INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR STAINLESS STEEL CALIBER .45ACP RUGER P97DAO ® “DOUBLE ACTION ONLY” MODEL PISTOLS* *DO NOT USE THIS MANUAL FOR PISTOLS EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL SAFETIES OR “DECOCKER MODEL” PISTOLS ! READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS IN THIS MANUAL CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THIS FIREARM For Product Service on This Model Please Call: (520) 778-6555 (See p. 19) STURM, RUGER & Company, Inc. Southport, Connecticut 06490 U.S.A.
FIREARMS SAFETY - YOUR RESPONSIBILITY SAFETY MUST BE THE FIRST AND CONSTANT CONSIDERATION OF EVERY PERSON WHO HANDLES FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION. This Instruction Manual is designed to assist you in learning how to use and care for your RUGER® P97 “Double Action Only” Model Pistols properly. Please contact us if you have any questions. Only when you are certain you fully understand the Manual and can properly carry out its instructions should you practice loading, unloading, etc., with live ammunition.
! WARNINGS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE ARE FOUND ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES: Alterations Lockable Storage Boxes Ammunition Lead Exposure “Double Action Only” Firing Handling 4 6 7 7 8 9 10 Unloading Slide Retraction Malfunctions Disassembly Lubrication Storage Parts Purchasers 11 12 14 15 18 19 21 OTHER CAUTIONS AND WARNINGS APPEAR THROUGHOUT THE MANUAL. FIREARMS ARE DANGEROUS WEAPONS READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND WARNINGS IN THIS MANUAL THOROUGHLY AND CAREFULLY BEFORE USING.
NOMENCLATURE Sights have high-visibility white dots both front and rear. Rear sights can be adjusted for windage. Slide’s open top design minimizes possibility of jamming, enables shooter to clear any malfunction easily by hand. Cartridges can be loaded singly if desired. Spurless hammer. Does not have a “full cock” position and cannot be manually cocked.
The slide stop can be released by drawing back slightly on the slide and depressing the slide stop thumbpiece. When the slide is released, it will move forward under pressure from the recoil spring. The slide stop is held in place by a spring detent. Therefore, when there is a loaded magazine in place and the pistol is jarred, the slide can fly forward and chamber a cartridge.
AMMUNITION The RUGER® P97DAO pistols are chambered for the .45ACP cartridge. Do not attempt to load any other cartridges into the magazine or chamber of the pistol. The Ruger P-Series pistols are compatible with all factory ammunition loaded to U.S. Industry Standards, including high-velocity and hollow-point loads, loaded in brass, aluminum, or steel cartridge cases. No .45ACP ammunition manufactured in accordance with NATO, U.S.
OPERATION OF “DOUBLE ACTION ONLY” PISTOLS The model you have selected is equipped with a special trigger mechanism that permits only “double-action” firing. The hammer does not remain cocked between shots. The pistol can only be fired by a relatively long (“double-action”) pull of the trigger which draws the hammer rearward and then releases it to fire every shot.
TO LOAD AND FIRE (WITH MAGAZINE) Practice this important aspect of safe gun handling with an unloaded pistol until you can perform each of the steps described below with skill and confidence. But before you do anything with the pistol, first read completely through this manual. 1. Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. (See “The Basic Rules of Safe Firearms Handling,” page 25.) 2. Press the magazine latch inward from the left side, and remove the magazine from the frame.
8. Subsequent shots are all fired “double-action” until the magazine is empty, the chamber being reloaded as the slide recoils from each shot. 9. In the event of a misfire, keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction, manually retract the slide and eject the misfired cartridge. Then let the slide fly forward to chamber another cartridge from the magazine. The pistol can then be fired by a normal “double-action” trigger pull. 10.
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 pistol 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 directly and fully into the chamber.
! WARNING - SLIDE RETRACTION The slide should always be pulled rearward (“retracted”) by pulling the rear portion 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 slide for loading, unloading, inspection, or clearing a malfunction. KEEP HANDS AWAY FROM MUZZLE AND FINGER OFF TRIGGER 5.
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 inward from the left side of 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.
! WARNING - MALFUNCTIONS Any autoloading pistol may occasionally malfunction. 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.
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.
4. Remove fingers from ejection port. Grasp slide tightly. Now press down on slide stop and allow slide to move slowly forward until the vertical disassembly line on the frame is aligned with the vertical disassembly line on the slide (See Figure 2, below). Press in on right-hand end of slide stop and pull slide stop out of frame to the left until it is withdrawn completely out of the frame. (See Figure 3, below). 5. Push slide forward and remove entire slide assembly to the front. 6.
