Newbie needs help

I got a Ruger P90dc from my grandfather and I dont know anything about guns. I got it cleaned and it looks great but I have a few questions. I have noticed when I push the slide back and lock it back that it rattles a bit if its moved around...is that normal? When its cocked and the ready to shoot there is hardly any rattle just a tiny bit of movement between the slide and the frame. Also, what does the decocker do? probably a very stupid question as I can probably guess the answer. What type of ammo should I buy? He was an ex marine and this was his home protection gun but I'm not sure how long it has been since it was actually shot. ANY information would be great. Thanks.

I would suggest you contact Ruger and see if you can acquire an owners manual which should answer most if not all your questions. Learn about the gun and it will be of much greater value to you.

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Originally Posted by Philco

I would suggest you contact Ruger and see if you can acquire an owners manual which should answer most if not all your questions. Learn about the gun and it will be of much greater value to you.

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That's what I would do, and welcome.

An owners manual will not tell you anything about a rattle.......there are lots of firearms that rattle a bit, if you have the funds, take it to a gunsmith and have them check it out, for piece of mind........I was looking at a Sig 250 about a week ago, which had never been fired, but it was behind the counter, and probably looked at by lots of people....the slide was a little loose and rattled, but no biggy, in that instance.

I would suggest two things ...first Ruger will send you the manual, second take a firearms safety training course if you intend to use the pistol, your grandfather was a Former Marine not an ex, as in "Once a Marine Always a Marine" sounds like a small difference, but to a Marine it means a lot and I am sure it meant a lot to him.....stay safe and Welcome.......JJ

I'm not familiar with that one but assume it's the same platform as the old P89.Don't worry over a couple thousandths slide play,it helps maintain reliability when it gets dirty shooting or if it's dropped in the dirt.

Any 9mm Luger round (guessing it's a 9) will work,but I wouldn't worry about +P or +P+ right now.Different loads and brands are going to shoot a little differently,so try a selection to see what the gun likes,all guns tend to favor a certain bullet and load over others.115 and 124grain will be your best bet most likely.If it is the original P series,the gun is tough and has a beefy chamber to handle hot loads like the +P and above.The concern shooting alot of the hot stuff isn't so much the chance of it blowing a case or barrel,it's the beating and accelerated wear that the barrel and frame take when the barrel unlocks and hits the stop for rearward movement.

yes it normal for it to rattle when the slide is locked back; my glock does it too.
my colt commander did it too

Contact Ruger -- get owners manual. Look over the pistol and see if you can discover what cartridge it uses. GOOGLE "Ruger P90dc" - and read about it. Look up any terms you do not quite understand.

DO NOT buy any ammo until you know what the pistol requires. Take to gunsmith for safety check.

If you intend to use it at all -- first learn how to SAFELY handle a gun. Perhaps get some basic training.

Then go forward. Do not be in a hurry. This is a potentially deadly weapon. Learning what and how will be appreciated by those around you.

I misread your first sentance,sorry.Definately find someone to teach you safety and how to operate guns and shoot.Basic safety and everything else can be found on these forums,but hands on is all that's going to work.

These are the 4 things that must always be remembered and practiced:

1. Every gun is loaded,know how to check and clear them.
There are only a few operating principles.You have a semi-auto,there's also pump,bolt,break open,the base principle is simple be it pistol,rifle,or a revolver.Different brands and models just move the controls,or have more or less than another.Either way it works the same as another in it's class.

2. Never point it at anything you don't want to shoot or destroy.
Alot of people have a problem with this-"it's unloaded".Funny (it really isn't) alot of accidental shootings and deaths are a direct result of breaking this one,but it's always an accident.Ingrain this so if 3 is broke,nobody is injured.Booting one in the base of the wall is bad,but hitting someone in that room is tragic.

3. Don't touch the trigger until you want a shot fired.
Self explanitory.

4. Always know the backstop,or where the bullet will be stopped safely.
They can go a long way,handgun or long gun.A riccochet is like the lottery-you don't know when or where it will hit.

It isn't anything hard,so don't let that scare you because it's just like learning to count and then math-safety is A#1.Learn from the beginning about guns,and spend a few bucks for a shooting class on the base level.A good instructor or friend can teach you quite a bit fast.