Whenever I hear the letter combination “SR” I think of the SR-71 Blackbird, the sexiest object ever created by hand of man. While the Ruger SR45 doesn’t quite achieve the legendary spy plane’s height of horniness, it is, nonetheless, a deeply desirable ballistic battler. It’s the kind of gun that reminds a Glock guy why he’s like a happily married man; constantly reminding his high school buddies that looks aren’t everything. True dat. At the end of the day (or the muzzle) a gun’s got to git ‘er done. Does the Ruger SR45’s performance and utility match its suave demeanor? Yes and no. But first a little more about the Ruger SR45’s siren song . . .
In the same way that a tall woman can make even the most style-challenged dress seem drop-dead gorgeous, the jumbo-sized SR45 elevates the already comely SR series to supermodel status. The big Ruger’s a perfectly scaled and wonderfully proportioned minimalist classic. The indent on the slide at the muzzle end shows its designer’s attention to detail. The handgun’s bold graphics, grip-angle aligned slide striations and fine-checkering make it Ermenegildo Zegna of semis.
The SR45 may look tall and tan and young and lovely but the gun is something of an optic illusion. The big Ruger’s exactly the same width as the sine qua non of full-size .45-caliber striker-fired polymer pistols: the 1.27″ wide Glock 21. Even though the American pistol holds three fewer cartridges than Gaston’s handiwork (10 vs. 13), an unloaded SR45 is almost four ounces heavier than a G21 (30.15 vs. 26.8 ounces). That said, no full-size .45 is for the feint of hip.
The SR45’s handle offers enough grip space to accomodate a gorilla-sized support hand. With plenty ‘o heft and a low bore axis, muzzle flip’s a moot point. As you’d expect from a modern gun at this price point, accuracy’s not an issue. Exploiting a sight radius longer than the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, peering through remarkably useful adjustable three-dot sights, your humble scribe fired 11 rounds on a sheet of computer paper at 10 yards in less than three seconds. I also shot a mag’s worth of bullets through the same hole at five yards. [That’s Steve above and below.]
The SR45’s trigger accounts for much of my mad shooting skilz. The semi-automatic handgun’s go-pedal has none of the grit that bedeviled the SR40; it’s as smooth as a snifter of Speyside. Rhode Islanders will be pleased with the trigger’s relatively short travel in both directions. And Glock guys will be happy with the solid CLICK on reset. Unfortunately, the SR45’s trigger has no appreciable breaking point. At some point in the squeezing process the thing just goes off. The surprise break is great for square range marksmanship but not so great for self-defense . . .
You’re pushing the SR45 out during a defensive gun use (DGU). The bad guy’s in your sights. Your finger is on the trigger. You squeeze your index finger to “register” the trigger. You decide not to fire. Only you do, anyway. Or the bad guy’s moving. You’re squeezing the big Ruger’s trigger slightly, subconsciously deciding on the exact moment to fire. Only you shoot a fraction of a second too early. Or a moment too late. And yes, “average” armed self-defenders can make such fine distinctions—even or especially under stress.
And then there’s still the SR45’s ergonomic issues: the largest member of the SR family retains Chicklet-sized external switches. It takes enormous pressure and dexterity to work the SR45’s minuscule slide stop. You can sweep off the SR45’s safety easily enough. Putting it back on with your thumb is like trying to play chopsticks with one hand. During an adrenalin dump, when fingers turn to flippers, you’d be SOL. If you want to re-holster your gun in a safe condition after a DGU, fuhgeddaboudit.
I’m also no fan of any self-defense handgun whose sights are round-edged at the front; you can’t cycle the gun with the heel of your shoe. But that’s me. Zooming out, we’re talking about an all-American polymer pistol that’s a full Franklin cheaper than the Austrian alternative; a 1911-sized gun that’s Helena Svedin to Glock’s Rosie O’Donnell (and Springfield’s Predator-styled XD). And while the big Ruger may not match the Glock’s proven reliability, yet, the SR45 ate a thousand rounds of mixed brand ammo like Adam Richman downing sliders.
If you’re a capacity-relaxed buyer who wants to carry a cool-looking big ass .45 with a proper-sized external safety I’d recommend stumping-up another $90 for the Smith & Wesson M&P45 (soon to feature the Shield’s most excellent trigger). Or save-up another three bills for a drop-dead gorgeous Ruger SR1911. That said, if you’re a sucker for a pretty gun it’s best to buy a Ruger SR45 sooner rather than later. The big semi doesn’t go Mach 3 but I reckon it’ll sell mach schnell. Whether it’s high-flying military machines or large-caliber firearms, sex appeal is its own reward.
