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Ruger SR9 Reviews Coming In

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2007 | Guns |

Early reports from The High Road, Michael Bane and Ramblings from Oz.

Opinions on the trigger seem to differ wildly. The people who seem to like the trigger seem to be folks (like Bane) who were at special showings, and may have gotten ringers. Guns pulled out of the dealers case seem to not have such good triggers.

One person compared the SR9’s trigger to a Mosin-Nagant revolver, which is not a compliment. The best thing you can say about a lot of Ruger’s triggers is that the guns are popular enough and the triggers bad enough to inspire good aftermarket replacements.

Previous Ruger SR9 post.

48 Comments to Ruger SR9 Reviews Coming In

drstrangegun
October 23, 2007

From what I’ve seen, right out of the box the SR9 is full of crud, metal chips, and thick vaseline-like grease. That alone can account for a nasty trigger.

Les Jones
October 23, 2007

So y’all have one? I may have to come by after work.

Rob Groninger
October 23, 2007

Les, I think, perhaps, that your initial comments about the Ruger SR9 were based on a bias you formed long ago about Ruger and carried forward into your review on the SR9. I bought one - good old serial number 00631.

For several weeks prior to purchasing the SR9, my partner and I have been searching for a weapon that would fit her hand and not be too heavy or too powerful. We fired Glocks (Yuck! What is all the hype about them?) and S&Ws (nicely surprised!) in 9mm & .40 cal and fondled a few others that never made it to the range because of heft issues or other qualities we did not like.

Ruger’s debut of the SR9 was perfectly timed because, right out of the box, it became the last gun we handled and fired. Not only is the weight, balance and size a perfect fit and feel, it was amazing how controlled the recoil was and how quickly the sights could be brought back on target. I found no debris and filings in the box, as reported by another reviewer. And most amazingly, I found the trigger action to be very, very nice (although I will rate the feel and operation of the S&W99’s trigger slightly higher). Kudos, too, for the ambidexterous safety mechanism and easy-operation magazine release. The “round in chamber” indicator also proved to be a valuable safety feature.

I do, however, have three criticisms of the weapon. First, the slide action was very hard to operate, especially for my partner. Tough ass recoil spring! Second, the front sight was askew out of the box and it was not until 50 rounds went down-range that I discovered that the reason my shots were hitting 8-12 inches left of center was not solely because I was a lousy shot. Aside from the front sight problem I experienced (which may or may not have been a quality control issue), the sights were very good. And third, I found loading 17 rounds into the magazine near impossible without the use of the magazine loading tool and tedious and little cumbersome with it.

Overall, I personally give the SR9 an “A-”. For fit, feel, balance and heft, I give the SR9 an “A+”; for trigger feel and pull, the gun sights and all the other features, an “A”; and for action operation, a “B”. The inclusion of a gun lock with the weapon was a very useful enhancement. However, what I liked the best of everything was the red, white and blue sticker inside the box proclaiming that this fine weapon was “Made in U.S.A.”!

barry
November 1, 2007

I have SR9 number 1579; it is a beutiful gun; it puts Glocks to shame. The gun out of the box was crisp and clean. The slid action is a bit stiffer to pull back than a Beretta. Mine came with two 17 round clips; they were impossible to load even using the tool provided by Ruger. I called them to complain and was immediately sent (overnight) 2 replacemnt clips that were perfect; I could load them without requiring the tool. The trigger action is excellent and the sights are perfect. I would have rated the gun unacceptable had Ruger not replaced the clips; with the new clips the gun is an A+.

Anonymous
November 12, 2007

Just purchased the SR9. Straight out the box crisp, clean. Loading the clip was a little fumblesome but after the first loading, much better. Tried many other handguns but didnt care for them much. This is my last purchase. A+

Sherman
November 12, 2007

Just purchased the SR9. Straight out the box crisp, clean. Loading the clip was a little fumblesome but after the first loading, much better. Tried many other handguns but didnt care for them much. This is my last purchase. A+

MIKE MCCALL
December 8, 2007

MY SR9 CLIPS WERE ALSO VERY HARD TO LOAD EVEN WITH THE EASY LOADER. WONDER WHATS UP WITH THE CLIPS? THE OVER IS A VERY NICE WEAPON.I THINK I’LL CALL RUGER ALSO.

barry
December 9, 2007

I have had my SR 9 for almost a month and have taken it to the range 5 times. The clips have loosened up as has the slide. The trigger was a bit gritty at first but with use and major breaking down and cleaning is now very good. I suspect that Ruger could have shipped the gun a whole lot cleaner and it would have worked a whole lot better,
The sights are excellent and the gun is a pleasure to shoot. It is far superior to my Glock.

Ken Boyer
December 17, 2007

Rob - the front sight is windage adjustable and the rear both windage & elevation. Did you adjust after your first 10?

JAMES R HOUGHTON
December 19, 2007

Considering the $399.00 price, the obviously improved fit & finish, the accuracy, adjustability and SUPERB CUSTOMER SERVICE (when I called about my 17 round mags (not clips - BUT rather MAGS/ MAGAZINES) holding only 15 when brand-new, then 16 after 500 rounds) and Ruger sending me two BRAND NEW / NO EXCHANGE MAGAZINES at no cost — this WEAPON is certainly as good as a “Home Protection / Concealed Carry weapon I’ve found ESPECIALLY FOR THE PRICE!

How’s THAT for a “ramble-on sentence?? !
I like the dang gun —- and I own a safe full of SIG SAUER (NOT Sigarms) toys! RUGER is pushing SIG aside — bug name hype of SIG won’t keep them going forever!

Al
December 29, 2007

I just purchased the SR9 at a gun show. After going straight to the range, I have to say that this is a great gun! In my opinion, it feels better than a Glock 17. Definetely a must try.

johnnyreb
December 30, 2007

Can somebody explain this “CLIP” thing to me?

The pistol, from what I know, uses detachable magazines. The last American clip-fed arms I saw was the M1 Garand. I haven’t seen a clip-fed SP9, so I’m very interested in where everyone is finding these things. All we have where I live is magazine fed SP9s.

chb
January 8, 2008

s R 9, not sP9. Good job being an ass….prick.

G.P.
January 12, 2008

The Proper term is magazine not clip. Clips or stripper clips are used to load most rifles with “box magazines.” Trust me when I tell you that most gun brokers/dealers will lose all respect for you by referring to a magazine as a clip.

I am a Browning High-Power owner(9mm @ 40 S&W), and their famous stiff slide and trigger are not an issue if you practice with the gun frequently. The stiffness of the springs and the trigger are more beneficial in the way of reliability than as a detractor to some sissy who talks more than he shoots. The emphasis is being able to take your time in a hurry and score hits when in a gunfight. Comfort is the key and the only way to achieve it is through regular practice and educating yourself on the subject. Having a gun that wont fail is also kind of important. The Ruger SR9 looks like the most promising 9mm pistol along with the ar24 in recent memory. I’ll have to get down to my local gun guru a.s.a.p and handle one.

Jay
January 15, 2008

Hi All:

I just got my SR-9 and am having the same problems with the mags. Did you use the Scottdale number to call Ruger?

Sailing Soldier
January 18, 2008

I recently purchased a Ruger SR9. I fired two boxes of Remington UMC MC 115 grain out of it.

While I liked the way the weapon fired (good sights, accuracy, & mild recoil), I was disappointed that I began experiencing “stovepiping” after only 25 rounds. The slide also failed to lock to the rear after all rounds were fired.

I telephoned Ruger. They told me to try different ammo. I will, but am skepital since I carried and fired 115 grain FMJ in Iraq for a year without problems in my Beretta.

If firing different ammo yields the same reults, I’ll trade much eagerly awaited SR9 for a Glock!

SS

Patrick Giordano
January 21, 2008

I just picked up an SR-9 a few weeks back.So far,no real complaints about the pistol. I did find the mags tough to load at first,but this pretty much went away after the first couple of boxes of ammo. I’ve been feeding it 115 gr FMJ,and have had no problems whatsoever.It’s pretty accurate, and field-stripping is easy,once to get used to it. The only thing I have done to it is to put a Hogue Slip-on “boot” over the reciever. It helps me to grip the pistol better..I shoot mostly revolvers,but I figured I should grab at least 1 high-capacitiy 9 mm pistol before the next election.I took a chance on the Ruger,because I know they make some really strong revolvers.Also,the fact that it was made in the USA (AZ),played some part in my choice.

