Ruger Max-9 Review – Worth It?
Looking for a sub-compact pistol? Let’s take a look at the Ruger max-9 and see if it’s worth the money or if this is the right pistol for you.
The Ruger Max-9 is a new take on the older LC9. This is a slim-framed 12-shot semi-auto pistol chambered in 9mm. This was specifically designed for concealed carry.
I will go over the pros & cons of this gun and give you my overall opinion to hopefully help you decide if it’s worth buying.
This post is a detailed review of the Ruger Max-9.
Ruger Max-9 Review
Ruger Max-9
- 9mm
- 12+1 & 10+1 Magazines Included
- Tritium Fiber Optic Front Sight
- Manual Safety
- Optics Ready
Price Check: Grab A Gun, Guns.com, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, Primary Arms, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shop, Sportsman’s Guide
The Good & The Bad
The Good
- Great as a carry gun
- Decent capacity
- Decent trigger
- Optics ready
The Bad
- The short barrel gives a “snappy” recoil
- The small frame doesn’t allow full grip for some people
- Magazine disconnect feature
Short Answer
The Ruger Max-9 is a great option for a self-defense carry gun chambered in 9mm. It’s affordable, compact, shoots well, featured packed, and has safety features that are perfect for beginners.
These guns are very affordable and you get a lot for the price. This is a great option if you’re on a budget.
Features:
One of the best features of this gun is that it is streamlined for concealed carry. It is compact, lightweight, and has a snag-free design.
This gun is another one of their striker-fired pistols with no external hammer which is now how most modern pistols are made. It uses an internal striker block safety like most concealed carry pistols.
The trigger on this pistol is a split trigger safety design making it ideal for carry and will help prevent accidental discharges. The Ruger Max-9 also has an external thumb safety.
The trigger pull is smooth with a clean break followed by a positive reset.
I will add that there are front slide serrations and rear slide serrations. The magazine release is reversible for left-handed shooters.
It has an overall length of 6 inches and is in the “sweet spot” as far as size goes. Not too big and not too small to be used primarily as a concealed carry pistol.
I like that it comes with a tritium fiber optic front sight and a blacked-out rear sight. This gives off great contrast and allows you to quickly get a sight picture.
A key standout feature of this handgun is that it comes with an optic cut-out on the slide that will allow you to add a red dot. Red dots on pistols are becoming very popular so this is nice to see them already added from the factory.
This comes with two magazines as well. A flush fit 10+1 round mag and the extended 12+1 round mag that is slightly longer which gives you a better grip.
The forward serrations are actually usable and feel good. So far I’m impressed with what I’m seeing during the Ruger Max-9 Review.
Specs:
- 9mm Luger
- Semi-Automatic
- Frame Finish: Black
- Action: Semi-Automatic, Striker-Fired
- Slide Description: Serrated Black Oxide Steel with Optic Cut
- Slide Finish: Black Oxide
- Slide Material: Through-Hardened Alloy Steel
- Twist: 1:10 RH
- Capacity: 12+1, 10+1
- Magazine Type: OEM E-Nickel Teflon coated
- Frame Description: Black Polymer with Serrated Trigger Guard
- Grips: Black Polymer
- Hand: Right
- Weight: 18.4 oz.
- Includes: 2 Magazines – One 12 Round, One 10 Rd
- OAL: 6″
- Height: 4.52″
- Safety: Manual Safety, Integrated trigger
- Sight Configuration: Tritium Fiber Optic Day/Night Front, Drift Adjustable Rear
- Sight Style: Contrast
- Barrel Description: Cold Hammer Forged Alloy Steel
- Barrel Finish: Black Oxide
- Barrel Length: 3.20″
Ruger Max 9
- 9mm
- 12+1 & 10+1 Magazines Included
- Tritium Fiber Optic Front Sight
- External Thumb Safety
- Optics Ready
Price Check: Grab A Gun, Guns.com, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, Primary Arms, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shop, Sportsman’s Guide
What Comes In The Box
Owners Manual
I have attached the Ruger Max-9 Owner’s Manual, click to view it.
