Gun Review: SAR9 SOCOM COMPACT 9mm Pistol

My how things have changed since I first started carrying a handgun some 37 years ago. Traditionally, handgun manufacturers would either come up with the design that they thought was best and then try to sell it, or they’d build a handgun based upon specifications for a large and lucrative government contract.

While those situations still hold true in many circumstances, there’s a new driving force in the market; Instagram. Rather than build the most robust, functional, and practical gun possible, firearms manufacturers are now forced to take into account design features and add-ons that will attract the eye of the current crop of Instagram “influencers” and their thousands of undereducated, but truly dedicated followers.

I really don’t envy gun makers in the 21st century who are having to consult their crystal balls to try to anticipate the next social media-driven trend in guns and accessories.

SAR9 SOCOM COMPACT 9mm Pistol

I’ve been aware of the existence of SAR USA for years now, but I’d never had the chance to try out any of their firearms. That all changed in late June when a SAR9 SOCOM COMPACT pistol in what they are calling “Special Forces Green” showed up at my FFL dealer.

Inside of the padded, black plastic case was the pistol with two magazines; a 15-rounder and a 21 round extended version. There’s a backstrap/grip panel kit as well in small, medium and large configurations. The medium set-up comes from the factory. A punch is included in the kit to push out the single pin in the frame to swap the backstrap and grip panels. As far as size comparison, the SAR9 is essentially the size of a G19.

Regarding special features, the SAR9 SOCOM has them in spades. Starting with the slide, the sights are Meprolight Mepro tritium Hyper-Bright night sights with a yellow polymer ring around the tritium vial and two subdued tritium dots in the rear. Just forward of the rear sight is a cover for the machined optic cut.

The slide itself has three graduated cuts machined into each side of the forward portion that the company calls “cooling channels.” These are more commonly known as lightening cuts and people who carry guns everyday for a living call such holes “3D entry points” (dust/dirt/debris). As for the barrel, it’s factory threaded with the standard ½x28 TPI. Thank you! Some European companies are — for some reason — still trying to push left-handed, metric barrel threading on Americans.

The threads are protected by a hexagonal cap and a wrench to remove the cap or snug it down is included. Inside the slide is a dual-captive recoil spring that’s now a common feature on such guns.

Down on the frame, in addition to the aforementioned backstrap/grip feature, you can add an extended mag well if that’s what floats your boat. Inside the frame you have a striker-fired trigger system with a red trigger activator lever.

There is a Pic rail mount on the dust cover as you’d expect from any modern pistol. Above the backstrap area there is a deep cut that puts the web of your shooting hand nice and high. Other than the trigger, the only controls are the magazine release button which is big enough to find when you need it, but not so big that it can be negligently activated. The slide lock is recessed enough to be out of the way and is located on the upper left part of the frame, right where it should be.

Steel is used for the bodies of the magazines and the baseplates are aluminum — not plastic — which is a nice touch. The 15-round version sits pretty much flush with the base of the frame and the 21-round extended mag sticks out as you would expect it to. SAR also includes a nice little pistol cleaning kit as well as the obligatory gun lock in the box.

Range Time

Prior to sitting down to write this review, both Jarrad Markel and I fired somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 rounds through the pistol over several range sessions. We used the 124 grain FMJ from SAR USA, as well as FMJ and JHP ammunition from Black Hills.

BLUF: Jarrad and I were both extremely impressed by the feel of the factory trigger and the superb felt recoil impulse of the SAR9. Double- and triple-taps on steel half-silhouette targets were almost too easy.

For the last range session, I made sure to fire dozens of rounds single-handed right and single-handed left. No stoppages occurred. The sights were right on and hits on steel were easily doable out to 25 yards or farther as long as the shooter did their job. As with most modern handguns, a miss is on the operator, not the pistol.

I worked in awkward shooting positions; kneeling, supine prone left and right, and shooting around cover using the ubiquitous plastic drums on the range. The yellow ring on the front sight stands out nice and bright and was easy to pick up. I also should add that I did more than half of my shooting with formfit tactical gloves on my hands. No problems there (no, I did not cut off the trigger finger like a mongoloid).

Also, keeping with the ‘practice like you play’ mentality, I spent a couple of hours in a Level IV plate carrier and helmet from fullforgegear.com. If you have such items and never use them in training, you’re deceiving yourself. You don’t learn how to wear personal armor during a crisis, you learn in training.

Holster Choices

Being a Turkish import, you might expect a rudimentary plastic holster to come in the box. Not in this case. However, a quick check on the SAR USA website shows a link to myriad holster choices for their pistols. Many holster makers are embracing the new SR9 pistols. For instance, my pals over at 1791Gunleather.com have a pretty wide variety of outside and inside the waistband holster choices for these guns. Just remember, if you have a pistol with a threaded barrel that sticks out, order your holster accordingly.

Impressions

The SAR9 SOCOM COMPACT comes with more standard features than most people will ever use. When it comes to a fighting/concealed carry instrument, I can do without the extended magwell or the magazines that extend 1.5 inches from the frame. If you live in a slave state that forbids you to shoot your guns quietly, a threaded barrel is of no use to you. Here in free America it’s a nice option to have. As for grip fit, go ahead and try out all three; S, M, L, and figure out which one feels the best and then get to training and run the gun. In the end, the SAR9 SOCOM COMPACT is a lot of gun for the money.

Specifications: SAR9 SOCOM COMPACT 9mm 

Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1  (15 and 21-round mags included)
Barrel Length: 4.7 inches
Overall Length: 8 inches
Height: 5.2 inches
Width: 1.4 inches
Weight: 25 ounces
MSRP: $519.99 (about $460 retail)

 

 

Paul G. Markel is a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. He is also the founder of Student the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades.