Ruger LC9 redesign to striker fired, it surprised me

[Dolomite_supafly]

My wife has the hammer fired LC9 and the trigger sucks in a major way. Way to long, way too heavy and the worst part is the false reset it has about 1/2 way between the gun firing and the real reset. And at that point I had sworn off any other LC9.

 

Well today a LE friend of mine called me looking for a backup gun/ off duty gun. I told him to look at the Shield as that is what I was going to get. He called me an hour later and said he was getting and LC9 so I gave him a piece of my mind. But before I could get into a full blown diatribe about how bad the LC9 sucks he said this is the new striker fired version. He even said the trigger is lighter and nicer than the shield. At that point I told him to stop by because I did not believe it.

 

On the way home he stopped by and I gave the new LC9 a good look over. Appearance wise it is identical to the hammer fired version, it even takes the same magazines but the rear of the slide looks like any other striker fired gun. It will use the same holster as the previous version as well. Some other noticeable differences is the striker version does NOT have a magazine disconnect which is a God send because they are nothing more than an accident waiting to happen for most users. It is also lacking an external safety like most striker fired guns these days. It also is missing the loaded chamber indicator but that is not a big deal because you should know the condition of your gun as well as assume all guns are loaded. The all metal trigger is a typical striker fired pistol trigger as well with the blade in the middle to act as a safety. And when I measured the trigger pull it came in at under 5 pounds several times. This is really surprising for a carry gun of its size. I will say that the take up is about the same as the original LC9 but noticeably lighter. The reset of the new version is significantly shorter but you will still have to release it ~1/4" for the trigger to reset. The sights are typical 3 dot sights that are drift adjustable.

 

My friend did say he compared the Shield to the redesigned LC9. He said the Shield had a much crisper, but heavier, trigger. He also said the reset on the Shield was significantly shorter than the LC9. And looking at the stats online the LC9 is 2 ounces lighter than the Shield.

 

I will say that the trigger, from a personal perspective, was very surprising on the redesigned LC9. It was light enough that I even said "WOW" out loud because it actually feels a lot lighter than the ~5 pounds it measured at.

 

He fired a few hundred rounds through it without a single problem.

[TNWNGR]

Interesting report.

[Steelharp]

You should see the new LC9s PRO. Even better trigger.

[Dolomite_supafly]

You should see the new LC9s PRO. Even better trigger.

The "S" stands for "Striker". It is one and the same pistol.

[graycrait]

http://www.ruger.com/products/lc9s/models.html

 

I believer the LC9S Pro is the model without manual safety and mag disconnect.  The LC9S has both a mag disconnect and a thumb safety.  Dolomite must have had a "Pro" in his hands.

[Steelharp]

http://www.ruger.com/products/lc9s/models.html

 

I believer the LC9S Pro is the model without manual safety and mag disconnect.  The LC9S has both a mag disconnect and a thumb safety.  Dolomite must have had a "Pro" in his hands.

You are correct. The OP is the one that left the "s" out. Not me.

[hipower]

OK...now I'm interested.

No safety was good. No mag disconnect is better.

[TGO David]

I'd still take the Shield over an LC9 any day.  Personal preference I suppose.  The LC9 just never has felt right in my hand and looks too... soft.

[hipower]

I'd still take the Shield over an LC9 any day.  Personal preference I suppose.  The LC9 just never has felt right in my hand and looks too... soft.

 

It is a different feel, no question about it. I always thought it a bit too slick for my tastes. That and the felt recoil pretty much put it off for my wife and me, but with all the talk about improvements; I will at least attempt to try one out.

[Dolomite_supafly]

My wife has an LC9 and it is a handful, especially that last round of 124 grain bullets. I told my buddy the last round is about like a 357 magnum as far as recoil goes and it is pretty damn close. 

 

I guess his was the pro version, all he kept saying is was the "S" version because it is striker fired.

 

I detest a magazine safety and almost detest a manual safety on a DA gun almost as much. There is a place for safeties but it isn't on a gun with a LONG 5 pound trigger. I would never carry my 1911 without a thumb safety but that is because it also has a 3 pound trigger which I actually increased to that when I started carrying it. I felt carrying around a gun with a 2 pound trigger, with virtually zero take up and over travel, to be a bit on the edge.

 

I will be picking up a Shield this coming week. I have been needing a lightweight gun for some time now. It will be hard but I will put my all steel gun in the safe when I get the Shield.