Whenever I hear the letter combination “SR” I think of the SR-71 Blackbird, the sexiest object ever created by hand of man. While the Ruger SR45 doesn’t quite achieve the legendary spy plane’s height of horniness, it is, nonetheless, a deeply desirable ballistic battler. It’s the kind of gun that reminds a Glock guy why he’s like a happily married man; constantly reminding his high school buddies that looks aren’t everything. True dat. At the end of the day (or the muzzle) a gun’s got to git ‘er done. Does the Ruger SR45’s performance and utility match its suave demeanor? Yes and no. But first a little more about the Ruger SR45’s siren song . . .
In the same way that a tall woman can make even the most style-challenged dress seem drop-dead gorgeous, the jumbo-sized SR45 elevates the already comely SR series to supermodel status. The big Ruger’s a perfectly scaled and wonderfully proportioned minimalist classic. The indent on the slide at the muzzle end shows its designer’s attention to detail. The handgun’s bold graphics, grip-angle aligned slide striations and fine-checkering make it Ermenegildo Zegna of semis.
The SR45 may look tall and tan and young and lovely but the gun is something of an optic illusion. The big Ruger’s exactly the same width as the sine qua non of full-size .45-caliber striker-fired polymer pistols: the 1.27″ wide Glock 21. Even though the American pistol holds three fewer cartridges than Gaston’s handiwork (10 vs. 13), an unloaded SR45 is almost four ounces heavier than a G21 (30.15 vs. 26.8 ounces). That said, no full-size .45 is for the feint of hip.
The SR45’s handle offers enough grip space to accomodate a gorilla-sized support hand. With plenty ‘o heft and a low bore axis, muzzle flip’s a moot point. As you’d expect from a modern gun at this price point, accuracy’s not an issue. Exploiting a sight radius longer than the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, peering through remarkably useful adjustable three-dot sights, your humble scribe fired 11 rounds on a sheet of computer paper at 10 yards in less than three seconds. I also shot a mag’s worth of bullets through the same hole at five yards. [That’s Steve above and below.]
The SR45’s trigger accounts for much of my mad shooting skilz. The semi-automatic handgun’s go-pedal has none of the grit that bedeviled the SR40; it’s as smooth as a snifter of Speyside. Rhode Islanders will be pleased with the trigger’s relatively short travel in both directions. And Glock guys will be happy with the solid CLICK on reset. Unfortunately, the SR45’s trigger has no appreciable breaking point. At some point in the squeezing process the thing just goes off. The surprise break is great for square range marksmanship but not so great for self-defense . . .
You’re pushing the SR45 out during a defensive gun use (DGU). The bad guy’s in your sights. Your finger is on the trigger. You squeeze your index finger to “register” the trigger. You decide not to fire. Only you do, anyway. Or the bad guy’s moving. You’re squeezing the big Ruger’s trigger slightly, subconsciously deciding on the exact moment to fire. Only you shoot a fraction of a second too early. Or a moment too late. And yes, “average” armed self-defenders can make such fine distinctions—even or especially under stress.
And then there’s still the SR45’s ergonomic issues: the largest member of the SR family retains Chicklet-sized external switches. It takes enormous pressure and dexterity to work the SR45’s minuscule slide stop. You can sweep off the SR45’s safety easily enough. Putting it back on with your thumb is like trying to play chopsticks with one hand. During an adrenalin dump, when fingers turn to flippers, you’d be SOL. If you want to re-holster your gun in a safe condition after a DGU, fuhgeddaboudit.
I’m also no fan of any self-defense handgun whose sights are round-edged at the front; you can’t cycle the gun with the heel of your shoe. But that’s me. Zooming out, we’re talking about an all-American polymer pistol that’s a full Franklin cheaper than the Austrian alternative; a 1911-sized gun that’s Helena Svedin to Glock’s Rosie O’Donnell (and Springfield’s Predator-styled XD). And while the big Ruger may not match the Glock’s proven reliability, yet, the SR45 ate a thousand rounds of mixed brand ammo like Adam Richman downing sliders.
If you’re a capacity-relaxed buyer who wants to carry a cool-looking big ass .45 with a proper-sized external safety I’d recommend stumping-up another $90 for the Smith & Wesson M&P45 (soon to feature the Shield’s most excellent trigger). Or save-up another three bills for a drop-dead gorgeous Ruger SR1911. That said, if you’re a sucker for a pretty gun it’s best to buy a Ruger SR45 sooner rather than later. The big semi doesn’t go Mach 3 but I reckon it’ll sell mach schnell. Whether it’s high-flying military machines or large-caliber firearms, sex appeal is its own reward.
The SR45 for this review was provide by The Kentucky Gun Company.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Caliber: 45 Auto
Grip Frame: Black, High Performance, Glass-Filled Nylon
Sights: Adjustable 3-Dot
Barrel Length: 4.50″
Length:8.00″
Height: 5.75″
Width: 1.27″
Weight: 30.15 ounces unloaded
Capacity:
Price: $529 msrp
RATINGS (Out of Five Stars)
Style * * * * *
Sexy.
Ergonomics (carry) * *
Big, wide, heavy, long.
Ergonomics (firing) * * * *
Minimum muzzle flip, OFWG-friendly three-dot sights. Smooth trigger doesn’t break cleanly enough for self-defense work.
Reliability * * * * *
One-thousand rounds of mixed ammo. No problems.
