Ruger SR9

W

Winny

New member
Anybody else think the Ruger SR series is one of the more underrated striker-fired pistols out there?

The Full-Sized SR9 was the first pistol I ever purchased and has chewed threw several thousands of rounds with no problems other than a handful of shooter-caused stovepipes.

Nice trigger, adjustable factory sights, slim profile, incredibly reliable 17+1 capacity and affordable.

Maybe its just my love for my very first pistol, but over the years I've grown to love the thing more, and more and find myself slipping it into my range bag anytime I take a trip out there.
 
My brother has owned one for years. It's definitely a good-shooting pistol, feels good in the hand, has a good trigger, and is quite slim and svelte for a double-stack 9x19mm.

But some of the "features," such as the mag disconnect, ridiculously large loaded chamber indication, and tiny manual safety (with no option to delete), made the pistol unappealing to a lot of folks.

Which is a shame, because minus those features, I really think the SR9 is superior to the clunky American Pistol or Security-9.
 
You can ignore the safety if you want. I think it’s a clever design by Ruger. It’s far enough back that there’s no chance you can flip it on by accident— unlike, say, a 1911 or the M & P.
 
You can ignore the safety if you want. I think it’s a clever design by Ruger. It’s far enough back that there’s no chance you can flip it on by accident— unlike, say, a 1911 or the M & P.
Click to expand...

Of course you can ignore it, but there are many folks who would rather not have to.

As you mentioned, the lever is small and very far back on the frame. Rather than the more positive action of using your thumb pad to disengage it, you must use the side of your thumb to sweep the safety off, which makes it potentially more difficult to disengage in an emergency.
 
Fishbed77 said:
My brother has owned one for years. It's definitely a good-shooting pistol, feels good in the hand, has a good trigger, and is quite slim and svelte for a double-stack 9x19mm.

But some of the "features," such as the mag disconnect, ridiculously large loaded chamber indication, and tiny manual safety (with no option to delete), made the pistol unappealing to a lot of folks.

Which is a shame, because minus those features, I really think the SR9 is superior to the clunky American Pistol or Security-9.
Click to expand...
+1

The SR series was a good design marred by all the safety features added to it. I'm fine with a manual safety, you can always opt to not use it.
 
I had a 9E on my list for a long time and you could find them for 200 used before Ruger discontinued it in favor of the Security 9. Now the used prices are 250 and show no signs of going down.

At 250, a Security 9 is better than a 9E.

If the Security 9 continues to sell well, I think the whole SR line will see its end, unless there are less than free states that have the SR on an approved list and the Security 9 won't be approved.
 
I've had an SR9c for years, and have put many thousands of rounds through it. I carry it regularly. Safety features notwithstanding, I think the SR9 and 9c are excellent, well made pistols.
 
The SR series was a good design marred by all the safety features added to it.
Click to expand...

The safety features are absolutely to the extreme (have you SEEN that chamber indicator?!)

I got rid of my mag disconnect immediately, but I don’t mind the manual safety too much.
 
I had a SR9 for a number of years - in fact, my first CF semi auto after being revolver guy for probably 45 yeasrs at the time I bought my SR9. Mine was great - reliable, accurate and shot my reloads great. For me - it was a great range gun - but not for me for CCW. I bought a 9mm Shield for my CCW and eventually traded the SR9 off. Sometimes I regret it but I have more than enough handguns to shoot and it just wasn't getting shot. When I wanted to shoot semi-auto - it was my Shield for CCW practice and for plinking. If someone wanted a good double stack though, I'd have no problems in recommending the SR9 - it's a good handgun IMHO.
 
A few months back I did a review of the 9E for the store I work at youtube channel. I thought it was great and did away with a few of the features people did not like about the SR9. I agree I think they are both underrated guns and are great value for the money. Ruger just makes a great product that is reliable and over engineered lol. I have done reviews on the EC9S and the American. I liked the American in 45 so much that when a used one came in I was chopping at the bit to buy it. Another underrated Ruger product. The price wasn't bad either.
 
Have been shooting the SR9C for years. Smooth shooter and reliable as you can get. Very little recoil. Never minded the safety features as I can operate the safety just fine, in fact very easy to engage/disengage. Or you can simply not use it. I believe the SR series to be one of the finest Semi Autos made by Ruger. The Ruger American would also fall into that category.
The SR9's are built solid. None of the Aluminum chassis like they are producing now. Just break one down and do your own comparison of quality build of say a SR9 vs the Ruger Security 9. Really no comparison. Notice the steel inserts at all the Stress Points.

Z4FaB1W.jpg


LObpl5m.jpg

courtesy Gunsumer reports.
 
Last edited:
jonfon10 said:
A few months back I did a review of the 9E for the store I work at youtube channel. I thought it was great and did away with a few of the features people did not like about the SR9. I agree I think they are both underrated guns and are great value for the money. Ruger just makes a great product that is reliable and over engineered lol. I have done reviews on the EC9S and the American. I liked the American in 45 so much that when a used one came in I was chopping at the bit to buy it. Another underrated Ruger product. The price wasn't bad either.
Click to expand...
The only reason Ruger dropped the 9E was because it was a full size pistol, not a compact. Had Ruger decided to make the SR9c model in a 9E option (basically an SR9Ec) they never would have needed to make the Security 9.
 
I like all the safeties on the SR9c. I like the thumb safety on a 1911 better but the SR9 is easy to use. The lci is brilliant. In complete darkness I can sweep my thumb across the top of the slide and know the gun is loaded. The mag safety has never bothered me.

I've discovered in 65 years that the safety between the ears isn't always reliable with a lot of people. I like redundancy with gun safeties.
 
The lci is brilliant.
Click to expand...

I have to completely disagree with this.

A brilliant LCI is like the ones used by Glock or Walther, which simply use the extractor position to provide visible and tactile indication of a loaded chamber, without having to add large parts and complexity to the pistol design.

Even the hole used by S&W and others is a more elegant design, though it provides no tactile feedback.

That said, one should never depend on a LCI to determine the whether a gun is loaded.


.
 
Last edited:
I understand the objections to the loaded chamber indicator. I like the tactile feedback it gives though and have made the same argument as haymaker in the past. I completely agree that knowing the condition of any gun is necessary, but being able to confirm what is already known with the touch of a finger is not a bad thing IMO.

When I bought my SR9c several years ago an external thumb safety or a longish DA trigger was a requirement. I've been carrying a handgun for a while now and a safe action trigger is now acceptable to me. That change happened after many hours of training and practice, and thousands of rounds fired. Anyone who is more comfortable with an external safety should use one as long as they understand the risk of failure to release the safety under stress. Either way, training and regular practice is essential.

Haymaker you can not have enough mechanical safeties to compensate for a failure of the one between your ears. Use what you're comfortable with, but it is the shooter and not the gun that is responsible for its discharge.
 
The SR9 is a quality pistol. Mine is reliable, accurate and easy to maintain.
It, along with a Ruger9PC Carbine are my home protectors.
Both share the same 17-round Ruger magazines.

I replaced the front sight with a fiber optic sight and decided that no further modifications were needed.

Being a full size pistol, the sight radius is longer than my EDC sub-compact and compact pistols. Thus, with my eyesight, I am able to achieve greater accuracy at father distances.

The criticisms about the mag disconnect, safety and high ammo indicator are of no significance to me. The pistol operates as it should and meets its purpose with excellent performance.
 
Is there a difference between triggers of sr9 and sr9c? Or both feel the same?
And what kind of rifling they come with? Can you safely shoot hardcast lead bullets in them?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top