rantingredneck

I've heard internet stories of people shooting .45Super level handloads in the P90......

Iowegan and Coffeepot:

Is this possible on a limited basis given the typically "overbuilt" nature of Ruger pistols in general and the P90 in particular, or is this simply a timebomb (in the form of a cracked slide or worse) waiting to happen??

COFFEE POT

As was previously stated, the P90 was designed to handle SAAMI spec .45 ACP ammunition. Unless the .45 Super falls within SAAMI spec for pressure/impulse you are just beating the gun up. I doubt it would blow up in your face, but you will induce stresses for which the gun was not designed. Simply put, yes, it would be a 'time bomb'. A good way to significantly shorten its service life.

Iowegan

rantingredneck, The 45 Super is not a SAAMI controlled cartridge. It could be very dangerous when fired in some guns. Any pistol made for a 45 ACP will also chamber a 45 Super because the cartridge dimensions are exactly the same as a 45 ACP. However; chamber pressure for a 45 Super is in the 32-38K psi range ... vs the SAAMI max of 21k psi for a 45 ACP. In my opinion, the 45 Super cartridge is way too hot to be fired in any gun that wasn't specifically designed for it.

There are two types of damage caused by over pressure loads .... catastrophic and accumulated. Most shooters only concern themselves with catastrophic damage where the gun blows up ... or as Bubba says, "if it don't blow up, shoot it". Accumulated damage is basically metal fatigue. You can shoot a hot load for X number of rounds then X+1 makes the gun blow up or causes extreme damage ... or in your words, a time bomb.

Note: If you look at the Bullet Energy and Momentum chart http://www.rugerforum.net/showthread.php?t=7568 the 45 ACP is rated just about perfect. Increasing the muzzle velocity will also increase momentum to a point of overkill.

Here's a web site with some 45 Super info. http://www.realguns.com/archives/020.htm

rantingredneck

That's what I thought. Some people will argue themselves blue in the face that the P90 can handle the .45Super without modification. Those same people are usually the ones that throw out the "It was designed for the 10mm" thing too.

Thanks for the replies.

MACHINISTgunner

I have read that the P90 DID NOT start out.....on the drawing board......as a 10mm.

GhosTT

COFFEE POT,
Thank you for the details from an "insider"
Learned alot from reading this thread.

I went to my favorite gun shop,
damn near the day the P90 was gonna be discontinued.
I walked out with a P-91 instead....lol

Sounds like a shot against the P90-----It's not.

I did huge research on the P90 before walked in.
The research told me the P90 was one of the best guns for the dollar.
Accurate, reliable, and rugged!
To this day, a BEST BUY!

I chose my P91 for 2 reasons.
Larger mag capacity, and ...
I preferred a .40SW ballistics
(even though back then they said SW stood for short and weak,lol)
Still own and depend on my P91.

But my choice was just personal preference...

The P90,IMHO......may be THE BEST .45 that Ruger ever made.
If I ever decide to go the .45 route....would prolly look for a P90 first.

Ulfric

I know that this is an old thread and all... but since I was shooting my beloved P90TH today I decided to do some research on improvements and so on and so forth that folks have done to it, and came across this thread. As I love the old work horse, I thought the history story there deserved to be bumped a bit and re-read by some folks

kingpins9

Little known fact: The Ruger P-97's frame was originally intended to also be chambered in 10mm. It's plastic frame was designed to be stout enough to handle both rounds. Alas, it was never manufactured in 10mm since that round's popularity waned.

NCLEO89

All I can say is, Ruger definitely nailed it with the P-90. As I have mentioned elsewhere on this forum, mine has proven to be far more reliable than the Sig P220ST that my employing LE agency issues me. I use my P-90 as my off-duty weapon, and it has NEVER failed me in any way...the same cannot be said of the Sig I have to carry at work. I will never part with my P-90!

COFFEE POT

Kingspin9 - As I was there, and involved, during its development, I can categorically tell you that neither the 10mm nor the .45 Super were ever even considered in the design process of the P97. I have no idea of where these crazy rumors get started. It was designed to handle the .45 ACP SAAMI spec loads and that is all. That is a fact, not some crazy rumor. Stop listening to the gun rags and 'Joe' at your local gun shop. If you want a straight answer call the company and talk to the Customer Service Manager at 928/778-6555. Lord, I get ragged when this sort of stuff comes out of nowhere and gets spread around as fact.

COFFEE POT

bwinters

I shoot 45 acp regular velocity out of my p90. If I want 45 super ballistics I go get my 45 blackhawk. Then I use the 45 acp cylinder with 45 super or 45 colt plus p. accumulated shooting is a concern. I used to shoot 45 colt plus p from 4 w of Tioga Texas. They became Buffalo Bore thru a round about way. I shot it in my colt anaconda 45 colt. They said it was not recommended. I shot it safely but I always worried. The weight of the barrel up front mad the anaconda 45 colt more comfortable than a blackhawk with the same load. I sold the anaconda a few years ago for twice what I paid for it as colt had discontinued all their double action revolvers.

rammerjammer

I am so glad that I bought my P90. It was my first handgun and I knew next to nothing about guns at the time. It fit within my price range and I went for it.

Now years later I know just how good of a decision I made. This is a gun that if maintained can last more than a lifetime.

Plus each time a buddy shoots it they realize that my less expensive gun performs as well if not outperforms their fancy high priced pistols.

Plus if I run out of ammo the P90 can always double as a club.

P89Guy

Sorry to thread hijack....but COFFEE POT, maybe you have some information.

I have a P89, and the ruger website shows that it is good for any +P, or +P+ 9mm.

I recently got a good deal on Winchester Ranger Talon 115GR +P+.......am I damaging my pistol by firing it?

Electromotive

In the mid-nineties, I moved to a mid sized town in SC. Being a Ruger fan, I noticed that the uniformed public safety officers carried Ruger pistols. I inquired of an officer one day and learned that it was the P 90 they were carrying as their duty issue handgun. I'm just curious as to how many law enforcement agencies have carried the P 90 as a duty handgun. I'm thinking the number is probably fairly small.

modrifle3

Attn: Coffepot

I know this thread has been around a while, but I am curious, I own 2 p90s and I am looking at a third, and I am still amazed at the accuracy. To me the P89 is biggiest accuracy fail to come out of Ruger and I have owned three from all diffrent years.

What was done with the P90 to get the accuracy? What I notice is how tight the P90 and the P91 lock up compared to the P89. Almost no barrel play in the slide. I also hear folks talk about a "special guy" designing the barrel. Now it looks like a normal barrel, with a normal rifling and crown. Similar to a 1911.

Was it a need to appeal to a market that expects 45s to be highly accurate, because of the 1911 influence or did Ruger finally decide the P85 and P89 accuracy level would not get Ruger into the mainstream CF pistol market?