Gun Review of the Ruger SR9
The SR9 is a full size semi-auto pistol with a 17+1 round capacity. This gun is comparable in size & shape to the Glock 17. It will even fit some Glock 17 holsters. The model I have has the Brushed Stainless steel slide. This is my everyday carry gun & the weight is easy to handle. Even loaded with 18 124gr loads I hardly notice it is there.
The specifications are:
- Caliber: 9mm Luger
- Weight: 26.50 oz
- Sights: Adjustable, High-visibility 3-dot sight system
- Length: 7.55″
- Height: 5.52″
- Width: 1.27″
- Grooves: 6
- Barrel Length: 4.14″
- Twist: 1:10″ RH
- Grip Frame: Black, Glass-Filled Nylon,
- Unique reversible backstrap (flat or arched);
- Ambidextrous manual safety and mag release
- Built-in picatinny rail
I took it straight out of the box to the range & loaded it up with Federal 115gr FMJ. It worked with no problems. The trigger was smooth & the recoil was easy to handle. I got a nice grouping at 7 yards but was hitting to the left about 1 1/4″. I tried with my left hand & was hitting to the right with good groups.
Since I was here to test ammunition as well as accuracy I loaded it up with an assortment of JHP. One magazine was loaded with Winchester Supreme Elite 124gr +P JHP and a few Remington 115gr JHP. The other mag was loaded with several different loads of JHP in random order. All of it fired off without a hitch & the +P loads felt no different than the others. My groupings were good but again I was hitting to the left or right depending on which hand I used. A quick look at the Lee Precision pie chart showed I needed to adjust my trigger finger but with all my ammo spent I went home to give it a good cleaning & practice some dry firing and trigger control. I also changed the Backstrap to the arched position.
My next trip to the range after some grip adjustment & trigger practice was much better. I fired Federal 115gr FMJ and at 7 yards I put a ragged hole in the bulls-eye with a few flyers but most were in a 2″ group. At 10 yards I was hitting a little high but grouping at about 3″. Even firing at 50′ braced against the stall wall I was able to put my last 10 rounds in about a 5″ group with one flyer. Not bad for an old man with bad eyes & a touch of arthritis!
It has shot very well in some friendly competitions at the range shooting steel plates and an informal IDPA shoot. I really do like this gun. It’s easy to handle, easy to disassemble & clean. Not so heavy to carry as my Ruger P95 was & it conceals fairly well in an OWB holster. I’m seriously thinking about getting the SR9c(compact) for better concealment when it’s needed & it will use my SR9 mags as well so my equipment costs will be reasonable.
One feature on the SR9 I did not like was the magazine disconnect safety. Since most malfunctions of semi-autos are magazine related, one being the mag coming out by touching the release button, I took that feature out. It was easy to do & there a several videos on You Tube to show you how. So in conclusion, I recommend the SR9. Ruger has a reputation for being rugged, reliable & the price was reasonable. It is a good fit for those that like the Glock 17 but are reluctant to have a gun without an external safety.
Article By: Ben (Capt) Cook – captcook999@gmail.com
