New Ruger LC-9s

[HM12460]

Anybody got one of these little guy's? Looked at one at my local gun shop yesterday. Much better trigger pull than the older LC-9. It is also striker fired. I sold a LC-9 a couple years ago, didn't like the very long trigger pull. Otherwise, it was a nice little pocket carry firearm. I'd be interested in what your thought's are if you own or have any experience with this model.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Compare it to the S&W Shield ... very similar. I've looked at the Shield a couple times and it just feels perfect for my hand. Think I'm gonna buy one this weekend, been looking for a couple months. Lots of nice 9mm pistols in this size out there.

 

[cashmoney]

Shield or Ruger LC9s are both nice guns - get the one that feels best in your hand and that is easiest and most comfortable to operate in terms of safety, slide, magazine, etc. Better yet try to shoot each and then decide.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I think there are a few key differences between the LC9s and the Shield...some of which may matter to you, and some of which may not. But it's important to acknowledge them either way.

Safety: the Shield comes either with a very flush safety or now also completely without the safety (two different models). The LC9s comes only with a safety, and the safety lever has a much thicker profile than that on the Shield. Keep this in mind if you either do or do not like manual thumb safeties. The Shield will appeal to you if you like a more traditional striker-fired design and do not use a safety and the LC9s will appeal to you if you prefer a manual safety.

Weight: the Shield weighs something like 22 or 24 oz empty, vs. about 17 oz for the LC9s. The Shield will very likely shoot flatter and with less of a recoil impulse. It's commonly said among Shield owners that it's one of the few, if not the only, "compact" gun that shoots like a full-size. Owning one myself (a Shield), I can attest to this. It shoots extremely nice for being so small. The relatively hefty weight likely contributes to that. If you prefer the lightest weight possible, the LC9s has a decided advantage.

Magazine disconnect: the LC9s has it and non-CA and non-MA models of the Shield do not. This is a deal-breaker, or a deal-maker, for some, depending on your preference.

Materials: the Ruger is listed as having a blued slide and barrel. The Shield has a stainless steel slide and barrel, and both are treated to Smith's Melonite coating, which I can confirm is extremely resistant to wear.

If anyone is interested in the Shield, including the OP, be aware that there are many variants offered by Smith, to cater to individual markets. There are models with the thumb safety and models with no thumb safety. There are models with a heavier trigger for the MA market. There are models with a tactile loaded chamber indicator and magazine disconnect for the CA market. Local gun shops sometimes get whatever they can get (it's a popular pistol), and you may actually find a MA- or CA-compliant model in a gun store in, say, Kansas, where none of those regs apply. So if you don't like the MA- or CA-compliant features, make sure that the SKU you're buying is what you want (they're all listed on Smith's website).

The Ruger appears to not offer a MA- or CA-compliant LC9s, so that situation wouldn't apply to the Ruger.

 

[judsonj]

I had one of the original models, after firing one magazine, I sold it. I found the recoil to be unpleasant. I managed to find a great deal on a used Sig P239. It's a lot heavier but still easy to tote and much more fun to shoot.

 

[HM12460]

Hokiefyd, thank you for your contribution. This is exactly the kind of information I am looking for. Sounds like the shield may be the better choice for me. I had a LC-9, and it is a snappy little devil. I do like the manual safety on the little Ruger. I generally keep a round chambered, because of the community I live in and being out late at night (3rd shifter). Being fairly active, and having a round chambered, I feel better with a manual safety, even with the firearm safely holstered. How is the trigger pull on the Shield? The mag dis-connect isn't an issue for me, one way or the other.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd

Weight: the Shield weighs something like 22 or 24 oz empty, vs. about 17 oz for the LC9s.


Shield is 19 oz per the S&W website:
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/s...playErrorView_Y

Just picked up the 9mm tonight - paid $379.

Read the Customer Reviews tab on Cabela's.
S&W Shield Reviews

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: HM12460
How is the trigger pull on the Shield?


I personally think it's fantastic. It's of course striker-fired, so all pulls are the same (no DA to SA).

The Shield has the jointed trigger, unlike Glocks and Springfields with the trigger tang. I prefer the feel of Smith's solution here...it's a nice smooth design without trigger serrations. Anyway, you pull the trigger back a short distance to the "wall". That short distance pulled is a little bit of trigger bar take up, and if I recall correctly, you pull through the firing pin block as well, so get that set up for fire. Then the wall is pretty firm, and it's a real crisp trigger break. About 6-7 pounds as I recall. Keep the trigger pulled, cycle the slide, and then start to let the trigger out. Reset is a short distance forward, but reset occurs after the firing pin block helps to push the trigger forward. "Click" reset. Stage the trigger again (to push that firing pin block plunger back home), hit the wall...BREAK.

There's a lot going on in those short lengths of pull. I suggest watching hickok45's videos on the Shield. They're pretty informative, and he's a good teacher on video (because that's his real life profession).

I like our Shield so much, and its quality-for-the-price has impressed me so much, I got to looking at fullsize M&Ps and I'm selling my CZ P-09 to buy a fullsize M&P 9.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Shield is 19 oz per the S&W website:
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/s...playErrorView_Y

Just picked up the 9mm tonight - paid $379.

