Ruger P89DC Decocker Instructions Manual

							WARNING - UNLOADING 
So that the pistol can be used as a single loader, it
will fire whether or not a magazine is in the gun if
a cartridge is chambered. Removing magazine
does not unload pistol! To unload, first
remove
magazine, thenpull slide to rear, eject chambered
cartridge, and visually inspect chamberto be sure it 
is empty.  Always point the pistol in a safe direction
when loading or unloading.
TO LOAD AND FIRE (WITHOUT MAGAZINE)
In the event that the magazine is missing or for training purposes (where it is
desirable that only one cartridge be loaded and fired at a time for safety), the pis-
tol can be fired with the magazine removed. To do so, keep the pistol pointed in a
safe direction,grasp the slide, and retract it fully to the rear. Next, push the slide
stop upward so that the slide remains to the rear. Insert a single cartridge direct-
ly and fully into the chamber. Taking care to keep the pistol pointed in a safe
direction, depress the slide stop. This will cause the slide to move vigorously for-
ward into the firing position. WARNING:The pistol is ready for instant use in the
single-action mode once the slide moves forward.
Finally, depress the decocking lever until the hammer drops -- now the pistol can
be fired in the double-action mode. Single-action firing is possible by manually
cocking the hammer. Note that the slide will not automatically remain open if
the pistol is fired without the magazine in place. The ejector must always be
pivoted to its rearward (upward) position when firing the pistol without the
magazine.
TO UNLOAD
WARNING:This sequence must be followed exactly as outlined. Failure to do so
can result in the chamber being unintentionally loaded with a live cartridge!
1.The muzzle of the pistol must be pointing in a safe direction at all times, and
fingers should be outside of the trigger guard. Decock the pistol by depress-
ing the decocking lever until the hammer drops. (See Figure 1, p. 6)
2. Remove the magazine from the pistol by pushing in on the magazine latch.
REMEMBER that even though the magazine has been removed, a live round
remaining in the chamber can still be fired (see “Unloading Warning”, above).
3. Hold the pistol firmly and grasp the slide. Retract the slide to its rearmost
position briskly to extract and eject any chambered cartridge. Always double
check visually that the chamber, breech-face, and the interior of the frame are
clear of any live rounds.When the slide is fully retracted, push upward on the
slide stop, then allow the slide to move forward until it comes to rest with the
rear projection of the slide stop resting in the notch on the lower left side of
the slide.
GUN WILL FIRE WITH MAGAZINE OUT 
11
! 
						

							WARNING - SLIDE RETRACTION
The slide should always be pulled
rearward (“retracted”) by pulling the
r
earportion of the slide in the vicinity
of the safety, the decock-only lever,
or the serrations (depending upon 
model). Always keep fingers away
from trigger!
Never put any part of your hands or 
body over the muzzle while retracting
the slidefor loading, unloading, inspec-
tion, or clearing a malfunction.
KEEP HANDS
AWAY FROM MUZZLE AND
FINGER OFF TRIGGER
12
!
CORRECT UNLOADING SEQUENCE
2
13 
						

							13
4. To close the slide, again check to be sure the chamber and breech-face are
empty.Pull the slide to its rearmost postion and release it. The slide will snap
forward. Keep fingers out of ejection port on top of slide!
5. If the magazine contains cartridges, they can be removed by sliding each car-
tridge forward and out of magazine, one at a time, until the magazine is
empty.
6. Push empty (unloaded) magazine into frame until magazine latch locks it in
place.
TO RELOAD THE PISTOL
1. Firing all cartridges in the magazine and the chamber will cause the slide to
automatically lock open. Keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction.Reloading
can be accomplished by pressing forward on the magazine latch with the
thumb or forefinger. The magazine will fall free of the pistol of its own
weight. To avoid the possibility of damage to the magazine, do not let it fall to
the ground unless rapid reloading is absolutely necessary.
2. Insert a loaded magazine. WARNING:The slide stop is spring-loaded to move
downward. Therefore, when there is a loaded magazine in place and the pistol
is jarred, the slide can fly forward and chamber a cartridge.
3. Release the slide to move forward by either depressing the rear portion of the
slide stop or pulling the slide fully to the rear and release it. A cartridge will
be chambered when the slide shuts. WARNING:The pistol is ready to fire in
the “double-action” mode once the slide moves forward. If the pistol is not to
be fired immediatley, depress the decocking lever until the hammer drops --
in this position, the pistol is ready to fire double-action or can be recocked to
fire single-action.
TO EXTRACT AND
EJECT A CHAMBERED CARTRIDGE
When the pistol is fired, the same gas pressure that drives the bullet forward also
acts through the cartridge case to push the slide to the rear. The action causes
extraction and ejection of the fired cartridge case. If a cartridge fails to fire or if
the shooter wishes to eject the chambered cartridge manually, follow the proce-
dure “To Unload” step 3, p.11. When the slide is operated by hand, there can be a
failure to extract the cartridge from the chamber, or a failure to eject the car-
tridge clear of the pistol. These failures usually are the result of the slide not
being pulled rearward vigorously. From the foregoing, it is clear that the gun
user must:
1.Always visually check the chamber and the br
eech-face after opening the slide
to eject a chambered cartridge.If the slide is not vigorously retracted when
being operated by hand, the extracted cartridge can be “ejected” into the
magazine-well of the grip frame or remain held to the breech-face by the
extractor. 
						