Customize This * * * * *
Lights and lasers on their way.
OVERALL RATING * * *
A reliable, accurate, good-looking gun that doesn’t “get” self-defense.
“Slide Release”?
What is that?
One should never use the ‘Slide Lock’ as a ‘Slide Release’.
Never.
I don’t. People do, so it’s a problem. Still, text amended.
Not this crap again.
The “Slide Lock/Slide Release” debate is pointless.
You run your gun your way, Ill run my gun my way. Either way, the bad guy won’t care.
ST, you are more than welcome to run your gun your way. Far be it for me to think you would run your gun any other way.
Still, many shooters have yet to be informed of the true function of the ‘Slide Lock’, and the potential hazards of using it for any other purpose, especially releasing the slide into battery.
Any reputable defensive gun training program will advise you to not use the slide lock as a slide release, because the recoil spring will not be fully compressed and will therefore (potentially) not have the correct energy required to properly strip and chamber a cartridge from the magazine while returning the slide to full battery.
To accomplish this task properly without risking ‘short stroke’ failures, the slide should be pulled back fully, and released, without riding it home.
Sure, the difference may only be an eighth or a quarter of an inch in slide travel, but the recoil spring is storing a lot of energy during that final compression, energy the firearm engineers calculated as being necessary to guarantee flawless operation.
And, yes, no gun is ‘flawless’, but why learn bad habits that can (and will) contribute only to the list of potential failure scenarios when your life is on the line?
I know SWAT officers who use it as a slide release with no problems. If the gun runs properly that way, I don’t see a problem with it, though I don’t do it myself.
I think the bigger danger is that it’s a fine motor skill, and even if the gun works, you might not do it right under stress unless you practice a lot.
There are many reputable trainers that teach depressing the slide lock/release to get the gun back in battery in a slide-lock reload.
This is a matter in which people can arrive at valid yet contradicting conclusions.
“…energy the firearm engineers calculated as being necessary to guarantee flawless operation”
Can’t agree with you on this assumption. There are guns that the factory claims were specifically designed (by the engineers) for using that little button as a release as well as a lock. Your statement almost certainly does apply to some models, but it certainly does not apply to all.
Heck, there are guns that are specifically designed to drop the slide from lock upon insertion of a loaded magazine.
Some gun manuals do not say one way or the other, but the distance you can retract the slide beyond where it rests on the lock is so incredibly small as to have nearly no measurable difference in spring tension or slide speed upon release (and, yes, I actually do have experience designing springs). Heck, considering how so many people accidently ride the slide just a little bit after pulling it back and “releasing” it, they may very well have higher slide speeds (or, at least, consistently higher) by using the lock as a release. It may be harder for some people to mess that up.
^^^ all that said, for my own training I personally choose to pull back on the slide to release it. It DOES slow down mag changes vs. using the strong hand thumb to release. Whether you think it’s a lot of time or an inconsequential amount of time is also subjective.
I may not be a firearms engineer persay, but I am an engineer who has worked on firearms, as well as a whole host of other things. And no, if you evaluate Hooke’s law and elastic moduli, its a linear function. The extra energy you get from the last 1/8 of an inch of compression compared to the overall travel length of the spring is negligible. If that last 1/8 of an inch was the difference between a feed and a jam, there are a lot of other issues to deal with, like a spring rate that is too low.
Besides, to put a more common sense angle on it. If the firearms engineers didn’t want you use the slide release as a slide release, they wouldn’t design it to work like a slide release. You want an example. The PPK has no slide release. The mechanism is all internal. You have to sling shot it on a loaded mag (or no mag). You put a button on the side of the gun, in easy reach of the shooter’s thumb, if you expect the shooter to push it.
You are just regurgitating the bullshit that you have read on the interwebz about the slide lock. Tell that shit to the 100s of thousands of competitive shooters that understand their weapon systems, and save precious time by using the slide release. Many tactical instructor’s advocate it, or at least have no preference. As far as it harming the weapon – get real. That is ignorance. Kahr Arms specifically states to use the slide release on their weapons and not to slingshot/power stroke the slide. Both ways work. Guess what else is a fine motor skill? Trigger manipulation, sight alignment, and manipulation of the mag release.
RKBA, you are regurgitating typical Web gun-guru nonsense. It’s too bad because before a few people replied to let everyone know you were spewing forth nonsense, some beginners might have read what you said and believed it. Better to do a little research before buying into many of these “Internet” firearm’s myths. I prefer an overhand slingshot rack, but during competition, I probably see more high quality shooters using the slide stop.
It’s a bit like the Snap Cap Cowboys. Dry firing is part of our manual of arms before leaving the firing line. You let someone seeing you insert a Snap Cap and you’ll be called out for it. Or, failing to rack the slide on an empty chamber. Or like this above article, emphasizing some Glock type tacticool trigger release for defensive firearms as if you’re going to be holding a partially depressed trigger somewhere past the wall, waiting for some known break, all while under stress. Mr. TAG writer, keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to press the bang lever. I don’t care what kind of Glocktard you might be. I get muzzled and swept by more Glock owners than all other brands combined. You see a person show up on a range with their little Glox Box, and you keep your eyes open, especially when they’re wearing range borrowed ear muffs. The myths abound.
Truth on : My way your way unless there be an SOP , Point being comfort/familiarity/function=positive results in CQB= SURVIVAL! … Good stuff ! Thanks.
