No respect for the sr40c

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Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
3,948
Location
Northern Illinois
I bought one of these guns years ago, in part because I wanted a 40S&W semi, and in part thinking it would make a good concealed carry gun due to its moderate size and weight. But once I found the LC9s the sr40c has been living a lonely life in the back of my safe. In fact I had not fired it in over two years or so until this week when I took it to the range. It fired flawlessly for the 200 rounds I put through it, reliably and accurately at the targets set out from 7 to 15 yards. Even with my old eyes the white dot sights were easy to use. And with the 13 round magazine this gun certainly has sufficient capacity for most needs. I truly had not thought about this gun in awhile and notice that it is virtually never mentioned on this forum. It seems that Ruger owners have not developed much respect for this gun, seeming to prefer Rugers in 9mm, 45acp and 380acp over this 40S&W gun. I must admit that after shooting it this week I started rummaging through my huge bin of holsters to consider making it at least an occasional carry gun. When I sometimes think about the 7+1 in my lc9s, the 13+1 in the sr40c starts to look even better.
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
3,948
Location
Northern Illinois
I'll have to try the extended mag again. For some reason I thought it was 13+1, maybe I just didn't press it hard enough to get more in. Thanks. You learn things even years after having the gun.
 

pzlehr

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 21, 2007
Messages
86
Location
North Carolina
My Ruger SR40c is a tack driver... was shooting Freedom Ammo at 10yds at a rubber dummie...5 shots all touching in center of chest. The gun is way more accurate then me. Pondering getting sights for it...kind of small for my eyes.
 

22/45 Fan

Hunter
Joined
Dec 8, 2001
Messages
2,123
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
I've always thought the SR-series guns were something of a stop-gap design. They replaced the heavy, bulky and, to many shooters visually unattractive, P-series with a more modern lighter, thinner striker fired design but not a really competitive gun. They never caught on with the majority of the shooting public, and to the best of my knowledge, were never adopted by any significant police or public safety department. Those of us who have them like them a lot and have found them reliable and accurate but we are a minority.

Ruger finally responded with a truly competitive design with the American series and I hope it is commercially successful but the current market is flooded with equally good guns and Ruger may be too late to this party.
 

mpalm

Single-Sixer
Joined
Oct 2, 2016
Messages
165
Location
massachusetts
The only P series gun that took off was the P95....polymer frame, 15+1 capacity . adopted by the Bureau of prisons and iraqi police agency. ruger built them even after the SR series came out.
 

FergusonTO35

Hunter
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Messages
2,420
Location
Boonesborough, KY
The P85 and P89 got alot of police use back in the day. They just got swept away by the Glock tsunami of the 1990's. I don't see any indication that the RAP will even rise to the levels of popularity that the SR did. Around here, the latter still outsells it.
 

grobin

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 8, 2016
Messages
846
The problem is not with the pistol it's the cartridge! A little history, in April 11, 1986, 8 FBI agents got in a shootout with 2 BG. At the time the FBI training was poor. Agents were not paid for range time nor evaluated for proficiency. This lack of training led to the T.V./movie mindset that if you hit them they fall down dead. One of the BG had a severed popliteal artery which was fatal but not disabling. To cover up the lack of training the FBI blamed the 9mm/38 and adopted the 10 mm. Unfortunately the pistols at the time were badly engendered and not usable by the FBIs poorly trained agents. So the FBI did a second CYA WITH the .40! Not really significantly superior to the 9mms and inferior to the .45. This lead to a spate of LEO's adopting it and most agents and LEO going back to the 9mm. So the 40 is dissed (somewhat unfairly) as a CYA.
 

FergusonTO35

Hunter
Joined
Aug 26, 2010
Messages
2,420
Location
Boonesborough, KY
I would say, the problem is not the pistol or the cartridge but rather the fact that any sort of handgun is a poor choice for a protracted gunfight, especially when the shooter is not named Jerry Miculek! High capacity, bigger calibers, and bullets that expand to 10x diameter are mostly an ineffective band aid for lack of practice and the fact that most people who carry a gun on the job are not gun people and don't put much thought into it.
 

RevolverDen

Bearcat
Joined
Nov 22, 2022
Messages
11
Location
New York State
While owning my SR40C and my Glock 27, after spending much time shooting both side by side, I kept the Glock 27 and sold my SR40C. I just didn't find a compelling reason to keep the SR40C when the Glock 27 became my go to .40SW.
 

hittman

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jan 16, 2008
Messages
16,913
Location
Illinois
The lady who cuts my hair and her husband each have the SR9c. They too switched to Glock, the 43 I think. They've kept the Rugers and plink at the range. Told them I'd buy one but they're not interested ( yet? ) in turning loose of one.
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
3,948
Location
Northern Illinois
Its really a nice size and comfortable to hold and fire. I'm not convinced that the caliber is significantly different from 9mm, nor that the Ruger is any more reliable than my Glocks, so while I like this gun, I don't consider it essential for me.
 

pyth0n

Buckeye
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
1,362
Location
Florida
I had no interest in the SR series because I had a small accumulation of the P series & Glocks in 9 & 40. However I did come across an SR45 in a Rural King 5 years ago, for Under $400 NIB OTD. I wasn't sure about it until I took it to the range. I liked the trigger & when I did my part,, It made a nice ragged hole at 7 yds & can keep it in a paper dinner plate at 25 yds. A bit big for me to carry but I like it. I've looked for other SRs, but they're hard to find.
 

fiasconva

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 14, 2011
Messages
630
Location
York County, Virginia
My son has one he bought several years ago but has never gotten around to getting his concealed handgun permit. I haven't had a chance to fire it but it does feel good in my hand. Have been trying to get him to make a range trip with me to my gun club and shoot it some but haven't had much success. Would love see how it shoots.
 

Mike J

Hunter
Joined
Aug 5, 2007
Messages
4,204
Location
GA
From what others tell me the SR-series, particularly the SR9c/SR40c are well liked & respected by a lot of people. I believe they are good guns. I did get to shoot an early SR9 & didn't like it but from what I read here I think they improved the trigger after they released the SR9c. When they first came out with the SR series I wanted one until I learned of some of the "safety devices" they had. I believe they would have sold better if Ruger had ditched the magazine disconnect safety.
 

jbenedetto2

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 31, 2022
Messages
119
Location
Arizona
Love my SR40c. Carried it for a couple of years. It replaced my S&W Shield 40 cal. The Shield was too snappy. I then found an SR9c and carried it for a while. My other SR is too heavy to carry. It's an SR1911 in 10mm. All are fantastic shooters. Much better than I am capable of. I now have 8 or 9 Rugers and will probably add to that soon.
 

ncvikingfan

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
254
Location
NW North Carolina
I have and enjoy both a SR9 and SR40. However never did find a "c" model at a decent price before gun funding took a back seat to my wife's health issues. I am confident that they are excellent pistols.
 

Armybrat

Buckeye
Joined
Feb 22, 2007
Messages
1,525
Location
Round Rock, Texas
As I have stated before, the SR series is an excellent value for such a quality pistol and is very underrated.
I've bought four (3 SR9 & 1 SR45).
Paid $430 for the first SR9 at a gun show in 2008, and $249.99 for the last one in 2019 at a Sportsman's Warehouse closeout sale.
Gifted three of them to family members and kept the last SR9 to serve as my nightstand gun.
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