New Ruger SR9 scores well In Gun Week field testing
by Phil W. Johnston
Handgun Editor

Sturm, Ruger and Company (1 Lacey Pl., Dept. GWK, Southport, CT 06890; phone: 203-259-7843; online: www.ruger-firearms.com) hopped into the semi auto, centerfire pistol market over 20 years ago with the introduction of the P85. Not a showpiece nor a match arm, the P85 proved a tough, reliable semi-auto that would keep on ticking, as Timex said once upon a watch.

This past October, Ruger announced the introduction of a brand new semi-auto pistol aimed directly at a highly competitive market that also includes the likes of the famous Glock line, the S&W M&P, the S&W Sigma, the Walther P99, the Springfield XD, and the Taurus 24/7. Before you yawn and prepare to move on, it might be a good idea to take a good hard look at Ruger’s new SR9, however. The guys and gals at Ruger did their homework, I’d say.

Up front the SR9 seems pretty much a typical offering. Based on a fiberglass-reinforced nylon receiver, the slide and barrel are constructed of stainless steel. The slide engages a pair of stainless steel inserts that are inserted in the nylon receiver, and operation is pretty much standard 1911 fare. The barrel is supported by the slide at the muzzle, with no bushing used (or needed, apparently). Lockup is accomplished when the breech engages the slide at the front and back of the ejection port. When the SR 9 is fired, the slide and barrel recoil to the rear, forcing the breech downward to unlock as it engages a sloping surface on the stainless steel insert in the receiver. The slide continues to the rear, ejecting the empty and grabbing a fresh round from the 17-round magazine, as it moves forward. This seems to be about the best way to run things, even if the design is over 100 years old.

Magazine Safety?
Motivation is purely blowback during recoil with things returning to battery powered by a captive recoil spring that surrounds a guide rod. This would also be a great time to point out that the SR9 is shipped with a magazine safety in place in the bottom of the slide, making the firearm instantly a club or projectile if a magazine isn’t in place! Unlike the competition, however, Ruger knew that many would prefer a firearm all the time so the magazine safety can easily be removed by the end user with minor disassembly of the striker system. Although the process isn’t described in the complete owner’s manual, anyone remotely familiar with firearm construction should be able to figure it out. Were this mine, I’d pull the magazine safety out before ever putting the arm into service.

Since the SR9 has to compete in such a challenging marketplace and since it’s based on a familiar design, Ruger was wise to keep everything familiar. In that light the ambidextrous safety is in the typical and correct 1911 position. This safety blocks the striker when activated, making the pistol safe for “cocked and locked” carry. Likewise the ambidextrous magazine release is familiar and easy to use. Magazines drop freely from the firearm when the release is punched.

The SR 9 also features a loaded-chamber indicator.

The SR9 is a slim pistol considering the ample 17+1 capacity. The grip measures only 1.178 inches in width with the slide coming in just a tad under an inch. This pistol feels as good in the hand as any pistol I’ve wrapped my stubby fingers around in quite some time. Weighing less than 27 ounces, empty, the SR9 would indeed be a pleasure to carry. Also noteworthy is the reversible backstrap on the polymer receiver. Push a pin out, slide the grip insert down and reverse it for a 1911 style, straight grip. I didn’t mess with it for this limited test work and the grip suits me perfectly as is.

Field Stripping
Takedown is also pretty much standard fare. One drops the magazine and makes sure the chamber’s empty (we’ve got to say this, you know) and then uses a soft object or finger to depress the ejector downward and forward until it locks into position. Then you simply pull the takedown pin to the left and out of the receiver and release the slide/barrel group to move forward off of the receiver. Typical of most manufacturers, Ruger says that this as far as you have to take things for routine maintenance.

