Ruger Max 9 Junk?

[Harry Stamper]

Recently purchased a Ruger max 9
Took it to the range and did not get through one magazine of ammo before a major malfunction transpired. Slide locking back when ammo still present, takedown plate broke and would not return to closed position.
Contacted Ruger. They said take it back to the point of sale and it would be returned to Ruger and they would fix it.
I have to say they got it back rather quickly 14 days later it was back in my hands again.
With a list of things Ruger had replaced and a notice telling me they had fired three rounds to it and it was working fine.
Took it back to the range thinking all would be well in my little Ruger max nine world. Such Was not the case. Before I had expended two magazines had the same exact malfunctions take place!!
Call Ruger they said the only option I had was to send it back to them again so that they could once again replace parts that obviously are substandard and subpar and not worth the money that I paid.
There’s no way I can trust this as an EDC no matter what they tell me or say they did when it comes back this time.
Just my opinion but I believe they should either refund the purchase or give me the option of a different firearm.
I will say I am an owner of a Ruger LC 9S which I have had for years and put many many rounds through. I’ve always been able to trust it.
But this Max 9 is junk!!

 

[hittman]

Welcome to the forum

 

[s4s4u]

Welcome to the forum

What he said ^^^

Which ammo have you tried in the gun?

 

[Harry Stamper]

Winchester 115 FMJ Service Grade
Winchester 115 JHP Silvertip Defense

 

[old 41]

Not to bash Ruger because we have over a dozen made from 1950 to the 2000s and like them all, but a Max-9 was returned once, then sold, and a S&W Shield Plus I like a much better took its place

 

[Richard76]

seems like 3 rounds after repairs isn't enough to test reliability of pistol in my opinion.

 

[Mike J]

I would contact them & send it back if it is a problem with the pistol. Many here have had that issue & it is usually resolved quickly by Ruger.

If you already have a LC9s you probably aren't doing what I did. My Max 9 is the version with the safety. When I shot it the first time I was having problems with the slide locking back with rounds still in the magazine. I thought I had a problem with my pistol. I posted on another forum & was told to make sure I wasn't pushing on the slide stop. I ran several magazines through left handed & didn't have an issue. The problem was my grip. I was pushing up on the slide stop with my thumb due to the size of the pistol & the size of my hand. Now I ride the safety with my thumb. It works perfectly.

 

[s4s4u]

Now I ride the safety with my thumb. It works perfectly.

If there is a thumb safety, this is the way ^^^

 

[RoninPA]

Welcome to the forum, I have a MAX 9 (non safety model) and it has performed flawlessly for me. Just like any manufactured item, there are those that just won't work no matter what the maker does to it. If it is that bad I would talk, calmly and professionally, to the customer service agent and see if they won't offer you a different solution.

 

[MaxMan]

Welcome from SoFla. My Max nine has yet to hac a problem Winchester white box 115 gr. Corbon +P 115 gr JHP, Hornaday Critical Defense Lite 100 gr, and Liberty Critical defense 2,000 fps + 50 gr ammo.
I have heard when the first came out they jumped the gun and didn't have them tweaked for public use and they got a bad name. Might want to find out when it made.

 

[Hvymax]

This is a known problem at this point. The slide stop spring slips off the slide stop allowing it to bounce freely. It also holds the takedown door. When the takedown door is loose so is the spring. Thankfully after I sent mine back it hasn't had further issues. It's funny that I found this site because Ruger can't seem to make working guns anymore!!!

 

[dml822]

I recently bought the Max 9. I shot 30 rounds at the shop I purchased from at time of purchase. Then at the range a week later. The first 30 rounds shot fine. The 2nd time out it had an issue feeding into the barrel. I tried 3 different ammos. I called Ruger that day. They issued an RMA, and emailed me a 2 day FedEx label. I had the pistol back in less than 2 weeks. They replaced the barrel. It now operates perfectly. I was impressed with their customer service. They definitely stand behind their products.

 

[dml822]

BTW, I've put nearly 300 rounds through my Max 9. I don't have a lot of experience (licensed, shooting for 3 months) and only one other 9mm to compare this to. This pistol seems to be a reliable, "good" shooter. This was Tuesday at 10 yards.

 

[magnum0710]

I had a similar issue with my EC9s and the Max-9 is almost an updated version. I carried mine for about 3 years and it was very reliable until one day I went to the range and the slide started locking back prematurely. To make a long story short mine also had to go to Ruger twice. I looked into the issue and its somewhat common, sometimes the spring will go bad causing it to do this. It doesn't happen all the time, a lot of people had LC/EC9S and Max-9s for years with a few thousand rounds and have no issues. I definitely wouldn't say they're junk, these things happen sometimes. The EC9s was a great carry gun, the only reason I got rid of mine is because it happened randomly well after it had been vetted.

 

[Hvymax]

3 25 yard groups all fired in about 5 seconds each.

 

[Hvymax]

I should probably get moving on that CSX-E.

 

[GypsmJim]

My Max 9 is 4 years old. At first I shot one Winchester bulk box thru it, but since have only shot reloads.

My experience with nines has been awful. Over the years I have worked up loads for 4 different models, and needed to have a specific loading for each one. (I'm talking 39-2, P38, Luger, and Star)

My Max 9 has worked flawlessly with all 5 flavors of ammo. I have not had a single malfunction after over 500 shots. I guess I was lucky - mine must have been made on a Wednesday!

 

[SmittyDidIt]

I had to give my opinion on my Max-9 experience thus far. Yesterday was first chance to get to my “go to range” and put the first rounds through this pistol. Something about shooting outdoors on a nice day. I had cleaned and lubed up the Max prior and a way to check out the internals for familiarization.
I put 135 rounds through it over 1 1/2 hours, all went flawless without any hiccups or problems. I primarily shoot 124 grain ammunition in my Canik TP9 Sc as well as my Extar EP9 but, with this being my first subcompact, I broke it in with combination of 124/147 grain rounds, utilizing FMJ, HP, and soft point rounds. Next outing I am looking at monolithic HP and non expanding solid rounds, looking at 300 rounds of satisfying performance before putting it in my EDC rotation.
My only concerns were tip of trigger finger soreness and thin grip, both can be remedied easily in the future. Overall, I am thoroughly satisfied with the Max-9 and one of the best $250 spent on a firearm by me