Ruger announced a new version of an old gun that has proved to be very popular for concealed carry. The new gun is a stainless version of the LC9s pistol. Less affectionately known as the model 3273, the new LC9s Stainless share all of the same functionality as the original pistols, but with a slide that has a brushed stainless finish. For those shooters that like a two tone look, this pistol will almost certainly appeal to them.
Like the original LC9s, this pistol is chambered in 9mm. The standard Ruger LC9s magazine holds seven rounds. When you include the one round in the chamber, this gives you a full eight rounds before a reload is needed. For the most likely self-defense scenario, this is likely enough to prevail. Of course, I always recommend carrying at least one spare magazine when the gun is carried for personal protection. Unfortunately, Ruger ships the gun with only one magazine.
Ruger makes the frames from a glass filled nylon. This polymer helps keep the weight down. In fact, an unloaded gun weighs just over a pound at about 17 ounces. While polymer frames can be relatively easy to color, this model comes only in black. If you prefer a different color for your frame, you will have to talk to your local gun shop about a special order. A few distributors like Bill Hicks and Talo have paid for special runs from Ruger. These special LC9s pistols are limited in number, but can be had in a rainbow’s worth of colors.
While the slide is stainless steel, the barrel is made of an unknown type of non-stainless alloy. It is blued. There are many different alloys of steel, and stainless types are not always the best choice for a barrel. Regardless, I’ve not heard of a single person who has shot out his LC9s barrel. Since this is a compact pistol, the barrel is kept to a moderate length. In this case, the barrel length is 3.12”.
On top, Ruger uses three dot sights. These are fairly standard for handguns. While not adjustable, the windage can be adjusted by drifting the rear sight with a hammer and punch. I’ve rarely has a pistol that arrived from the factory with sights so out of whack that I needed to drift them to bring them on target.
The pricing on these guns is reasonable. Stainless models tend to command a little more money than plain blued ones, and that is true in this case. Ruger marked the LC9s Stainless with a price tag of $499. Your dealer sets the final price, so I would expect to pay a bit less than that.