The SAR 9X Platinum is a new upgrade to the SAR 9, which was introduced in 2018 and received great reviews. Suffice it to say, the SAR 9X is another excellent semi-automatic, striker-fired pistol at a very affordable price.
The 9mm pistol is manufactured by the Turkish company Sarsilmaz. Founded in 1880, the company now makes numerous polymer handguns. They are also the exclusive supplier of pistols for the Turkish police and armed forces.
It has a very similar look to the Canik series of pistols but with a major improvement to the grip. I will talk about that later.
SAR 9X SPECS
The SAR 9X weighs in at 27.8 ounces empty. It has a polymer frame and ramped barrel made of forged alloy steel. The nice addition of a ported slide gives it a classy look. The barrel also has a recessed muzzle crown, which is another interesting touch on a pistol at this price point. You usually see this treatment on target guns, and it may even assist with accuracy.
The SAR 9X is a single-action, striker-fired pistol. The sights are fixed, low-profile white three-dot sights. Barrel length is 4.4 inches. The gun is 7.5 inches in length and 5.5 inches in height. It has a width of 1.4 inches. Trigger pull is approximately 5 pounds. It has a bit of a “squishy” pull. I say squishy, but it almost felt as though this was a two-stage trigger after live fire at the range.
One unique feature of this pistol is its ambidextrous thumb safety. The slide release is a nice size and easy to manipulate. The trigger has a trigger safety and a red indicator that shows when the pistol is cocked.
The slide is predrilled to accept an optic. The slide take-down control is similar to a Glock but much larger and easier to manipulate. There is an ample Picatinny rail as well.
SHOOTING THE SAR 9X
The grip includes three backstraps and side panels that make it extremely ergonomic. Three finger grooves on the grip made the grip weld especially good with easy access to the trigger. The large beavertail allows you to easily get a high grip on the pistol and helps control the recoil.
The SAR 9X was a pleasure to shoot and made for a great day at the range. The recoil was fairly light and control was very natural. After a few shots, the recoil was not even noticeable. Right out of the box, I was able to register 1-inch groups at approximately 20 yards.
Deep slide serrations made racking the slide easy, and the porting helped with press checks as well. The SAR 9X cycled flawlessly and was a pleasure to shoot rapid fire. Follow-up shots were easy to keep on target.
Magazine changes were also very quick since the magazine drops freely. I did have to alter my grip to manipulate the mag release button, but this could be managed without adjusting grip after some practice. The slide release extends just far enough to make the process quick and smooth. The fixed sights are easily acquired and get on target quickly.
WHAT COMES WITH THE SAR 9X?
Everything comes in a polymer lockable case. This includes two magazines. One magazine comes with an extended base plate that has a 19-round capacity. The second has a standard base plate with a capacity of 17 rounds.
It also comes with a Kydex level two retention paddle holster and a magazine carrier. They provide three interchangeable backstraps, three sets of side panels and an install tool for adjustments to the grip.
In addition, there is a pistol light included, which is a very nice touch for a package in this price range. Finishing it all off is a magazine loader and metal punch.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In conclusion, this is a great package for under $600. It is a pleasure to shoot with many accessories included in the package. Its ergonomic grip, natural grip angle, easy controls, accuracy and reliability make this a great choice for anyone looking for an initial purchase.
It is a little large for my idea of a concealed carry pistol, but there are many who carry pistols this size every day. So, whatever your preference might be, you need to check out the SAR 9X on Guns.com.