If you start using your slide lock as a slide release on a regular basis eventually the notch that the lever fits into will wear to the point that it will no longer hold the slide back. Some makes/models are more prone to this type of misuse/failure but all are affected in some way.
Using it as a “Slide Release” has never given me any problems with Glocks, M&P’s, and XD’s.
This issue is very minor in the grand scheme of things when shooting semi-auto pistols.
The owner’s manual for my Kahr CM9 says to ALWAYS use the slide release.
That’s correct – in fact not using the slide release will cause a FTL on the 2nd round.
I own a Kahr CM9 and have experienced that issue at the range.
Colt 1911, S&W 3913, Kahr K9 Elite, Kahr K40 Elite, Walther P99CQA, HK P2000SK, XD 9811,9802,9301,9402
Forty- five years, wife twenty-two years, untold thousands of rounds.
Always use slide stop.
Never had a problem.
In regards to the trailer pulled on the SR 45 anyone who has been in a gunfight knows that you will not even think about the turtle pull and will think about your target .
The trigger is what breaks it for me. That’s a serious safety issue, one that needs to be fixed sooner rather than later.
I’m not a .45 fan. But the big Ruger (aren’t they all) actually feels good in my hand.
I actually own a SR45, and got rid of my M&P .40 because I like the bigger caliber size bullet. I really don’t see any difference between the SR45 and the M&P. I guess it’s just all about perception. Some ppl like what they like, but in the end all the guns will kill, except a highpoint, LOL! Why pay more money for something that’s going to do the exact same job. Doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s like the Army hiring more civilians to do a job that military personnel can do for cheaper; makes no sense, but listen to this clown if you want too!
What detrimental effect does using the slide lock as a release have on the firearm? Or is it a safety/other concern? I try not to do this, however, it is something that seems to be pretty common.
Please see my reply above.
Well, it’s said that over time, repeated use of the slide stop as a release can wear the stop down to the point where the slide won’t lock back anymore. I’ve seen this on a number of rental guns, and the occasional used gun.
Some guns will not reliably chamber a cartridge when using the slide stop (though most will), and not all guns have an external slide stop and many that do don’t have one in the same spot. So if you have multiple pistols it would make more sense to train without using the slide stop as a release.
Finally, there’s also the idea that, in a life or death situation, you defer to “gross” motor skills instead of “fine” motor skills, and trying to thumb a slide stop is going to be a lot more difficult than yanking back on the slide. That’s something that people say a lot, though I haven’t seen anything that actually backs it up besides sounding good in theory.
The argument also comes down to the habit some have of dropping the slide on an empty chamber. Most people who don’t see harm in doing so will use the slide stop to do it. Whether that actually causes damage or not, beats me.
Hope I answered your question
Makes me miss my Ruger P90… A b!tch to conceal but it could out shoot my Colt Commander and SigP220.
That was a sweet gun. It’s really hard to complain about my P89dc…but there are days I do wish I had opted to keep the P90 instead of the 9mm.
External safety is a non-starter for me, but I’m glad to see it nonetheless. One hopes the SR series is an evolutionary step for Ruger.
This. Lose the external safety and I might be a buyer.
I am not a fan of this gun. The only semi auto Rugers I like are the lcp, lc9, and sr 22. Other than those I thinks they are all ugly and cheap looking, and I have heard of to many reliability issues with them.
Reliability issues? I had an SR9c for over a year, put well over 1,000 rounds of the cheapest, nastiest stuff I could find through it with nary a hiccup. Light, 17+1 capacity, and more accurate than I am. Putting the safety on was a pain, but thumbing it off during a draw was plenty easy. All in all, anyone who complains about ‘reliability’ issues with the SR series comes across as attempting to justify spending a lot more for a name-brand plastic fantastic that does the exact same thing. Sometimes not as well.
I love my SR9c as well. Just holding it makes me feel better, and I’ve never had a problem with it.
+1
Also doubles as a hammer
Ugly? Cheap looking?
Have you SEEN the Mark III Hunter?
I didn’t even need to see a Mk III Hunter to know that I wanted one, and bought one online last year. I LOVE that pistol. Still torn on whether to hump a scope on top of it or stick to the irons, OK, plastic and iron. Gorgeous pistol and superb ergonimics!
I’d rather have an M&P 45 for that price.
Great review RF. Loved the Man v. Food reference…now that is the life.
From what I have read and seen, the street price is around $440. Not a bad deal.
Hey, most stock AR triggers have a bunch of creep. It doesn’t stop them from being used in military, civilian, and LE applications. It is, arguably, more of an issue in a handgun. I’m not defending the trigger, just thinking out loud. All my ARs – work guns included – have creepy single stage triggers.
The SR45 does not seem to be a superior gun, on paper, than the Glock 21 SF. 13 rounds of .45, relatively decent accuracy, and stone cold reliability are a tough combination to beat. It is, however, better looking. Please don’t compare Glocks to Rosie O’Donnel. Glocks are not *that* ugly, and they have a certain utilitarian charm. Not so much for Rosie O.
Looks nice if Ruger improved trigger pull then we it might be interesting. It dose look like another Glock clone but if it has a grip normal people can grip (Glocks way too bulky) then it may get use in LE and Security.
Looks cheap to me. Why buy this when the m&p is a proven platform for a similar amount of money.
