Ruger P89 Instructions Manual

							INSTRUCTION
MANUAL 
FOR
BLUED &
STAINLESS
STEELCALIBERS
9mm, .30 Luger,
.40 Auto & .45ACP
For Product Service on This Model Please Call:
(928) 778-6555 (See p. 27)
STURM, RUGER & Company, Inc.
Southport, Connecticut 06890 U.S.A.
THIS INSTRUCTION MANUAL SHOULD ALWAYS ACCOMPANY THIS FIREARM AND BE
TRANSFERRED WITH IT UPON CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP, OR WHEN THE FIREARM IS LOANED
OR PRESENTED TO ANOTHER PERSON
V & KV (MS) 9/02 C
R6
*DO NOT USE THIS MANUAL FOR DECOCKER MODEL PISTOLS
OR “DOUBLE ACTION ONLY” PISTOLS
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND
WARNINGS IN THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY
BEFORE USING THIS FIREARM
RUGER
®
P-SERIES
P89, P90 P94 & P944
MANUAL SAFETY MODEL PISTOLS*
!  
						

							2
WARNING!
“Children are attracted to and
can operate firearms that can
cause severe injuries or death.
Prevent child access by always
keeping guns locked away and
unloaded when not in use. If you
keep a loaded firearm where a
child obtains and improperly uses
it, you can be fined or sent to
prison.”
ADVERTENCIA!
State-By-State Warnings
Certain states require by law that their own specified warning
notices in larger-than-normal type be conspicuously included by
the manufacturer, distributor, or retail dealer with firearms sold
in that state. Sturm, Ruger sells its products in compliance with
applicable laws and regulations. Because our products may be
sold in these states, we include the following:
California:
“A los niños los atraen las armas
de fuego y las pueden hacer fun-
cionar. Ellos pueden causarses
lesions graves y la muerte. Evite
que los niños tengan accesso a las
armas de fuego guardándolas
siempre con llave y descargadas
cuando no las esté utilizando. Si
usted tiene un arma de fuego car-
gada en un lugar en que un niño
tiene acceso a ella y la usa inde-
bidamente, le pueden dar una
multa o enviarlo a la carcel.”
Connecticut:
“UNLAWFUL STORAGE OF A LOADED FIREARM MAY
RESULT IN IMPRISONMENT OR FINE.”
Florida:
“IT IS UNLAWFUL, AND PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISON-
MENT AND  FINE, FOR ANY ADULT TO  STORE  OR
LEAVE A FIREARM IN ANY PLACE WITHIN THE
REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR UNDER 18
YEARS OF AGE OR TO KNOWINGLY SELL OR OTHER-
WISE TRANSFER OWNERSHIP OR POSSESSION OF A
FIREARM TO A MINOR OR A PERSON OF UNSOUND
MIND.” 
						

							Maine:
“ENDANGERING THE WELFARE OF A CHILD IS A
CRIME. IF YOU LEAVE A FIREARM AND AMMUNITION
WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF A CHILD, YOU MAY BE
SUBJECT TO FINE, IMPRISONMENT OR BOTH. KEEP
FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION  SEPARATE.  KEEP
FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION LOCKED UP. USE
TRIGGER LOCKS.”
Maryland:
“WARNING: Children can operate firearms which may cause
death or serious injury. It is a cr
imeto store or leave a loaded
firearm in any location where an individual knew or should
have known that an unsupervised minor would gain access to
the firearm. Store your firearm responsibly!”
Massachusetts:
“WARNING FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY
GENERAL: This handgun is not equipped with a device that
fully blocks use by unauthorized users. More than 200,000
firearms like this one are stolen from their owners every year
in the United States. In addition, there are more than a thou-
sand suicides each year by younger children and teenagers
who get access to firearms. Hundreds more die from acciden-
tal discharge. It is likely that many more children sustain seri-
ous wounds, or inflict such wounds accidentally on others. In
order to limit the chance of such misuse, it is imperative that
you keep this weapon locked in a secure place and take other
steps necessary to limit the possibility of theft or accident.
Failure to take reasonable preventive steps may result in inno-
cent lives being lost, and in some circumstances may result in
your liability for these deaths.”
“IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE OR KEEP A FIREARM,
RIFLE, SHOTGUN OR MACHINE GUN IN ANY PLACE
UNLESS THAT WEAPON IS EQUIPPED WITH A TAM-
PER-RESISTANT SAFETY DEVICE OR IS STORED OR
KEPT IN A SECURELY LOCKED CONTAINER.”
3 
						

