SR9C... The most underrated gun in the market

Good review WT. I just picked up a SR9c...Along with a $50 credit and the %20 Memorial Day weekend discount it ended up being just over $300 shipped...just couldn't pass it up. I can't comment on performance yet as my two scheduled range sessions were unfortunately cancelled.

I actually picked this up for my wife. She's been carry either a Bersa Thunder or Kel-Tec P3AT...both .380s. She likes them for the size, but has wanted to try a larger caliber such as 9mm. She didn't like some of the semi-auto’s I own; Glock (19/26), Kahr K9, CZ compacts (75/P01) or the Sig P228. She does like my P225, so that may end up hers but she did like the Ruger SR9 that she handled in the LGS. I plan to put a couple hundred rounds through it first before she gets to try it. My only beef so far is the price of spare magazines…they are not widely available yet and quite expensive. Ruger may be making up the lower price of the SR9c with magazines double the price of others.

Still, it seems well designed. I thought the safety would be hard to manipulate, but it’s quite well done. I know it’s aesthetics, but even the brand-name and slide logo’s are subdued enough not to be too gaudy like some slide “bill-boards”. The trigger is better than my stock Glocks. It’s not quite as good as my Steyr M9A1, but it does break clean and has a pretty quick reset.

I’ll hold off on commenting on the sights until I can actually put rounds down range with them. I think Ruger did quite well on this one and I do expect it to do well. I see it more on the lines as my Glock 19, not the 26. Still, it’s well executed and I hope they figure out that one of Glock’s success was due to plenty of aftermarket parts, spare OEM parts and cheaper magazines.

ROCK6

"SR9C... The most underrated gun in the market"

It must be, I had no idea what you were talking about until the last paragraph when you said "Ruger". I have not shot one.

It was easier to keep the makes and models straight when guns had names and not codes to be deciphered.

John

Yes, but no one has said the glock trigger is good. Glock has a rep for reliability.

You can't say because the sr9 is better in some attributes to a glock it is the best. You left out every single other manufactures compact and subcompact.

I would argue the el cheapo $340 taurus mil pro beats the SR9c in every regard. Trigger is smooth, quick reset, ergonomic, lifetime warrenty, 380, 9mm, 40, and 45 versions all about the same size. BUT doh! the sights are straight 8. So which is better?

It is impossible to say 'the best.'

This is not to be a slight against the SR9C or any gun but it always seems that nobody makes a 10+1 9mm or 40 smaller than a glock 26/27.

The SR9c is bigger in all measurements over the Glock 26 and most companies similar sub compact 9's and 40's are always a tad to several tads bigger in some or all measurements.

How does Glock pull it off? I know its not huge differences but...

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The width measurement are measured at the widest point, and the thumb safety is why the SR9c is wider than a Glock 26. It's thinner everywhere else. The grip has a smaller circumference as well. The rounded edges reduce overall volume, and make carry more comfortable. Yeah, the Ruger is a hair longer & taller. It also has a light rail, and low profile adjustable sights. As for weight, the Ruger has a reversible rubber back strap with pin, loaded chamber indicator, beefier extractor, thumb safety, metal take down pin (vs. plastic latch), and the aforementioned sights & rail. It's a hair longer, taller, and heavier to incorporate features Glock refuses to offer. The dimensional differences are really splitting hairs. Also, as already mentioned the Kel-Tec P11 is smaller than a G26 in every dimension, and has flush fit 12 round mags.

Glocks are great pistols, but they aren't for everyone. The Ruger SR series is great too, but it isn't for everyone either. Get the one that fits your hand best, and has the features you want.


Now, for why I agree that the SR9c is underrated, and why I own one:

I didn't care about the adjustable sights, nor the LCI. I was indifferent to the thumb safety, but the location & operation are just like a 1911 (my preferred pistol); so I didn't have to adapt. The grip just fit my hand, and the pistol points naturally for me. The new trigger that premiered in the SR9c is one of the best out of the box triggers on a striker fired pistol. The new Nitrodox Pro nitride finish is right up there with Melonite & Tennifer. The SR9c works very well for me. It goes toe to toe with any other poly frame, striker fired pistol, and undercuts Glock & S&W by around $100 in price.

If Ruger had the new trigger, and the Nitrodox Pro finish on the SR series from the start they would've made a much bigger foothold in the market. These are very good pistols, and I agree that they're still underrated / under appreciated.

I would argue the el cheapo $340 taurus mil pro beats the SR9c in every regard. Trigger is smooth, quick reset, ergonomic, lifetime warrenty, 380, 9mm, 40, and 45 versions all about the same size. BUT doh! the sights are straight 8. So which is better?

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Except for Taurus's reputation for spotty quality control and horrible customer service. I've owned one Taurus and I am in no hurry to ever buy another. My Rugers have been worth every penny of difference.

Except for Taurus's reputation for spotty quality control and horrible customer service.

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When the shipping clerk at the LGS says he wont own a Taurus because he sends too many back, that speaks volumes.

Taurus wont even send grip screws to gunsmiths, much less any other part. Everything has to go back to Miami so they can handle it. S&W, Ruger, Glock, and many others will send small parts to end owners, and have very few gunsmith restricted parts. Even the gunsmith restricted stuff can be sent to any FFL. That, combined with spotty QA/QC, is why I'll never own a Taurus.

This baiseless 'my gun counter dude said' attack on the Taurus mil pro is funny because the SR9 was RECALLED.

I mean come on.

Tauras isn't even my dog in the fight. I say the P99 and P99c have no competition in the trigger department. Cost is the only detracting factor.