Yep, tons of proven platforms already.Ruger making pistols is like Remington making pistols, stick to what you do best. You don’t see Glock trying to take on Beretta in bird guns.
+1, I’d like to see some more Ruger revolvers added to the lineup (The only addition this year was one in 480 Ruger)
If you want to have only one 45 caliber pistol don’t waste your time with a polymer. Get a 1911. For those of you who don’t like 45 and live in a state with or soon to have restrictions on JHP learn to love the big round because when you are restricted to FMJ you are going to want that 230 grains of mass for personal defense.
+1
I still prefer to buy a used Sig, Beretta, Glock or H/K than a new Ruger. Just my experience with the brand.
+1
Am I the only one thats not impressed with the look of Rugers handguns? 5 stars & “sexy” is a bit much. Give me Sig, FN, Glock, S&w, Beretta, CZ,…but they definitely look better than Hi Points…
Ruger’s an old man brand, no reason to give them a chance in category already chock full A+ performers. They should stick making rifles. Their .22 takedown is a nice plinker and their scout rifle is pretty nice.
No, you’re not alone. I don’t find the Ruger handguns any more than “meh.” Five stars and “supermodel sexy” is really, really overstating it.
I’m really not a fan of the billboard model name down the side of the slide. For comparison, I like the looks of both SIGs and XD(M) variants for different but basically equal reasons. SIGs are great looking guns, and XD(M) variants are tough but functional in appearance, and functional is beautiful. I don’t dislike Glocks, I just don’t find that they give me an opinion in either direction.
Used to feel the same way until I tried my co-workers SR9c and the excellent trigger it had. I was plenty accurate it with it too, and outshot the owner and another co-worker testing it out. That alone has me tempted to pick up an SR45, but I absolutely adore my XD 45 and it is truly my favorite pistol, all-around. Still, and it could just be the beer talking, but I am very, very tempted to get one of these having ogled them once again.
Agree, not top shelf pistols. Would take one over a Taurus but not much else. Good .22 pistols and rifles. Centerfires just don’t have it. Feel clumsy.
Yeah in fairness to ruger I forgot to mention their little LC line of super compacts are pretty good for what they are too.
Hey now, Ruger makes some really nice revolvers.
I like My SR45.No problems.
Nothing special here. I’d pick a G21 over the Ruger anytime. Or a P220 at twice the price.
Still, it’s worth a closer look if it’s half as reliable as the Ruger P345 I had. That damn thing was a garbage disposal–fed my worst reject handloads and the best premium hollow points with total reliability. Accurate too.
Helena Svedin?
The pistol is far better looking.
I don’t need a handgun that has to be pin-point accurate more than 100 yards, that’s what rifles are for. I do need a handgun that is anvil reliable. It has to go bang, all the time , every time. I think the ruger SR45 will fit the bill. I have never had a Ruger that was not 100 percent reliable. This sucks, just last month I told myself, “OK, no more guns!” Well’ maybe just this and a M1 Garand, then thats it!
I’m afraid I don’t get the criticism of the Ruger’s trigger. I am a police detective, and sufficiently skilled to shoot 100% on my department’s qualification course almost every year. I’ve been a cop 12 years, and have seen our department go from S&W 6906s, to 5946s, to Glock 17s, and now we’re about to switch to Glock 21s. When we got the Glocks, our range personnel instructed us to feel the trigger reset when we were shooting, but I can tell you that no one at our range, or the other LEO-focused training I’ve attended has EVER taught me to feel when the trigger is about to break. It’s a complete non-issue. Your finger is supposed to stay off the trigger until you decide to shoot. When you decide to shoot, you just press the trigger back in one smooth motion and shoot. You don’t need to feel when the gun is about to shoot, because you have already decided to shoot before even putting your finger on the trigger. If you are in any way uncertain as to whether or not you need to take the shot, your finger should not yet be on the trigger.
It actually sounds to me like you’ve got it exactly backward. Staging a trigger is something target shooters have done with double action revolvers for decades because it allows them to shoot consistent, tight groups on the range. But combat shooters are taught to execute a smooth, complete trigger stroke in one continuous motion.
“A reliable, accurate, good-looking gun that doesn’t ‘get’ self-defense?” I think it gets it just fine. If you’re planning on staging your trigger in a self-defense shooting, on the other hand, I think maybe you don’t.
Darren, agree 100%. Do not understand where staging the trigger is coming from lately in regards to defensive/service pistols. The pistol is also a good bit slimmer than a Glock 21…unless you compare a small lever on one pistol to the entire slide and frame of the other and consider it the same.
Darren, you absolutely are 100% from-the-textbook correct with every point you made. Combat and defensive shooting holds no place for trigger staging, most especially with semi-autos.
I agree 100% Darren. I love this Gun. I am just wondering about all these negative comments about this gun,if anyone of you making these comments has even shot this gun? I believe if you had ,you would be singing a different tune. ONE MANS OPINION…
I have owned a Ruger SR 45 for a couple years and have run a lot of rounds through it with out one single jam or problems. This peace is too cheap for what it is, I also have a Glock which I also like but it isn’t any better than the Ruger. I have been tempted to purchase a 1911 but quite honestly I believe that I have a better pistol in the SR 45.
In my opinion there isn’t a better semi-auto hand gun on the market for the money.