John
January 23, 2008

I purchased number 02969 at a gun show this past weekend. I have a neuromuscular disease and only have about 20 to 30 percent of normal strength in my hands. I was looking for something for home defense that both my wife and I could handle.

I was surprised at how stiff the slide, safety, and mag was. Nothing operated in a comfortable margin (ie mag release, safety, slide, mag loading) for either of us. I’ve disassembled with pistol twice but with great difficulty. After some work, the safety now works.

I really like the feel of the pistol in my hand. So does my wife. I probably should have purchased a revolver but I’d read an article about the SR9 and had heard people at the gun show talking about it.

I’ve seen comments on how many pounds of pressure it takes to squeeze a trigger but haven’t seen how many pounds of pull it takes to work a slide. I’m wondering if I purchased a really stiff pistol or if I’m just too weak to handle this particular brand of pistol.

Will loaning someone the pistol and let him put a few hundred rounds through it help? Or do I need to shelve my SR9 and purchase a revolver?

Chuck Brant
January 25, 2008

The pistol is pretty nice, I have about 200 rounds through it and about (500 dry fires). But the magazines are a problem. I have the “old” style with the larger square hole in the front, that likes to shave lead off of my reloads. So I called them and it is a know problem, and are making a magazine with a narrower window, which means I need to replace the mag catch, all on my own dime understand. They will not swap magazines or give you the new catch.

For a pistol I’ve had for about 1 week, that is the ultimate in crappy service and the corporate level, Joe in service is a nice guy, it’s just that Ruger won’t make the product right unless you spend your own money, for 2 magazines a catch and shipping, we are talking about $100.00 extra.

Could have bought the Glock for that price, had more access to parts and after market products. But, I’m think “buy American”, I guess that’s why I drive a Honda.

Chuck Brant
January 25, 2008

The pistol is pretty nice, I have about 200 rounds through it and about (500 dry fires). But the magazines are a problem. I have the “old” style with the larger square hole in the front, that likes to shave lead off of my reloads. So I called them and it is a know problem, and are making a magazine with a narrower window, which means I need to replace the mag catch, all on my own dime understand. They will not swap magazines or give you the new catch.

For a pistol I’ve had for about 1 week, that is the ultimate in crappy service and the corporate level, Joe in service is a nice guy, it’s just that Ruger won’t make the product right unless you spend your own money, for 2 magazines a catch and shipping, we are talking about $100.00 extra.

Could have bought the Glock for that price, had more access to parts and after market products. But, I’m think “buy American”, I guess that’s why I drive a Honda.

Newbee
January 25, 2008

I struggled with the mags at first too. I’m new at this so bear with me. The SR9 was my first semi-auto purchase except for 22s. I think part of the problem was the stiff springs, but it also felt like something was hanging up. There are two notches on the front center of the mag. The loader tends to make the round tilt up in the front, which seems to cause it to press forward. Then the point of the bullet goes into the notch a bit - just enough to catch. Now that the mags are broken in a bit, if I’m careful to press down on the front at the same time the loader is pressing down on the brass, the round stays level, doesn’t catch at the front, and goes in fairly easily. I wonder if the replacement mags had the lower notch on the front center smoothed a bit. Any thoughts on this theory.

Blaine
January 29, 2008

I just purchased the SR9. I took it to the range and found that it didn’t want to eject the round upon firing. I only had a box of cheaper ammo to use and I have not made it out to try a better bullet.
I was wondering if any of you experienced the same issues with the gun. I only had it for three days and I’m not going to bash the weapon without making sure the problems aren’t on my end.

Glen
February 1, 2008

Only about 100 rounds so far but no trouble at all. I’ve used all Winchester, mostly 115 gr FMJ with some 147 gr SXT/Personal Protection.

