SAR9 SOCOM: A Tale of Two Guns

Our writer gives SAR USA’s SAR9 SOCOM 9mms a run through the gauntlet and provides some ponder-worthy insight into the “practical vs. play” features found in modern handgun designs

by Paul Markel

Let’s take a look at the checklist of items or features that, according to the Instagram models, must be found on every pistol today:

The gun must be “optic ready.” Check.
It must have interchangeable backstraps and/or grip panels. Check and check.
Unless it is a “subcompact” model, it must have a threaded barrel. Check.
You must machine unnecessary holes into the slide to allow the Three Ds (dirt, dust, debris) to get inside. Check.
Accessory rail for a weapon light. Check.
A flared mag well to help you shave 1/16 of a second off your reload. Check.
Forward cocking serrations for gun owners who don’t know how to carry a loaded gun. Check.
Barrel porting to cut down “split times.” Nope.

Sar9 Socom: A Tale Of Two Guns — The SAR9 SOCOM (left) and SAR9C SOCOM (right).

Both the SAR9 SOCOM full-size and SAR9 SOCOM compact pistols have all the above listed features, minus the barrel porting. The guns also come with two full-capacity magazines, a special wrench for the thread protector, as well as cleaning accessories and the mandatory trigger lock. The SOCOM versions are finished in what the manufacturer calls “Special Forces Green” and the backstrap and grip panels are FDE brown to offer an accent to the pistol and to make it stand out.

Reality Vs. Playtime

Now, let’s consider reality versus playtime when it comes to firearm features and options. Before I commence, I completely understand why SAR USA and other manufacturers put game features and cosmetic nonsense on modern handguns; they must look cool in the hands of the Instagram models. That entire situation makes me a sad panda. But…let us press on.

When I say reality, I mean the martial application of the pistol to be used in mortal combat. When I say playtime, I mean essentially any other endeavor that is not training for or engaging in martial activities. All gun games, I don’t care which letters you use to abbreviate them, fall into the “playtime” category. Playing games with guns is NOT equivalent to learning how to and train to fight with a gun. Games are fun. If you want to play a game, go for it. Just don’t tell me that your game is training you to succeed in mortal combat. Save those lies for the gun forums and those you are trying to impress.

Let’s run down the list of realistic and practical features for a fighting handgun.

Optic Ready – This one is going to be a yes/no answer. Yes, if you plan to put in the time to master the use of an optic. If you are installing an optic as a get-around to training and practice, then no. Red dots don’t press the trigger or hold the gun steady.

Interchangeable Backstraps and Grip Panels – No. They might be nice, but they are not a necessity. I have trained women who stood 5 feet, 0 inches to run an M9 Beretta (a large pistol). If you like that feature, great, but it is not an absolute necessity.

Threaded Barrel – Again this will be a yes/no answer. If you live in a slave state that forbids the ownership of cans or you don’t plan to spend the money on one, then no. If, though, you are planning to purchase a can or already have one, then yes, the threads are worthwhile; however, for a concealed carry gun, this option is not a necessity unless you are planning to conceal an extra eight inches of suppressor.

Holes Machined Into the Slide – There is absolutely no place on a fighting pistol for extra holes to allow the ever-present dirt, dust, and debris to enter the action. One of the big issues with the Beretta M9 was that the open top slide allowed dust and debris to get into the action. We were supposed to learn from that mistake, not emulate it. Standard guns that are carried everyday already get the Three Ds in them without adding unnecessary holes. Unless your pistol has a selector switch for burst mode or auto, it does not need “cooling channels.”

Accessory Rail for a Weapon Light – Again, yes and no. If the gun is a duty pistol or one that is going to be used for home defense, yes. If the gun is concealed carry, this is nice, but not an absolute. Keep in mind that having a weapon light on your gun NEVER absolves you from the obligation to carry a separate handheld flashlight. And, no, your phone light does not count.

Flared Mag Well – No. This is a game feature and does not need to be on a fighting gun. For concealed guns, enlarged mag wells increase the size of the part that is not in the holster.