Amen
Regarding the Ruger SR45 and the other Ruger SR Models. I think they are one of the better looking and more attractive pistols on the market today. They also have a grip shape that is very ergonomic and fits my hand like a glove. I has a SR40C (Compact) model and loved it for CCW carry in an outside the belt holster. It was very reliable and pretty accurate. About other guns mentioned: Sigarms pistols are accurate, but fairly old school and heavy in weight. The ergonomics is not that great and they are way over-priced. But I still like them. I bought a Springfield Armory XDm 4.5 in .45acp. The Ergonomics were great and after shooting it I really loved it. It was the most accurate pistol I ever shot. One hole bulls-eye performance. I tried the Compact model but found the grip of the pistol feeling thicker and not as comfortable as the 4.5 size pistol. I have owned several 1911 style pistols over the years. Some of the Best have been a stainless 3-1/2″ barrelled Titan model in 45acp, and a full-size and Commander sized Smith&Wesson 1911’s in Stainless, and also a Para-Ordnance Commander sized pistol in Stainless with High Capacity and with their Double-Action type Hammer/Trigger. I have also owned one of the first SR1911’s from Ruger – However I was vastly dissappointed with the accuracy. As for which gun I miss the most – that is the Smith & Wesson Model 4506-1 in .45acp. The first edition that was a stainless / silver colored – with the silver anodized Trigger, Hammer, and safety levers. And with the rounded trigger guard. I owned many and unfortunately sold them. I always thought they would be available. Also – I think a lot of people who commented on this article got way off track in discussing the Safety Lever and about releasing the slide. The proper use of this section would be to comment on the pistol in the article – the Ruger SR45 pistol.
A-men brother, I bought my SR45 about 6 weeks ago and my buddy bought a SR1911 the same day. Mine cost $489, I bought the first one I found, his was $799. But the first range session 300 rounds in my SR45 slide stop quit working (not the guns fault), I switched mags and 20 rounds later, same thing. So I called Ruger and told them their mags sucked, 4 days later I got 2 mew mags. No problems since, So far Ive shot about 1000 and he has shot about 700 rounds of lead cast bullets through our Rugers flawlessly. In this ammo drought we just keep a shootin cause we were prepared. Its hard to not like a 1911 (in fact I love it and he loves my SR45) but as gunnies we respect each others prefrences. I wouldnt trade. Just for kicks the other day I set up a human souloette target 100 yds and fired 10 rounds standing and put 9 on target (not aiming high) not bad for 5 cents a round! Triggers are triggers for arguments, what I like the next guy wont, so I respect opinions on triggers but the SR45 is fine for runnin and gunnin or targeting for me. The STANDARD will always be the Glock in striker fire, but I am a youth shooting instructer so I will never own a w/o safety gun period. Also Lead cast is a NO NO unless you order a standard twist barrel and never use the original in Glocks.
I don’t go with this guy.. With the pull distance and reset, in a gun battle your are going to be looking at your finger?
10 or 13.. What? Your going to the OK corral? I would rather hit the target than spray bullets all over the landscape, besides that is why we have police and gang bangers..
The SR45 was $419.00 with the crooked (I am in Illinois, the outlet for crooked Politics) governor getting $29.33.. $448.33 out the door on Saturday..
Gents, I bought a SR45 despite the comments on the original write-up. The exaggerated descriptors are misleading, no disrespect intended. I should tell you that I have the best grouping I have ever had with any .45 I have ever shot (4″ @ 15′, on target) mainly Glock, H&K, Taurus, FN. I attribute this to the gun fitting my hand and shooting style. My accuracy and grouping also remained consistent with my double tap drills. And, while I have large hands, I don’t have hands like a 7 foot Norseman. While the Glock was close in fit, I had issues correcting for my 7 o’clock grouping @ 4-5 inches off target. also, my double tap accuracy was not consistent. I attribute this, again, to the gun fitting my hand better than other .45’s. I do to ind the weight of the weapon an issue, nor do I care for the discussion n the trigger squeeze. One should never second guess a trigger squeeze, that is a dangerous “habit”.
The lesson for the readers is to dismiss the minutia, focus on the facts, and always try the gun before buying it. Also, as another brother said earlier. Focus on comments that concentrate on the weapon in its entirety.
Bottom line, the SR45 will be my new weapon of choice due to my improved accuracy and grouping with a .45. My previous primary weapon was my 9mm XDM.
Without starting another off base debate, I prefer the .45 caliber for its stopping power- and discussions with law enforcement family. And, as someone said earlier, I don’t need the 19 rounds my XDM offers. 10 rounds of a .45 is what I prefer for civilian use.
Got my SR45 6 months ago. $299.00 on Gunbroker. Brand new in the box both mag as well as all the paperwiork. Had some initial feed problems and called Ruger customer service. They were happy to rush me another mag at no charge. Had to tweak and play a bit with all the mags and polish and “massage” the feed ramp on the barrel. Gun wont shoot the cheap russian aluminum ammo. Those shit Tulammo rounds expand and jam in the barrel. Now have shot over 5000 rounds thru this gun and it shoots as well as my 80 Series Colt Gold Cup National Match Enhanced. I’m super happy and can’t wait for the SR45C to make it’s appearance.
joe
Where in Illinois did you get it for $419?
DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT take the advice of someone who talks about putting his finger on the trigger before making a decision as to whether to shoot or not in a deadly force encounter. The person who wrote this article has NO idea what he is talking about with regards to this pistol’s suitability for “self defense work.” Armed encounters are usually quick, deadly and close. You do NOT put your finger on the trigger until you are determined to destroy whatever is in the bullet’s path, and you sure as HELL do not decide whether or not to shoot while pulling the trigger and feeling for a breaking point.
The author also apparently doesn’t know how to measure the width of a firearm. The SR45 is in no way as wide as a G21. The width measurement given on the Ruger website is from safety lever to safety lever, a useless and misleading measurement in my opinion. Anyone with fully developed senses of touch and sight can tell that the overall width of the slide and frame are much slimmer than a G21, or a host of other pistols.
This is not a matter of opinion. These are facts.
Minus the bluster and I generally agree. I feel like the writer was mainly trying to communicate the feel of the trigger. Good point out from the basic gun rules tho- it probably needed saying.
Went and held this this one on monday. Have to say it makes my glocks feel like blocks. I love 1911s, and I love my Glocks… thats why the SR45 is my next weapon.
You know what I am sick of is all these reviews that I have read about how this gun is such a great weapon. (which is why I purchased it in the first place) I have had nothing but problems with mine from the start, bad clips,the slide won’t lock back if you can get it to fire a full clip of ammo and light primer strikes on 2 boxes of high end ammo and 1 box of the Russian stuff all FMJ. At first I thought that I just got a lemon but after doing some research I am finding that alot of people have had problems with this gun. I was talking about it at work and found out that another guy at work also has had problems with his gun, Ruger has replaced the clips, and said they repaired the problem with the light primer strikes but when I went out to shoot it I did not even get through a clip and it still won’t fire right. I have never had such problems with any of my other guns. glocks, s&w,interarms cat9, kimber, fnh, SR1911, or any other hand guns I have. I think it’s time to get rid of it because even if I send it back in I will never trust it to function relieably again especialy when its my life and familys life on the line. And I am all done trusting gun reviews because I think that the reviewers get guns that are not what the general public buy at the local gun shop. This is the 2nd time I have trusted reviews from several magazines and online and was burnt. Oh by the way I was a big Ruger fan and have several guns from them but I think that their quality has slipped a bit in recent years with such a mad dash to get guns out as fast as they can. So if oy guys are going to do reviews go to the local gun stores and get your guns and give us the good,the bad ,and the ugly please.
By “clips” do you mean magazines?
I read the reviews on this gun and then we had a local gun show where a vendor actually had one for about 400 even. I was smitten. After only 100 rounds it’s a keeper for me. I shot it alongside my XD and I was surprised that I was shooting better with the SR than the XD. Looking forward to putting a lot more rounds through this pistol.
Shame the media does not show the truth behind “control”
It is the democratic party that was constantly on the forefront to stops blacks from obtaining a firearm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nckgyfGbdnU
Ok if ruger spent a ton of money to devolp the sr45. Logic would apply that useing the slide release at any time during use may be necessary. I am confident the development of the gun , concidered this as a function critical in design. I trust ruger that the spring will have enough energy to rack a round.
I usually shot revolvers and guns from the world wars- which gives me an antiquated benchmark I know, but I enjoy them. I got the sr45 because I wanted to stop pilfering my brothers 1911 and I wanted something I could carry in the woods that didn’t need to be un-chambered or carried locked like the 1911. I love the sr45, it was odd for me at first, but when I got the hang of it, I loved it. I havnt had any failure to fire problems after the first day, but I hear that alot of people have. Ruger is one of my favorite manufactures, so I really hope that enough people keep sending any problem guns back so that they can work out the outlying issues. I dumped taurus/rossi because they won’t work toward proper quality control as fit for firearms and the safeties are poorly integrated (I own two, and literally destroyed one after 8 months of customer dis-service and one instance of splayed lead all over the shooter’s arm) I will do the same with my Ruger if I have to, but it would upset me.
I recently bought a Ruger SR 45 and have had great experience with it. So far 100 rounds of 230 gr. FMJ WWB with only a light primer strike on round 73; i merely reset the striker and it went bag the next time. My accuracy was excellent with 3″ groups at 15 or 20 yards. The front sight is actually mounted off center on mine but the rear is adjustable. I have medium hands with long fingers, I actually love the feel of a CZ 97. The ruger is almost too slim for me, but still fills my hand.
I did clean the thing really well before shooting including the strikeer channel and assembly. If you do not do this, then you will have issues.
The trigger is great for me. I prefer single action and leave me finger off the trigger until go time. Once I place my finger on trigger, a flame will be coming out the end.
As for the safety, I use it to carry condition one and can brush it off with reflex. It is hard to reapply without use of off hand, but so what.
Just one man’s thoughts. For me it was $ well spent.
Fired the sr45 recently & liked it a lot. Surprised at how fast & accurately I was able to shoot it. The trigger was excellent & the grip felt very good in my small hands. Recoil seems soft for a .45. Unlike some who dislike the LCI, I find them very useful in a competition gun. The 3 dot sight is excellent too. The 10 round mag. is adequate. The only negative I found was the stiff slide, may not be good for people with hand strength problems. I’ll probably add one to my collection.
