New Pistol From Ruger

In today's news section you'll be able to read all about the newest pistol addition to Ruger's growing product line. It's their Ruger American Pistol Compact. It's the downsized version of the Ruger American pistol which was introduced last December.

The original was designed with input from law enforcement and military trainers and incorporated several new (for Ruger) features, from a recoil-reducing barrel cam to spread recoil over time, a low-mass slide, low center of gravity and bore axis, it was a solid-shooting pistol that may have gotten slightly lost in the end-of-year crush.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2298040.jpeg> (Top) The Ruger American Compact announced last evening ships in a carrying case along with three grip modules and two nickel -Teflon coated magazines. Below, you can see the size difference between the 12 and 17-round magazines. The extension spacer helps you get a very solid grip on the Compact pistol. OWDN photos http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2298042.jpeg>

I've been shooting the new Compact version for the past few days, and my first impressions are very positive. It's smaller than the full-size, but decidedly more "beefy" than the S&W, Glock, and other compacts to which it will undoubtedly be compared. Normally, I'm carrying a S&W Shield and that's a significantly smaller gun. The Ruger, however, gives the ability to carry significantly more rounds in the pistol- especially if you elected to carry the 17-round mag in the gun. I would - simply because the compact magazine could be concealed more easily, not because I'm anticipating a "problem" that necessitates a 17-round solution. But small-motor skills go out the window in an adrenaline-dump situation, so not needing a mag change would be a good thing.

Before going much further, let me re-state the obvious: I'm an average shooter. As much as I enjoy hunting, plinking and even competition, I'm not a technical expert. We're blessed to have a pair of subject-matter experts in Rich Grassi and Tiger McKee. They're serious authorities on guns- and the first places I go for advice. So… we've prepared a double-barrel bit of work this morning.

You can read Rich Grassi's in-depth review of the Ruger American Compact in this morning's Shooting Wire (www.shootingwire.com if you're not already a subscriber).

I've run just under 125 rounds through the American Compact this week, and it has fed and functioned flawlessly with only one failure to eject that I attributed to my lack of lubrication. The gun cleared quickly and there were no subsequent issues.

As you'd expect from a Compact, it handles quickly, and the lower bore axis really does help you recover quickly for follow-up shots. The Novak LoMount 3-dot sights are clear and the 1.45" thin frame allows for a firm grip whether you're shooting weak, strong or 2-handed.

The adjustable grip sizing and "purpose-oriented" grip frame texturizing also help get your hands positioned correctly, but I'd prefer a bit more texturizing. My shots tend to cluster between 6-9 o'clock -the result of permanent lost of strength in my left (weak) hand, not a gun problem. It's another reason I prefer aggressive textures. At the same time, I'd have to say the "purpose-oriented" grip frame texturizing helped minimize that physical challenge.

http://www.theoutdoorwire.com/image_archive/2298044.jpeg> Best results at 15 yards. The gun will definitely perform better than my abilities.

As is Ruger's practice, the new American Compacts are rolling out to dealers, and the MSRP is $579, the same as the other pistols in the American line.

Ruger's been enjoying several very successful business years, but they've been smart and used that success as fuel for research and development as well as building cash reserves and making capital improvements. They've readily admitted that many of their new projects have actually been on the boards for some time, but demands for existing product kept them from rolling out new products.

Even with two new pistols in two weeks, I'm betting they're not done yet.

As always, we'll keep you posted.

—Jim Shepherd