After the pleasing results with this gun in last month's IDPA match, I decided to reprise it at last Saturday's match, in typical Washington weather-cool (40s-50s), rain (which was often driving rain) all day (the rain stopped and the sun came out immediately after the match was completed, natch), and using Walmart-procured Winchester White Box Value Pack 115gr 9mm (which has not had a reputation with me of being the most accurate of the generic 9mm range/target ball ammunition, but these days, I takes what I can gets...).
I ended up shooting one of my best IDPA matches ever with the P89-I ended up having only 20 points down for the entire match (we won't discuss my speed, however...) The gun shot with complete reliability, despite the weather and occasionally wet and/or muddy magazines. As I discussed in my previous post regarding this gun, I'm completely willing to accept that my sample size of precisely one P89 might simply be a performance/statistical anomaly, but the fact remains that it shoots very, very well for me (or, conversely, I with it).
Yeah, I realize that my Pistol-Forum credentials/manhood/social standing/gun aficionado veracity my be somewhat in question by using such a relatively, well, pedestrian gun (or one perceived/marketed as a pedestrian gun). But, as I mentioned previously, I've come to realize that the P89 is a more than a bit of a diamond in the rough, and was the beneficiary of having an ancestry aimed at meeting both rigorous DoD JSSAP XM10 pistol trials and meeting both organizational procurement budgets, as well as commercial marketplace pricing goals.
It's an intriguing gun, with much evidence of the genius of William Ruger and his engineering/manufacturing team. While I hardly expect a massive Pistol-Forum exodus from our Glocks/M&Ps/HKs/FNs/SIG-Sauers/Berettas etc. in search of a Ruger P89 holy grail, my suggestion is that if you come across one, don't instinctively turn away (while simultaneously holding your nose). While unarguably somewhat obsolescent, they are, at least in my experience, a much more viable gun than I anticipated. Kinda like entering a redneck slammo bar and finding some quality microbrew...
At least that's my story, I'm sticking to it, and you can't prove it (uttered in the best Bart Simpson voice)... Now I just need to prepare myself to resist the urge to get a beat-up 1960s Chevy pick-um-up and some interesting tattoos, and find a gum-popping big-hair debutante for companionship (my wife wouldn't approve, in all likelihood).
We will now return to our regularly scheduled programming.
Best, Jon
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