There are a lot of positive comments in this blog by SR-45 owners. I just bought one after reading Jeff Quinn’s write-up on the SR-45. Jeff said it was the most accurate .45 he’s ever shot and he’s shot and written about most of them. Others in this blog say the same thing regarding accuracy from their SR. As we all know, you don’t get accuracy from a sloppy trigger pull so something there is working properly. I haven’t shot mine yet but looking forward to it.
had my SR45 for a year now, just shy of 2500 rounds no issues. installed Trijicon night sights fall of last year, love em’. carry it it a Safariland multi-fit paddle holster, and retention is excellent and fit is perfect. aimed fire groups at 20 yards are sub-three inch and rapid fire at 10 yards is 4″. i’m tickled.
Some of the comments on here are just stupid and totally misguided. Ruger put 40,000 rounds through a production model before putting the SR45 on the market. It is as reliable as a Glock 21, Smith and Wesson M&P, etc.. My Ruger GP100 is more reliable than any of these auto-plastic-pistols but that is another thread for another day lol Some of the “Glock People” have less insight than my 16 year old Siamese cat because when I break the news to them that most of the good autopistols are now similar in reliability to their beloved Glocks I invariably get the “one was buried in the harbor of Miami for 17 years and still fired!” or the equally stupid, “Mine was full of mud, sand, and beetles and still fired flawlessly for 1000 rounds” I have seen Glocks jam, fail, etc. Not that often to be sure but it happens like ANY other semiauto pistol. .I have a couple M&P 45’s because the Glock 21 has the nominal “terrible” Glock ergonomics with a grip that reminds me of a tupperware container more than a real gun. I shot all three of these (SR45, G21, and M&P45 respectively) and due to the low bore axis and design, the SR45 has less recoil and is about 20% (my experience) easier to shoot than the others. It costs less than the Glock and has similar build quality. I am trading my M&P’s for 2 more of these SR45’s. They are superior, other than capacity, to the Glock 21 and less expensive.
well, i have shot all the big name pistols and revolvers. i have a m&p 40 and a glock 20 ,21 and 19 i love glocks and smiths hell i love hand guns. let me tell u i just bought my 1st ruger auto in 45 acp ,it was a sr 45 and i have never shot a more accurate pistol in any brand or cal. than this thing excluding 1911s im sold on it and if you are to stuburn to try one for the fear u might like it same on u . dont knock it till u try it u might b impressed
Pardon me, but having retired after teaching firearms skills at the State Police Academy for 25 years, I just have to add my two cents worth. Insofar as the “gross vs fine” motor skills debate is concerned, all these “expert” opinions are laughable. The truth is that you will play the way you have practiced, but if the manipulation of the slide release or “lock” is a fine motor skill….then what the heck do you think a smooth manipulation of the trigger amounts to? All this crap started when Glock pistols began gaining popularity and the tiny little mechanism known an the “slide lock” was so small that using it was nearly impossible for novice shooters. Rather than address the real problem of size, the folks at Glock started the “it’s bad for your pistol” misinformation campaign. Please note that Glock offers an “extended” version of the part which has a shelf to provide a greater mechanical advantage in depressing it to release the slide. Why would Glock purposely manufacture a part for their pistol if it would damage their product? Glock when approached in their early days regarding the magazine not “dropping free” of the pistol when depressing the magazine release (or is it a lock?) came up with the cock & bull story that it was intentionally designed that way so that officers in the Austrian armed forces wouldn’t be as prone to losing the magazine. They later manufactured a drop free metal lined magazine….end of story. Moral: look beyond the obvious…the truth is usually below the surface.
Just bought a SR45 today ($470)… Absolutely love my SR9c, but in our family we believe in “no replacement for displacement”! I’ve always wanted a .45 and I think this one fits the bill. As a lad I drempt of 1911s and adore them like my first love. However, I am an underpaid hourly auto worker and will never own a Ferrari or a Kimber… I love the price on this series of weapons! I love the feel of this pistol! My large hands can manipulate the safety just fine, and I have minimal difficulty “slamming” the slide into battery with the slide lock/release everyone went on about. I’ve put a box o’junk ammo through it and I can honestly say I don’t know WTF the author meant about the trigger pull! It breaks right where I expect it to (although it’s just about the same as my weathered SR9c, which i may be just accustomed to). Every rnd hit near where I expected it to. Trigger crisply reset, where I expected it to. Maybe I’ve just become so used to firing it’s little sister that when I put the full sized pistol in the pocket of my palm, everything fell to instinct. Bottom line for me is this: I love the brand. I love the SR series. I love .45s. Really love the price! This worked out well.
Life is good.
When the P250’s slide is locked back, there is no room for it to go much further and its called an ambidextrous slide release because there are levers on both sides but only the left one catches (barely) on the slide notch while the one on the right side is sitting in an open archway. Wirtgh only a fraction of an inch of lever holding the slide, pulling it back at all drops the lever like a bad date, so it’s safe to say that this slide lock is more of a temporary obstruction than a lock and flicking the lever from either side will launch your slide like an arrow in a crossbow.
With the PPQ and PPX, the slide lock is irrelevant to cocking the gun since it gets cocked with a pullback of about two inches and anything more than does nothing but look cool on video. The only reason you need to lock the slide back is to turn the takedown lever.
But, the bigger question is, is the SR45 a bitch to rack like its smaller siblings?
BTW, for a low price, high quality 1911, I’ll take a Rock Island Armory.
getting a 4.2 avg and yet three stars for final verdict? and you gave the glock 21 four stars when it is 100$ more and offers a very similar package(you even did a comparison) … not bashing the glock just saying the final verdict makes no sense to what you actually expressed in the article. Don’t know why you are so negative about the carry aspect of this gun, that is what the ENTIRE LC line is for geez.
