Ruger Expanding American Series with Competition and Concealed-Carry Models

Authors Industry News Max Slowik This Week
Ruger Expanding American Series with Competition and Concealed-Carry Models
Designed for competition, this new gun would do just as well for self-defense. (Photo: Ruger)

For more information about these and other new Ruger products, head over to the Ruger company website

Ruger is expanding its American pistol series with a new competition-ready model as well as two compact variants for concealed-carry. The competition model is chambered for 9mm Luger while the compacts are both in .45 ACP.

Since the release of the Security series, people have wondered what the future held for the American series but it’s clear that Ruger is committed to keeping both handgun families going forward with these new releases.

The American series of polymer-framed pistols have modular grip frames using interchangeable wraparound grips and include other modern features that are hallmarks of this generation’s best striker-fired handguns.

They have pre-tensioned strikers for a light trigger pull and short reset and use passive trigger safeties for ease of use. Some models including the new compact have optional manual thumb safeties in addition to the trigger safety.

First up is the new Ruger American Pistol Competition. With fully ambidextrous controls, this handgun is race-ready with a lightened slide that’s machined to accept popular red dot sights.

It has fully-adjustable rear target sights with a bright green fiber-optic front sight, too, tailoring this gun for different competition classes right out of the box.

The Competition is a full-size handgun with a 5-inch barrel and a 17+1-round standard capacity. The pistol has full-height slide serrations at the rear and short serrations at the muzzle for advanced slide manipulation techniques. Additionally, the chamber has an inspection port as a loaded chamber indicator.

Finally, the Competition is an all-black handgun with a black polymer grip and black nitride finish on the stainless steel components.

Ruger Expanding American Series with Competition and Concealed-Carry Models
The manual thumb safety is optional, and ambidextrous like the rest. (Photo: Ruger)

The Ruger American Pistol Compact handguns are two variants of the same new design, again, now chambered for .45 ACP. Like the Competition and other American series handguns, they have ambidextrous controls, though with and without ambidextrous manual safety levers.

The Compact .45s have grey polymer grips and a matching durable grey Cerakote finish on the steel slide. They have black grip inserts and controls along with a black nitride barrel for a cool two-tone look.

Both models have a 7+1-round capacity and a slim design measuring in at a hair over an inch wide. And while the thumb safety is optional, both also use the same standard trigger safety.

See Also: Ruger’s Got a Brand New PC Charger Takedown Pistol in 9mm

Built for concealed-carry and self-defense, the Compact .45s have low-mount Novak 3-dot sights to reduce snag while maintaining good visibility.

All of the new models have accessory rails for lights and laser sights and all carry a solid and affordable suggested retail price of $579. Like with other Ruger products in-store and online pricing will be lower, even though right now, due to COVID-19, pricing tends to be a little higher across the board.

For more information about these and other new Ruger products, head over to the Ruger company website

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  • Othello Rollon May 17, 2020, 8:32 pm

    Looking for off-duty carry, smith and Wesson or colt.

  • tom April 13, 2020, 5:42 pm

    i have a 9mm american duty put 500 rounds 3different loads like them all the gun has great features easy to shoot hit the target most of the time built like a tank but smooth best pistol i’ve own

  • Derek McManus April 7, 2020, 6:05 pm

    A shout out to ruger for all of your guns and all of them i have from the single six and the blackhawk and super blackhawk and the american Rifle and the other i have too. plus i have a sr 1911 in 4.25 inches barrel to plus other too.

  • Louis Allgeier April 7, 2020, 5:33 pm

    love them

  • bill April 3, 2020, 11:40 am

    Good for Ruger. Ruger is generally doing good design and manufacturing. They still wont be allowed to sell pistols in the peoples republik of kalifornia(the PRK).

  • Dano April 3, 2020, 11:31 am

    I am a fan of Ruger and have been for years however, I have one complaint. They do not realize or chose to ignore the fact that many left handed people buy firearms. Ruger rarely incorporates ambidextrous safeties on their pistols. In fact, they design their firearms so lefties can’t add safeties to the other side of the firearm. The only pistol that I’m aware that Ruger adds an ambidextrous safety to is the Mark III 22LR pistol and other models of the same 22 going forward. Earlier pistols like the Models 39 and 59 had decocking levers if my memory serves me right. There might be others but recent designs like the one in this article are not left hand friendly unless you buy one with only trigger safeties like the LC9 pro. I hope Ruger is listening.

    • Bitter April 7, 2020, 10:21 pm

      “The manual thumb safety is optional, and ambidextrous like the rest. (Photo: Ruger)
      The Ruger American Pistol Compact handguns are two variants of the same new design, again, now chambered for .45 ACP. Like the Competition and other American series handguns, they have ambidextrous controls, though with and without ambidextrous manual safety levers.“

    • Old Sailor April 20, 2020, 6:04 pm

      Who wants a manual safety anyway? I certainly don’t. They are fine for the range, but not for EDC (my personal opinion).

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