The SR9 is Ruger’s first hammerless centerfire design so the trigger action is double-action-only, consisting of a striker firing system in which the trigger actually moves a striker rearward against spring pressure until it is released to fire the pistol. The trigger is another “safe design,” requiring it to be fully depressed to release the striker to impact the primer. The rear of the striker is visible at the back of the slide, as it moves to the rear, as well. Typical of such systems, you don’t get match-grade trigger action in any striker system I’ve tried. Ruger says that this trigger should pull with 6.5 pounds of pressure and to their credit this one averaged 6 pounds 10 ounces on my Lyman digital trigger gauge. On the range in my back yard I’d call the trigger serviceable for lack of better words. This one is a bit gritty but it was easy to use with quite satisfactory results on the range. I suspect that it might be able to be improved a bit with some stoning here and there but again it isn’t my gun so I didn’t try to clean things up. In addition, this pistol isn’t aimed at the target shooting crowd; it is aimed at a marketplace that includes the military, law enforcement, and civilians looking for a reasonably priced, dependable semi-auto for work or defense. In that light, this one seems about as good as it gets.

Sights on the SR9 are fully adjustable—not always the case when you’re talking about rugged combat-style sight systems. The rear sight is click adjust-
able for elevation and it can be drifted in the dovetail for windage. In addition the front sight could be drifted a bit should you find a load that requires more windage correction. The pistol was spot-on out of the box for me, however. Let’s face it; these 61 year old eyes don’t do well with open sights anyhow. I doubt that any of the misses on the range were due to the pistol or the ammunition! I suspect that this pistol will shoot as well as any of the other similar offerings in this marketplace. As you can see in the photos the sights also include the mandatory three white dots that make it a bit easier to use under less than ideal light conditions.

Ruger also designed the SR9 with a Weaver-style rail molded in the receiver under the muzzle. This should make equipping the pistol with a laser or light, duck soup.

Specifications
Model:
 SR9; SR9/10
Type:
 Semi Automatic Pistol
Operation:
 Recoil operated
Trigger:
 DA, striker-fired
Caliber:
 9mm (9X19)
Magazine Capacity:
 17 or 10
Barrel Length:
 4 inches
Overall Length:
 7.5 inches
Weight, empty:
 27 ounces
Safety:
 Ambidextrous, blocking striker and trigger action.
Sights:
 Combat style, click adjustable for elevation, drift-adjustable for windage
Sight Radius:
 6.25 inches
Rifling:
 6 lands and grooves, 1:10” RH twist
Construction:
 Fiberglass reinforced nylon receiver with stainless steel barrel, slide and internal pieces
Finish:
 Black, matte stainless steel
MSRP:
 $525
Initially the SR9 is available in two versions, or more correctly with two magazines. If your state is OK with full magazine capacity, you can get this 17+1 version. If your state for some reason doesn’t think you can be trusted with a 17+1 firearm, Ruger can supply the pistol as a SR9/10 with a pair of 10-round magazines included, instead. In addition to two magazines, the attractive blow formed plastic case includes a magazine loading tool, cable lock (how would you like to fool with that in the dark, under pressure?!), and complete owner’s manual. The entire package carries an MSRP of $525 and it looks like a bargain to me these days when it’s common to see many a semi-auto pistol selling for well over a grand or more.

Since I don’t do well with open sights any more, my range work with this test pistol consisted of blasting away at my dueling tree and swinging steel targets at the proverbial 10 yards, in sub-freezing temperatures. I managed to come up with a pretty fair crosssection of 9mm ammunition from Magtech (+P 115-grain JHPs), Remington (sub sonic 147-grain JHPs) and Winchester (Ranger +P 124-grain JHPs). Quite naturally it took longer to load the pistol than it did to shoot them up but the pistol was comfortable with everything. Functioning was 100% and as I said, the pistol seemed accurate as far as I could tell.

I fully expect to see the SR9 in .40 S&W down the road and there are also rumors that we’ll see a .45 sometime still further down the road, as well. There’s not much wrong with the 9mm when it’s stuffed with the very best, modern JHP ammunition but I think I’d prefer a .45 or .40 in about that order. Still, both the .40 and .45 must be loaded with the best available JHP ammunition to be effective, as well. I wouldn’t hesitate to take this one into battle, either. I think I’d stuff it with 18 +P 124 grain JHPs and consider myself well equipped.

Typical of Ruger, the SR9 works, out of the box. Possibly less than earth-shaking in design, Ruger’s execution of the design looks flawless. The ergonomics are perfect for my hands, reliability looks spot on and the pistol is reasonably priced as well. Good job, Ruger!
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