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Re: [Combat-Handgun] Ruger P95?
>What is the general consensus of the Ruger P95?
Depends on what group you are asking.
Law enforcement agencies? Overwhelmingly police depts have switched
to Glocks or Glock clones (Springfield XD, S&W M&P. New Ruger SR9 and
SIG 250 and Beretta PX4 are now competing in this market too.)
Private sector training schools? Every instructor I know, have
trained with, have heard about or read about either carries a 1911 or
a Glock or a Glock clone.
Military contractors? All the data I have on Blackwater, Triple
Canopy, etc. is that they all carry Glocks.
Gun industry? All the major manufacturers have introduced Glock
clones (striker fired, polymer, hicap, light rail, etc.) because
that's what law enforcement agencies and civilian customers are asking for now.
Competitors? Anybody winning or placing in the top tier at any major
match in any pistol sport (IPSC, IDPA, Steel Challenge, etc.) is
either using a 1911 or a Glock or a Glock clone.
The military? Some special units have replaced their M9's with
Glocks and 1911's and SIGs but I've never heard of any unit buying
P-series guns. I've never heard of the military buying any P-series
guns for uniformed personnel. I used to do a lot of business at a
Navy base in Georgia back in the late 90's. Instead of Marines
working the gates they had hired a low-end local security guard
company to do it, and those folks were carrying Ruger P series guns.
If you were a student in one of my shooting classes I'd tell you that
picking a P95 will make shooting and operating the pistol more
complex than it needs to be, because it has the DA/SA design that
forces you to deal with two different trigger pulls and a decocking lever.
Choosing that model limits your ability to defend yourself in low
light because it does not have a light rail and therefore you can't
take advantage of the gun-mounted lights that make low light shooting
so much easier and simpler.
Since it's a model that isn't popular with "serious users" your
options for aftermarket upgrades, holsters, spare mags and other
support are limited.
The modern designs that have one trigger pull, no decocker, better
sights, better trigger pull, a light rail, and other features (some
have replaceable grip panels to customize the grip, loaded chamber
indicators, ambidextrous controls) are flat out better guns and if
you look at police qualification scores and match results you'll find
that people shoot them better because they are easier to shoot.
Looks like the P95's are selling for around $350-400 on gunbroker,
which is not far from the $450-500 that more modern, simpler to
operate and shoot models like the Glock, XD, M&P and others are selling for.
If you want a 1990's style gun the S&W Sigma's are cheap (under $300
some places) and are a better gun than the P95. One trigger pull, no
decocking lever, better sights.
Karl
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