Ruger P89DC for $309, buy or pass?

[GatorFarmer]

I have not seen a metal frame Ruger centerfire auto pistol in a while. Found a stainless P89DC with 4 mags (15rd), a holster, and magazine pouch all for $309.

I can not remember what these sold for. I remember them as blocky but supposedly having tank like durability.

I have a Taurus 92 and a S&W 459 now, but thought the P89 might make a nice companion for the used Mini14 I picked up today. It looks as though it would make an acceptable belt pistol.

Anyone have one?

 

[alwslate]

I have a blue one that I bought new back in the early 90s I believe.
It came with two 15 rd mags. I bought it at a gun show and paid a
little under $300 as I recall. The receipt is probably in the plastic case.
The mags are hard to load without the mag loader that was part of the
original package. They are blocky and heavy but extremely durable as
you say. Part of Ruger's testing and advertising involved one that had
a slot milled completely through the right side of the slide and had
since fired about 8,000 rounds with only the left side intact with no
problems. I haven't fired mine a lot, maybe 450 rds of a variety of
FMJ and HPs but with zero malfunctions so far. Mine stays loaded and
within reach at home or in a vehicle but is a bit large for CC. I trimmed
the projections a bit on mine. I would say the one you are looking at
would be an excellent buy.

 

[Fishinfool]

When I taught at the FLETC, the Ruger "P" series was the standard issue handgun of the Federal Bureau Of Prisons. Rather large and blocky, they were just as, if not more reliable than some of the better known big name brands. Most had very good triggers, at least the DAO models the BOP used did.

The only two problem areas I found were sometimes an extractor would chip (an inexpensive and easy fix), and magazine lips were more easily damaged than on some other brands. - Also an easy fix - don't be stepping on your ejected mags...

For $300, I think the gun and accessories is a good buy if you are looking for a reliable belt gun.

Larry

 

[rjm6120]

I agree that would be a good deal!

 

[ColbyBruce]

You can buy a brand new S&W Shield for the same money. The Shield is smaller, lighter, currently in production, and comes with a warranty. The Shield will fit a variety of hands, unlike a Ruger P series.

However, if you think you might want to pistol whip somebody, buy the clunky Ruger. An empty S&W Shield is not much of a weapon.

Ruger P95dc.

Ruger P89.

Ruger P94.

I intended to keep the P94 as a hiking gun, but it was very heavy. It was also not too accurate with 180 grain ammo. I advertised it on a local forum and got little response; the Ruger P series is not so popular in my area, neither is .40 S&W.

 

[Pre 29]

The first time someone put a Ruger P series gun in my hand I handed it back with a "no thank you". After shooting a few I found that the guns were accurate and as reliable as a rock. Buy it and get a set of Hogue grips as soon as you can. I think the part # is 85000 and you will not believe the difference it will make. When these guns were popular and one would come in the store I would try to get the owner to let me install a set of the Hogues and very rarely did they not buy them. I seem to recall that Ruger did a test where they capped the end of the barrel on a P89 and fired it and it stayed together?? Am I remembering this right? I think so, but I'm old.

 

[jakenov3]

The p89 will do it all. Its like a Timex watch "It takes a licken and keeps on ticken". Buy it now and enjoy it for a lifetime. P guns are a great value and under rated. I can like Ruger & S&W.

 

[cyphertext]

I have a P90 that I bought new back in the early 90's. As previous poster said, the P series guns went for under $300... Mine was $269.

As others have said, bulky and heavy... not a carry piece by todays standards. But reliable and decent enough accuracy.

 

[SmokeStack Lightning]

I, too, own a P-90DC stainless.

I use it as my home defense weapon so it's in my safe next to my bed.

Pistol, 2 mags and case for $300 back in 1991.

 

[jack the toad]

IMO, there's nothing wrong with the P series (lotsa quality for the money). I've owned them but have never warmed up to them. For this reason I'd pass but that's just me. The last P series I had (P95), I sold for $150 (w/o box) and there was nothing wrong with it.

 

[M3Stuart]

My brother has a P89. I've shot it some. They're ok.

It's all personal preference. You cold get a new Ruger 9E for a tad more, but it would be a plastic gun with only one mag.

But they work fine and, assuming it's functional, you won't go wrong at that price.

 

[RJJ 1971]

Found one 3 plus years ago at local pawn shop $250 (finish was beat to all kinds to hell). Offered $200. They came back at $225. We settled on $220. Took it home to add to the collection and shoot.
Had slide cerakoted ($65) and turned out nice. Used it for a trade in for my caracal f. Got $315 out of it on trade. .
Nice shooter and nice price. Just wanted something (at the time) a little more modern.

 

[Ranger514]

That's a good deal on a reliable handgun. I'd definitely buy it for that price, if I was in need of good shooter. I saw a slightly used one sitting in a Cabela's gun case yesterday with a $389 price tag.

 

[GatorFarmer]

Well, I went back and got it. I am not sure when a 305 prefix P89 dates to, circa 1993 perhaps? Guns "live" a long time, and the early 1990s still strikes me as sufficiently modern. Shooting it will have to wait until next week, as I bought it after my usual Sunday range trip. Hogue grips were actually in stock, so I picked up a pair with the gun and already installed them. They definitely do seem an improvement.

 

[CH4]

No thanks! For a few extra bucks you can buy a Glop.

 

[GatorFarmer]

No thanks! For a few extra bucks you can buy a Glop.

The fancy colored Glocks were priced a bit under $600. I am not sure how many Glocks I have owned over the years...26, 34, 22, 27, 30, 23 and 32 are the models I recall. Note the past tense. Though I might try a funny colored 19 one day, I never sufficiently warmed to any to keep them.

My out of pocket after a trade in was $60 plus the grips.

 

[ralph7]

You can buy a brand new S&W Shield for the same money. The Shield is smaller, lighter, currently in production, and comes with a warranty. The Shield will fit a variety of hands, unlike a Ruger P series.

However, if you think you might want to pistol whip somebody, buy the clunky Ruger. An empty S&W Shield is not much of a weapon.

Ruger P95dc.

Ruger P89.

Ruger P94.

I intended to keep the P94 as a hiking gun, but it was very heavy.
It was also not too accurate with 180 grain ammo. I advertised it on a local forum and got little response; the Ruger P series is not so popular in my area, neither is .40 S&W.

Ha, I guess not.

 

[pineappleshooter]

No thanks! For a few extra bucks you can buy a Glop.

True, but it is darn near impossible to beat someone to death with a glock after you run out of ammo. And what if your boat starts to drift, no way that glock is holding you in place.

 

[alwslate]

The Ruger website has tables of serial numbers of all their guns,
current production and discontinued models.

 

[MyDads38]

Just traded my Ruger P89DC off for a new S&W SD40VE about April. I had NO ISSUES with mine. Built like all older Rugers were-like a tank. Big, heavy all steel 9mm that would shoot anything you ran through it! Only negative for me was the smallish sights, my eyes just couldn't pick them up as quickly as my S&W's. I only got $300 trade for mine and it came in original plastic case with all accessories. $300 seems to be the going rate for these. You could do worse, but depending on your intended use, there are better options out there-NEW-in a 9mm handgun.