Pushrod
Master Blaster
The wife and I took both out shooting this weekend as a comparison (she was going to decide which one she likes for herself for CCW). We fired about 100 rounds of the specific caliber of ammo through each gun.
We were shooting Russian 9x18 ball ammo in the P-64 and Freedom Arms 380 acp ball ammo in the Ruger.
Ammo loading: The Ruger wins for ease of loading as the feed lips are cut further back allowing the 6 rounds to be more easily manipulated into the magazine.
Compactness: Again the Ruger wins hands down as it is a smaller package all around.
Sights: Both firearms have weak sights, but are easy to put on target in a non-stress situation.
Recoil: P-64 winner by a wide margin. I have heard horror stories about this gun, but the recoil was not excessive or unmanegable by either the wife or I and was easy to get the muzzle back on target. The Ruger has a much sharper and heavier recoil which made it the least 'fun' of the two guns to shoot. The Ruger was not unreasonable by any means, though.
Accuracy: P-64 was again the winner. I was able to overlap shots at 10 yards while the the Ruger was loosly grouped near the center of the 10" target plate. This probably had something to do with the snappiness of the pistols.
Triggers: DA: Ruger is the big winner. The double action on the P-64 was atrocious and nearly impossible to keep on target for that first shot.
SA: Ruger does not go to single action but is DAO. The P-64's SA is smooth as butter and a very light pull. Follow up shots were much better with the P-64 than the Ruger LCP because of this. The bad DA of the P-64 can be overcome by cocking the trigger for the first shot (or by putting in a different spring). So overall, the P-64 won.
Safety: The P-64 has a left side thumb-activated safety that decocks the hammer and blocks the firing pin. Very easy and simple to use. The LCP does not have a built in safety but relies on its DAO trigger.
Dissassembly/Cleaning: Both are easy to take down, although the P-64 edges out the LCP by a wide margin since no tools are needed like with the LCP in which something is needed to pull out the take down pin (a strong fingernail can sometimes suffice).
Ammo: The 9x18 makarov ammo is less expensive and roughly the same size as the .380 ammo. Both are readibly available in self-defense loads and are fairly accurate at close ranges. Besides the price, they are comparable. (Don't mix the two together in a container, as it would be difficult to tell the two calibers apart without looking at the headstamp).
Conclusion: The wife and I both agree that the P-64 is the better weapon to shoot. It is not as deeply concealable as the LCP but still easy to conceal. It is more accurate and easier to shoot with its readibly available ammo. The only downside is the first shot with it's double action trigger taking about 24 lbs of pull. That is not a deal killer for carry as the hammer is easily cocked back or a lighter spring can be installed (warning, the lighter spring will make a SA trigger that is already very light close to hair trigger).
The wife decided she preferred the P-64 and I will keep the LCP as my summer carry firearm. I'm not unhappy with that decision.
We were shooting Russian 9x18 ball ammo in the P-64 and Freedom Arms 380 acp ball ammo in the Ruger.
Ammo loading: The Ruger wins for ease of loading as the feed lips are cut further back allowing the 6 rounds to be more easily manipulated into the magazine.
Compactness: Again the Ruger wins hands down as it is a smaller package all around.
Sights: Both firearms have weak sights, but are easy to put on target in a non-stress situation.
Recoil: P-64 winner by a wide margin. I have heard horror stories about this gun, but the recoil was not excessive or unmanegable by either the wife or I and was easy to get the muzzle back on target. The Ruger has a much sharper and heavier recoil which made it the least 'fun' of the two guns to shoot. The Ruger was not unreasonable by any means, though.
Accuracy: P-64 was again the winner. I was able to overlap shots at 10 yards while the the Ruger was loosly grouped near the center of the 10" target plate. This probably had something to do with the snappiness of the pistols.
Triggers: DA: Ruger is the big winner. The double action on the P-64 was atrocious and nearly impossible to keep on target for that first shot.
SA: Ruger does not go to single action but is DAO. The P-64's SA is smooth as butter and a very light pull. Follow up shots were much better with the P-64 than the Ruger LCP because of this. The bad DA of the P-64 can be overcome by cocking the trigger for the first shot (or by putting in a different spring). So overall, the P-64 won.
Safety: The P-64 has a left side thumb-activated safety that decocks the hammer and blocks the firing pin. Very easy and simple to use. The LCP does not have a built in safety but relies on its DAO trigger.
Dissassembly/Cleaning: Both are easy to take down, although the P-64 edges out the LCP by a wide margin since no tools are needed like with the LCP in which something is needed to pull out the take down pin (a strong fingernail can sometimes suffice).
Ammo: The 9x18 makarov ammo is less expensive and roughly the same size as the .380 ammo. Both are readibly available in self-defense loads and are fairly accurate at close ranges. Besides the price, they are comparable. (Don't mix the two together in a container, as it would be difficult to tell the two calibers apart without looking at the headstamp).
Conclusion: The wife and I both agree that the P-64 is the better weapon to shoot. It is not as deeply concealable as the LCP but still easy to conceal. It is more accurate and easier to shoot with its readibly available ammo. The only downside is the first shot with it's double action trigger taking about 24 lbs of pull. That is not a deal killer for carry as the hammer is easily cocked back or a lighter spring can be installed (warning, the lighter spring will make a SA trigger that is already very light close to hair trigger).
The wife decided she preferred the P-64 and I will keep the LCP as my summer carry firearm. I'm not unhappy with that decision.
Thanks for the comparison. I already have an LCP. I have been considering a P-64. Looks like I'll be adding one to my safe in the near future (albeit with new springs).