Dr. Miller
February 3, 2008

Dear fellow shooters:
I bought my SR9 last night. Took it to the range today and shot 30 rounds. Very happy so far! I adjusted the rear sight a few times and then realized the front sight was not centered. I see Rob above had the same problem out of the box. The magazines are difficult to load, but I see they get easier with time. If you buy an SR9, you’ll like the balance and overall quality. Check that front sight before adjusting the rear sight - saves time and ammo. Protect your 2nd Amendment Right. Write to your senators often and by all means join the NRA. Montani Semper Liberi!

jps51
February 4, 2008

I have the same mag problems, the nose of 115 grain bullets getting stuck in the hole in the front of the mags. This is shaving copper off the bullets making it very hard to load. A call to Ruger got a promise to send new mags,did’nt happen! Several weeks later another call told me they were not sending new ones out but they would send a new loader. I did’nt like the answer but said OK. Well they sent a Butler Creek loader , It works well but does not solve the problem. This is not what I expect from Ruger, I am not happy, this is not good news for customers like me who have supported them for years. I hope they are not forgetting customer satisfaction or support in future products, we shall see.

Brad Hughes
February 11, 2008

I stopped into my local gun store and was introduced to the SR9 by the clerk there. Ever since then I go the range at least once a week. Clean, accurate and a pleasure to shoot. Blows Glock right out of the water. The plus is that since it’s made by Ruger, it’s going to last a very long time.

Pistols and More
February 24, 2008

I purchased a SR9 new, took straight to the range and out of 4 magazines shot, it probably jammed 10 times. Took it home, cleaned and polished everything and then took it back to the range the next day. It jammed every 2nd or 3rd shot. I love my Ruger P345, but the SR9 left me with a bad taste. I returned the SR9 and purchased a Glock 17 and a M&P 9. It was extremely disappointing since I REALLY liked the way the SR9 felt in my hand. I would still purchase a Ruger and maybe even another SR9 again, but not new.
The gunshop I took it to told me I may have purchased a pre-production model of the SR9.

Pistols and More
February 24, 2008

I purchased a SR9 new, took straight to the range and out of 4 magazines shot, it probably jammed 10 times. Took it home, cleaned and polished everything and then took it back to the range the next day. It jammed every 2nd or 3rd shot. I love my Ruger P345, but the SR9 left me with a bad taste. I returned the SR9 and purchased a Glock 17 and a M&P 9. It was extremely disappointing since I REALLY liked the way the SR9 felt in my hand. I would still purchase a Ruger and maybe even another SR9 again, but not new.
The gunshop I took it to told me I may have purchased a pre-production model of the SR9.

Mark
February 25, 2008

I bought my SR9 about three weeks ago and just took it to the range for the first time this past weekend. I ran 100 rounds of Winchester 115gr FMJ ammo through it. I had one stovepipe ejection and 4 misfires. One time, the gun misfired three times in a row before finally firing correctly. In each case, the trigger pull did not appear to be operating the striker mechanism even though a round was chambered. I’m not sure what could be causing that but I’m a bit concerned at this point. Will run some additional rounds through it in the coming weeks and see what transpires. Also, the trigger has a mile of travel before it cinches up and then you really have to reef on it hard to get it to fire, not to mention the roughness of it. Anyone else have misfire problems?

Wendell Chenault
February 26, 2008

I have been looking at a KP 95 and have been turned on by the SR 9. Now I don’t know which one to get. I like the sound of the SR9 having the same trigger pull even on the first shot and not having to pull the hammer back like on the KP 95. I have shot the KP 95 and loved it, should I stick with it or move on tho the SR 9?

Wendell Chenault
February 26, 2008

I have been looking at a KP 95 and have been turned on by the SR 9. Now I don’t know which one to get. I like the sound of the SR9 having the same trigger pull even on the first shot and not having to pull the hammer back like on the KP 95. I have shot the KP 95 and loved it, should I stick with it or move on tho the SR 9?

Wendell Chenault
February 26, 2008

I have been looking at a KP 95 and have been turned on by the SR 9. Now I don’t know which one to get. I like the sound of the SR9 having the same trigger pull even on the first shot and not having to pull the hammer back like on the KP 95. I have shot the KP 95 and loved it, should I stick with it or move on tho the SR 9?