The SR45 for this review was provide by The Kentucky Gun Company.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Caliber: 45 Auto
Grip Frame: Black, High Performance, Glass-Filled Nylon
Sights: Adjustable 3-Dot
Barrel Length: 4.50″
Length:8.00″
Height: 5.75″
Width: 1.27″
Weight: 30.15 ounces unloaded
Capacity:
Price: $529 msrp
RATINGS (Out of Five Stars)
Style * * * * *
Sexy.
Ergonomics (carry) * *
Big, wide, heavy, long.
Ergonomics (firing) * * * *
Minimum muzzle flip, OFWG-friendly three-dot sights. Smooth trigger doesn’t break cleanly enough for self-defense work.
Reliability * * * * *
One-thousand rounds of mixed ammo. No problems.
Customize This * * * * *
Lights and lasers on their way.
OVERALL RATING * * *
A reliable, accurate, good-looking gun that doesn’t “get” self-defense.
This picture would have made more of a statement with him holding a real gun, not a blue training gun.
Perhaps health care providers should start administering the driving test for teenagers. After all, they can “play a vital role in preventing injuries from reckless driving”.
Nice SCAR!
Now here’s a question for 16V: can someone make brass casings from SLM?
Apologies for any thread necro, but just a quick note on mandatory service – I used to be really against it until I read a somewhat interesting blog post by an ex-Ranger Vietnam vet who now does real-estate investing in favor of it, where he outlines that the motivation issues aren’t because they were draftees, but because after WWII, draftees only had to stay until their tour of duty was up, so their incentive was to just stay alive until then, whereas before WWII they had to stay for the duration, so their incentive was to fight and win the war. Also that the draft results in a better fighting force because you now have people from all segments of society as opposed to a nucleus of people who sign up for the patriotism and many others who sign up because they had no other options. And that drafting results in less wars because people are much less likely to think casually about going to war when someone in their family has a very real chance of getting deployed there.
Anyway, have for a long time sympathized with y’all despite never owning a gun just because your arguments generally have made more sense than the gun control arguments. But the “not owning a gun” part will soon change, anyway.
Glad to see it is not a black-rifle….dem things is scary!
I’m not a .45 fan. But the big Ruger (aren’t they all) actually feels good in my hand.
It’s most reprehensible to exploit the loss, pain & suffering of innocents to rob citizens of their inherent right to self-defense. These people have no shame.
Makes me miss my Ruger P90… A b!tch to conceal but it could out shoot my Colt Commander and SigP220.
That was a sweet gun. It’s really hard to complain about my P89dc…but there are days I do wish I had opted to keep the P90 instead of the 9mm.
I’d rather have an M&P 45 for that price.
Langevin isn’t a complete d!ckhead. His early campaign slogan was “I’ll stand up for you” and some of his friends call him “Hotwheels.” No, I’m not making it up.
Still, he’s just such a f^cking Democrat, isn’t he.
It certainly highlights the threat that armed cops pose (ask some pickup owners in LA if you’re not sure). He’s shot by a negligent cop in a police station and his response is to keep those guys armed but take our guns away. WTH?!??
I’m quite sure there are any number of anti-2A media establishments where he could obtain gainful employment. I can see the headline now:
“Radio host hounded out of his job by gun nuts”
sub headline
“Was in fear for his safety after threats”
Well we’ll just file this guy under ‘People not connected to friggin’ REALITY’.
Yeah, its been taken from her alright, sadly. We do have a wall against this bullshit given to us by our founders & its not going away with the ramblings of one brain dead bitch, however well meaning she might be. Randy
One a month?
One a year?
One at a time?
One a lifetime?
One for the whole family?
One for the neighborhood?
One for the country? See you’re not infringed. We still have ONE.
Just so everyone is clear, the One-Gun a month law is for handguns only, shotguns and long guns are unlimited (for now). It’s still disheartening to see this law upheld, but like most have said, it’s low on the list of “repeal nows”. Mag cap, “assault weapon ban” and shall issue are the big ones.
If you want to have only one 45 caliber pistol don’t waste your time with a polymer. Get a 1911. For those of you who don’t like 45 and live in a state with or soon to have restrictions on JHP learn to love the big round because when you are restricted to FMJ you are going to want that 230 grains of mass for personal defense.