							New Jersey:
“IT IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE TO LEAVE A LOADED
FIREARM WITHIN EASY ACCESS OF A MINOR.”
New York City:
“THE USE OF A LOCKING DEVICE OR SAFETY LOCK IS
ONLY ONE ASPECT OF RESPONSIBLE WEAPONS STOR-
AGE. ALL WEAPONS SHOULD BE STORED UNLOADED
AND LOCKED IN A LOCATION THAT IS BOTH SEPARATE
FROM THEIR AMMUNITION AND  INACCESSIBLE TO
CHILDREN AND ANY OTHER UNAUTHORIZED PER-
SONS.”
North Carolina:
“IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE OR LEAVE A FIREARM
THAT CAN BE DISCHARGED IN A MANNER THAT A
REASONABLE PERSON SHOULD KNOW IS ACCESSIBLE
TO A  MINOR.”
Texas:
“IT IS UNLAWFUL TO STORE, TRANSPORT, OR ABAN-
DON AN UNSECURED FIREARM IN A PLACE WHERE
CHILDREN ARE LIKELY TO BE AND CAN OBTAIN
ACCESS TO THE FIREARM.”
Wisconsin:
“IF YOU LEAVE A LOADED FIREARM WITHIN THE
REACH OR EASY ACCESS OF A CHILD YOU MAY BE
FINED OR IMPRISONED OR BOTH IF THE CHILD
IMPROPERLY DISCHARGES, POSSESSES, OR EXHIBITS
THE FIREARM.”
*****************  *****
Please check with your licensed retailer or state police for addi-
tional warnings which may be required by local law or regula-
tion. Such regulations change constantly, and local authorities
are in the best position to advise you on such legal matters.
4 
						

							WHY ARE WE INCLUDING A FIRED CARTRIDGE CASE
WITH EVERY RUGER PISTOL AND REVOLVER?
Certain states and jurisdictions now require that all newly manufactured pistols
and revolvers must be accompanied by a cartridge case, which has been test fired
from that gun at the factory. The case must be placed in a sealed container bear-
ing certain information concerning this test cartridge.
At the time of retail sale in those jurisdictions, firearms dealers must forward
such test cartridge to a designated destination such as their State Police
Laboratory. As independent Ruger Distributors have nationwide markets without
territorial restrictions, we have decided to include a fired cartridge case with all
new Ruger pistols and revolvers, to minimize the possibility of inadvertent non-
compliance with these laws.
Retail customers located in other states, where laws or regulations do not require
the dealer to so act, may be assured that the fired cartridge case they receive with
the firearm at the time of retail purchase is proof that your new Ruger firearm
has undergone our normal test firing procedures during manufacture.
!WARNING – LOCKING DEVICES
DO NOT INSTALL
INSIDE TRIGGER GUARD
INSTALL LOCK
AS SHOWN HERE
This firearm was originally sold
with a key-operated locking
device. While it can help provide
secure storage for your unloaded
firearm, any locking device can
fail. All guns are designed to fire
if they are loaded and the trigger
is pulled. Therefore, never install
the locking device inside the trig-
ger guard or in any way that it
can possibly pull the trigger!Do
not leave the keys in the lock.
The ultimate responsibility for
secure storage of any firearm
must depend upon its owner and
his or her individual circum-
stances. Guns should be securely
stored unloaded, in a secure
location, separate from their
ammunition.
See “Storage Warning”, page 26.
NEVER INSTALL
LOCKING DEVICE
INSIDE TRIGGER GUARD
5  
						

