Ruger’s been producing handguns suitable for everyday carry for many years. In recent years, it has stepped up to offer more models. In this article, you will find a rundown of the many models that Ruger currently offers that are suitable for everyday carry.
LCR/LCRX Revolvers
The LCR is a small, lightweight revolver that was designed to compete with the Smith & Wesson J-Frames such as the 642 and 442 series. The LCR was made using modern manufacturing technology and a hybrid aluminum and polymer frame. These small Airweight revolvers come in at a more reasonable price than the classic steel S&W firearms.
The original was a .38 special that weighed 13.8 ounces. Later, a magnum model was introduced that weighed a little more and used a steel frame instead of the aluminum original. Ruger has continued to introduce various models of the LCR and added the LCRX which has an exposed hammer.
The LCR and LCRX differ from their competitors because of how they are made. The lower part of the frame of the LCR is made of polymer and holds the trigger, grip, and hammer. The upper portion is made of aluminum in the lower calibers and steel in the magnum models. The frame holds a barrel insert which is different from most of the other revolvers on the market.
The capacity of the Ruger LCR series depends on the caliber you choose. The .22 variant holds eight rounds, but the .22 magnum only has six rounds. The .327 Federal Magnum version has six rounds. The .38 Special and .357 Magnum versions only hold five rounds.
The Ruger LCR has some of the better sights on the market for small revolvers. The Ruger LCR has a fixed front sight with the rearview being just a groove in the back of the frame like most other revolvers. What sets the Ruger LCR front sight apart is that it’s painted and has a white stripe on the front. The rear sight is a groove in the top of the frame.
The Ruger LCRX and its three-inch variant have a target-style sight. That sight is adjustable for elevation, and the front sight also has the same high-visibility white stripe on the front sight as the LCR. Either of these revolvers, the LCR or the LCRX, will work as a primary carry gun or backup gun carried either in the pocket or an IWB holster.
SP101
The SP101 is a small frame, all-steel construction, double-action carry revolver with a five-shot (.38 Special, .357 Magnum, or 9x19mm Parabellum), six-shot (.327 Federal Magnum or .32 H&R Magnum), or an eight-shot (.22 LR) cylinder. Available barrel lengths are 2.25, 3.0625, and 4.2 inches with full underlugs. Some 4 and 4.2-inch barrels feature a half underlug. SP101 revolvers have a transfer bar safety mechanism, which results in the firing pin being mounted in the frame. Sights on some of the pistols are fixed, others feature adjustable rear sights.
The triple-locking cylinder is locked into the frame at the front, rear, and bottom for a more positive alignment and dependable operation. The SP101 has a cushioned rubber grip with black synthetic or hardwood insert and no exposed metal in the backstrap — making it extremely comfortable. It is available in a satin stainless steel or blued finish. I have two of these, one in .327 Federal Magnum and the other .22. I find both to be a delight to shoot. Their size makes them an easy EDC revolver.
GP100
The GP100 is slightly larger than the SP101 but still within the realm of being an effective EDC gun. The Ruger GP100 double-action revolver is among the most comfortable shooting double-action revolvers — second only to the Colt snake guns. Its rugged, medium-sized frame and cushioned grip system permit repeated firings with minimal shooter fatigue.
The GP100 was an evolution of an earlier Ruger double-action revolver, the Security Six. It was introduced in 1985 as a second generation of the Ruger double-action, exposed-hammer revolvers intended to replace Ruger’s Security-/Service-/Speed-Six line. The GP100 was made stronger with the intent to fire an unlimited number of full-power .357 Magnum rounds.
The GP100 is manufactured in .327 Federal Magnum, .357 Magnum, .38 Special, .22 Long Rifle, .44 Special, and 10mm Auto calibers. Available barrel lengths are 2.5, 3, 4, 4.2, 5, and 6 inches with partial or full-length underlugs. Blued steel or stainless-steel finishes are available.
