Ruger SR9
Ruger's Red October At the stroke of midnight yesterday, Ruger turned up an area of their website that may change how firearms are introduced to shooters. Rather than the long-accepted practice of offering previews and private showings to magazine writers months in advance (so as to allow the months of lead time necessary to get their writing and photography ready) Ruger stayed mum, shipping writers' guns out a day in advance of their announcement. Interestingly enough, The Gun Cellar in Hoover, Alabama - the FFL where my gun was shipped - told me they pre-ordered their SR9s based solely on pictures - there were no advance pistols available. Appropriately enough, this new rollout concept has been called "Red October." Like like the movie of the same name, the launch was synonymous with an unexpected change - although I wouldn't characterize the introduction as a sneak attack. It truly was a novel idea - after hearing the "buzz" about a new shooter, shoppers would walk into a gun store - and there, in all its newness would sit the new Ruger SR 9. No months of waiting, no hoping the final product would resemble the prototypes in the magazines, just an announcement that a new gun was -gasp- available. It truly is a new paradigm in firearms marketing. For those of us in the so-called "new media" it is a hope that the rest of the industry will realize that today's consumer isn't reliant on the "old ways" of collecting information anymore. Internet traffic on shooting sites today indicates the shooting community is very aware of this new idea - and they like it. The SR 9 is Ruger's new-from-the-ground-up entry into the polymer pistol category. The initial pistol is introduced in a pair of 9mm models, the SR9 (17+1 capacity) and SR10 (9+1) for those areas where "high capacity magazines" aren't allowed. It's also Ruger's first-ever striker-fired pistol. The SR9 pistol has a couple of features that should make it more than competitive with the standard at which it seems polymer pistols are compared - GLOCK. First, it has an ambidextrous manual safety. One ongoing criticism of GLOCK has always been the "safe action" system, rather than a traditional safety system. This new pistol has a manual safety - in the same position as the 1911 safety. Another benefit GLOCK has always enjoyed in the marketplace is price-point. It has made their products if not attractive (no one's ever accused them of being attractive), at least appealing to law enforcement agencies is their price. A GLOCK 17 (9mm/17 round capacity) carries a list price of $606.00 in its "kit" form (pistol, case, two magazines, speed loaded, cleaning kit, instruction manual and safety lock). For comparison, SIG's SP2022, their comparable polymer offering, retails for $613. Smith & Wesson's M&P 9mm carries a MSRP of $640. The Ruger SR9 with pistol, case, two magazines, magazine loader, instruction manual, and CADOJ-approved padlock has a listed retail price of $525.00. And before you start sending me scorching responses to the pricing, these are all MSRPs, not the prices at which these guns can be purchased. Prices vary. One of the common concerns about any new pistol is how to carry it. In many instances, you can get a new pistol and discover you don't have a holster it fits. Ruger's already anticipated this, with their website coming online complete with a holster compatibility chart for Hunter Leather, Galco, Bianchi, Uncle Mike's and Safariland. In other words, it appears to be the first rollout that has demonstrated the effectiveness of the "new media" (after 5 years, it doesn't seem new to us) in bringing a product to market. Imagine, you read about a new pistol (or watch the video online) and get an idea about the features and how it looks in the hands of shooters. Then, click a link, locate a local deal from the 500 stocking dealers, then you go to the ones in your area and you can actually handle - or purchase a SR9. FYI, the first 2,000 units sold include a limited edition Columbia River Knife & Tool M16-13Z knife. It is engraved with the SR9 logo and "first production run" (Note: Writers didn't get knives - those are reserved for customers). So how does it shoot? Right out of the gate, my first impression was "feels like a 1911." For me, that's important. There's lots of science concerning grips, grip angles and such, but for me, the best feeling pistol sets up in my hand like the venerable 1911. Another initial impression was that it was very thin. It is. If you prefer a little more backstrap, the flat flips over to give you a swell in the back. It's a nice touch if you, like me, are a bit "ham handed." I've not seen the reversible idea before, and it's not a bad idea - I'm like grip sizing options, but I'm bad about forgetting where I put the other sizes. Controls are logically placed, and ambidextrous. It settles well into my hand and feels good, although one of my shooting companions didn't think it was thick enough. Again, a personal preference, his hands are longer than mine. It is only appropriate that I state clearly that virtually any pistol on the planet is capable of shooting better groups than I. There's no way I'm going to talk about punching tiny groups with a brand-new gun. Likewise, as I have never carried a defensive sidearm in a Ransom-type pistol rest, I do my shooting either from off hand or resting on a bench. I am a "human factors engineer", i.e., I am all about how something "feels". I quite easily kept everything in the "guaranteed to hurt" areas of a silhouette target at 7, 10 and 15 yards. I'm probably never going to engage anything much beyond those distances, so that seems perfectly acceptable to me. As in any skill, the more rounds I put through the gun, the better the groups. After 100 rounds, I was very confident the SR9 was absolutely capable of putting rounds on target. With the adjustable sights, a minor adjustment for my slightly off-center hold put the rounds where I was pointing. The short shooting story - it felt good in my hand, came out of my existing holster very well, and put the shots into the center mass with no adjustment necessary to my shaky grip, questionable stance and modified-to-suit-me style. Straight off-the-counter, it seems to be to be a solid performer that made a very flashy entrance. What I really like about the SR9 is that your personal impression may be different. But it won't take you six months or longer to find out. All you have to do is go to one of the Ruger dealers, go there, and see for yourself how it looks - and feels. If you like it, you can take it home, too. Now THAT's innovative. Get out there this weekend and have some fun - and introduce a friend to shooting. They'll thank you. Be safe. --Jim Shepherd
