Ruger SR9 Review and Range Report

mmatt

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There's not a whole lot of info here on CGN about this great little pistol so I thought I'd share what I know and have experienced with mine. Mind you, that experience if far from extensive yet, but from the looks of things so far, this is going to definitely be in my top 5 favourite handguns that I've ever owned.

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To start off, you may (or may not) remember a thread I started a few weeks ago that went over the different "generations" of the gun. All of the improvements (so far anyway) have been to the trigger assembly. I won't go over it all again here but feel free to check out this thread if you missed it the first time around:

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=620931

The SR9 is a polymer framed striker fired pistol, very similar in operation to the Glock and Smith & Wesson M&P9. Like these other pistols, it has a low bore axis which is a fancy way of saying that the barrel and slide are located close to the top of your hand when you grip the gun. This helps to mitigate muzzle flip which helps the shooter get their sights back on target faster.

The SR9 has several unique features, some I like, some I don't. They are:
- ambidextrous magazine release
- ambidextrous thumb safety
- loaded chamber indicator
- magazine disconnect
- reversible backstrap

The ambidextrous thumb safety is nothing new to the pistol world, but a magazine release that is on both sides of the gun that can be manipulated either way for a mag change without having to tinker with the gun - while not revolutionary - is not nearly as common. This is a great feature for people who like to practice weak hand shooting or for a family which has both lefties and righties.

The loaded chamber indicator I could do without as well as the magazine disconnect. While in theory, they are a good idea, in reality, you should always assume your gun is loaded and there are times when you just might want your gun to fire without the mag in place. Fortunately, these features can be disabled my the user if they so desire.

The mag disconnect is a small piece that can be easily removed from the striker assembly and replaced just as easily.

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The LCI however must be permanently modified with a dremel or a file and cannot be restored once rendered inoperative.

Since I am using this gun to shoot production level IPSC, I will not be modifying it in any way.

The reversible backstrap is a nice feature to help individuals fit the gun to their hand. I find that the flat backstrap is much more comfortable and so I will leave it that way.

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Disassembly is rather straightforward. Ensure gun is unloaded, lock slide back, push ejector down (yeah, that one's a little odd but it's easy to do - just stick your finger in the ejection port and push the ejector down), remove takedown pin/lever/thingy, while holding onto slide (so it doesn't go flying) release slide lock and slide the slide off the front of the gun. Safety Sallies will like the fact that you don't have to pull the trigger at all during the disassembly or reassembly of the gun.

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The other thing I'd like to point out about this gun is that it has a really short barrel. The minimum barrel length for a restricted handgun in Canada is 105mm. The SR9 has an advertised barrel length of 105.2mm. Mine came in at 105.09mm. :eek:

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So on to the range report I guess. First of all, when I first picked up the gun, I was surprised at how heavy it was. It seems to look like a lighter than it actually is for some reason. Maybe cause it kinda looks like a toy! :p

The trigger pull is nice. It's advertised at 5.5lbs if I remember correctly and it feels like that's about right, but it took 3.7L of water in an old orange juice jug to trip the sear which is closer to 8lbs. It breaks cleanly though and the reset is rather pronounced which will be great for getting shots off faster. The trigger pull isn't very long - it feels shorter than the pull on the Glock that I had, but I don't have Glock on hand to compare it to.

The rest of the range report can be had by watching the following video:
[youtube]hDqrb-EHbZQ[/youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDqrb-EHbZQ
 
I look forward to the rest of the follow up.
I like the feel and weight of the SR9.
The only pause for thought is that the annual changes to the trigger design give me the impression it is in a constant state of development. Otherwise I'ld love to comapre it to my M&P 9 and my Taurus 27/7 in 9.
 
I've said it before.... I'm a big fan of the SR9. Love the grip (perfect for people with fetus hands like me), decent trigger, and I'm one of those crazy people that like manual safeties. I think it looks pretty good too. Few complaints include stock sights are a little small and it seems parts/accessories aren't very common yet. I'm hoping this will go the way of the M&P and eventually explode in popularity.
 
Just watched the vid.. nice review! Not sure what range that is and if that's what it's normally like but I'm totally jelly that you had the range to yourself. That's an impossibility at the ranges around here...
 