LCP
The Ruger LCP semi-auto pistol is a compact pistol that was designed to be concealed just about anywhere. With a length of 5.16 inches, height of 3.6 inches, width of .82 inch, and weighing only 9.5 ounces, the LCP truly is a small pistol that is at home in a pocket or holster. The Ruger LCP is a good choice for an individual in search of a dependable backup or primary personal defense carry pistol.
The LCP is ideal for all-day carry and easily at hand when you might need it most. It’s available in .380 only. Caution, if you’re going to depend on a pistol this size for EDC, shoot it a lot to ensure you’re comfortable with the recoil coming from a pistol that doesn’t have a lot to hold on to.
LCP Max
Ruger engineers worked a marvel with the LCP Max. It holds 10+1 rounds of .380 ACP. Yet, it’s essentially the same size as the LCP. It weighs a couple ounces more. With 11 rounds of .380 on board, I have no trouble identifying the LCP Max as a defensive carry pistol for a competent shooter. For a new shooter who wishes to carry the LCP Max I say, “Practice, practice, practice, and don’t let too much time go by before you practice, practice, practice some more.”
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The gun operated trouble-free for me. I tried several different brands of .380 — both ball and JHP. At close ranges, the .380 cartridge should do a decent job of stopping bad guy activity, if you do your job handling the gun. However, don’t be complacent. You need to shoot this gun a lot to be proficient with it.
EC9s
Now for a 9mm. The EC9s features a molded, high-strength, glass-filled, nylon-grip frame, and a pinned-in, metal, locking block insert. The sides, front, and rear of the grip frame (including the front of the finger-extension magazine baseplate) are checkered. The grooved, contoured, magazine release button protrudes just far enough for positive engagement but not so much to catch when drawing the pistol from a holster or a pocket.
All corners and edges are beveled and rounded for non-snag draw and reduced holster wear. The sights on EC9s are integral to the carbon-steel slide, machined right into it. The EC9s is larger and heavier than the LCP which gives the EC9s more grasping surface and weight for better controllability when firing 9mm ammo. In size, the EC9s is 6 inches long, 4.9 inches tall (with the finger-extension magazine baseplate), and 1.07 inches thick at the thumb safety. The slide is 0.9 inch thick and so is the grip. Grip circumference is 5 inches.
The pistol weighs 17.2 ounces and fits in the hip pocket just fine. The main difference between the EC9s and the LC9 is the sights are integral to the steel slide. They are black, and both the front and the rear sights feature horizontal striations. This gun is very affordable, retailing for $299 or less. And, like Joseph’s coat, it comes in many colors.
Security 9
The Security 9 is an affordable midsize personal defense handgun that offers a light weight for concealed carry in a mid-size. The frame is glass-filled nylon. The grip is textured and feels good in your hands. It will help you hold the gun and does not hurt your hands during shooting.
The slide has cocking serrations front and back and is nicely rounded all around for easy holstering and to prevent printing. It is a steel slide with highly visible drift-adjustable sights. There is a loaded chamber window on the right side at the rear of the ejection port. A Picatinny rail is forward of the trigger guard, which is elevated at the rear to facilitate a high grip. It comes with one 17-round and a 10-round magazine.
Security 380
The Security 380 has the same body size and shape as the Security 9 with a few enhancements. It has a Lite-Rack system that includes refined slide serrations, pronounced cocking ears, and a lighter recoil spring. The lightweight slide features lightening windows on both sides of the front part of the slide, drift-adjustable steel rear sight with a vertical edge, and a bright, fiber-optic front sight for improved visibility.
The Security 380 comes with one 15-round and two 10-round magazines. Shooting the 380 is pure delight — even for recoil-sensitive shooters. The .380 cartridge is light on recoil to start with, and the Security 380’s grip and slide recoil springs make it so much easier to rack than most semi-automatic pistols. The price is under $400.