							This Instruction Manual is designed to assist you in learning how to use and care
for your RUGER®P89, P90, P94 and P944 Manual Safety Model
Pistols properly. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Only when you are certain you fully understand the Manual and can properly
carry out its instructions should you practice loading, unloading, etc. with live
ammunition. If you have any doubts about your ability to handle or use a partic-
ular type of gun safely, you should seek supervised instruction. Such personal-
ized instruction is often available from gun dealers, gun clubs or police depart-
ments. If none of these sources can help you, write to the National Rifle
Association, 11250 Waples Mill, Fairfax, VA 22030-7400. They will assist you.
The person possessing a gun has a full-time job. You cannot guess; you cannot
forget. You must know how to use your firearm safely. Do not use any firearm
without having a complete understanding of its particular characteristics and
safe use. Remember: There is no such thing as a foolproof gun.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
State-By-State Warnings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
General Information and Mechanical Characteristics  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Operation of Manual Safety  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Ammunition  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
To Load and Fire (with magazine)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
To Uncock (Decock) The Pistol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
To Load and Fire (without magazine)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
To Unload  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
To Reload The Pistol  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
To Extract and Eject a Chambered Cartridge  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
To Clear a Malfunction (“Jam”)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
To Minimize Malfunctions (“Jams”)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
To Disassemble  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
To Reassemble  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Magazine Inspection and Care  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Care and Cleaning  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Storage  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Sight Adjustment  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Service and Parts Policy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Parts Drawings  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35, 36, 37 & 38
The Basic Rules of Safe Firearms Handling  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Warranty Information  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
“Ruger” is a registered U.S. trademark.
P89, P90 and P94  are Sturm, Ruger trademarks.
FIREARMS SAFETY - YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
SAFETY MUST BE THE FIRST AND CONSTANT
CONSIDERATION OF EVERY PERSON WHO
HANDLES FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION. 
6 
						

							WARNING - ALTERATIONS
WARNINGS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE ARE
FOUND ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES:
OTHER CAUTIONS AND WARNINGS APPEAR
THROUGHOUT THE MANUAL.
DO NOT ALTER ANY GUN
Locking Devices 5 Unloading 17
Alterations 7 Slide Retraction 18
Manual Safety 11 Malfunctions 20
Lead Exposure 11 Disassembly 23
Ammunition 13 Lubrication 25
Firing 15 Storage 26
Handling 16 Parts Purchasers 28
FIREARMS ARE DANGEROUS WEAPONS -
READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS
IN THIS MANUAL THOROUGHLY AND
CAREFULLY BEFORE USING.
This product was designed to function
properly in its original condition.
Alterations can make it unsafe. Do not
alter any part or add or substitute parts or
accessories not made by Sturm, Ruger &
Co. Inc.
GENERAL INFORMATION
AND MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The RUGER®P89, P90, P94 & P944pistols are centerfire, double
action, magazine-fed, autoloading, recoil-operated pistols. The P89 is cham-
bered for the caliber 9mm Parabellum (9mm x19) cartridge, and the P90is
chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. The P94has a full length “streamlined”
slide configuration and is chambered for the 9mm Parabellum (9mm x 19) car-
tridge. The P944is chambered for the .40 S&W cartridge. The cartridge for
which the pistol is chambered is clearly marked on the barrel. They comply with
the requirements of the National Institute of Justice Standard - 0112.00. They
include the following features with which users should be thoroughly familiar:
7
!
! 
						

							NOMENCLATURE
Action:The action of the Ruger manual safety model pistols is of the U.S. M1911
type that utilizes a tilting barrel design in which the barrel and slide are locked
together at the moment of firing. After firing, the barrel and slide recoil to the
rear a short distance while still locked together. After this initial movement, the
barrel tilts downward from its locked position, permitting full recoil of the slide
and the extraction and ejection of the spent cartridge case.
The user of this or any autoloading pistol must always remember that when
fired, it automatically reloads and recocks itself, so that simply pulling the trig-
ger will fire the pistol again. Therefore, an autoloading pistol user must be par-
ticularly conscious to always keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction.
Sightshave high-visibility
white dots both front and
rear. Rear sights can be
adjusted for windage.
Frameis precision investment cast
in lightweight aluminum alloy,
hard-coated for toughness.
Double-action mechanism and strongly curved
triggerprovide that cocking and firing can be
accomplished with a single pull of the trigger.
Oversize trigger guardpermits shooting with gloved
hand. Recurved trigger guard bow accommodates non-
shooting hand in two-hand hold.
The magazine latchpermits positive retention and
quick removal of magazine.
Slide stopholds the slide open and is activated
automatically when last shot is fired (if magazine is in
pistol), or can be manually operated.
Lanyard loopprovides security for carrying in the
field or police use.
Slide’sopen top design minimizes possi-
bility of jamming, enables shooter to
clear any malfunction easily by hand.
Cartridges can be loaded singly if desired.Grooved, exposed hammer
spur enables the shooter to
cock the hammer easily for
accurate single-action fir-
ing if desired.
When ambidextrous manual
safetyis in “safe” position,
the firing pin is cammed
forward into the slide. This
simultaneously places the
firing pin out of reach of
the hammer and locks the
firing pin in a neutral posi-
tion, preventing the firing
pin from movement toward
the cartridge. Further, the
entire firing mechanism is
completely disengaged from
trigger.
8 
						