“You squeeze your index finger to ‘register’ the trigger. You decide not to fire.”
Oh. My. God.
I know this is a relatively old review, but I don’t feel that the following has been stated enough in the comments section.
This guy apparenty doesn’t know one of the most basic, fundamental rules of gun handling past down from fathers to children, from the exprerienced to total neophytes – DON’T TOUCH THE TRIGGER UNLESS YOU INTEND TO FIRE.
Given the level of irresponsibility exhibited here as well as Robert Farago’s apparent lack of basic gun training, I would suggest that this review be deleted and for Mr. Fargo’s services to be discontinued – at the very least to preserve The Truth About Guns’ credibility as a sound source of firearm information and eduation.
As much less an expert then many of you, I have a different approach to the “finger on the trigger” discussion. Please, I am not disagreeing with anyone, merely offering my insight. I am not LEO or ex military and while I used to shoot a lot, not so much any more.
Try as I might I have never been able to successfully transition from the trigger finger outside of the guard to the pulling the trigger position without the aim point moving away from my intended target. My method, much practiced although I am sure flawed by the standards of well trained LEO’s etc., is to place my finger inside the trigger guard and “hover” my finger just barely touching the trigger so that if I have to fire I merely need to depress the trigger.
I was just never able to accurately hit my target in the midst of the outside the trigger well to inside on the trigger without losing my sight picture. And my Ruger SR40 that sits on the nightstand has a green laser on it so it’s merely “point and click!” Loved reading all the expert opinions here though – one can never have too much info….
My SR45 shoots as well as any gun made by a human hand.
I like my SR 45 as much as I liked my FNX 45. The FNX 45 had to be sent back because of a malfunction. The SR45 has not malfunctioned. I might add that my GP100 has not ever malfunctioned either. Rugers are excellent guns people can afford and do buy…….. period.
I reload for my 45 colt, and my SR45. I was told you can shoot 45ACP in a 45 auto but not 45 auto in an ACP is this correct. I can’t tell any difference in the two casings.
I HAVE THE RUGER SR45 AND THE SR40 THEY ARE FINE WEAPONS MINIMUM RECOIL ON THE SR45 FUNCTIONED FLAWLESSLY,ACCURATE,RELIABILITY JUST A TOUGH RELIABLE PISTOLS. JOEB.
it really is wrong to compare one weapon with another when it all comes down to the person controlling the weapon it does not aim or fire because one brand claims to be better than the other
You’ve the most impressive websites
Call me crazy but I SAW no discernible difference in the trigger break. What I did see was Glock bias by a Glock guy
I fell in love with the SR45 and bought one. The honeymoon was over when I took it to the range. My go to ammo is first Remington which my other 45’s happily digest. At this point let me report that Ruger Customer Service folks I rate very highly.
At the range I began having Fail To Feed, . Fail To Eject., and Fail To Extract and jams one event on average per magazine. At this point I introduced other brands of ammo and kept notes. The result was the same as with Remington.
Ruger Customer Service directed me to send it in. This caused me some discomfort which I have outgrown. Customer Service received my SR45 . Overhauled the firearm polishing/ replacing as they saw fit. One disturbing note was Rugers test ammo was identified as Black Hills. Why not something more commonplace.
The pistol was returned swiftly. And functions flawlessly with the more common ammo I normally shoot.
I like the pistol greatly now that it feeds and functions as expected.
Wow, That is some serious nitpicking. First, the trigger is one smooth movement, effortless and unfailing. It doesnt need a break point! I have an lc9, sr9e and and sr45. all three are never fail tough firearms that are dead on accurate, do not jam.I can shoot circles around all other brands as I get to shoot everything at my club. I never think of a pistol in terms of sexy. I like guns that put the bullet exactly where it belongs, every single time without breaking or wearing out. That is what the sr45 is . Don’t let the pretty face fool you. It’s a super effective side arm. Mean sumbich.
I was amazed when I first squeezed the trigger on my SR45. There is no break; it just continues until ignition. My wife shot it at 25 yards and nailed the cross-hair target dead center. She shoots it better than I do.
Will check other reviews that aren’t as much about the author and their “legend in my own mind” use of adjectives and distracting comparisons. realized about half way through it was more about the (insert fanfare intro now) author than the weapon…..
After reading most of the reviews, it sounds like Romper room full of cry babies. If you don’t like safeties, slide releases don’t use um. If you limpwrist and 45 it will jam. Dont compare the affordable sr45 with more expense guns and find fault because you are a glock boy. If you dont like the ruger, dont buy one. Ive owened my for 3yrs or more and never had a single problem of any kind. I used some of the cheapest ammo i could find with no issues. I guess all you glock boys seem to enjoy bad mouthing all other brands because you bought one, but the “The Big Ruger” to me is better made than the sheet metal glock.
Go USA.
You have it backwards with triggers. Stacking the trigger until it hits the wall is for marksmanship on a square range; a smooth trigger with no stacking is for combat.
That’s because when it comes to shooting people, until and unless you’ve made the decision to shoot, your finger should be off the trigger (lest a noise or shove cause you to reflexively pull the trigger unintentionally, which will happen with any trigger to your legal detriment). Once you’ve decided to shoot, you move the trigger straight through from beginning to end as quickly as you can.
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