In the cardboard box, you get the gun, two magazines, the owner’s manual, and a storage lock.
The two magazines are a 10-round and a 12-round mag. These are Nickel Teflon coated magazines and the pinky extension/floor plat is polymer.
This doesn’t come with any type of soft zipper case. Most people will not care about this but I figured it’s worth mentioning during the Ruger Max-9 Review.
Size & Concealability
Most people interested in buying this gun will have concealed carry in mind and this is the perfect size for carry.
The overall size is slim and narrow but not too small. The gun is 4.52″ tall from the bottom of the magazine well to the top of the slide.
It has a barrel length of 3.20″ and the total length of the entire pistol is 6″.
The width of the gun is also under an inch coming in at 0.95″.
The sides and corners of this gun have been rounded slightly to help reduce snagging when drawing the gun from a holster. Getting snagged on loose clothing will be greatly decreased with the Ruger Max-9.
The trigger guard is large enough to fit your finger even with a glove one for most people.
Holster Options
Because Ruger is one of the major brands of firearms, there are plenty of holster options.
Most people will carry this inside the waistband and the two holster companies I recommend are Galco and Alien Gear.
They both have multiple styles of holsters that work with the Ruger Max-9.
You should have no issue finding any style of holster you want for the Ruger Max-9.
Galco Holsters
For Ruger Max-9
Alien Gear Holsters
For Ruger Max-9
Sights & Optics
I am a huge fan of fiber optic tritium sights and I am very impressed with the sights that come standard on the Ruger Max-9.
The fiber optic is great for gathering ambient or direct light and allows you to see the front sight very easily. It contrasts very well with the blacked-out rear sight.
Getting a good sight picture is easy and quick on this gun.
Because this front sight has tritium inside the fiber optic, it will glow at night or in complete darkness. Perfect for self-defense.
On top of the iron sights, you have the option to add a micro red dot sight. Red dots are great for fast target acquisition.
You don’t need a red dot for this to be a great handgun, but it’s nice that Ruger added the optics cut giving you the option.
Trigger
The Ruger Max-9 is a striker-fired pistol and it comes with a split trigger safety. These are safety features to help ensure you have a finger pulling the trigger and stop accidental discharges.
The pull weight of the Ruger Max-9 is about 5.5 lbs with a trigger travel of 2.5″.
It feels ok and isn’t bad but certainly can be improved upon.
The more you shoot this gun the more you will get used to the trigger.
Luckily, there are a few different aftermarket options when it comes to the trigger.
Frame
So there isn’t anything fancy about the frame on this gun. It is made of polymer and has a grip texture.
I personally wish that the grip texture was more aggressive but that is my own personal preference.
The magazine release button felt good and is also reversible.
The trigger guard felt strong and was well-designed. The base plate extension that is on the 12-round mag feels good.
Overall the frame is good and I didn’t notice any pinch points or hot spots while shooting and handling the Ruger Max-9.
Safety Features
There are quite a few safety features on the Ruger Max-9, some are obvious, and some you cannot see.
This gun has a manual safety and depending on your preference that might be a good or bad thing.
There is also a split trigger safety that I mentioned earlier, this will help protect the trigger from being pulled unintentionally.
On top of the pistol, you can see if the chamber is loaded without pulling the slide back. I personally don’t think loaded chamber indicators are necessary because I have the habit of manually checking. But some people may like this.
Inside there is a safety feature that most people will not be aware of and that is the “magazine disconnect”.
This feature prevents the gun from firing without a magazine inserted. So even if you have a round in the chamber but no magazine in the gun, no bang.
I don’t like this safety feature in general because most people don’t know about it and think the gun may be broken.
To me, it’s just another unnecessary feature that is another part that might fail in a gun. Better to keep everything simple.
Also, you have to read the owner’s manual to even find out about this feature, because most people don’t mention it.
I will say that most semi-auto Ruger pistols have this feature, along with many other firearms manufacturers.
Performance
When first shooting this gun it felt snappy and I didn’t like the trigger very much. After a few more magazines I was starting to get used to the Ruger Max-9 and became more accurate.
