Ruger American Pistol Compact Now in .45 Auto

by
posted on December 28, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
rugeramerican_2.jpg
Ruger has announced the addition of the Ruger American Pistol Compact in .45 Auto. This newest compact model is offered in the "PRO" configuration with no external manual safety. Introduced in December 2015, the feature-rich Ruger American Pistol was designed with the latest U.S. military standards in mind and was tested in the harshest environments to ensure rugged reliability. 

Ruger polled law enforcement and military trainers throughout the country to select the form, function and features of the Ruger American Pistol. The resultant pistol combines a recoil-reducing barrel cam (which better spreads recoil over time) with a low-mass slide, low center of gravity and a low-bore axis to provide better balance, less felt recoil and less muzzle flip than comparable pistols. The Ruger American Pistol also features a pre-tensioned striker system, which allows for a short take-up trigger with positive reset, and a modular wrap-around grip system that adjusts palm swell and trigger reach to fit a wide range of hand sizes.



With a 3.75" barrel, overall dimensions of 7.25" long, 4.65" high and a weight of 28.6 ounces, the Ruger American Pistol Compact model shares all of the features and rugged reliability of the duty-size gun in a smaller, lighter, more concealable package. It ships in a hard case with medium and large replaceable grip modules and two nickel-Teflon plated steel magazines (one 10-round extended magazine and one 7-round compact magazine). 

The American-made Ruger American Pistol is built on a rigid, one-piece, precision-machined, stainless steel chassis with integral frame rails and fire control housing. Additional features include genuine Novak LoMount Carry three-dot sights, a stainless steel slide with non-reflective, black nitride finish, a one-piece, high-performance, glass-filled nylon grip frame and a mil-standard 1913 accessory rail. For more information, visit Ruger.com.



Additional Reading:

Compact Model added to Ruger American Pistol Line  
Tested: Ruger American Pistol 

Latest

Taurus 58 Review Web
Taurus 58 Review Web

Review: Taurus Model 58

Announced publicly in April 2025 at the NRA Annual Meetings and Events convention in Atlanta, Ga., Taurus USA has filled the traditional double-action void of full-size .380-ACP-chambered handguns within its American catalog by launching the Model 58.

Smith & Wesson Announces $150 American Guardians Rebate

Smith & Wesson's American Guardians Rebate program allows military veterans and first responders to get a break on the cost of Smith & Wesson firearms or Gemtech suppressors.

Rifleman Review: Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0

Smith & Wesson went back to the drawing board with its Bodyguard .380, and in 2024, the company rolled out the Bodyguard 2.0, which is one of the smallest and lightest defensive pistols in the S&W lineup.

The Glenfield Model A: Ruger Revives A Storied Brand

Following Marlin's resurrection, Ruger is now reviving another storied brand, Glenfield Firearms, and the brand's inaugural design, the Model A, borrows design elements from Ruger's Gen 1 American rifle.

Review: Beretta BRX1: 6.5 mm Creedmoor Straight-Pull Rifle

Introduced overseas in 2021 and brought to our shores in 2024, Beretta’s BRX1 offers a fresh take on the century-old straight-pull rifle concept.

Auto-Ordnance Releases 250th Anniversary Commemorative Carbines

Auto-Ordnance has introduced a special-edition, semi-automatic Thompson M1 carbine customized by Altered Arsenal to commemorate the 250th anniversaries of the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.