Boring, Durable, Unsexy Bricks: The Remarkably Successful Ruger P85
The Ruger P85, despite its 'boring' and 'brick-like' reputation, was a commercial success due to its durable, cost-effective design utilizing investment casting. It featured a slide-mounted safety/decocker, ambidextrous magazine release, and a 15-round capacity. Although it missed early military trials, its robust construction and evolution into the P89, P90, and P95 series proved its market viability, with over 700,000 P-series pistols produced by 1993.









