After the local Silhouette match this morning I stopped by the local Cabela's to pick up an order. While I was there I noticed they had the Ruger American in 45 and 9mm. Waited patiently, almost bit my tongue in two, but kept quiet listing to the counter talk. I looked at the 45 and liked the feel of the it in my hand. But the trigger was knotchy or locked up. Tried the 9mm and it was the same. It seems that any lateral load on the trigger safety locked the trigger. I realize these are display models and have seen who knows what but it still seems like a major issue to me. Anyone else handled one of these haven't read anything but good things about them.

Every single one we have had has demonstrated absolutely horrific triggers.

Let me emphasize that a bit more.

Every. Single. One.

Two different pistols had one of their two magazines that simply would not lock into place. The bad mags wouldn't function in any American we tried. Another gunshop in town had one that exhibited the same magazine issues. Note that they use a different distributor than us, so it isn't too likely this is a glitch in a specific run. All of theirs have atrocious trigger pulls as well.

To my eyes, the overall aesthetics are busy, as if it is parts of different pistols kludged together. Frankly, I prefer the SR9, which consistently has the best striker fire trigger pull in a domesticly produced pistol. Only the H&K VP9 and the Walther PPQ have better triggers. The SR9 is head and shoulders above the S&W M&P9 or the Glock in terms of trigger, btw.

So, color me biased, but I don't like any of above pistols. I have, however, shot them all, and played with them extensively. (slowdays in the shop, what can I say). I honestly think Ruger would have been miles ahead if they simply updated the SR series to include interchangeable back straps, plus a version sans thumb safety for those that prefer that style. Instead, they reinvented the wheel and gave us a large for caliber pistol (shades of the old P-series!) that does nothing for me.

Of course my opinion isn't all that matters, it is the customer who is the deciding factor in the end. And they have demonstrated their opinions in our sales. I sell 20 Tauri PT111G2s to every American. Ditto Glocks, Smiths, CZs, Rock Islands, etc, etc. heck, I sell more Heritage Rough Riders!

Flamethrower out......

Otony

If it had an LCR trigger it would be good to go.

Not one. Too big for concealed carry. Trigger. At least 2 fellas were waiting out the first recall...

PS - this comment was exceedingly brief to the point of being pointless, so...

We've sold them. I only work 2-days a week. I have not sold one. Most of my sales are handguns and most of those have been SCCYs, Glocks, LC9s, LCPs, Bodyguard 380s, various small revolvers (heavily dependent on weight and price point but I am not sure which is more important, that's hard to tell). I have, over the years, sold just about one of everything, but not an American.

Most everyone who buys a handgun wants something concealable (by far the most demanded) or for their "work" in some sort of security position (the full-size guns). None have picked up an American without first saying it feels good in the hand and then saying it is big. Too big. Work related purchasers are concerned that it won't pass muster with their employer. They inevitably buy a Glock or M&P.

The American trigger? Lots of comments, some not worthy of repetition, some/most referencing the ergonomics of it. I am surprised daily at the number of people with "meaty" fingers, short and long, and the inability of so many to bend those fingers. I don't personally think the trigger is better or worse than anything else out there, it apparently works as designed, but the customer is always right, right?

The 2 fellas waiting on the recall. These guys are convinced that every product has to go through a recall (or two) before it is reliable enough to actually spend money on (if still on the market). I suppose that was a bit snarky of me to mention and if it bothers you or fails to contribute to a substantive conversation on the subject, I apologize.

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Sincerely,

Hobie

I have no hoarse in this fight But I am sad to hear that the guns are junk because I have read so many articles that that praise this gun. I was thinking of buying a pair. Sad to hear that to save money and hit a price point Ruger would make junk. Also to hear that the favorable reviews can still be bought! These guns will end up in LEO hands with a dept pinching penny's at LEO's expense. J.Michael

5 SHOTS/20 YARDS SOME EXAMPLES
SUPER VEL 9 MM 90 JHP+P 1,563 FPS 1-1/8"
SUPER VEL 9 MM 115 JHP+P 1,311 FPS 7/8"
BLACK HILLS .45 230 JHP+P 885 FPS 1"
HPR .45 230 JHP 824 FPS 1"
SIG SAUER 230 JHP 827 FPS 1"
FUNCTIONING FLAWLESS; COMFORTABLE TO SHOOT.

Ruger has done some great things lately...and triggers has been one of them. My LC9s is very nice. Bro' Dan's LCP is notably better than my earlier version. The American rifle as well as the Hawkeyes are both excellent. I would have thought that trend would have been followed in the American pistol.

Perhaps wait for "Gen 2"?

But for all the time they took to develop this pistol, one would think they would be perfect. I hope that the compact 9 will address the shortcomings... Ruger has done so much so well.

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Of the Troops & For the Troops

Nm

.......I am glad you fellows have had good luck with them. I am just reporting what we have witnessed in our shop.

Every single one has trigger issues.

Two (three if you count the other shop) have had out of spec magazines that are unusable in ANY American pistol.

I guess I will add something our sales rep at Davidsons shared. These issues are not unique.

I'm glas JT's exhibits good accuracy, and I am amazed that Rob's have good triggers. That is not to mean I don't believe Rob, because I do, implicitly. Rather I am amazed that production and design is such that some will have good triggers whilst others have arguably the worst trigger I've ever felt in a modern polymer pistol.

Add in the fact that these things are huge and the overall formula is just poor.

We had a young man visit the shop who had just relocated here from Prescott, AZ. This was right after the Americans were released. He worked at Ruger as a part of the design team responsible for the American.

He was a bit surprised that the pistols had already been released, but failed to mention exactly why. I informed him of our issues, and while the magazine situation was odd to him, the triggers were not. One good thing though, he did mention that a 10mm version had been worked up!

I have nothing but respect for Ruger, and own more of their firearms than any other brand. But occasionally, against all odds, a company releases a gun that just isn't a good job. I'm not saying this is a Colt 2000, but our sales for these pistols, and at the other two shops in the area, are in the toilet.

Otony

Nm

I don't doubt you at all, Tony. I saw these in 3 stages; I saw pre production samples almost 4 years ago, I saw the writer samples, and I saw some of the first production guns too. Ruger even delayed introduction to "perfect" the triggers...disappointing, to say the least...

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Of the Troops & For the Troops

.......some of the write-ups were based on "writer's samples" but I had thought those days were past us.

Now I wonder if the kid from the design team wasn't as forthcoming about the triggers as he might have been. He expressed great surprise that the pistols had already been released, and I imagine now it might have stemmed from the trigger issues.

Never fear Rob, I knew your post wasn't to contradict or belie what I had written. I know you are close to the Ruger folks there in town, and kinda figured you had been privy to pre-production samples. My reading between the lines-fu works.....sometimes!

Otony

I would not characterize the American as junk at all. I liked everything about the guns look, weight and feel, and especially the ambi mag release. Since I only handled two examples out of thousands produced and haven't had the chance to shoot one, I was looking for more data. Was this an isolated incident. Apparently it's not. If they make a 10mm I'm getting one anyway. I can fix triggers.

If I had any complaint about the LCR trigger it's that you have to be careful to fully reset it before pulling it again. It's kind of easy to let off and pull it again and roll the cylinder around but miss the hammer if you get in a hurry. I haven't done it shooting it but I do it when dry firing it at times. But all in all, I love my LCR. When they first came out I didn't think I'd ever let someone talk me into touching it, much less buying one. Pulling the trigger changed my mind.