Thanks for the correction. I must have been thinking of a loaded weight. Or maybe empty with a magazine in it. Not sure...

Great price. The sticker on mine from a local gun shop is $399, but he was selling them for $359 earlier this year on a fire sale due to overstock. I bought mine in June or July and it has a May 2014 test fire date. It's been a fantastic pistol. I've been extremely satisfied with how the Melonite coating has been wearing. The slide and barrel (and other parts) are treated to that coating, and it's a very nice finish.

 

[tc1446]

As others have said, try both if you can and get what feels best. I had
a chance to fire a buddy's LC9s and was surprised at the light recoil as I
am recoil sensitive; so much so, that I haven't had a 9mm is many years as
I felt they were all too snappy. Loved his Ruger, got good accuracy. At the time I was trying to get some accuracy out of my relatively new G42 380, but failing
due to its peculiar (to me) trigger. Went to LGS, dry fired both the Shield
and Ruger, and the Ruger came home with me. The G42 didn't.The Shield trigger felt too much
like my G42 and I didn't want to risk spending more money on something that didn't work
for me. The Ruger has handled a variety of ammo flawlessly. I expect the
Shield will too. Get what feels good to you. Either way, you can't go wrong.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Tons of YouTube videos like this one raving how nice the Shield is. And all the videos I've watched say it feeds all kinds of ammo with no problems.

In the video he said the rear sight is adjustable for windage, but per the owner's manual that's not true. The owner's manual says to drift the front sight left/right for any windage adjustments.

 

[FastGame]

I would never buy the LC9 when you can buy S&W Shield and Bersa BP9. Not saying the Ruger is a bad gun, it's good but not in the same league as the other two.

 

[CT8]

I don't own a S@W shield but I have shot one in 40S@W and was blown away! I have owned a Kahr pm9 for years and that is a super accurate pistol . I have shot the XDs blah. No where near the S@W. I looked at the Ruger and I wasn't at all impressed. I have several Rugers .

 

[95busa]

I have an LC9, I really like the gun and the trigger (long, but light and smooth). I dry fired an LC9S. IT. WAS. AMAZING.

 

[95busa]

Originally Posted By: FastGame
I would never buy the LC9 when you can buy S&W Shield and Bersa BP9. Not saying the Ruger is a bad gun, it's good but not in the same league as the other two.

Are we honestly saying an LC9 isnt as good as a Bersa? I had a Bersa .380 years ago....decent gun, but not what I would consider a top of the line defensive handgun.

 

[FastGame]

Originally Posted By: 95busa
Originally Posted By: FastGame
I would never buy the LC9 when you can buy S&W Shield and Bersa BP9. Not saying the Ruger is a bad gun, it's good but not in the same league as the other two.

Are we honestly saying an LC9 isnt as good as a Bersa? I had a Bersa .380 years ago....decent gun, but not what I would consider a top of the line defensive handgun.


I'm honestly saying the Bersa BP9 is better than the LC9... not the Bersa Thunder 380, the 380 Bersa is good but the LC9 is better for sure. The Bersa BP9 is every bit as good as the S&W Shield and better in some areas. The BP9 is more accurate and has a better trigger. The Bersa BP9 was built to Military & Police standards and lives up to them well.

 

[95busa]

Originally Posted By: FastGame
Originally Posted By: 95busa
Originally Posted By: FastGame
I would never buy the LC9 when you can buy S&W Shield and Bersa BP9. Not saying the Ruger is a bad gun, it's good but not in the same league as the other two.

Are we honestly saying an LC9 isnt as good as a Bersa? I had a Bersa .380 years ago....decent gun, but not what I would consider a top of the line defensive handgun.


I'm honestly saying the Bersa BP9 is better than the LC9... not the Bersa Thunder 380, the 380 Bersa is good but the LC9 is better for sure. The Bersa BP9 is every bit as good as the S&W Shield and better in some areas. The BP9 is more accurate and has a better trigger. The Bersa BP9 was built to Military & Police standards and lives up to them well.

Hmm....have to look into that. Thanks for the info

 

[Robenstein]

Hickock45 did a review of the BP9 on his youtube channel. He liked it but he did say it had an awfully light trigger pull for a CCW gun. Maybe too light.

 

[FastGame]

That would depend on who's using the gun, how much practice they put into safely drawing the gun (any gun). Then there are people who make $$$$ selling trigger kits for Glock and M&P's to get triggers BP9 like.

I do agree there are people who shouldn't be using guns with light triggers. When it comes to CCW and self defense many aspects need to be taken into account other than going with the popular choice...

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
In the video he said the rear sight is adjustable for windage, but per the owner's manual that's not true. The owner's manual says to drift the front sight left/right for any windage adjustments.


The rear sight of a Shield being driftable is a common misconception. Visually, it looks like it should be, with the dovetail and set screw. In reality, it's not. The sight is installed from the right side and is intended to be there as a permanent fixture. The sight can, of course, be removed and replaced...but preferably with a proper sight press. It's not intended to be something that is moved around often.

Yes, the front sight is adjustable for drift, and is the one S&W intends the customer to use to adjust the sights on a Shield.