							9
Slide Stop:When the last shot has been fired and the magazine is empty, the
slide stop automatically holds the slide open. When there is an empty magazine
in the pistol and the slide is retracted manually, the slide stop will automatically
hold the slide open. If a loaded magazine is inserted in the pistol when the slide
is closed and the slide is then retracted fully, the slide stop will not automatically
hold open the slide. The user can actuate the slide stop mechanism to hold the
slide open at any time by retracting the slide and pushing up the slide stop.
The slide stop can be released by drawing back slightly on the slide and depress-
ing the slide stop thumbpiece. When the slide is released, it will move forward
under pressure from the recoil spring.
The slide stop is spring-loaded to move downward. Therefore, when there is a
loaded magazine in place and the pistol is jarred, the slide can fly forward and
chamber a cartridge. For this reason and as an essential safety practice, the user
should always be careful to keep fingers away from the trigger, keep the safety
on, and always keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction.
Magazines:
The Ruger 9mm, .40Auto, and .45 ACP magazines are notinter-
changeable with Ruger pistol magazines of any
other caliber even though they
may appear similar and may hold other cartridges. Use of incorrect magazines in
any pistol will result in malfunctions. Ruger 9mm magazines are either
unmarked as to caliber or are marked “9mm cal. only”. All other Ruger center-
fire pistol magazines, which are similar in appearance, are marked as to caliber
(“.40 Auto Cal.,” etc.).
DAMAGED, NON-STANDARD, OR IMPROPERLY
ASSEMBLED MAGAZINES SHOULD NOT BE USED.
THEY CAN CAUSE THE PISTOL TO MALFUNCTION. 
						

							OPERATION OF MANUAL SAFETY
The model you have selected is equipped with special manual ambidextrous safe-
ty levers that also allow you to decock (uncock) a cocked pistol without manipu-
lating the trigger. Conventional thumb decocking procedures are therefore not
necessary and should not be employed with this pistol.
To apply the manual safety and decock the pistol, point the pistol in a safe dir
ec-
tion.Move either the right- or left-hand safety lever fully to the “safe” position.
When the safety is moved fully downward to the “safe” position, the white dot is
exposed through the hole in the side of the safety and the letter “S” is completely
visible. In this position (1) the firing pin is blocked from moving forward, (2) the
hammer is blocked from contacting the firing pin, and (3) the entire firing
mechanism is completely disengaged from the trigger. At this point, the hammer
will fall to its forward (decocked) position.
The safety mechanism provides that the hammer cannot contact the firing pin
unless the safety is disengaged. With the hammer cocked, actuating the safety
mechanism automatically drops the hammer onto the slide without contacting
the firing pin. Thus, the safety also serves as a decocking lever.
Add
itionally, the pistol has a separate internal firing pin block which will not allow
the firing pin to move forward and contact the cartridge until the operator pulls the
trigger with the safety off (in its “fire” position).
The pistol can and should be loaded and unloaded with the safety engaged in its
“safe” position (lever fully down, white dot and the letter “S” exposed).The safety
should be in its “safe” position at all times except when the user is deliberately posi-
tioned to fire at a selected target. See Figures 1 and 2, below, which illustrate the two
positions of the safety.
FIGURE 1FIGURE 2
10
"FIRE" POSITION "SAFE" POSITION
Red dot
exposed White dot and
letter "S" exposed