							WARNING - MALFUNCTIONS
2. Thoroughly clean the chamber and the extractor as often as necessary.
If an empty magazine is in the pistol when the slide is being hand retracted to
extract a cartridge, the cartridge may drop on top of the magazine or remain
held to the breech-face by the extractor. Then when the slide goes forward, the
cartridge will be chambered again! Remember — always remove the magazine
befor
eclearing the chamber, and visually ensure that no cartridges remain in the
gun.
Any autoloading pistol may occasionally malfunc-
tion. If a cartridge hangs up, jams, or binds when
being chambered, do not attempt to force it into
the chamber by pushing or striking the slide.
Carefully remove it.
Most failures of a cartridge to feed or to chamber 
properly are caused by a damaged magazine,
incorrect gun handling, insufficient lubrication,
or improper ammunition.
Whatever the cause, the user of the pistol must,
above all, recognize that any cartridge jam can
result in the very potentially dangerous situation
of a cartridge discharging before it is properly
chambered. If this happens, the cartridge case
may rupture and its fragments fly out of the ejec-
tion port of the pistol with sufficient force to
cause serious injury. Always wear shooting
glasses!
HITTING PRIMER
CAN BURST CARTRIDGE
14
!
TO CLEAR A MALFUNCTION (“JAM”)
1.Be certain the muzzle is continually pointed in a safe direction and that the
hammer has been decocked.
2. If possible, first remove the magazine. It may be necessary to manually remove
a jammed cartridge that has only been partially stripped from the magazine. If
so, use extreme care. Lock the slide open with the slide stop before attempting
to clear the jam. Drawing the slide fully to the rear may bring the jammed car-
tridge along. Keep your face away from the ejection port during this operation.
When attempting to clear a jam, use only wood “tools” so that the cartridge
will not be damaged or the primer ignited. A 3/16” wooden dowel with a point
on one end is useful.
3. Visually check to make sure that all cartridges have been removed from the
pistol. Safely dispose of any cartridges involved in a malfunction incident. Do
not use damaged ammunition in any firearm.  
						

							TO MINIMIZE MALFUNCTIONS (“JAMS”)
1. If it appears that the jam was caused by the type of ammunition being used,
try another brand, type, or lot number. Remember — use only factory ammu-
nition of the correct caliber.
2. If changing ammunition does not at once eliminate malfunctions, then the
following steps should be taken:
a. Thoroughly clean the pistol, paying particular attention to the removal of
accumulated grease and dirt. Use a bristle brush and solvent to remove
grease and fouling from the breech-face, extractor, chamber, and feed
ramp area immediately behind the chamber.
b. Check to be sure that the magazine spring firmly returns the magazine
follower to the top of the magazine.
c. Check the magazine lips to be certain that they are free of nicks and burrs
and that they are not deformed or cracked.
d. Remove excess oil and solvent from all cleaned components, load the
magazine, and try the pistol again. Make sure you are following the cor-
rect loading and firing sequence as described in this manual.
e. If none of the above steps is effective, try a different magazine of Ruger
manufacture. If a new magazine does not function correctly, return the
pistol and magazines to the Ruger Product Service Department. (See
“Shipping Firearms For Repair” on page 20.)
f.Alterations to the pistol or use of non-Ruger magazines and accessories
may cause malfunctions. See “Alteration Warning” on page 3.
TO DISASSEMBLE
1.Keep pistol pointed in a safe direction.If the pistol is cocked, depress the
decocking lever until the hammer drops. Press forward on either magazine
latch and withdraw magazine from butt of pistol.
2. Pull slide to rear and lock in open position by pressing upward on rear end of
slide stop. Again, be sure chamber is empty!
15
Always unload a firearm
before cleaning, lubrication,
disassembly or assembly.
UNLOAD BEFORE DISASSEMBLY
WARNING - DISASSEMBLY!
2
13 
						

