I recently flew off to Arizona for an exclusive first look at the latest Ruger pistol, the SR9. Aimed squarely at the police/defensive market and intended to go head-to-head with the current market leader, the SR9 may be seen by some as late to the table. Au contraire; the delay means Ruger has learned from others and made changes to suit its manufacturing style.

Five empties in the air (three in the photo) and the SR9 is so hot you'd get a blister if you touched the slide. Not a single malfunction in 12,000 rounds. (Right) At 17 rounds per magazine, it takes some work to go through 12,000 rounds.

The first thing you notice is that it looks a lot like other striker-fired pistols: angular, enclosed and with a polymer frame--a pistol that looks a lot better than previous Ruger pistols but still a blocky blaster. Pick it up and your impression will change. Gone are the chunky Ruger lines, clunky grips and slippery surfaces. The frame is sculpted, so your hand grasps it comfortably and easily. And it is slim. Through the frame at the point where your thumb rides, the Ruger SR9 is slimmer than any other hi-cap pistol, yet it still holds 17 rounds of 9mm goodness in the magazine.

I had the pleasure of a tour of the Prescott plant to see how the new SR9 is made. In a nutshell: a mix of the modern and the timeless. Where machines do a particular job best, Ruger has rows of CNC-machining stations cutting into castings: slides, frames, etc. Where handwork is best, as with the polishing and fitting any handgun requires, rows of skilled craftsmen (and -women) make sure every part of a Ruger pistol is within spec.

I saw a small pile of slides being set aside for rework: cosmetic blemishes that I could not spot until they were pointed out to me. I have been a grumbly reviewer of Ruger pistols and their looks in the past. I don't know if it was me in particular or the reaction of the gun-buying public in general, but Bob Stutler, VP of operations at the Prescott plant, mentioned that Ruger worked hard to make the new SR9 not just a good-feeling gun but a good-looking one, too.

SPECIFICATIONS
MAKER:	Ruger
TYPE:	Semiauto double-action only
CALIBER:	9mm
CAPACITY:	17+1
BARREL LENGTH:	4.1 inches
OVERALL LENGTH:	7.55 inches
WEIGHT:	26.5 ounces
SIGHTS:	Adjustable three-dot
STOCK:	Polymer
FINISH:	Black polymer, stainless
PRICE:	$525

The second thing you notice is the safety. That's right, an external thumb safety. And it is ambidextrous to boot. Ruger is going to win a lot of converts on that feature alone. The list of features continues: The magazine release is ambidextrous, the backstrap is reversible, and the sights are both adjustable and durable. The striker has a passive trigger-activated safety bar, so the striker can't reach the primer unless you've pulled the trigger.

One aspect of modern pistol design that always causes arguments is the subject of a magazine safety: yes or no? The Ruger SR9 has one, but it is not only the best of both worlds, it is the best of either. First, it does not add parts to the trigger linkage. The magazine disconnector/safety is activated by one of the magazine feed lips. When the magazine is out, it blocks the striker. When it is in, the striker has clearance. It does nothing to the trigger pull, whether the safety itself is in or out of the slide. And best of all, you can remove it in less than a minute. If you don't want it in, take it out. If you simply must have it in, put it back.

Oh, and that striker? Oil it all you want. The striker and its spring are a self-contained assembly, so when you take it out of the slide you do not risk launching springs, cups and assorted parts across the room. As the assembly lacks special polymer parts, oiling it does not cause a problem.