Wendell Chenault
February 27, 2008

Well I bought my SR 9 today and loved the feel of it when I got it in my hands. I only shot 17 rounds in it because the sights were way off. At 20 yards, it was 6-7 inches low and a touch to the left. At first I thought it was me, but that was short lived. I did not have a screw driver so I was not able to make adjustments. The rear sight is adjustable in clicks and I turned the adj. screw 6 clicks or almost a half turn. Does anyone know how much difference a click makes?? Otherwise it worked flawlessly. I did notice that the mag release button is stiff and there is alittle grind in the trigger but I think people are making a mountain out of a mole hill on that issue. After a couple hundred shots I bet it will all be resolved. I am very glad I turned down the Glock and KP 95 and waited for the SR 9.

Trace Williams
March 2, 2008

I purchased my SR9 in Jan 2008, and shot roughly 75 rounds of Winchester 115 grain full metal jackets through it, I also had at least 3 live rounds stove pipe and 3-4 jam, usually it was the 2nd or 3rd round out of the magazine. The more I shot rounds through the gun, the less the gun jammed or stove piped. My SR9 was dead on right out of the box with no adjustments to the rear sights needed, shooting at 25 feet. The trigger pull seems to be quite long but I’m getting used to it. My brother in law has a Glock 19. I really like the trigger pull alot better than the SR9 but over all the SR9 feels better in my hand than the Glock. The Glock has a really wide grip and is really hard to reach the magazine release, and the SR9’s grip is more thinner to fit my hand.The weight is balanced alot better on the SR9 than the Glock 19. My SR9 was also really dirty when I took it out of the box new. The only 2 down falls that I see about this SR9 is the long trigger pull and the loading of the magazines without the aid of the easy loader. This is a really comfortable and accurate automatic for the price, plus it’s American made, and it looks really well built compared to the Glock 19.

Trace Williams
March 2, 2008

I purchased my SR9 in Jan 2008, and shot roughly 75 rounds of Winchester 115 grain full metal jackets through it, I also had at least 3 live rounds stove pipe and 3-4 jam, usually it was the 2nd or 3rd round out of first and second magazines. The more I shot rounds through the gun, the less the gun jammed or stove piped. My SR9 was dead on right out of the box with no adjustments to the rear sights needed, shooting at 25 feet. The trigger pull seems to be quite long but I’m getting used to it. My brother in law has a Glock 19. I really like the trigger pull alot better than the SR9 but over all the SR9 feels better in my hand than the Glock. The Glock has a really wide grip and is really hard to reach the magazine release, and the SR9’s grip is more thinner to fit my hand.The weight is balanced alot better on the SR9 than the Glock 19. My SR9 was also really dirty when I took it out of the box new. The only 2 down falls that I see about this SR9 is the long trigger pull and the loading of the magazines without the aid of the easy loader. This is a really comfortable and accurate automatic for the price, plus it’s American made, and it looks really well built compared to the Glock 19.

tod perry
March 3, 2008

I got my sr9 about 3 weeks ago it is my first pisol , I look for a pistol for a couple of weeks and couldn’t find a pistol that fit my hand and my wifes then we found the sr9 , that day I talk to my dad about it and found out he had got a sr9 the saturday before so we got to gether, I was the first to shoot it and was very impressed , very low recoil it groups pretty good not a target gun but very good for home protection ,my wife shot it next this was the first handgun she ever shot at 15 yards she was hitting the paper,I’ve resently shot a hi-point and a smith and wessan sw9 they don’t even compare , the sr9 will compete even with the high price Kimbers I’ve shot 200 rounds now and gets better and better the clip will soften up if you fill the clips up with 17 rounds and let them sit for 5 or 6 days happy shooting

Mark Sherwood
March 16, 2008

I bought a SR9 slightly used. They said one box of ammo had been fired by the previous owner before trading in on a smaller gun for concealing. This was the first semi-auto that I’ve owned. I had problems with the mags to begin with, but after I caught on to the technique it was easier. You MUST press down the front edge fo the round as you depress the auto-loader. The sights were dead on, but I don’t know if the previous owner adjusted the sights or not. I’ve shot over 300 rounds with no jams. One box of Blazer 125 grain and a couple of boxes of Winchester range ammo and one box of personal defense 147 grain. I clean my guns every two or three firings so that may decrease jams. I feel you have to have a clean weapon if you want it to function properly. I LOVE the SR9 and have had no problems as mentioned on this web site.