Max 9
The Max 9 is the pistol you see NRA spokesman Colin Noir with in all the advertisements and promotional videos. It’s in my carry rotation for three reasons: size, capacity, and the new Ruger Red Dot that requires no batteries. The Max 9 is a mere 6 inches long and weighs 18.4 ounces. Capacity is 12+1 with a 10+1 magazine included.
The Ruger Red Dot is extra, but is designed for the Max 9 and fits it with no mod required. This new red dot takes advantage of ambient light to brighten a fiber-optic, which is reflected onto the screen in perfect alignment with the front sight. It’s really cool, but it won’t be there for you in darkness. That’s okay because the front sight is a big dot lined with tritium.
The Max 9 is striker-fired with a short, smooth trigger pull, clean break, and positive reset. It has a glass-filled nylon grip frame and hardened, alloy steel slide. The texturing on the frame provides a secure and comfortable grip. I mentioned this already, but a tritium fiber-optic day/night front sight is there for high visibility, and the rear sight is drift adjustable. Safety features include an integrated trigger safety, internal striker blocker, and inspection port that allows for visual confirmation of a loaded/empty chamber. It’s priced at just under $500.
Ruger American
There are three variations of the Ruger American: The Compact and Competition models, and the Duty model. The Duty model has a thumb safety and weighs 30 ounces. It is 7.5 inches long with a 4.2-inch barrel. It is 5.5 inches high and 1.05 inches wide. The frame is one-piece, glass-filled nylon with an ergonomic wraparound grip module, all black. The slide is stainless steel with a black Nitride finish.
An inspection port allows for visual confirmation of a loaded or empty chamber. The capacity is 17 rounds in the magazine plus one in the pipe. The gun ships with two nickel, Teflon-plated steel magazines plus small, medium, and large grip modules. The sights are Novak Lo-Mount Carry 3-Dot.
Multiple design features make the Ruger American a pleasure to shoot. Ruger’s operating system, with its pre-tensioned striker and a barrel cam that distributes recoil over a longer time, reduces felt recoil. The combination of the trigger and grip ergonomics also contributes to the reduced felt recoil.
I find myself recommending the Ruger American to friends for several reasons. One is the heft. Pick up a loaded Ruger American. It feels perfectly balanced and does nothing to interfere with a natural draw and point of aim. Yes, it weighs 30 ounces. However, to me at least, it feels much lighter. It has front strap checkering that consists of small, raised diamonds. The diamonds enhance the grip without tearing up your fingers. The trigger has a smooth, easy pull that you hardly notice.
Ruger SR1911 Commander
I have a particular fondness for the Ruger Commander-sized 1911. It is the gun that won me over and converted me to being a 1911 fan many years ago. I now have Ruger Commanders in .45 ACP and 9mm. They utilize the classic, original 1911 fire control system. Manufacturing is done with a precision CNC-controlled machining process which results in a superior slide-to-frame fit and smooth slide travel. Positive barrel lock-up allows for superior accuracy out of the box. The traditional design has replaceable grip panels and a checkered backstrap.
The lightweight, aluminum, skeletonized trigger provides a crisp, no creep, light trigger pull with a quick, positive reset. The gun has a skeletonized hammer and titanium firing pin for faster lock time. The oversized beavertail grip safety provides positive function and reliability. An extended thumb safety and slide stop lever assist offer positive manipulation. The integral plunger tube for slide stop and thumb safety is not staked but will never come loose of the controls.
There’s an oversized ejection port and extended magazine release to further assist in operation of the pistol. An inspection window at the rear of the ejection port allows for visual confirmation of a loaded or empty chamber. A flat mainspring housing and rear slide serrations ensure a positive grip. The Ruger SR1911 accepts most standard, aftermarket 1911 parts and accessories. The guns ship with two spare magazines and a barrel bushing wrench.
The author compiled quite a list of Ruger pistols and revolvers? Did your favorite make the list? Share your favorite Ruger for concealed carry in the Comment section.
Source link: https://blog.cheaperthandirt.com/the-best-ruger-for-edc/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-best-ruger-for-edc by David Freeman at blog.cheaperthandirt.com