I want a better .40 cal carry gun. Period.

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I've read about the Ruger striker fired light strike problems. I was wondering if you know approximately how many rounds you put through it before the light strikes started . I do have a SR9c that's been flawless , so far ,but was wondering when to possibly expect a problem. Thanks
 
I think every US made gun that fits your criterion has been listed. However, if you're willing to consider foreign guns then look at an HK USP Compact, P2000 or P30 in .40 S&W. They're utterly reliable as built like tanks. You can spend more but you can't get a better sidearm. All of the above models can be obtained in SA/DA models or with the LEM trigger (kind of a hybrid where the slide partially cocks a striker but the guns have a hammer).
 
Thank you all.
I'm looking hard at Kahr and the M&P.

Carbonyl, I have at least 700 rounds through the SR40c before I started to get the light strikes. As much as I hate to say (because I am a huge Ruger fan), I do not trust the gun. Makes me sad to say that.
 
Expect a problem? I don't expect problems but deal with them when I have to.

We're well past 500 rounds each in our SR9, SR9c and SR40 and each works as well now as when we bought them. But since I loaded all of the ammunition, I know the power levels I'm getting and my PACT2 confirms that. 95-97% of maximum is my rule once loads are properly worked up.

After a good cleaning, if there are problems I'd suspect a weak spring. Stuff happens and certainly there are lemons, but the overwhelming experiences we have with SR guns, ours and others in our club, is positive.
 
thomis said:
I have at least 700 rounds through the SR40c before I started to get the light strikes.
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Are you getting light primer strikes with factory ammo or reloads?

If you reload, some SP primers have harder cups and are more difficult to ignite (see picture below).

My 40S&W Glocks never had a problem with CCI/Magtech/PMC/Winchester primers but had light primer strike issues with a lot of Tula SP primers - www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7805786&postcount=52

attachment.php


Yes, I thoroughly cleaned the striker/tube/behind the breech wall of my Glocks and they will ignite CCI/Tula SR and 223 primers with harder cups.

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To the OP - light strike problems with the Ruger SR-series pistols is usually a result of the striker channel being filled with gunk (usually the copious amounts of preservative grease Ruger ships these pistols with).

My advise to you is to detail strip the gun and clean the channel out. If that doesn't work, send it back to Ruger and they will make it right. The SR40c is a very good pistol design, so I would try these things before giving up on it.
 
He stated that he already cleaned out the channel, replaced the spring and it has been sent back to Ruger for them to fix. The issue is he doesn't trust the gun, so he is looking for something else.

If it were me, I would go with the M&P. I just acquired an M&P45 and while the trigger is not super crisp and the reset is not as loud as a Glock I find that it has been pleasant to shoot and the .40 models should be just as good if not better. Nothing against the quality or function of the Kahrs, but I just don't care for shooting them, that is based on my limited experience with them.
 
I believe the Sig P250 is made in New Hampshire.

I have a P250sc .40 that I like very much. It has a very revolver-like, long, double-action trigger pull that some people don't like, but it works just fine for me.
 
The P229 is, as I understand it, a full "Exeter" model. I have one, and for the .40 S&W I wouldn't want anything else. A P226 would also be good, but you said it had to be compact.
 
Just get the Sig 239 in .40 . It may cost a little bit more but the quality is there.
 
If it has to be made in the US I'd go for the M&P compact.

Really though I think it best to judge a product by it's merits and in that case I'd go with the HKP2000sk (preferably with an LEM trigger if you can swing it).
 
I keep my guns clean and maintained. The striker channel and pistol is clean. I purchased and installed the stiffer (really actually longer) striker spring from Galloway Precision. It helped a little but still only maybe 3 out of 5 rounds on average fired. My SR40c is en route, as we speak, to the factory. I don't know what they are going to do to it because their technicians don't come to the phone. So, cool. They fix it. I get it back. It fires. But, um, I don't trust it anymore, sorry. No, I'm not sorry, I don't trust it anymore. Once bitten twice shy. Sorry to have to say all that but I'm looking for a better CCW autoloader:
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This is a little silly. Any gun can fail, which is why testing via training is so important.