Russ
April 2, 2008

My first experience with the SR9 a few days ago was not what I would call a good one. After reading about the problems that some of you were having with the trigger, failure to eject, and stovepipeing, I thought that I would look into these problems before getting one myself. I have a P89 (great gun) and a P95 (KP95DC, super great gun) and wanted to compare the trigger pull of the SR9 to the P95. One of the local gun dealers sells both guns so I decided to compare the two side by side. The trigger pull of the SR9 was not much different then the single action of the P95. After two or three dry-fires with the SR9, I felt something shoot out of the rear of the gun and go up my coat sleeve. It was the “striker status indicator” rod. It broke on the inside where it connects to the striker. The rod is about two inches long. The magazine was in the gun at the time I was doing this. The indicator rod is cheap plastic. This was the dealers display model and never had a live round through it. This was not a good sign and as a result I will not be owning a SR9 anytime soon and may wait until the second or third generation of this model before I spend money on one. I am a loyal Ruger fan and I am somewhat concerned. I hope that this is not a trend of things to come. I am looking forward to getting my hands on the new LCP 380. I hope that we will not be referring to the new Ruger guns as “post Bill Ruger Rugers” like pre and post 1964 winchester’s.

The limp wrist is not in my opinion a good excuse for a bad gun design. If you think about it, in a self defense situation one may not have the luxury of a firm locked wrist prior to discharging their gun. I want a gun that I can depend on like my P95. I would not trust my life with the new SR9.

Tommy Robbins
April 12, 2008

My Wife and I, own 2 SR9 (1 each). Have had both SR9 for about 2 months now and we both shoot min. once a week and sometimes more. Out of the box both have operated perfectly. We use winchester 115 grain full metal jackets and had only one stovepipe jam. The trigger pull is smooth and easy. The sights are easy to see. My wife is a left hand shooter and the SR9 with its Mag release buttons and safty release on both sides of the weapon makes it easier for her to use. Both SR9 were new and they were clean and sights were dead on. We LOVE the SR9.

Gunsmoke
May 9, 2008

I have never owened one yet, but know that most of your problems are being caused by-the ammo.
As a general rule, “every” Ruger gun I have fired and owned absolutely hates UMC ammo (ex: junk), which I think is made by Remington??? All Ruger 22’s hate Remington ammo and will shave the lead off the front of the rounds. They consistently “will jam” and be dirty, thus contributing to a jam if you use this ammo. The Cor-Bon seems ok though. Any “cheap” ammo can have problems…I once found a case that was bent
almost double and dropped right in the box!
Moral: Don’t use cheap ammo…It’s good for just burn-firing to check for a speed-jam or burning in a pistol, but “expect jams”. Don’t bet your life on it either. I have found that the USA made by Winchester works flawless & sellier and bellot (which has sealed primer & bullet to keep oil/water out of it) is pretty much dead-on accurate. Hornady is custom hand-loaded & inspected. Their claim: “We make large, open, fatal wound cavaties” is good to go with me. Leaving your magazines full of ammo for a while will break those stiff springs in and allow easier loading. After extened period of non-use, rotate the mags and unload one for a while to allow the spring to rest a bit. I usually take a dremmel tool with a rubber-tapered tip & jeweler’s ruge & polish the hood (top of barrel where bullet first hits when entereing, as well as all the interior space the bullet sits in to a mirror polish. That’s the 2nd cause of a jam on .45 guns…first being overly-stiff mag springs not allowing bullet to strip off and enter the barrel (Failure to Go into Battery) or bent mag feed lips. Anyone know the Tap, Rack, Smack drill (Tap the mag-makes sure seated, Rack the slide to clear a jam & Smack the back of the slide to make sure fully in battery).
Polishing (using those little buffing wheels) anything that touches, like the slide, open areas of trigger that you can get to and the bottom of the ejector port & ejector & mag well, will make it run like a greased pig. Recoil springs will usually be stiff (95Decockers have a double spring…hey, it’s investment casted and this spring saves your wrist, the slide from cracking and wear & tear on the gun). I cannot believe anyone wouldn’t cycle the slide and thoroughly check the firearm for burrs of metal, etc. and if purchasing, dissassemble it & check, re-assemble (most gun dealers will show you how it’s done so you won’t come back with questions later like how do I get the rear assembly pin back in a Ruger Mark 2 pistol? “Make Sure” that the dealer will stand behind the purchase if it is a lemon. A local range, where you can rent a firearm and get basic instruction, burn 3 boxes (150rnds is nothing-it takes about 300 rounds to acquire the meaning of the magical “Glock trigger” and work any rough spots out), and find out if it is best for you.
If it don’t work, it should be the dealer’s responsibilty to get it fixed, exchange or refund your money & quit selling junk. Have any of these out of the box shooters read the owner’s manual?
First thing, strip it down, check & oil the parts (don’t leave any oil in barrel-this affects accuracy & it could explode!), re-assemble & work the slide few times, inspect for any cracks or defects. Good Luck & Happy Shooting…Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke
May 9, 2008

