the P90. Still have one. It's the .45 that I'd pick over all other .45s out there.

No kidding? I actually never knew they made one in .45 Auto. I have always avoided the Ruger auto pistols, with the acception of a Government Target .22. Think my G21 would be the .45 I would take over nearly most all others in that caliber. Got any pics Q of your Ruger .45?

I have a P345 in my safe. In the fifteen or so years I’ve had it I bet it hasn’t seen 400 rounds. I need to shoot it some more. Very decent pistol.

My very first gun was a P85, and to be truthful, it was horrible. However the P89 I hear was much improved. My local big agency (2000+) used to issue it.

I hope you enjoy it. They are built like a Ruger...like a tank.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:

quote:

Originally posted by 12131:
Love them old centerfire P Rugers. I've had the P89, 90, 91, 93, 94, 95, 97. My favorite is the P90. Still have one. It's the .45 that I'd pick over all other .45s out there.

No kidding? I actually never knew they made one in .45 Auto. I have always avoided the Ruger auto pistols, with the acception of a Government Target .22. Think my G21 would be the .45 I would take over nearly most all others in that caliber. Got any pics Q of your Ruger .45?

No kidding. Have pics but Photofucket is holding all my pics hostage, so nothing new. It's just a beat up old gun that I really like. The P90 is all metal .45. The P97 is poly .45.

My P85 MKII was my first auto. It was clunky, rough, mediocre trigger and very accurate and reliable. It was so much better than the S&W L frame I traded for it. I also learned a lesson. If I paid $80 more for a Glock 17 or Beretta 92, I would still have that gun.

My first autoloader was a P89 in stainless.

Typical Ruger, "over-built" and as dependable as they get. By today's standards, they are not very sexy and way overweight. But, if you want a dependable and fun weapon to use, you cannot go wrong with the P89.

My P90 has the best factory trigger of any of my handguns. Accurate and built like a tank.

quote:

Originally posted by lkdr1989:
P89 was the first semi-auto pistol I ever fired - 1991!

Mine, too, at about the same time.

It's also the first pistol I ever regretted selling.

What a score and CLEAN!!! Congrats! A superb handgun!

I liked shooting these Rugers but always found some excuse to buy something else. I sometimes wish I had acted on one of those urges on a P-series, but then I open up any of my safes and I see all of those "something elses" that I rarely if ever shoot. Still, a nice pickup. Congratulations.

Take your pics outside. Indirect sunlight is the best.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
Take your pics outside. Indirect sunlight is the best.

Bob

It is Mid-Missouri.
It is January.
What is this 'sunlight' of which you speak?

I'll try to get some good ones if I get it out to the range.

Had the .45 ACP and foolishly traded it off. But recently got a 9mm with extra grip panels. It is the stainless and looks new. I do wish I had kept the Hogues. They do come up for sale on occasion. Great score!

Nice Gun, Fun to shoot. Still have my P85 rough, ugly, trigger like a wet sponge but it will F,F &E anything. I clean it out of habit. It doesn't matter it this runs & runs.

On a sunny day if you hold it up you can see daylight between the slide and frame. Came out the box that way.