Try a prelock S&W 610. This gives you access to both 10mm and 40 S&W without "autoloader unreliability" :evil:

My vote is for a SIG P229 even though it is a bit larger than specified. Also consider some of the older S&W semi-autos.

Why the demand for American made? This removes HK, Walther and other good brands.

I just noticed you stated you have a "large frame". If you cannot conceal a P229, then you're not trying hard enough. You will never wish for a smaller gun with lower capacity in a fight. I swear...some people carry a gun for convenience and discount the fight.
 
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I do have a SR9c that's been flawless , so far ,but was wondering when to possibly expect a problem. Thanks
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So I have an SR9 that has over 5k rounds through it and is the most accurate, most flawless pistol I have ever owned. My friend who has a Kimber even said from shooting it that my SR-9's trigger and reliability rivels his Kimber. So what does that mean. Not much to me.

Everyone gets a lemon once in a while. I just recently purchased a M&P Smith and it has the worst trigger I have ever pulled. It's sights were so far off that I couldn't get it on an 8.5x11"target at 7 yds.

How do you know you won't get one like your Ruger from Smith. If you do, Smith and Wesson will take care of it, but so will Ruger for yours.

If you lost confidence in yours, I understand, but there is nothing to say you won't get one just like it from Smith and Wesson, or any other gun mfg out there.

I'm in the same boat your in but in the reverse of order. My Smith M&P sucks and my Ruger is premier. Like I said above, that doesn't mean much to me.

Just keep that in mind.

If I were you I would wait until Ruger sends you gun back, put it through every exercise you can think of, and if it passes all your tests, Throw in your truck for a truck gun and buy another gun that your comfortable with. Then hope you didn't buy another one that does the same thing to you.
 
I have a Colt 1911. I love this gun in many ways but I don't carry it concealed.

"Why the demand for American made?"

Call me patriotic.

tom, tom, tom. A little silly? Who are you to say that? Really man, carrying a weapon for self defense is a responsibility I take very seriously. If you have a weapon that you have been carrying for two years now, and maintain it regularly, as I stated, cleaned out the striker channel, etc. even replaced factory spring with an aftermarket "tactical" spring and still not 100% reliability. There is something wrong.
I have two beautiful children and their lovely mother in my guard when I carry concealed. Silly? I think not. I want to carry in confidence.
 
The m&p 40c is perfect. Mine has been flawless. But i carry my sig now. Better trigger. And yes. It says made in new hampshire right on it
 
The problem with buying 100% American is it really can no longer be done in most cases. That's even true in the shooting sports. Some guns are indeed manufactured in the USA. But that's not the whole story.

Guns are no longer made from pure elemental metals. With few exceptions, most metal parts are alloys and their constituent parts come from all over the world. Chromium to make stainless steels for example.

Many of the powders I use in hand loading (Winchester, Hodgdon, Ramshot, Vihtavouri and etc.) aren't American and are made in Canada, Finland, Australia and etc. The same can be said for primer constituent parts and brass cases; metals that go into bullet's jackets are imported too.

As a veteran who served his country during the Vietnam conflict, I consider myself about as patriotic and anyone can get, but carrying that over and saying you will be buying only those products that are 100% American in every sense of the word is not realistic.
 
with the current gun climate buying American made doesn't really mean quality... personally Id rather support a good company that makes a quality product and offers excellent customer service.
ruger does, but you've had problems (which they may very well fix for ya, though I understand your mistrust woes...ironically I have the situation with my kahr cw9)

S&W really is your best bet. I'm pretty sure FNs are American made, and made well, but I don't have much more than a few rounds through them.

I'd recommend a springer xd but I think they're made in brazil?

Not sure what else to recommend, there's the mpc40 then there's the large and generally high quality European options. Maybe a smaller 1911?
 
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