The SR9 may have had a recall, but this thread is about the SR9c

I had an SR9c until last week. They can be had new for $400-$450 around here. The G26 is a much better gun. With a G19 magazine and an A&G grip adapter the 10 rd. G26 turns into a 15 rd gun with a nice length grip. The Ruger web sight is full of SR9c problems. Light strike complaints abound, rust on black coated "alloy" "(sp) slides. I had my SR9c apart to take the mag safety out and frankly it's quality is no where near a G26.

The SR9c takes 17 round SR9 mags, so the round count argument is kind of odd, and did you have any issues with yours or did you read online where people had problems and it scared you off?

This baiseless 'my gun counter dude said' attack on the Taurus mil pro is funny because the SR9 was RECALLED.

I mean come on.

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Baseless? The man's a retired LEO, and works at a high volume dealer. I personally know the gunsmith, working for an FFL, who Taurus wouldn't mail a friggin' grip screw to so he could get a customer's gun back in working order. When I worked in gun retail I saw too many Taurus BREAK - like slide and / or barrel lug shearing off break - within the first mag to ever own one.

Yeah, Ruger recalled the SR9, and fixed a drop safety issue on the early guns. Taurus continues to turn out crap, and won't acknowledge that there's a problem. Glock has never admitted fault with the failure to feed issues in Gen 3 guns that can happen when you mount a light on the rail and flatten out their flimsy dust cover. They'll tell you to switch to new magazines if you have a problem. Glock never acknowledged the problems with their unsupported 40 S&W chambers - they just progressively added chamber support throughout the years. Glock never recalled the weak two pin .40 S&W 2nd gen frames either. Yet you're mad that Ruger actually acknowledges & fixes problems?

With a G19 magazine and an A&G grip adapter the 10 rd. G26 turns into a 15 rd gun with a nice length grip.

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Kinda like the 17 round SR9 mag & grip adapter Ruger supplies with every SR9c?

The SR9c takes 17 round SR9 mags, so the round count argument is kind of odd, and did you have any issues with yours or did you read online where people had problems and it scared you off?

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So does the M&P/XD and Glock. They all take full size mags and they all have adapters available.

I'm 64 and had plenty of guns along the way. I'm just voicing my opinion. I normally carry a revolver, so extra bullets don't sway me. The G26 has been around a long time and is a proven performer. There's also a lot of aftermarket parts available for it. The internals on the SR9c look really cheap, like a planed obsolescence pistol.

I'll have to give my flawlessly performing SR9c another look over, I need to find these really cheap looking parts. I'm no gunsmith, but the internals look pretty similar in quality to my XD.

Shooters sure are a opinionated bunch aren't we...

Sr9 owners enjoy your pistol and unless its picked up by law enforcement channels it will always play second fiddle to the M&P/Glock/XD. No reason why it wouldnt be but if its not.

I love my SR9c stainless. For the money, it's probably the best carry gun you can get that is still large enough to fight with. I know Glock and S&W make nice compact/sub compact guns but I have no regrets at all going with the Ruger as my first handgun. 100% reliable after 2+ months of regular carry and practice. It's my EDC with 28 rounds of Winchester RA9T.

Half an inch of length is not a hair. It takes a lot of hairs to make up half an inch. The SR9C is as long as Glocks compacts, listed as 6.85 not the sub-compacts. Some of those features are things people just plain do not want on their guns. Like the safety, magazine disconnect and LCI. If you are happy with it, with all sincerity I am happy for you. But its not for me. However when people ask me about a carry gun I always say look to SR9C, G26 and S&W M&P sub-compacts, try them all and pick the one they like. But trying to convince someone online that a half inch is a hair and that they should love the LCI and disconnect and safety is a waste of time.

My apologies to SR9 / SR9c owners. I won't comment any further.

Yep. Great carry gun! I shot and the G19, G26, and considered the M&P9c before deciding on the SR9c. It's been very accurate, reliable, a pleasure to shoot, and easy to conceal every day for the last year.

SR9/SR9c owners, do you use the thumb safety, or do you leave it off and just ignore it as if it were any other striker fire pistol without a safety?

JTQ said:

SR9/SR9c owners, do you use the thumb safety, or do you leave it off and just ignore it as if it were any other striker fire pistol without a safety?

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I leave mine off.

kokapelli said:

I have and it works for me.

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Ditto...I didn't feel any noticable difference between the Glock, M&P or the SR9..or the SR9c for that matter

Every factory pistol trigger I have ever shot feels gritty and creepy compared to the rifles I shoot. Now my gf has a custom Colt 1911 with a very crisp aftermarket trigger. It was weird to shoot at first because I was so used to creep and grit in handguns like my Sig 250. I want to see someone put Tikkas trigger in a factory handgun that is the perfect single stage IMHO.

I don't like dohicky triggers.

I' love my rugers, but I pocket a Kel Tec P11. It's light, thin, carries firepower, and is very accurate and reliable and I prefer the long DA trigger for pocket carry to some of those dohicky triggers. JMHO and preference, though. I'm sure the SR9C is great for other than in a pocket. I cannot carry on a belt, near impossible most of the year in 100+ heat and 80 percent humidity. Hell, it's nearly October now and it's going to be 103 degrees today here. I am considering going dove hunting, but will need a lot of watar if I do. I carry 24/7, never take the gun out of my pocket except to change pants.

It's all in what you need. I am quite sure the SR9C, like all my Rugers, is accurate and reliable. It's just whether it fits your needs or not, that's all.

SR9/SR9c owners, do you use the thumb safety, or do you leave it off and just ignore it as if it were any other striker fire pistol without a safety?

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I use mine, its one of the reasons I bought the SR9.