You should watch all of his videos. The guy is like MacGyver. His gun that shoots circular saw blades is freakin awesome.
In a half sane world, it would be laughable to lable the NRA as fringe. The Founding Fathers make the NRA look like a boys choir. At the time of the Revolution, the rifles the colonials hunted with and used to defend their homes were the same rifles they took into battle. They were militia, that means light infantry military, weapons.
In case someone asks, nukes aren’t light infantry weapons, but full auto are. Ask the Swiss who do just fine with them. And if I could afford it, I’d have a P-51 Mustang in my garage.
NYS seems to be desiring to go in the same direction. 🙁
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A03908&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Text=Y&Votes=Y
Where can you get one?
This was my oppose response. I am probably now on a watch list
“I oppose Legislation to End Gun Violence because… Just saying it is common sense doesn’t make it so. The recent mass murderers either used stolen guns, guns bought by illegal straw purchase, or passed a background check. Some used 30 round mags, some used ten, some used handguns, some used rifles. Bottom line is all the legislation proposed would have done little to stop them. This fact has even been acknowledged by Bloomberg himself in an interview where he stated he wanted to go after handguns next. Semi auto rifles, in fact all rifles, are used in a small number of crimes. Overall gun crime and homicide is on the decline. The places where gun crime is highest are large urban areas with strict gun laws as well as disparate wealth and poverty. Plus many gun laws currently aren’t being enforced. Furthermore 98% of spree killers attack in gun free zones. Do not take away my constitutional rights because a .00001% percent of society commits crime. By the way, Bloomberg, why don’t you go back to NYC and continue fighting against soda, sugar, trans fat, ear buds, and plastic bags you 1%er tyrant.”
What if (like Aurora and Newtown) they have “tactical gear” and “bulletproof vests” and “high capacity firearms” and I need multiple rounds to knock them down? What if I live in reality where cops shoot hundreds of rounds to stop one suspect (or misidentified citizen)?
DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT take the advice of someone who talks about putting his finger on the trigger before making a decision as to whether to shoot or not in a deadly force encounter. The person who wrote this article has NO idea what he is talking about with regards to this pistol’s suitability for “self defense work.” Armed encounters are usually quick, deadly and close. You do NOT put your finger on the trigger until you are determined to destroy whatever is in the bullet’s path, and you sure as HELL do not decide whether or not to shoot while pulling the trigger and feeling for a breaking point.
The author also apparently doesn’t know how to measure the width of a firearm. The SR45 is in no way as wide as a G21. The width measurement given on the Ruger website is from safety lever to safety lever, a useless and misleading measurement in my opinion. Anyone with fully developed senses of touch and sight can tell that the overall width of the slide and frame are much slimmer than a G21, or a host of other pistols.
This is not a matter of opinion. These are facts.
Went and held this this one on monday. Have to say it makes my glocks feel like blocks. I love 1911s, and I love my Glocks… thats why the SR45 is my next weapon.
ignant gunowners, i love reading these comments saying how the liberal media is giving Remington the shaft, complete with pre-school spelling and secind grade logic. Example, “I have had a 700 for 20 years and it never misfired, so there is no problem.”. OK, well I’m convinced.
Had a Mauser manufacture P-38 for about 20 years. Built in Jan.’43, it was accurate when you got past the heavy double action first shot. Sold it to a good home when I needed money.
Excellent article. Thank you.
The REAL question is: “Why is anybody still living in New York?”
If people have been willing to put up with New York’s out-of-control regulations and burdensome taxes thus far, they won’t ever find enough reason to move. And soon, their opportunity to use their freedom of mobility–and to vote with their feet by relocating elsewhere–will be gone…for New York can’t afford to let everyone escape that situation…I mean, who would subsidize the socialism if you weren’t there?
The fact is, you all should have gotten out of there before now. With the millions of ex-New Yorkers who successfully had made their exodus now gone, there are fewer of you taxpayers that are going to have to pay more…and more…and more each year to keep that state afloat. Soon, you too will be needing food stamps and government assistance…you can count on it. The home you own, you’ll one day be renting. Hello, sharecropper.
For those smart enough to see the door closing to escape and to move to places of liberty, you had better jump on it. We welcome all liberty lovers here in the south…just don’t bring your liberal ideologies with you–learn from the mess your representatives’ policies have made in places like NY and CA and IL.
Poverty does not breed violence. It comes from the culture, like knockout games. Take out black on black shootings an see where we as a country compare to the world, not bad actually. Gun violence is more of a black cultural problem, as is violence itself. No mom and no dad. Oooopppppsssss, not politically correct BUT CORRECT!