Ruger's Red October At the stroke of midnight yesterday, Ruger turned up an area of their website that may change how firearms are introduced to shooters. Rather than the long-accepted practice of offering previews and private showings to magazine writers months in advance (so as to allow the months of lead time necessary to get their writing and photography ready) Ruger stayed mum, shipping writers' guns out a day in advance of their announcement. Interestingly enough, The Gun Cellar in Hoover, Alabama - the FFL where my gun was shipped - told me they pre-ordered their SR9s based solely on pictures - there were no advance pistols available. Appropriately enough, this new rollout concept has been called "Red October." Like like the movie of the same name, the launch was synonymous with an unexpected change - although I wouldn't characterize the introduction as a sneak attack. It truly was a novel idea - after hearing the "buzz" about a new shooter, shoppers would walk into a gun store - and there, in all its newness would sit the new Ruger SR 9. No months of waiting, no hoping the final product would resemble the prototypes in the magazines, just an announcement that a new gun was -gasp- available. It truly is a new paradigm in firearms marketing. For those of us in the so-called "new media" it is a hope that the rest of the industry will realize that today's consumer isn't reliant on the "old ways" of collecting information anymore. Internet traffic on shooting sites today indicates the shooting community is very aware of this new idea - and they like it. The SR 9 is Ruger's new-from-the-ground-up entry into the polymer pistol category. The initial pistol is introduced in a pair of 9mm models, the SR9 (17+1 capacity) and SR10 (9+1) for those areas where "high capacity magazines" aren't allowed. It's also Ruger's first-ever striker-fired pistol. The SR9 pistol has a couple of features that should make it more than competitive with the standard at which it seems polymer pistols are compared - GLOCK. First, it has an ambidextrous manual safety. One ongoing criticism of GLOCK has always been the "safe action" system, rather than a traditional safety system. This new pistol has a manual safety - in the same position as the 1911 safety. Another benefit GLOCK has always enjoyed in the marketplace is price-point. It has made their products if not attractive (no one's ever accused them of being attractive), at least appealing to law enforcement agencies is their price. A GLOCK 17 (9mm/17 round capacity) carries a list price of $606.00 in its "kit" form (pistol, case, two magazines, speed loaded, cleaning kit, instruction manual and safety lock). For comparison, SIG's SP2022, their comparable polymer offering, retails for $613. Smith & Wesson's M&P 9mm carries a MSRP of $640. The Ruger SR9 with pistol, case, two magazines, magazine loader, instruction manual, and CADOJ-approved padlock has a listed retail price of $525.00. And before you start sending me scorching responses to the pricing, these are all MSRPs, not the prices at which these guns can be purchased. Prices vary. One of the common concerns about any new pistol is how to carry it. In many instances, you can get a new pistol and discover you don't have a holster it fits. Ruger's already anticipated this, with their website coming online complete with a holster compatibility chart for Hunter Leather, Galco, Bianchi, Uncle Mike's and Safariland. In other words, it appears to be the first rollout that has demonstrated the effectiveness of the "new media" (after 5 years, it doesn't seem new to us) in bringing a product to market. Imagine, you read about a new pistol (or watch the video online) and get an idea about the features and how it looks in the hands of shooters. Then, click a link, locate a local deal from the 500 stocking dealers, then you go to the ones in your area and you can actually handle - or purchase a SR9. FYI, the first 2,000 units sold include a limited edition Columbia River Knife & Tool M16-13Z knife. It is engraved with the SR9 logo and "first production run" (Note: Writers didn't get knives - those are reserved for customers). So how does it shoot? Right out of the gate, my first impression was "feels like a 1911." For me, that's important. There's lots of science concerning grips, grip angles and such, but for me, the best feeling pistol sets up in my hand like the venerable 1911. Another initial impression was that it was very thin. It is. If you prefer a little more backstrap, the flat flips over to give you a swell in the back. It's a nice touch if you, like me, are a bit "ham handed." I've not seen the reversible idea before, and it's not a bad idea - I'm like grip sizing options, but I'm bad about forgetting where I put the other sizes. Controls are logically placed, and ambidextrous. It settles well into my hand and feels good, although one of my shooting companions didn't think it was thick enough. Again, a personal preference, his hands are longer than mine. It is only appropriate that I state clearly that virtually any pistol on the planet is capable of shooting better groups than I. There's no way I'm going to talk about punching tiny groups with a brand-new gun. Likewise, as I have never carried a defensive sidearm in a Ransom-type pistol rest, I do my shooting either from off hand or resting on a bench. I am a "human factors engineer", i.e., I am all about how something "feels". I quite easily kept everything in the "guaranteed to hurt" areas of a silhouette target at 7, 10 and 15 yards. I'm probably never going to engage anything much beyond those distances, so that seems perfectly acceptable to me. As in any skill, the more rounds I put through the gun, the better the groups. After 100 rounds, I was very confident the SR9 was absolutely capable of putting rounds on target. With the adjustable sights, a minor adjustment for my slightly off-center hold put the rounds where I was pointing. The short shooting story - it felt good in my hand, came out of my existing holster very well, and put the shots into the center mass with no adjustment necessary to my shaky grip, questionable stance and modified-to-suit-me style. Straight off-the-counter, it seems to be to be a solid performer that made a very flashy entrance. What I really like about the SR9 is that your personal impression may be different. But it won't take you six months or longer to find out. All you have to do is go to one of the Ruger dealers, go there, and see for yourself how it looks - and feels. If you like it, you can take it home, too. Now THAT's innovative. Get out there this weekend and have some fun - and introduce a friend to shooting. They'll thank you. Be safe. --Jim Shepherd