							16
3ALIGN
INDEX MARKS
(Decocker Model Shown)
DEPRESS
EJECTOR
REMOVE
MAGAZINE2
1
FIGURE 4
Press slide stop up. Depress ejector.FIGURE 5A
Slide stop in disassembly position.
FIGURE 5B
3. Keep upward pressure on slide stop to prevent forward movement of slide.
Open slide is under strong spring tension and could injure fingers if allowed
to slam shut. Insert finger through top of slide and push ejector downward 
and forward (see Figure 4, below ) until it locks in its lower position. This will
permit forward movement of slide. Further disassembly is impossible unless
this is done.
4. Remove fingers from ejection port. Grasp slide tightly. Now press down on
slide stop and allow slide to move slowly
forward until the slide stop spring
retainer pin is aligned with the front edge of the slide stop notch. Press in on
right-hand end of slide stop and pull slide stop out of frame to the left until it
locks in its withdrawn position. (See Figure 5A, below). Do not attempt to
pull it completely out of the frame. For the P94DC pistol, press down on the
slide stop and allow the slide to move slowly forward until the ver
tical index
marks on the left side of the frame are aligned. (See Figure 5B, below )
PULL OUT
SLIDE STOP4
DISASSEMBLY
NOTCH
ALIGN NOTCH
WITH PIN
3 
						

							5. Push slide forward and remove entire slide assembly to the front.
6. With slide held upside down, lift rear end of guide rod to disengage it from
its seat against the barrel lug. Withdraw spring and guide rod to the rear of
the slide. CAUTION:Spring is under tension!
7. Pull barrel upward out of slide slightly and withdraw to the rear.
8. This completes normal fieldstripping for routine cleaning and lubrication
purposes. Further disassembly of slide or frame components is not recom-
mended and should only be undertaken by the factory.
TO REASSEMBLE
1.Be certain chamber and magazine are empty.
2. With slide held upside down, replace barrel and push it rearward into its
locked position.
3. Replace guide rod and recoil spring assembly (the smaller diameter end of
spring against collar) into position. Rear end of guide rod seats against barrel
lug. Barrel link must be in vertical (hole showing) position, or pistol cannot
be reassembled.
4. Be certain that ejector is locked in its lower (forward) position and that ham-
mer is in its fired (uncocked) position.
5. Replace slide onto frame.
6. Pull slide back until disassembly notch is opposite lug on slide stop. Press
slide stop all the way through the frame to the right.
7. Allow slide to move fully forward.
8. Replace empty magazine in frame through butt of pistol. This action returns
the ejector to its working position. This pistol will not function normally
unless the ejector is in its upward (rearward) position.
MAGAZINE INSPECTION AND CARE
Check the magazine frequently. The magazine follower must move freely and
have adequate tension so that each cartridge is quickly raised to the feeding
position. The magazine lips should be clean and free of cracks, dents, or nicks,
so that cartridges are held in their proper feeding position.
If the magazine becomes dirty, it should be disassembled and thoroughly
cleaned. You could encounter two types of Ruger magazines, with either a
pinned base or a snap-on base. The following disassembly instructions apply:
Pinned Base(used on 10 round 9mm magazines) - Use a punch to remove the
roll pin that extends through the side of the magazine body. Once the roll pin
has been removed, pull the magazine base from the bottom of the magazine
body, taking care to prevent the forcible ejection of the compressed magazine
spring. Withdraw the magazine spring from the magazine body. Turn the maga-
zine upside down and remove the follower.
17 
						

							Snap-On Base- Use a punch to press in on the magazine spring seat where it
protrudes into the hole in the magazine floorplate. Slide the magazine floorplate
toward the front of the magazine, taking care to prevent the forcible ejection of
the magazine spring seat and compressed magazine spring. Withdraw the maga-
zine spring seat and magazine spring from the magazine body. Turn magazine
upside down and remove magazine follower. Reassemble in reverse order.
When cleaning is necessary, use a solvent that will not rust the metal compo-
nents or adversely affect the magazine body. After the magazine has been soaked
to loosen foreign matter, be certain to shake it vigorously (with the loading open-
ing away from you) to remove solvent or residue from within the magazine.
Penetrating oils and solvents inside a magazine can “kill” or weaken cartridge
primers which can result in failures to fire or other possibly dangerous malfunc-
tions, such as leaving a bullet in the bore!
After cleaning always check to be certain that the magazine follower movement
and tension are correct, and that no solvent or debris remain. Improper reassem-
bly of the magazine spring can cause a potentially dangerous malfunction. If
cleaning does not restore proper tension, or if you experience a problem with the
magazine, don’t use it. Get a new one.
CARE AND CLEANING
Make Sure Gun Is Unloaded!
Before cleaning, be certain the pistol and its magazine contain no cartridges.
(See “Unloading Warning”, p. 11)
At regular intervals, or whenever the pistol has been exposed to sand, dust,
extreme humidity, condensation, immersion in water, or other adverse condi-
tions, disassemble, clean, and oil it. Proper periodic maintenance is essential to
the reliable functioning of any firearm.
To clean the pistol, proceed as follows:
1. Disassemble (fieldstrip) the pistol to the extent described on pages 15 - 17.
2. Using a cleaning rod, run a solvent-wetted patch through the bore several
times. Then attach a solvent-wetted bristle brush to the rod and run it back
and forth the full length of the bore as many times as necessary to remove
grease and dirt from the bore and chamber. Clean bore with dry patches and
examine. Bore fouling can contribute to reduced accuracy, and grease accu-
mulation in the chamber can interfere with proper feeding of cartridges from
the magazine.
3. Using powder solvent on a clean patch or bristle brush, remove powder
residue from all components of the mechanism. After cleaning, run a dry
patch through the bore, then follow with a patch that is very lightly oiled.
Wipe all surfaces clean with cloth, then wipe all surfaces with a patch or cloth
that has been very lightly oiled.
18 
						

