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

FP 6.5Peak Launch Fusion Terminalascent Peakalloy 19
FP 6.5Peak Launch Fusion Terminalascent Peakalloy 19

Federal's New 6.5 Creedmoor +Peak: The Peak Alloy Case Goes Mainstream

Federal introduced its high-pressure Peak Alloy case design with the 7 mm Backcountry in 2025. Now, the company is incorporating it into high-pressure 6.5 Creedmoor loads with the +Peak design.

I Carry: Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0FC in a JM Custom Kydex Holster

In our latest "I Carry" video, a Springfield Echelon 4.0FC is outfitted with Aimpoint's new COA enclosed-emitter red-dot optic, and to carry this optic-equipped handgun, we've selected a JM Custom Kydex holster.

The Armed Citizen® June 5, 2026

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Multi-Caliber MK24 to Replace SCAR-H For SOCOM

U.S. Special Forces will soon be replacing their 7.62-NATO-chambered SCAR-Hs with a new, barrel-swapping MK24 Mid-Range Gas Gun-Assault (MRGGA) gun capable of running either 7.62 NATO or 6.5 Creedmoor.

Rifle Renaissance 2026: Exploring Rifle Skills Beyond Marksmanship

Being able to shoot in contextual situations, shoot from unusual positions, manipulate the rifle quickly and rapidly adjust one’s position based on distance are all essential skills for a well-trained rifleman. To train these abilities, The Complete Combatant hosted the first annual Rifle Renaissance event in March 2026.

New Guns For 2026: A Full Guide

While it’s claimed the firearms industry is experiencing a slowdown, that hasn’t meant a stall to innovation. It means gunmakers are working harder than ever to earn your business.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.