I have never owened one yet, but know that most of your problems are being caused by-the ammo.
As a general rule, “every” Ruger gun I have fired and owned absolutely hates UMC ammo (ex: junk), which I think is made by Remington??? All Ruger 22’s hate Remington ammo and will shave the lead off the front of the rounds. They consistently “will jam” and be dirty, thus contributing to a jam if you use this ammo. The Cor-Bon seems ok though. Any “cheap” ammo can have problems…I once found a case that was bent almost double and dropped right in the box!
Moral: Don’t use cheap ammo…It’s good for just burn-firing to check for a speed-jam or burning in a pistol, but “expect jams”. Don’t bet your life on it either. I have found that the USA made by Winchester works flawless & sellier and bellot (which has sealed primer & bullet to keep oil/water out of it) is pretty much dead-on accurate. Hornady is custom hand-loaded & inspected. Their claim: “We make large, open, fatal wound cavaties” is good to go with me. Leaving your magazines full of ammo for a while will break those stiff springs in and allow easier loading. After extened period of non-use, rotate the mags and unload one for a while to allow the spring to rest a bit. I usually take a dremmel tool with a rubber-tapered tip & jeweler’s ruge & polish the hood (top of barrel where bullet first hits when entereing, as well as all the interior space the bullet sits in to a mirror polish. That’s the 2nd cause of a jam on .45 guns…first being overly-stiff mag springs not allowing bullet to strip off and enter the barrel (Failure to Go into Battery) or bent mag feed lips. Anyone know the Tap, Rack, Smack drill (Tap the mag-makes sure seated, Rack the slide to clear a jam & Smack the back of the slide to make sure fully in battery).
Polishing (using those little buffing wheels) anything that touches, like the slide, open areas of trigger that you can get to and the bottom of the ejector port & ejector & mag well, will make it run like a greased pig. Recoil springs will usually be stiff (95Decockers have a double spring…hey, it’s investment casted and this spring saves your wrist, the slide from cracking and wear & tear on the gun). I cannot believe anyone wouldn’t cycle the slide and thoroughly check the firearm for burrs of metal, etc. and if purchasing, dissassemble it & check, re-assemble (most gun dealers will show you how it’s done so you won’t come back with questions later like how do I get the rear assembly pin back in a Ruger Mark 2 pistol? “Make Sure” that the dealer will stand behind the purchase if it is a lemon. A local range, where you can rent a firearm and get basic instruction, burn 3 boxes (150rnds is nothing-it takes about 300 rounds to acquire the meaning of the magical “Glock trigger” and work any rough spots out), and find out if it is best for you.
If it don’t work, it should be the dealer’s responsibilty to get it fixed, exchange or refund your money & quit selling junk. Have any of these out of the box shooters read the owner’s manual?
First thing, strip it down, check & oil the parts (don’t leave any oil in barrel-this affects accuracy & it could explode!), re-assemble & work the slide few times, inspect for any cracks or defects. Good Luck & Happy Shooting…Gunsmoke