							Never place or store any firearm in such a
manner that it may be dislodged. Firearms
should always be stored securely and
unloaded, away from children and 
careless adults.
4.NOTE:Only a light application of oil is needed to provide adequate lubrica-
tion of moving parts and to prevent rust. Excess accumulations of oil tend to
attract particles of dust and dirt and may congeal in cold weather, which can
interfere with the safe and reliable function of the pistol.
STORE SECURELY & UNLOADED
19
WARNING - STORAGE!
WARNING - LUBRICATION
IMPROPER LUBRICATION
DESTROYS GUNS
!
5. Before firing, remove all oil and grease from the bore. Do not keep the pistol
stored in a leather holster or case. Leather attracts moisture, even though the
holster or case may appear to be perfectly dry.
Firing a pistol with oil, grease, or any other material
even partially obstructing the bore may result in damage
to the pistol and serious injury to the shooter and those
nearby. Do not spray or apply lubricants directly on
ammunition. If the powder of a cartridge is affected by
the lubricant, it may not be ignited, but the primer fir-
ing may push the bullet into the bore where it may be
lodged. Firing a subsequent bullet into the obstructed
bore may damage the pistol and cause serious injury or
death to the shooter and those nearby.Use lubricants
properly. You are responsible for the proper care and
maintenance of your firearms. 
						

							SHIPPING FIREARMS FOR REPAIR
RUGER®P-SERIESpistols returned to the factory for services or repair
should be sent to: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., Product Service Department,
200 Ruger Road, Prescott, AZ 86301-6181. Telephone (520)778-6555.
Guns should be sent prepaid. W
e will not accept collect shipments.
The Federal Gun Control Act, as well as the laws of most States and localities, do
not prohibit an individual (who is not otherwise barred from purchasing or pos-
sessing a firearm) from shipping a firearm directly to the manufacturer for
repair. However, before you ship your pistol to us, be certain that your State or
locality does not have a law or regulation which will prohibit you from receiving
the pistol from us after it has been repaired. If such receiving is prohibited, then
please have a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer ship the gun to us. If your pis-
tol is sent to us by a dealer, it will be returned to him after being repaired. If a
handgun (pistol or revolver) is shipped by an individual who does not hold a
Federal Firearms License, it must be shipped via U.P.S. Persons who do not hold
a Federal Firearms License are prohibited by Federal law from shipping a hand-
gun by Mail. Handguns mailed in violation of the law are impounded by the Post
Office.
Please do not include holster, custom grip panels, or accessories with a firearm
being shipped to the factory for service. DO NOT SEND GUN BOXES OR LITER-
ATURE THAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE COLLECTOR’S ITEMS – THESE ARE
INVARIABLY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED IN SHIPMENT. Always insure your
shipment.
20
WARNING—BEFORE SHIPPING ANY FIREARM,
BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT IT AND ITS 
MAGAZINE ARE UNLOADED. DO NOT SHIP
CARTRIDGES WITH A FIREARM.
!
SERVICE AND PARTS POLICY
If you have any questions with regard to the performance of your RUGER®
P-SERIES pistol, please write or call (520-778-6555) our Product Service
Department in Prescott, Arizona, fully describing all circumstances and condi-
tions involved. If you should return your pistol to the factory for repair, or order
parts for it, please comply with the following suggestions for prompt service:
SIGHT ADJUSTMENT
The RUGER®P-SERIESPistols are equipped with a rear sight which is
adjustable for windage only. After the rear-sight lock screw has been loosened
(for those pistols equipped with a rear sight lock screw), the rear sight can be
drifted laterally in its dovetail on the top of the slide by tapping it with a wood-
en- or plastic-headed hammer or similar implement. Move the rear sight in the
direction you want the shot to move on the target. After the rear sight is adjust-
ed, tighten the rear-sight lock screw. The front sight is fixed. Both front and rear
sights are provided with white-dot inserts for rapid target acquisition and easy
alignment of the sights to obtain a correct sight picture.