At first, I felt a good amount of muzzle flip but quickly got used to it.
The safety lever didn’t feel too difficult to actuate and the trigger safety felt good. I didn’t have any problems with mag changes and despite being one of these micro-compact pistols, I liked it.
The trigger reset felt good and was easy to hear and predict.
Most of my trigger time in this group of pistols has been the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield. So in my experience, this is what I am comparing it to and I think most people are going to consider the Shield when thinking about purchasing the Max-9.
The slide operation and controls felt better while manipulating the Ruger but the recoil felt slightly more harsh.
Accuracy was about the same once I got used to the trigger. The sights were great and the more I shot the Max-9 the more I liked it.
Keep in mind this gun is designed for concealed carry but I still like these small types of guns to be accurate.
The magazine release button felt good and had a nice texture.
9mm Ammo
Price Check: Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, Primary Arms, GunMag Warehouse, Guns.com, Grab A Gun, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops, Sportsman’s Guide, Bereli, Lucky Gunner, Gorilla Ammunition
I put a good amount of rounds through this gun and did not have any reliability issues, so that is great. Having a gun that goes bang every time is at the top of my list.
As far as performance goes it works as intended and you get what you would expect in a modern concealed carry style pistol.
Is it the best? Probably not but it works and is priced fairly. Would I feel safe carrying this gun to protect me and my family? Yes.
Field Strip & Cleaning
To take down this gun for a field strip you do need a tool. This can be annoying because most modern pistols use a lever or a tab system so no tools are necessary.
Once it’s taken down, you would clean this like any other semi-auto pistol. No extra steps or parts to pay special attention to when lubing.
Ruger Max-9 Cleaning Tek Mat
Best Ruger Max-9 Upgrades & Accessories
If you want to find out which parts and upgrades will work best on the Ruger Max-9, check out my post on the Best Ruger Max-9 Upgrades & Accessories.
I list everything you can do to this pistol to get the most out of it and make it a better self-defense handgun.
Final Thoughts
For the money, it’s hard to beat this gun. It shoots reliably and has more features than other guns in its class and price range.
Good aftermarket support with upgrades, holsters, and extra magazines.
It could have a better trigger but this can always be upgraded later on. If you want a good reliable pistol for self-defense and concealed carry, but don’t want to overpay, this is a good choice.
Or if you are looking for your first gun or are just starting out with firearms, and want something good, the Ruger Max-9 is a good option.
What do you think about the Ruger Max-9? Have you shot one or do you use it as your everyday carry? Let me know in the comments below.
Ruger Max-9
- 9mm
- 12+1 & 10+1 Magazines Included
- Tritium Fiber Optic Front Sight
- Manual Safety
- Optics Ready
Price Check: Grab A Gun, Guns.com, Palmetto State Armory, Brownells, Primary Arms, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shop, Sportsman’s Guide
Ruger Max-9 Review FAQ?
How accurate is the Ruger Max-9?
The Ruger Max-9 is a snappy sub-compact pistol. With the short barrel and lightweight polymer frame, the gun tends to have a lot of muzzle flip.
Is the Ruger Max-9 a good gun?
The Ruger Max-9 is a good gun. Considering the price-to-performance ratio you can’t go wrong with this gun. Especially for anyone on a budget that doesn’t want to compromise reliability.
Does the Ruger Max-9 have a lot of recoil?
The Ruger Max-9 is a sub-compact pistol chambered in 9mm with a short barrel. This combination makes it have more recoil compared to full-size pistols. Recoil is always a trade-off with short barrels.
What is the difference between the Ruger Max-9 and Max-9 Pro?
The standard Ruger Max-9 comes with an external thumb safety and the Ruger Max-9 Pro doesn’t have a thumb safety. This is the only difference between the two.
Will the Ruger Max-9 shoot +P ammo?
The Ruger Max-9 does shoot +P ammo with more power. It’s not recommended to constantly use higher-powered ammo but instead shoot regular ammo most of the time.
