GUN & AMMO
Ruger’s Striking New
American Pistol
T
here are all sorts of factors and trends that influence gun designs. Presently, one point of gravity
— at least when it comes to handguns — is the
Modular Handgun System. The MHS is the set of design
specifications put forth to find the U.S. Army’s next sidearm. And the program has prompted a number of new
designs and modifications to be unveiled in the past few
years. Ruger is the most recent gun maker to whip out a
pistol that ticks off the boxes for the project. The company has not stated that it plans to submit its new American
Pistol in the race to replace the U.S. Military’s venerable Beretta M9. It could happen; the deadline for MHS
submissions is Jan. 28. But the New Hampshire/Arizona
manufacturer makes no bones that the stipulations laid
forth for the MHS were the inspiration for its new line.
Ruger quite simply states the polymer striker-fired pistol’s genesis was the goal of exceeding the specifications set forth by the military. But the company also was
advised by law-enforcement agencies around the country on desirable design points for a duty sidearm. The
company is initially offering the full-sized semi-automatic
in 9mm and .45 ACP — +P rated in both calibers. And at
first blush, the new pistol has plenty to appeal to shooters in or out of uniform. Perhaps the most practical aspect is the shootability Ruger has engineered into the
American Pistol. In particular, the handgun features a
low bore axis and patented barrel cam, each meant to
make the firearm easier to handle and keep on target.
Placing the bore axis closer to a shooter’s hands gives
them more control over the pistol, reducing muzzle flip
and helping to disperse recoil reward into the arms. The
barrel cam on the Browning-type, locked-breech action,
on the other hand, is all about recoil reduction, dispersing the force over a longer period of time, thus blunting
the gun’s kick. Additionally, the new cam design help