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 camblock and recoil spring into position. Rear end of camblock seats against barrel lug. 4. Be certain that ejector is locked in its lower (forward) position and that hammer is in its fired (uncocked) position. 5. Replace slide onto frame. Partially insert slide stop into frame. 6.
CARE AND CLEANING Be 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 conditions, 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.
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. ! WARNING - STORAGE 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.
SHIPPING FIREARMS FOR REPAIR RUGER® P97DAO pistols 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. We will not accept collect shipments.
! WARNING - PARTS PURHASERS It is the purchaser’s responsibility to be absolutely certain that any parts ordered from the factory are correctly fitted and installed. Firearms are complicated mechanisms and IMPROPER FITTING OF PARTS MAY RESULT IN A DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION, DAMAGE TO THE FIREARM, AND SERIOUS INJURY TO THE SHOOTER AND OTHER PERSONS. The purchaser and installer of parts must accept full responsibility for the correct adjustment and functioning of the pistol after such installation.
22 * * * * * * * * * Part Name Barrel Blocker Lever Camblock Case Combo, .45ACP, Not Illustrated Case Only, Not Illustrated Ejector Ejector Pivot Assembly Ejector Spring Extractor Firing Pin Firing Pin Block Firing Pin Block Spring Firing Pin Spring Firing Pin Stop Frame Front Sight, Must Be Drilled For Cross Pin Front Sight Cross Pin, 2 Req’d. Hammer Hammer Assembly Hammer Pivot Pin Hammer Spring Part No.
23 * * * * * PARTS SO MARKED MUST BE FACTORY FITTED Part Name Hammer Spring Seat Hammer Spring Seat Detent Hammer Spring Seat Pin Hammer Strut Hammer Strut Pin, Not Illustrated Lock & Keys, Brass Magazine, Complete, 8-Shot Capacity Magazine, Complete, 7-Shot Capacity Magazine Floor Plate, Not Illustrated Magazine Follower, Not Illustrated Magazine Latch Magazine Latch Spring Magazine Loader, Not Illustrated Magazine Shell Magazine Spring, Not Illustrated Magazine Spring Seat, Not Illustrated Plunger
RUGER® P97DAO EXPLODED VIEW 24
THE BASIC RULES OF SAFE FIREARMS HANDLING We believe that Americans have a right to purchase and use firearms for lawful purposes. The private ownership of firearms in America is traditional, but that ownership imposes the responsibility on the gun owner to use his firearms in a way which will ensure his own safety and that of others. When firearms are used in a safe and responsible manner, they are a great source of pleasure and satisfaction, and represent a fundamental part of our personal liberty.
A safe direction must take into account the fact that a bullet may penetrate a wall, ceiling, floor, window, etc., and strike a person or damage property. Make it a habit to know exactly where the muzzle of your gun is pointing whenever you handle it, and be sure that you are always in control of the direction in which the muzzle is pointing, even if you fall or stumble. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. 3. FIREARMS SHOULD BE UNLOADED WHEN NOT IN USE.
5. BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET BEFORE YOU SHOOT. Don’t shoot unless you know exactly where your bullet is going to strike. Be sure of the bullet stop behind your target, even when dry-firing with an unloaded gun. If you are in the field hunting, do not fire at a movement or noise. Take the time to be absolutely certain of your target before you pull the trigger. 6. WEAR SHOOTING GLASSES AND HEARING PROTECTORS WHEN YOU SHOOT.
, 8. DON T SHOOT AT A HARD SURFACE, OR AT WATER. Bullets can glance off many surfaces like rocks or the surface of water and travel in unpredictable directions with considerable velocity. 9. NEVER TRANSPORT A LOADED FIREARM. Firearms should always be unloaded before being moved or placed in a vehicle. A suitable carrying case or scabbard should be used to carry an unloaded firearm to and from the shooting area. 10. AVOID ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES WHEN SHOOTING. Don’t drink until the day’s shooting is over.
A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF AN EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT: RUGER FIREARMS One of the few American firearms manufacturers who’s management has remained unchanged since starting in business, Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. had its beginning in a small machine shop occupying a rented frame building in Southport, Connecticut. In January 1949, with an initial investment of only $50,000 and an idea, William B. Ruger and Alexander M. Sturm started production of a .
WHY NO WARRANTY CARD HAS BEEN PACKED WITH THIS NEW RUGER FIREARM The Magnuson-Moss Act (Public Law 93-637) does not require any seller or manufacturer of a consumer product to give a written warranty. It does provide that if a written warranty is given, it must be designated as “limited” or as “full” and sets minimum standards for a “full” warranty. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.
