After a good amount of research, we decided to purchase the Ruger 9E as our first modern handgun. Since purchasing our 9E, we’ve had the opportunity to shoot it a number of times. We bought the 3340 model. The only difference between the 3340 and 3341 is magazine capacity. The 3340 version of the 9E holds 17+1 rounds of ammunition. The other variant of the 9E - the 3341 - utilizes a magazine that holds 10 (+1) - one assumes for folks living in California, where magazine capacity is limited. |
For those even newer to modern handguns than us, that means our magazine(s) can contain up to 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition, with another (the +1) in the chamber. How you get that +1 in the chamber and still maintain 17 rounds in the magazine took a video to learn. I'm slow, but I can be taught! So, what progress have we made since bringing the 9E onboard? Some. One thing we've learned (and tried to employ) is the need for near-daily practice. Since Mrs. Untactical and I are not independently wealthy, a lot of that practice has been dry fire. A good definition of dry fire includes practicing stance, grip, aiming and trigger discipline with an unloaded weapon or weapon simulator. Before I forget, I'm going to go ahead and note here that at some point since our September 2017 purchase, the 9E has been removed from Ruger's website - which means you should be able to get a smoking deal on one online or at your local retailer. It looks like Ruger's new Security 9 model may have replaced the 9E. I've heard the reasoning is that the Security 9 is a little smaller and better suited for concealed carry. |
Rest easy. This is not the article that will take up any of these debates. All are absolutely important topics for discussion and, as with many things associated with firearms, your personal decision needs to be based on your level of expertise, your application (what are you going to use the weapon for?), the type of weapon you are using/carrying, and many other factors. I hope to explore all of these issues more deeply in future articles.
However, I will pause and say that for those who are quite new to firearms (basically those who are in a similar position as us a few months ago), the video to the right provides a clear and simple demonstration of how a semi-automatic handgun operates. The animation is high quality, each component (where applicable) is exploded (not literally… just so you can see all the components and their names) and explained. The video explains the components and functions of a striker-fired semi-automatic pistol. | |
There are thousands of articles and videos on firearms available at no charge on the Internet. I will caution readers to use a modicum of common sense when digesting the information presented (that includes when you're reading my posts). Many of the articles and videos I’ve found have provided invaluable knowledge to help me and Mrs. Untactical improve our abilities with firearms. However, this is the Internet we’re talking about. Anyone with a computer and a connection can post (like me) anything they like.
Trust, but verify.
Okay, back to the Ruger 9E. Since we're Untactical here, I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about all the specs of the 9E, but here's a short list of key info:
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I'm no expert, but the answer in my opinion is pretty darn well. I was shooting 6-round cycles (remember, I'm not made of money). I won't go into stance and all that stuff. Suffice it to say the results above were fairly typical, utilizing a two-hand grip and standing 5 to 7 yards from the target.
The grid on the target is 1" squares, so you can figure out the grouping from that. The rounds on the cardboard above the actual target was my attempt at practicing head shots. If an assailant was built like a Rock 'em, Sock 'em robot, I'm thinking I have a pretty good shot at defending myself.
These results were achieved with (mostly) Winchester White Box 115-grain ammunition - basically the cheapest brass-cased round I can get away with shooting at the local indoor range. They don't allow steel-cased rounds (e.g., Tulammo), but the Winchester White Box is plenty cheap at just over $10 for 50 rounds.
Across all of our sessions, we've shot various Remington, Winchester, American Eagle - and our carry ammo - Speer Gold Dot 124 grain hollow points. The Ruger 9E fired all of it flawlessly. Out of roughly 500 rounds so far, we've had zero malfunctions. We've shot at indoor ranges, outdoor ranges, and private property. We haven't thrown the 9E in the mud, water or sand, like you see in some videos, and we've cleaned it several times. Still, it just works.
If you have any questions at all about the Ruger 9E, or anything else for that matter, please feel free to reply to this post or submit your question using the contact form. Either way, we're happy to hear from you!
Remember, safety first, last and always!
Thanks for reading and I look forward to meeting and talking with all of you.
Mr. Untactical