P345: extreme makeover: Ruger's 2x4 grip days are gone!

American Handgunner, Jan-Feb, 2005 by John Taffin

A third safety feature is the magazine disconnect, which allows the P345 to fire only if a magazine is inserted. Internal locking devices are now a fact of life on most semiautos and DA revolvers. However, Ruger has come up with the slickest way to conceal their internal locking device by having it tied in, actually almost hidden, by the manual safety. When the manual safety is in the On position, a small hole on the right side reveals the access to the key-way, allowing the mechanism to be locked using a key provided by Ruger. This effectively prevents operation. If we must have such things this is the way to do it.

Finally of course, we have the ambi manual safety, which can be operated easily with the thumb pushing it down for Safe and up for Fire.

As with all Ruger DA semiautos, the P345 is of the DA/SA style. And that single action pull is about five pounds. As a bedside handgun, none of these safety features matter to me one bit. A round in the chamber, hammer down, manual safety off and the P345 operates just like the long-familiar bedside double action sixgun for that first shot. The first shot may also be fired single action style by manually cocking the hammer.

When the safety is in the On position the hammer cannot be cocked, and pulling the trigger will not cycle the action. In addition to all these safety features, the P345 also comes with a bicycle-type lock and a section in the instruction manual all about the safety regulations and laws covering 10 states. One has to ask whatever happened to good old common sense?

Good Sights

Sights on the P345 are excellent with a very easy to see square rear notch mated with a post front sight. There is a white dot in the face of the front sight and on both sides of the rear sight, and both the front and rear sights are fitted in a dovetail and adjustable for windage. Barrel length is a handy 4".

Firing several different .45 bullet weights attested to the fact the sights were right on. Magazine capacity is eight shots, which combined with one in the chamber, makes this a nine-shooter. However I've found some loads, particularly jacketed hollow points, feed the first round from the magazine much better if only seven rounds are loaded.

Most of the current crop of semi-autos won't win any prizes when it comes to looks, especially when compared to classics like the Colt Single Action Army, the Colt 1911, and the Smith & Wesson Model 29. However, this particular Ruger has a better than average look, with its stainless steel slide matched tip with the flat black polymer frame, complete with the Ruger Eagle set in a shield with a red background. The grip frame area of the polymer main frame is checkered on both sides, as well as front and back, offering a most secure hold.

Test-Firing

This is not a target pistol with that single action trigger pull at five pounds, and was not fired for groups ftore a solid rest. Instead, I shot ten different loads on reduced size silhouette targets at varying distances. Except for the use of one less JHP in the magazine, the Ruger P345 performed flawlessly.