Forward Cocking Serrations – These are both cosmetic and a product of the insane desire to engage in the “press check.” The desire to needlessly fiddle with a gun is commonly found amongst those who have been trained by YouTube or have been the unfortunate pupils of poor or outdated training. Forward cocking serrations add additional steps to the manufacturing process and to the cost of production but are of no useful benefit to those who engage in martial pursuits.

The SOCOM pistols are fortunately free of the idiotic modern trend of drilling porting holes in the barrel and an additional hole or holes on top of the slide. We tried this on carry guns 25 years ago. It was a bad idea then and we stopped. Now, people who were in grade school when we figured out not to do this are for some reason buying guns with this feature.

The 9mm is NOT a hard-kicking cartridge. If 9mm +P ammunition is hurting your hands and arms, you need to pick up some steel, take some training, or carry a .380 ACP. Ports in barrels shoot hot propellant gas out of the top. In low light or poor light conditions, this is like popping a flashbulb (ask your parents) two feet from your eyes with each trigger press. And we go back to cutting unnecessary holes in your gun to let junk in. Also, gunfights are as often as not close quarters affairs. How much hot propellant gas do you want firing against your body?

Sights

The sights available on the SAR9 pistols will vary based on the model. For the SOCOM models, the sights were Meprolight Tritium with a yellow polymer ring around the front Tritium vial and two subdued Tritium dots in the rear. Very intelligently, the sight cuts on the SAR9 pistols are the G17 version. Therefore, any aftermarket sight set up that will fit a G17/G19 will work on the SAR9.

As you may know, if you have been following Student of the Gun for any amount of time, we are big fans of the Night Fision Accur8 sights. For this project, I decided to install a set of each onto the full-size and compact SOCOM pistols. The full-size gun received the Accur8 sights with a white translucent polymer ring around the Tritium vial up front. The compact version received the safety green/yellow version. The Accur8 sights have a deliberately subdued, single Tritium dot in the rear and the front is extremely bright and easy to pick up. These sights are steel, and the rear sight has twin staking screws for extra security.

Carrying the SOCOM

As for carrying the SAR9 SOCOM pistols, I decided to try out some holsters from 1791 Gunleather as well as belts to go with them. For the full-sized gun, I went with an outside-the-waistband, traditional-style BH1 hip holster and a matching GH 1 leather belt both in Signature Brown.

For the compact pistol, I went with the Ultra Custom IWB holster from 1791 and one of their leather “Cobra” gun belts. The Ultra Custom can be molded to fit your specific firearm, which I did shortly after getting it. The company makes high-quality leather holsters, and I have been very impressed by them thus far. (NOTE: For those who have only used plastic holsters, understand that leather holsters do require some break-in time.)

Range Time

Both myself and my oldest son, Jarrad, tested out both SAR9 pistols on numerous occasions. We started with the training ammunition from SAR USA, then we used the premium Black Hills JHP and Honeybadger loads. Not surprisingly, all ran through the guns with no issues.

After a few hundred rounds of the higher-end, brass-cased ammunition, I decided to try running some steel-cased and aluminum-cased FMJ ammunition through the guns. While not exactly earth-shattering news, the two SAR9 SOCOM pistols ran without issue with the steel- and aluminum-cased loads. Accuracy was what should be expected from a modern factory barrel. Hits on a ½ steel silhouette out to 25 yards were easily accomplished as long as the shooter did their part.

Regarding both guns having threaded barrels, I did shoot each one with an AAC TiRant 9mm silencer affixed. With standard ammo, you still get the supersonic crack. With the 147-grain subsonic ammo, the majority of the noise comes from the ejection port/chamber area, not the muzzle. Both guns ran just fine with a can attached.

Parting Shots

The grip/frame of the SAR9 SOCOM pistols are well designed and put the web of the shooting hand nice and high. Double and triple taps on targets were easily accomplished. The trigger feel is very good for a striker-fired pistol.

The only real “ding” I have for the guns are the pointless holes machined into the slide. All the other “match” nonsense, like the oversize mag well (removeable) and forward cocking serrations can simply be ignored or not used. If you aren’t planning to put a suppressor on your gun right away, or ever, do yourself a favor and put some non-permanent thread locker on the thread protector and snug it down tightly with the wrench. If not, you will eventually be on the ground at the range looking for it.

SAR9 SOCOM Full-Size Specifications