3.5 million in the state, 25K registered assault weapons and 17k registered standard cap mags. My guess is those numbers are inflated. That also represents items not people, so would a reasonable guesstimate based on the quantity of registered items represent 10K actual sheeple?
Looks like there will be quite a few felons at large in CT. That gives me hope that the state is not full of boot lickers.
Wait, wait, whoa! If you or I had an “oopsie” at work, we’d be fired so fast that our collective ass would still be smoking when we got home. She blasts one out in her office (which the people of KYown) and she gets a free pass? Someone tell me how this makes any sense, please.
He wants to ban guns, then thinks he will find one when they start marching people into camps. IDK what he’s smoking, but he needs to share.
Some of the comments on here are just stupid and totally misguided. Ruger put 40,000 rounds through a production model before putting the SR45 on the market. It is as reliable as a Glock 21, Smith and Wesson M&P, etc.. My Ruger GP100 is more reliable than any of these auto-plastic-pistols but that is another thread for another day lol Some of the “Glock People” have less insight than my 16 year old Siamese cat because when I break the news to them that most of the good autopistols are now similar in reliability to their beloved Glocks I invariably get the “one was buried in the harbor of Miami for 17 years and still fired!” or the equally stupid, “Mine was full of mud, sand, and beetles and still fired flawlessly for 1000 rounds” I have seen Glocks jam, fail, etc. Not that often to be sure but it happens like ANY other semiauto pistol. .I have a couple M&P 45’s because the Glock 21 has the nominal “terrible” Glock ergonomics with a grip that reminds me of a tupperware container more than a real gun. I shot all three of these (SR45, G21, and M&P45 respectively) and due to the low bore axis and design, the SR45 has less recoil and is about 20% (my experience) easier to shoot than the others. It costs less than the Glock and has similar build quality. I am trading my M&P’s for 2 more of these SR45’s. They are superior, other than capacity, to the Glock 21 and less expensive.
well, i have shot all the big name pistols and revolvers. i have a m&p 40 and a glock 20 ,21 and 19 i love glocks and smiths hell i love hand guns. let me tell u i just bought my 1st ruger auto in 45 acp ,it was a sr 45 and i have never shot a more accurate pistol in any brand or cal. than this thing excluding 1911s im sold on it and if you are to stuburn to try one for the fear u might like it same on u . dont knock it till u try it u might b impressed
Pardon me, but having retired after teaching firearms skills at the State Police Academy for 25 years, I just have to add my two cents worth. Insofar as the “gross vs fine” motor skills debate is concerned, all these “expert” opinions are laughable. The truth is that you will play the way you have practiced, but if the manipulation of the slide release or “lock” is a fine motor skill….then what the heck do you think a smooth manipulation of the trigger amounts to? All this crap started when Glock pistols began gaining popularity and the tiny little mechanism known an the “slide lock” was so small that using it was nearly impossible for novice shooters. Rather than address the real problem of size, the folks at Glock started the “it’s bad for your pistol” misinformation campaign. Please note that Glock offers an “extended” version of the part which has a shelf to provide a greater mechanical advantage in depressing it to release the slide. Why would Glock purposely manufacture a part for their pistol if it would damage their product? Glock when approached in their early days regarding the magazine not “dropping free” of the pistol when depressing the magazine release (or is it a lock?) came up with the cock & bull story that it was intentionally designed that way so that officers in the Austrian armed forces wouldn’t be as prone to losing the magazine. They later manufactured a drop free metal lined magazine….end of story. Moral: look beyond the obvious…the truth is usually below the surface.
Just bought a SR45 today ($470)… Absolutely love my SR9c, but in our family we believe in “no replacement for displacement”! I’ve always wanted a .45 and I think this one fits the bill. As a lad I drempt of 1911s and adore them like my first love. However, I am an underpaid hourly auto worker and will never own a Ferrari or a Kimber… I love the price on this series of weapons! I love the feel of this pistol! My large hands can manipulate the safety just fine, and I have minimal difficulty “slamming” the slide into battery with the slide lock/release everyone went on about. I’ve put a box o’junk ammo through it and I can honestly say I don’t know WTF the author meant about the trigger pull! It breaks right where I expect it to (although it’s just about the same as my weathered SR9c, which i may be just accustomed to). Every rnd hit near where I expected it to. Trigger crisply reset, where I expected it to. Maybe I’ve just become so used to firing it’s little sister that when I put the full sized pistol in the pocket of my palm, everything fell to instinct. Bottom line for me is this: I love the brand. I love the SR series. I love .45s. Really love the price! This worked out well.
