Is This a New Ruger?

Just got a new LC9S, but it looks used. Got it home to clean it up and found no oil inside the slide/barrel; black carbon remains inside barrel/slide and markings on the bottom inside of the slide and on the sides, looking like it had been shot before. Also box had no spent shell casing and lacked the orange dummy mag. Does this sound like a brand new gun to you? Thanks for comments. :roll:

Doesn't sound new to me. Bought from a dealer or private party?

sometimes when a gun is first made ,built, they can and will either just shoot it once ,maybe twice, other times if there are an y "issues" , or had to go back through the system, they get tested again, and other times , the shooter (tester) just MAYBE wanted to get in a bit of "extras"hooting, I know this from experience, been there , done that.....................hearing now that they may not be putting a 'test fire" cartridge in the package any longer being it never was used, nor ever even worked, in solving ANY crimes.....hhhmmmmm
bottom line is, who you bought it from and what did they tell you ??

I got it at my local Target World. Have bought there in the past and this is the first time I have run into this situation. Am going back today for some answers. Thanks for your comments

Ruger says rhey put the empty casing in ALL boxes so as not to mess up by missing a state that requires one. That, plus the lack of the dummy mag, is very suspicious to me.

You didn't look at it when you bought it?

UPDATE: The mgr. of TW told me that the cerakote on the outside of the slide was given several coats whereas the inside got just one coat. The color is Shimmer Gold and is very light in coloration (?); therefore the inner slide will show signs of wear much faster than on the outside. He also stated that the wearing effect on the inside would eventually stop. So, that's the story: do with it what you will. As to checking out the gun BEFORE buying: I was more concerned on how it felt in my hand, etc..., and didn't bother to disassemble it; perhaps I should have. So I accepted the mgr.'s explanation and went to the shooting area. I soon found out why a used LC9S is so hard to find online! This gun has the best trigger of most every gun I have ever fired, and it is more accurate at 7-10 yds., for me, than my G17 and many other guns I 've shot in the past six years.
I believe it will be my EDC after more rounds down range. Thanks and shoot safely.

Ruger handguns no longer come with a spent casing as it is no longer required...has been that way for over a year now...

You never said what model it was specifically. The gold gun has no dummy mag because it has no mag disconnect. The gold gun is a Pro model with no safety.

What did you pay if you don't mind? I am looking to get a pro model and may get the gold if it is not much more.