Ruger Adds Compact Model to American Pistol Line

When it was released in late 2015 ahead of the annual SHOT Show, it was readily apparent that the American Pistol would be a big ticket item for Ruger. The full-size, striker-fired, polymer-framed pistol offered a lot in terms of features and performance, and it came in an ergonomic design, all for an MSRP south of $600. It was designed based on law enforcement and military input and was built to be both incredibly rugged and unquestionably reliable.

It's probably safe to say that many in the industry were confident this wasn't a standalone design, but rather the first in a new family of pistols. As it turns out, Ruger did not disappoint.

The American manufacturer has announced the addition of a brand new Compact model of the Ruger American Pistol. Chambered in 9mm Luger and available in both Manual Safety and Pro model configurations without a manual safety, the new Ruger American Compact pistol has been built with a more concealable profile tailored for those who carry.

This new American Pistol utilizes a slightly shorter, 3.55-inch barrel as opposed to the standard, duty-sized 4.20-inch barrel, and it shaves off 1.25 ounces of weight, going from 30 ounces down to 28.75 ounces with an empty magazine. Overall dimensions on the new Ruger American Compact pistol are 6.65 inches in length, 1.40 inches in width, and 4.48 inches in height. That takes about 0.85 inches off the overall length and 1.12 inches off the height, while leaving the width unchanged when compared to the standard American Pistol.

Much of the rest of the pistol is similar to its older, larger sibling, including the recoil-reducing barrel cam that disperses recoil over time, the low-mass slide, and a naturally low bore axis for better balance and recoil management. The Ruger American Compact also features the same pre-tensioned striker-fire system and wrap-around modular grip system. As with the American, it is also constructed on a rigid, one-piece, precision-machined, black nitrided, stainless steel chassis incorporating integral frame rails and the fire control housing.

The new Ruger American Compact comes with Novak LoMount Carry three-dot iron sights and a mil-spec 1913 Picatinny accessory rail. The gun ships in a durable hard case along with small, medium, and large replaceable grips, as well as two nickel-teflon plated steel magazines – one, a 17-round extended magazine and the other, a 12-round compact magazine. Versions with 10-round magazines are also available.

The Ruger American Compact pistol carries the same MSRP as the duty-sized American: $579. It is currently only available in 9mm Luger.

Specifications:

Ruger American Compact Pistol
Type: Striker-fired semi-auto
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.55 in.
Overall Length: 6.65 in.
Overall Height: 4.48 in.
Overall Width: 1.40 in.
Weight: 28.75 oz.
Slide: Stainless steel, black nitride finish
Frame: Glass-filled nylon, black
Trigger: Pre-tensioned, striker-fired
Sights: Novak LoMount Carry three-dot
Magazine Capacity: 17+1 rounds (10 and 12 rounds)
MSRP: $579
Manufacturer: Ruger; Ruger.com