Picked up My First Handgun Today (Ruger SR9c)

[sneaky98gt]

Yup, went to the Dixie Gun and Knife Show in Raleigh today. Got a great deal on it, paid $400 out the door. I've shot my brother's SR9c before, and I really like it. I can't wait to get back home and put some rounds through mine.

Pics:







Is pretty much a perfect fit to my hand:



Nice high-visibility sights:



More good fit:



Very thin, which is a good thing as I intend to conceal carry this gun.



It comes with a 2nd, 17 round magazine and grip extension, which is very nice when just shooting for fun.





And that's it. Can't wait to shoot it a bit and get my CCW permit.

 

['13_ImpactBlue_GT]

Nice grab for $400 Another big for the 17 round mag!!

 

[VibrantRedGT]

The pinky extender and the extra magazine extender really makes that gun. Without either of those it wouldn't fit your hand and have too much recoil for what you're holding. My Walther PK380 has a little bigger frame then your Ruger and fits on my hands perfectly. You like a non boxy gun like me which is why I got my Walther. That's a nice purchase and perfect for carry.

My big hands.

 

[sneaky98gt]

Yup, that pinky rail really makes it a lot easier to control. I really was amazed at how well it shoots compared to the limited few other handguns that I've shot, especially considering it's size and weight.

You also have an HK USPc, correct? Damn I'd love to have one of those, but it's a little out of my price range right now. Might get one sometime later this year, though.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

Yes, that's me. Obviously it's the best gun I own. I have the USPc in .45 caliber which has just about no recoil for a .45 (like the 1911). It's my home protection gun. It's way too expensive to carry. I get a lot of people asking about at the range though, it's very popular if you know guns. Nice purchase on the Ruger, just a perfect gun for carry.

Here is the S&W Sigma .40 & HK USPc .45



HK with Tactical Light.

 

[D Durden]

Nice! That's a really "stylish" piece there. Let us know how it shoots!

 

[sneaky98gt]

Yes, that's me. Obviously it's the best gun I own. I have the USPc in .45 caliber which has just about no recoil for a .45 (like the 1911). It's my home protection gun. It's way too expensive to carry. I get a lot of people asking about at the range though, it's very popular if you know guns. Nice purchase on the Ruger, just a perfect gun for carry.

Gosh that is such a nice looking gun. And yea, I'd never carry it. Just a fun/reliable gun to shoot and keep by the bed. I bought the Ruger for carry because it's relatively cheap, yet still fully capable of being a fun gun to shoot on Sunday afternoons.

Nice! That's a really "stylish" piece there. Let us know how it shoots!

Yea, I really like the way it looks. I've shot a couple hundred rounds through my brother's SR9c, and really like it. But I've been doing a lot of reading and watching videos on how to grip a handgun, stances, recoil management, etc. (as I've never really shot a handgun much before). So I really want to try my new-found tactics out and see how it feels.

 

[D Durden]

Sounds like you're going about it the right way. You might want to grab a good defensive handgun class from a reputable company, say like Front Sight. I like some of their philosophies on instruction.

Once you get comfy with the gun, if you want to have some REAL fun, see if there are any USPSA competitions in your area and check one out. See what kind of gear you need, and try it out!

 

[VibrantRedGT]

Here are some charts that have helped people become more consistent.

Oh, and when I go to the range I don't buy their targets or ammo, I bring my own. I pay $8 an hour and that's it.

Here is a good website to print out targets.

http://www.reloadbench.com/pdf.html

For right handed people.


For left handed people.

 

[sneaky98gt]

Well, have finally gotten around to putting some rounds through it. Between yesterday and today so far, I've got 300 rounds through it, with absolutely no problems at all. I'm planning on putting another 200 through it today. I really do like the way it shoots. It has some recoil, but I don't really have any reference, and it is still very controllable. I can put 10 rounds on a 12" target at 15 yards pretty dang quick. And accuracy? This thing is on the money. Popped a Pepsi can at 80 yards in only 7 shots, and all of the shots were within a foot or two (probably as a result of the shooter, not the gun.....). And I can hit a can at 25 feet at least half of the time (again, probably more the shooter than the gun).

Vibrant, that chart is very helpful. I have noticed I'll throw one down and to the left every so often. So I'm thinking I need to practice on proper trigger pull to get that fixed.

Also, went and took a CCW class today. So I've got to get all that paperwork turned in, and hopefully I'll have my CCWs within a couple of months.

 

[sneaky98gt]

Shot another 300 flawless rounds through it this afternoon. Also shot a couple other 9mm guns, and I can confidently say I like this one the best. Shot a Glock 26, M&P 9, and Springfield XdM. And I undoubtedly can say that I like my Ruger SR9c the best. I especially didn't like the Springfield.

Also got a chance to work on my target shooting a little bit with it. Here's what it did:



This was from 15 yards. 3 10-round magazines, shot in around 10 seconds each. It's nothing awesome or anything, but I think it shows that the gun is pretty accurate and controllable. I'm sure I can do better after I practice a bit. I am 100% sure that those outliers in the black were me, and not the gun. I shot the last magazine in about 5 seconds, and I know I pulled most of them pretty low.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

Wow, nice grouping on that target. That's all that counts to experts. I think you got your new piece down already.

I've memorized the charts I posted above (in lefty) so If grouping down to the right I know in my mind I've got way to much grip and make the correction on the next shot. Looking at your target above you might be holding it too tight when pulling the trigger. I love being able to make the necessary correction.

From the tone of your post I can tell you made a great purchase.

 

[bynummustang]

Please Will, don't mount a light on your pistol. It looks cool, but if you're in a situation where you need a light, and are worried about someone shooting or returning fire, that pistol mounted light will do nothing but give the shooter something to shoot at. PM/text me and I'll show you a few much better alternatives.