Gary
April 16, 2009

OK well it’s Obvious there are alot of people out there that are just plain Haters. I bought my Ruger SR9 April 4 2008. I have put at least 2000 yes I said 2000 rounds down the pipe. I will let you know I have fired many different types of weapons from Mosin Nagant 91/31 to 8 inch Howitzers. All brands and models of hand guns and rifles to say the least. Ususally when I buy a new weapon the first thing I do is take it apart make sure there is no excess anything in it, and I do this no matter whether it be a Hi-Point or a Kimber or whatever. You can find Junk in all of them. That is if you do a Military level inspection. I will admit I had one FTF with the Ruger before the recall since then and about 1500 rounds later this pistol has performed flawlessly. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it or the Service I have received from Ruger to anyone. As for the GLOCK and SIG droids get a life! I like both of those weapons but you need to expand your horizons. You have to be open minded. I strongly support anything made in my country. That would be the United States Of America. Once again there are many many well made weapons out there by most all manufacturers. So don’t be so narrow minded that you miss a diamond while looking for rubies!

Gary
April 16, 2009

As for the comment from drstrangegun dated October 23, 2007

“From what I’ve seen, right out of the box the SR9 is full of crud, metal chips, and thick vaseline-like grease. That alone can account for a nasty trigger.” I seriously doubt this persons honesty and integrity!

Les Jones
April 17, 2009

“I seriously doubt this persons honesty and integrity!”

I don’t. I know him personally. If he says it was full of crud, metal chips, and vaseline-like grease then it was.

Les Jones´s last blog post..The Top 10 Signs You Are Living in a Banana Republic

rich
July 3, 2009

just purchased an sr9 od green frame black stainless slide.gun looks good,functions reliably,trigger out and out sucks.I’ve owned numerous ruger firearms over my time at least half of them needed work ruger’s quality control is non-existant.If you want a really decent striker fired semi get an xd.I’ve owned glocks,m&p’s.and shot p99’s the xd kicked all their collective asses hands down the best semi-auto I’ve ever carried.my concealed carry weapon is a kahr p9 great gun as well.I carried a glock for over 20 years it took a couple years to switch to the xd but I’ll never go back.Full of grease an crud is true I am looking this gunk as I type.

Steve
July 10, 2009

Response for Mark (from February). I had the same problem with my SR9 (not firing) and during a qualification the range officer picked up on the reason. With the shorter reach of the SR9, my thumb was resting on the mag release. I was accidentally partially releasing it while shooting. With the mag partially out it acted like the safety was on. I adjusted my thumb position and have not had the problem since.

george mello
July 13, 2009

just bought a sr9 this is the best feeling gun i have ever owned and i was a dealer ived tried them all,everything about this pistol is great except trigger pull,its heavy and sponge like,not one ftf or fte in 500 rounds,mag release is a little stiff but its not a ispc gun,will keep it for self defence,2 inch at 15 yards its sure worth the money i paid $379) not bad if ruger had made a better trigger pull i would say this would be one of the all time selling guns how or why they missed this i dont know but ill keep it made in the usa

Wendell
August 22, 2009

I have had a SR9 for over a year now. Mine had the thick grease and metal files in it also and the mags were hard to load and the mag release was very hard to work. I cleaned and oiled it, shot over 2k rounds in it and the more you shoot it the better it gets. My sights were off and I shaved my front sight down some so I could lower the rear so it would not be so high. My big complaint is you can’t get other accessories for it the way you can a Glock. As a matter of fact I’m getting a Glock 19 tomorrow and adding a spring/rod type laser with a Crossbread Supertuck Deluxe holster. The G19 will be alittle easier to CC and lighter than the SR9. Otherwise you can’t go wrong with the Ruger. For more info on this gun go to “the firearm blog” the Ruger SR9. This site has the best info on this gun that I have seen with all problems addressed since it was created.

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