Life is good.
When the P250’s slide is locked back, there is no room for it to go much further and its called an ambidextrous slide release because there are levers on both sides but only the left one catches (barely) on the slide notch while the one on the right side is sitting in an open archway. Wirtgh only a fraction of an inch of lever holding the slide, pulling it back at all drops the lever like a bad date, so it’s safe to say that this slide lock is more of a temporary obstruction than a lock and flicking the lever from either side will launch your slide like an arrow in a crossbow.
With the PPQ and PPX, the slide lock is irrelevant to cocking the gun since it gets cocked with a pullback of about two inches and anything more than does nothing but look cool on video. The only reason you need to lock the slide back is to turn the takedown lever.
But, the bigger question is, is the SR45 a bitch to rack like its smaller siblings?
BTW, for a low price, high quality 1911, I’ll take a Rock Island Armory.
getting a 4.2 avg and yet three stars for final verdict? and you gave the glock 21 four stars when it is 100$ more and offers a very similar package(you even did a comparison) … not bashing the glock just saying the final verdict makes no sense to what you actually expressed in the article. Don’t know why you are so negative about the carry aspect of this gun, that is what the ENTIRE LC line is for geez.
“You squeeze your index finger to ‘register’ the trigger. You decide not to fire.”
Oh. My. God.
I know this is a relatively old review, but I don’t feel that the following has been stated enough in the comments section.
This guy apparenty doesn’t know one of the most basic, fundamental rules of gun handling past down from fathers to children, from the exprerienced to total neophytes – DON’T TOUCH THE TRIGGER UNLESS YOU INTEND TO FIRE.
Given the level of irresponsibility exhibited here as well as Robert Farago’s apparent lack of basic gun training, I would suggest that this review be deleted and for Mr. Fargo’s services to be discontinued – at the very least to preserve The Truth About Guns’ credibility as a sound source of firearm information and eduation.
As much less an expert then many of you, I have a different approach to the “finger on the trigger” discussion. Please, I am not disagreeing with anyone, merely offering my insight. I am not LEO or ex military and while I used to shoot a lot, not so much any more.
Try as I might I have never been able to successfully transition from the trigger finger outside of the guard to the pulling the trigger position without the aim point moving away from my intended target. My method, much practiced although I am sure flawed by the standards of well trained LEO’s etc., is to place my finger inside the trigger guard and “hover” my finger just barely touching the trigger so that if I have to fire I merely need to depress the trigger.
I was just never able to accurately hit my target in the midst of the outside the trigger well to inside on the trigger without losing my sight picture. And my Ruger SR40 that sits on the nightstand has a green laser on it so it’s merely “point and click!” Loved reading all the expert opinions here though – one can never have too much info….
My SR45 shoots as well as any gun made by a human hand.
I like my SR 45 as much as I liked my FNX 45. The FNX 45 had to be sent back because of a malfunction. The SR45 has not malfunctioned. I might add that my GP100 has not ever malfunctioned either. Rugers are excellent guns people can afford and do buy…….. period.
I reload for my 45 colt, and my SR45. I was told you can shoot 45ACP in a 45 auto but not 45 auto in an ACP is this correct. I can’t tell any difference in the two casings.
I HAVE THE RUGER SR45 AND THE SR40 THEY ARE FINE WEAPONS MINIMUM RECOIL ON THE SR45 FUNCTIONED FLAWLESSLY,ACCURATE,RELIABILITY JUST A TOUGH RELIABLE PISTOLS. JOEB.
hi iI have a gen1 glock thats been cut down to take 19 mags it works good for me to cary as a conceal gun. my gen 2 cary outside the waistband. enjoy themboth
You’ve the most impressive websites
Call me crazy but I SAW no discernible difference in the trigger break. What I did see was Glock bias by a Glock guy
Wow, That is some serious nitpicking. First, the trigger is one smooth movement, effortless and unfailing. It doesnt need a break point! I have an lc9, sr9e and and sr45. all three are never fail tough firearms that are dead on accurate, do not jam.I can shoot circles around all other brands as I get to shoot everything at my club. I never think of a pistol in terms of sexy. I like guns that put the bullet exactly where it belongs, every single time without breaking or wearing out. That is what the sr45 is . Don’t let the pretty face fool you. It’s a super effective side arm. Mean sumbich.