Back in June of this year, I was invited to
the Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona, along with about six
other writers, to try out a few new weapons scheduled to be
introduced by Sturm, Ruger & Company.
One of the new weapons that we got to fire extensively on the
combat course was the SR40, which is the subject of this piece.
The SR40 has been anticipated by shooters since the day that the
SR9 was first introduced. The 40
S&W packs more power into the same size pistol as a 9x19mm,
and is the preferred cartridge of the majority of law
enforcement officers in our nation. Between the writers present,
the Ruger executives, and the skilled Gunsite training staff,
collectively we put thousands of rounds through the new Ruger
SR40 pistols. The most common comment heard was something like
“This is the softest-recoiling 40 caliber that I have ever
fired!”. I was of the same opinion, as were the Gunsite
instructors, who have fired just about every brand of 40 caliber
pistol in existence. The SR40 still has to obey the laws of
physics, but the design of the pistol and the materials used
greatly softens the felt recoil of the weapon. The axis of the
bore in relationship to the hand is very low, the grip extremely
comfortable to the hand, and the polymer frame allows a bit of
flex. All this tends to soften the recoil impulse that is
transferred to the shooter. However, I have fired other pistols
made of similar construction, and the SR40 definitely is easier
on the hand, allowing faster follow-up shots and better accuracy
for me than any other 40 caliber auto pistol which I have fired.
I had to leave that prototype SR40 behind in
Arizona, but as I type this in October, I have an SR40
production pistol in my left hand, as I hammer away on this
keyboard with my right. Until now, I have been obligated to not
mention the SR40, even though rumors have been bouncing around
for several weeks, and there are even some SR40 pistols for sale
on the internet already. Still, I gave my word, and that is why
I have not been able to answer any emails about the new SR40.
The Ruger SR40, like its brother, the SR9, is
loaded with safety features. Like other such striker-fired
pistols, it has a striker safety which prevents the forward
movement of the striker until the trigger is pulled. It also has
an articulated safety lever inset into the trigger. There is an
ambidextrous thumb safety on the frame which is within easy
reach of the shooter’s thumb, and there is also a magazine
disconnect safety which prevents firing with the magazine
removed. Atop the slide just aft of the ejection port is a
blade-type loaded-chamber indicator, which is easy to both see
and feel to determine the condition of the chamber.
The SR40 comes in a hard plastic case with
two fifteen-shot magazines and a magazine loader, which is very
handy for loading the double-stack magazines. The backstrap on
the SR40 is easily reversed to provide either an arched or flat
backstrap, depending upon the shooter’s preference.
Personally, I prefer the arched side, as the pistol feels and
points better for me that way. The grip on the SR40 is very slim
for a double-stack 40 caliber pistol, and the trigger easy to
reach. The pistol has a feel that it sits down deeply into the
hand, if that makes sense. The sights are black, and both front
and rear are drift adjustable for windage correction, and the
rear is adjustable for elevation. The sights are of the popular
three-dot variety. There is an accessory rail in front of the
trigger guard to accommodate a laser
sight or flashlight.
The SR40 disassembles easily for cleaning,
and goes back together just as easily. Differing from most
pistols, the ejector must be manually pushed down for
disassembly, but it is very easy to do with just a finger.
Inserting a magazine after reassembly will return the ejector to
its ready position.
The new SR40 is almost identical in size,
feel, and weight to the SR9. The SR9 has a two-shot capacity
advantage, with a total capacity of eighteen compared to the
SR40 with a capacity of sixteen. That is not really enough to
make a difference, as both pistols hold a fistful of cartridges,
and the 40 has more power. Critical dimensions are listed in the
chart below. Weights are listed in ounces. Linear dimensions are
listed in inches. Trigger pulls are listed in pounds of
pressure. Maximum width is measured across the ambidextrous
thumb safety levers. Height includes sights and magazine base.
|
SR40 |
SR9 |
Chambering |
40 S&W |
9x19mm |
Weight with empty
magazine |
27.4 oz |
26.6 oz |
Trigger Pull |
6 lbs 5 oz |
6 lbs 6 oz |
Barrel Length |
4.14" |
4.14" |
Barrel Diameter |
0.565" |
0.565" |
Overall Height |
5.57" |
5.57" |
Overall Length |
7.5" |
7.5" |
Grip Thickness |
1.18" |
1.18" |
Slide Thickness |
1.16" |
0.992" |
Maximum Width |
1.27" |
1.27" |
Trigger Reach |
2.68" |
2.68" |
Magazine Capacity |
15 |
17 |
Magazines Supplied |
2 |
2 |
Accessory Rail |
Yes |
Yes |
Velocity testing was done at an elevation of
541 feet above sea level, on a perfect Autumn day. There was a
slight breeze with plenty of sunshine. Range temperatures
hovered around the eighty-two degree Fahrenheit range, with
nineteen percent humidity. Velocities are listed in
feet-per-second. Bullet weights are listed in grains. JHP is a
jacketed hollowpoint bullet. DPX is a homogenous copper hollow
cavity bullet. PB is Cor-Bon Pow’RBall,
a specialty hollowpoint bullet with a nylon ball inserted into
the hollow nose. EPR is a specialty round from Extreme
Shock with a polymer ball in the nose of a hollowpoint
bullet. FMJ is a full metal jacket bullet. Velocities were
recorded at a distance of ten feet from the muzzle.
Ammunition |
Bullet Weight |
Velocity |
Cor-Bon DPX |
140 |
1163 |
Cor-Bon JHP |
135 |
1272 |
Cor-Bon PB |
135 |
1313 |
Buffalo Bore JHP |
155 |
1277 |
Buffalo Bore JHP |
180 |
1045 |
Buffalo Bore FMJ |
180 |
1088 |
Extreme Shock EPR |
150 |
1101 |
Black Hills JHP |
180 |
966.1 |
Stryker JHP |
180 |
927.1 |
Just like the prototype SR40 pistols that we
shot back in June, the production pistol performed with one
hundred percent reliability. There were no failures of any kind.
Accuracy was very good, shooting at combat distances from three
out to twenty-five yards. Keeping tight clusters from a standing
position was easy on the human silhouette targets, and from the
bench, most ammo would group into two and one-half inches at
twenty-five yards, with some brands opening up to around four
inches from the test pistol. As with any pistol, experimenting
with different loads is the best way to find an accurate type of
ammo for a particular weapon. The trigger pull was very smooth,
and is just about right for a pistol of this type. Heavy enough
for safety, even with cold hands, but smooth enough and light
enough for accurate shot placement. Again, as stated above, felt
recoil was light. While it is a subjective matter, the SR40 just
seems to handle the recoil better for me than any other 40
caliber auto pistol of similar weight, making it very easy to
get back on target quickly.
The Ruger SR40 is a welcome addition to Ruger’s
stable of auto pistols. It comes in a hard plastic storage case
with instructions, two magazines, mag loader, and a pad lock.
The Ruger SR40 is built in the USA, and the pistols are in stock
on distributor’s and dealer’s shelves as I type this.
Check out the new SR40 online at www.ruger.com
For the location of a Ruger dealer near you,
click on the DEALER FINDER at www.lipseys.com
To order the SR40 online, go to www.galleryofguns.com
Jeff Quinn
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