Ruger’s Launching the New American Compact Pistol

The American Compact is offered with and without a manual thumb safety. (Photo: Ruger)

Ruger has made a new addition to the American family of handguns, the American Compact pistol. The Compact is offered with or without a manual thumb safety in 9mm Luger. Like the full-size Duty models, the Compacts are striker-fired service pistols with passive trigger safeties that take down without needing to pull the trigger.

The American Pistol series is one of Ruger’s newest flagship products. It is their latest and most modern entry into the service pistol market. The new Compacts are ideal for backup or concealed carry.

The Compacts have shorter slides and grip frames with 3.55-inch barrels and a 12+1-round capacity, standard. They are also compatible with full-size 17-round magazines with a grip extension. Ruger is also offering the Compact with 10-round mags for states with capacity restrictions.

Here is the thumb safety model. The Compacts are fully-ambidextrous with mirrored controls on both sides. (Photo: Ruger)

The Compact models share all the same features as the full-size Duty models including all-ambidextrous controls, interchangeable polymer grip assemblies, and a short, crisp trigger pull. The pistols also have full-length rails for accessories like lights and laser sights and the slides are cut for 3-dot Novak LoMount Carry sights.

Each pistol ships with a small, medium and large wraparound grip and two nickel-Teflon-plated steel magazines. Depending on the package, the guns come with one 12- and one 17-round mag or two 10-rounders. Additional magazines and different sights are available directly from Ruger.

Ruger announced the American Pistol series in late 2015. The series is built to compete with other current-generation service and duty pistols with features in high demand with military and law enforcement users.

Unlike Ruger’s other centerfire pistols the American series makes the thumb safety optional and the guns lack a magazine safety. The slides and barrels are constructed from stainless steel and the slides have a black nitride finish. The frames are glass-reinforced nylon with a steel subframe that provides full-length slide support.

The Compacts are shorter but the same width as the Duty models, narrowly larger than many single-stack pistols with lower capacities. (Photo: Ruger)

See Also: We Shoot the Ruger American Pistol

The Compact is shorter in length and height at 6.5 inches long and 4.5 inches tall, but is the same width at 1.4 inches wide at the controls, less than 1.2 inches wide at the grip with the small grip and just a hair over 1 inch wide at the slide. They’re also lighter at 28.7 ounces unloaded. The Compact magazines have extended floorplates for a full four-fingered grip without adding extra material that could print when carrying concealed.

The full-size Duty models are chambered for 9mm and .45 ACP. Time will tell if Ruger has a .45-caliber Compact in the works as well. They carry the same sticker price as the Duty models with a $579 MSRP. Real-world prices are often around $450 or less.

Ruger has just started shipping the Compact models but widespread availability is right around the corner. For now, both Compact and Duty American Pistols can be found here at GunsAmerica.com.

Shop for Ruger American Pistols on GunsAmerica.com: https://www.gunsamerica.com/Search.aspx?T=ruger%20american%20pistol