[Aggiegrad17]

bought a Ruger Max 9 with safety at Academy about 2 weeks ago. I headed to the range to shoot it for 1st time yesterday. But after pulling back the slide release and inserting a loaded magazine, the slide wouldn’t release at all. Used strong hand to pull back and release slide and weak hand to disengage slide stop to no avail. I even ejected the mag and it still wasn’t release. Has this ever happened to anyone else? I’m new to Ruger and have used both the Hellcat and M&P Shield for years. Very disappointing to not even be able to get off a single shot!

 

[Rabbit212]

Bienvenido from Deep South Texas.
That's a new gun??? Looks like its had some miles put on it.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Can you depress the slide stop lever or is it frozen?
That said, this is clearly a "well used" carry gun. Somebody somewhere in it's life may have bubba'd something and that's why it was traded. First thing I'd do is check the SN on Rugers site to see when it was made. Second thing would be to bring it back to Acadamy. All else failing, you need to call Ruger.

 

[Nomadic Paladin]

Now that is a shame. Luckily for you, Ruger will probably fix it even if it is used. They are very good at taking care of problems.

On the picture of the left side of the gun; is it me, or does it look like there is some of the same material used on the grip poking out between the slide and the frame?

 

[Higgy Baby]

Only thing I can think of is try to pull that slide back- put some real pressure on it-then while holding pressure on it-try to mash that slide release.
Good luck....

 

[True Grit]

Looks like the tab in front the safety lever is catching in the slide. Is that part of the frame insert assembly? Seems like that tab should be flush with the grip frame.

look at the trigger and the pin on the right side. It's all scraped up. Someone took the frame insert out and didn't get it set back in correctly. That's what I see.

Saw Aggiegrad's post in another Max 9 thread. The tab in this photo fits into the grip frame notch much better. See pic in post #12
New Max-9 woes.... | Ruger Forum

 

[Tu_S]

Assuming that the slide lock is working and moving up and down, I would want to take a look at the guide rod of the recoil spring.

What usually happens is someone doesn't put the spring assembly in right, jamming the barrel in the tilted position, which in turn keeps the slide from travelling forward. Without a picture of the guide rod and not having the thing in front of me I can't say for sure, but you can usually fix it by playing with the exposed part of the rod.

After that you're pretty much down to the ejector, sear, and disconnector as the only other parts that interact with the frame and slide.

 

[kwb377]

Is this a new gun? I don't think I've ever seen used guns at Academy Sports.

Reason for asking...there seems to be a lot of finish wear for a gun that hasn't been fired (other than at the factory).

 

[Tu_S]

Is this a new gun? I don't think I've ever seen used guns at Academy Sports.

Reason for asking...there seems to be a lot of finish wear for a gun that hasn't been fired (other than at the factory).

It's a used pistol, and something that was a "work" gun. Looking at the wear on it, pretty sure it was in a hard kydex holster, and one that had a spring loaded latch that locked it in the thing using the trigger guard area looking at the wear on the trigger (and the previous owner was/is right handed.)

 

[kwb377]

It's a used pistol, and something that was a "work" gun. Looking at the wear on it, pretty sure it was in a hard kydex holster, and one that had a spring loaded latch that locked it in the thing using the trigger guard area looking at the wear on the trigger (and the previous owner was/is right handed.)

The marred frame plastic on the right side at the takedown pin and the punch marks on the trigger pin would give me concern about what's been hamfisted internally.

 

[yavapaisam]

Why should Ruger repair a well-used modified gun at no charge?

 

[Savannahboy]

Why should Ruger repair a well-used modified gun at no charge?

They probably should not, but I have seen Ruger go above and beyond what is expected for great customer relations.

 

[Nomadic Paladin]

Why should Ruger repair a well-used modified gun at no charge?

They would rather incur the cost of a repair than the cost of a suit and/or loss of public relations.

 

[Aggiegrad17]

Is this a new gun? I don't think I've ever seen used guns at Academy Sports.

Reason for asking...there seems to be a lot of finish wear for a gun that hasn't been fired (other than at the factory).

Yes brand new gun, came out of the box like that

 

[Aggiegrad17]

It's a used pistol, and something that was a "work" gun. Looking at the wear on it, pretty sure it was in a hard kydex holster, and one that had a spring loaded latch that locked it in the thing using the trigger guard area looking at the wear on the trigger (and the previous owner was/is right handed.)

I literally bought it about 5 weeks ago, and salesperson at Academy recommended the Kydex holster…it’s been sitting in my safe until I had a chance to go to the range

 

[Aggiegrad17]

Assuming that the slide lock is working and moving up and down, I would want to take a look at the guide rod of the recoil spring.

What usually happens is someone doesn't put the spring assembly in right, jamming the barrel in the tilted position, which in turn keeps the slide from travelling forward. Without a picture of the guide rod and not having the thing in front of me I can't say for sure, but you can usually fix it by playing with the exposed part of the rod.

After that you're pretty much down to the ejector, sear, and disconnector as the only other parts that interact with the frame and slide.

Thanks a lot for the advice, I’ll definitely try the guide rod before taking to a gunsmith. The pistol was probably a display model that they put in a box and sold as new, I bought it online and picked it up the next day. I’ll include a picture of the guide rod

 

[Aggiegrad17]

Is this a new gun? I don't think I've ever seen used guns at Academy Sports.

Reason for asking...there seems to be a lot of finish wear for a gun that hasn't been fired (other than at the factory).

Absolutely ordered online as a “new gun” from Academy. It took me about 36-hours to get to store to pick it up-and it’s quite possible that they boxed up a display model or even a return before I picked it up. Salesperson at Academy recommend a Kydex holster and now I clearly see that was a mistake. It has not even had one shot fired through it, and the gun worked fine for inserting a mag, chambering a round, and unloading. But as soon as I got to range it locked back as far as it can go. I tried removing the takedown pin but there’s just not enough clearance with slide locked back.

 

[Aggiegrad17]

Is this a new gun? I don't think I've ever seen used guns at Academy Sports.

Reason for asking...there seems to be a lot of finish wear for a gun that hasn't been fired (other than at the factory).

I definitely ordered and paid for a new gun online from Academy’s website, but it took me about a day and half before I could get to the store to retrieve it. It’s possible that they put a display model in the box and sold it as new during that time

 

[89bruin]

Like others, I have a hard time believing this is a new gun. Not only does it show an unusual amount of wear (my long-term daily carry guns look mint compared to this) it also shows wear/abuse in some odd places - pins, the trigger sides, the cut outs in the polymer. Frankly, that gun looks abused and if it looked that way in the store you shouldn’t have accepted delivery. Hopefully Ruger can help you out.

 

[Tu_S]

I literally bought it about 5 weeks ago, and salesperson at Academy recommended the Kydex holster…it’s been sitting in my safe until I had a chance to go to the range
...

That really surprises me. It really looks like a used pistol.

Just for the fun of it, I looked up the SN and it shows that it was shipped in 2021, so I can't explain the condition.

As far as kydex holsters go, I like them, and have just accepted that there will be some wear on something that will be used and carried around, kind of like accepting that your new car will not be new forever if you want to use it.