I really liked the one I had. Only 2 complaints though. One, you can not load the darn mag 10 up without the loading tool, and 2, really need some availability of trigger tuning parts, otherwise it's a nice gun. What replaced it for me was the new Springfield XD-M. 4lb trigger out of the box, crisp too. Plus using a 19/10 pinned mag means you can load the mags with no tools or adjectives and force required. If we could get the pinned hi cap Ruger mags, I think that would fix the "how in the hello do you get 10 frickin rounds into this flippin' mag" issue.
 
Yes, I normally have the range to myself. :) The only exceptions would be Sunday mornings and right before hunting season starts.

As for the trigger, I'd love it if it were just a tad lighter but for me, it needs to be >5lbs or else it cant be used to shoot IPSC in production. And yes, the mags are a little - tight, shall we say, but the included mag loader helps quite a bit. I can manage to load them with only my fingers but I wouldn't want to shoot all day without the loader. I'll probably pick up an upLula... fact, that reminds me, I have a line on one. *runs off to call Trevor*
 
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... I'm totally jelly that you had the range to yourself. That's an impossibility at the ranges around here...

Hmm... I often have the Mission pistol range to myself. I also have an SR9 and really like it. Unfortunately I haven't done a lot of shooting with it so far. I don't know which "generation" mine is; I bought it slightly used about a year and a half ago. The trigger is kind of mushy and I'm thinking of trying to get a Ghost sear for it, which apparently improves things quite a bit. There is also a detailed video on the net (from the Ruger Forum, I think) on internal polishing which I will investigate when I have a morning free to do the work. But all in all it's a solid little pistol and so far very reliable.

I, too, was amazed when I measured the barrel length and found it to be only ever-so-slightly over the silly 105mm limit. I read somewhere that the SR9 is shorter overall than a Luger with the dastardly 4" barrel, and it's certainly a lot easier to conceal. Yet we can own an SR9 but the Luger is 12.6. Go figger.

:) Stuart
 
Hmm... I often have the Mission pistol range to myself. I also have an SR9 and really like it. Unfortunately I haven't done a lot of shooting with it so far. I don't know which "generation" mine is; I bought it slightly used about a year and a half ago. The trigger is kind of mushy and I'm thinking of trying to get a Ghost sear for it, which apparently improves things quite a bit. There is also a detailed video on the net (from the Ruger Forum, I think) on internal polishing which I will investigate when I have a morning free to do the work. But all in all it's a solid little pistol and so far very reliable.

I, too, was amazed when I measured the barrel length and found it to be only ever-so-slightly over the silly 105mm limit. I read somewhere that the SR9 is shorter overall than a Luger with the dastardly 4" barrel, and it's certainly a lot easier to conceal. Yet we can own an SR9 but the Luger is 12.6. Go figger.

:) Stuart

Oooohhh... I'll have to check out Mission sometime then!.... and rain in on your parade :D
 
Good to hear MMatt. I was just out this morning, the second time with mine. While I simply love they way the gun fits and shoots, I did have the same problem as my first range trip. On the first range trip I put about 175 rounds through it practically all Wolf commercial reloaded 124gr TMJ. I had about 10 or so failures to go fully into battery. When I got the gun home, I thorogly cleaned it (again) and paid particular attention to the extractor and other possibilities for hang ups. I have even polished the ramp with some billet polish and a rag by hand, and did a once over with it on the outside of the barrel. (gotta say I didn't think the barrel machining Ruger-level, but what do I know.

I wonder if that percentage of failures is normal at all. It makes me think about NutNFancy's SR-9 he sent back. (I was obviously checking any source of info on SR-9 before I bought)

Anyway, I put another 200 rounds of the Wolf stuff through it and only got 5 or so of those into battery failures. I'm really hoping this is a "It will work its way out" things. The only other brand new semi I bought was a Shadow and it ran flawlessly once I stopped limp wristing (on account of I was re-new to this whole pistol thing at the time!!).

Hope this problem goes away on its own soon. I'll just keep putting the rounds through it and see! Do look forward to hearing more about your pistol in the forum and on the CRR podcast. Also want to hear how it goes with IPSC.

WRT the sticking a loaded mag into the gun to 'hammer down', you've technically loaded the gun (even though you haven't 'made ready'), and should be required to go through an unload procedure, thereby racking the slide again; kind of a circular thing gonna happen there :) I don't know that any RO would like that anyway. I think you've got the right idea flipping the hot rounds into your pocket on the last mag.

Now this has already been discussed Ad nauseam on here, but I personally think that 'hammer down' (using the trigger) is a technical procedure that conditions folks to pull the trigger as an "automatism". This type of conditioning can be bad given a situation where the procedures of the automatism are interrupted thereby creating the chance for the brain to continue on the wrong step (either previous or skip steps). An typical scenario of automatism would be making coffee with an interruption of some sort. You carry on making the coffee but one of the steps are missing; you skip adding the grounds, or you skip placing the carafe under. Then you hit the brew button and walk away. I'm not saying that dealing with a gun isn't more serious, but unfortunately it turns into a subconscious act to pull the trigger. Incidentally, I'm wanting to give IPSC a whirl because it looks very enjoyable, so yes, I guess I'll pull the trigger!! ;-)
 
I wonder if that percentage of failures is normal at all.

I haven't had any failures of any kind so far, shooting both 124gr reloads at an IPSC PF of 135 and factory 115gr ammo at a similar PF. I do hope these issues work out for you though as it really does suck to have a "lemon" gun.

Do look forward to hearing more about your pistol in the forum and on the CRR podcast. Also want to hear how it goes with IPSC.

Oh don't worry, I'll keep you informed. ;)

WRT the sticking a loaded mag into the gun to 'hammer down', you've technically loaded the gun (even though you haven't 'made ready'), and should be required to go through an unload procedure, thereby racking the slide again; kind of a circular thing gonna happen there :) I don't know that any RO would like that anyway. I think you've got the right idea flipping the hot rounds into your pocket on the last mag.

But the slide didn't move. How could any live ammo get into the chamber? IMO, using a loaded mag is perfectly safe, but I'll only do that with the blessing of the RO. Otherwise, it'll be empty.

Now this has already been discussed Ad nauseam on here, but I personally think that 'hammer down' (using the trigger) is a technical procedure that conditions folks to pull the trigger as an "automatism". This type of conditioning can be bad given a situation where the procedures of the automatism are interrupted thereby creating the chance for the brain to continue on the wrong step (either previous or skip steps). An typical scenario of automatism would be making coffee with an interruption of some sort. You carry on making the coffee but one of the steps are missing; you skip adding the grounds, or you skip placing the carafe under. Then you hit the brew button and walk away. I'm not saying that dealing with a gun isn't more serious, but unfortunately it turns into a subconscious act to pull the trigger. Incidentally, I'm wanting to give IPSC a whirl because it looks very enjoyable, so yes, I guess I'll pull the trigger!! ;-)

If I were able to keep and carry a handgun for self defense, this would definitely be something I'd be sure to worry about. As it stands though, it's really the only way to be sure that competitors aren't walking around with hot guns on their hips. I understand that while it is perfectly safe to do so (thousands of cops do it every day with no problem) it is a good idea to keep competition guns unloaded what with their "hair-triggers" and all. :rolleyes:

:D
 
But the slide didn't move. How could any live ammo get into the chamber?

It physically can't, I agree. But to play devil's advocate, the gun is actually (and legally) loaded if a magazine containing cartridges is inserted into the gun. Loaded, of course, has nothing to do with a round in the chamber, we know. Then I'm just saying that one would have to go through the normal steps to make it safe; eject the mag, open the action, visually look at chamber, feed path... blaa blaaa... I could see somebody using this argument. Personally it wouldn't bother me if I watched you do the whole process using a loaded mag as realistically nothing got in the chamber.

It's an interesting situation, though.

If I were able to keep and carry a handgun for self defense, this would definitely be something I'd be sure to worry about. As it stands though, it's really the only way to be sure that competitors aren't walking around with hot guns on their hips. I understand that while it is perfectly safe to do so (thousands of cops do it every day with no problem) it is a good idea to keep competition guns unloaded what with their "hair-triggers" and all.

I totally agree, dude! Be a different ball game if we were actually allowed to pack a loaded gun around. As it is, we are not allowed to have a gun loaded unless we are in somewhere where we are authorized to shoot it. For me, currently, it's the range and the impending zombie infestation!! ;-)
 
Nice review...I have the OD version of the Ruger SR9 and I love it. After I take my Black Badge course with it this weekend I will be at over 3000 rounds with no issues. I have done some simple mods to it and with break in the trigger is great.

PS. At first it did have a few feeding/ejecting issues like all guns but smoothed out by the time I reached 500 rounds.
 
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