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Stoeger STR-9 Pistol – New Contender for Best Handgun Under $400

The Stoeger STR-9 might just go down as the best new handgun under $400 coming out of the 2019 SHOT Show. It is also one that might be missed by a lot of people who don’t recognize the Stoeger Industries name.

Before the annual trade show, news about the 9mm pistol leaked out. I was immediately interested, as Stoeger had done a very good job producing the Cougar pistols. The Cougar was a Beretta design that had largely been abandoned as Beretta pursued new designs like the PX4 Storm and APX pistols.

Stoeger STR-9 9mm pistol

Stoeger picked up the Cougar and continued the manufacturing of those pistols. Stoeger Cougars were widely regarded as being an excellent value in the self defense handgun market. Nevertheless, the guns seemed to take a back seat to the polymer-framed, striker-fired handguns like those from Glock and Smith & Wesson.

It seems that Stoeger has abandoned the Cougar pistol and has put all of its weight behind the new STR-9.

Basics of the STR-9

Stoeger STR-9 Features

The STR-9 is everything that a modern defensive pistol seems to need for success. In fact, if there is a manufacturing checklist somewhere, I bet it has nearly every box ticked.

As a striker-fired pistol, the shooter has a consistent trigger pull from one shot to the next. Having shot and trained others to shoot traditional double action/single action (DA/SA) pistols, I can say that the consistency of a striker-fired pistol is much easier to learn. Every time you press the trigger, it feels the same. This is appealing to many people.

Polymer frames are a normal part of the shooting world. When done right, these frames are every bit as durable as a metal frame in most circumstances. I’m not talking edge case here – just average Joe self-defense guns. Once the manufacturing is set up, polymer frames can be much less expensive to make. This allows the company to keep the guns affordable.

Matching the tool to the user is an important concept. In the case of handguns, there have been a variety of methods developed to help do this.

Stoeger uses an interchangeable backstrap system to help get a good hand fit on the pistol no matter how large or small your hands are. I’ve got medium hands, but relatively stubby fingers. This makes proper finger placement on the trigger something of a challenge with pistols like the Beretta 92. But using small backstraps on a handgun like the STR-9 improves my trigger reach.

Stoeger STR-9 Backstrap System

Left-handed shooters might be interested to know that the magazine release is reversible. With just a few minutes of work, you can move the push button release to the right side of the frame.

As we’ve seen in the past few years, the shooting public has come to appreciate the 9mm cartridge again. I saw the major shift to the “Wonder 9” semi-auto pistols in the 80s, then to the .40 S&W in the 90s. Now, the public seems to have shifted pretty quickly back to the 9×19 again.

It is a proven cartridge that has the largest base of active shooters in the US today. I’ve seen some of the ammunition sales numbers from a few of the major companies. If you make a gun or ammo, ignore the 9mm fans at your own peril.

Three dot sights aren’t my favorite, but they seem to be the default position for many companies. Stoeger selected them for this pistol. You can get a factory model that has three dot night sights for a little more money. If you like night sights, this might be the best option for you.

New Stoeger STR-9 9mm pistol

One of the features I do like about the sights is that the rear sight has a hard front edge. This allows a shooter to run the slide with only one hand in an emergency. Yes, I recognize this is an unlikely occurrence for an armed citizen. It is, however, a bonus that cost the company nothing to include. I appreciate it.

Adding a light or supplemental aiming laser is easily accomplished with the Stoeger STR-9. A reasonably sized accessory rail is available to the shooter.

For some this might be a deal breaker: the gun is made in Turkey. Ignoring politics for a moment, there are some good guns being made in that country. The quality of the manufacturing base in that country does not concern me.

Specifications

Caliber9mm
Magazine Capacity15
Weight24 oz
Barrel Length4.17″
Overall Length7.44″
Actionstriker-fired, semi-auto
Sights3-dot
Finishmatte black
MSRP$329 base

The Models

At launch, Stoeger is offering three different versions of the STR-9. Fundamentally, they are the same gun but with a few minor differences.

Stoeger STR-9 Review

The base model comes with one magazine and only one backstrap. It has a suggested retail price of $329. Since it doesn’t have multiple backstraps to try out at home, you definitely want to check this in the store before you put your money down. If this works for you, I’m betting you can get this for less than $300 at many gun shops.

Next up the list is the same gun, but with three magazines and three differently sized backstraps. This is the model for me, as I like to have multiple mags for every gun I own. The MSRP is $389, but I bet I pay less than $350 when they arrive locally.

If you want night sights, you have one option, and it has a full retail price of $449. At that price you also get three magazines and backstraps. So, it is only a $60 jump for tritium sights.

Final Thoughts

Not everyone who wants a pistol for self-defense can afford a SIG SAUER or HK, never mind an artisan gun from Nighthawk Custom or Cabot Guns. Frankly, a new Glock or M&P is a bit out of reach for some people who want to exercise their right to protect themselves.

Guns like the Stoeger STR-9 offer options to people that have historically had few. Fortunately, there are a growing number of good guns in the sub-$400 market. I look forward to testing one of the STR-9 pistols and letting you know how it performs. If you get one before me, please leave a comment below with your experiences shooting it. If these are good or bad, let’s share that information and help each other out.

Last Update: October 16, 2022

By Richard Johnson

Richard Johnson is a gun writer, amateur historian and - most importantly - a dad. He's done a lot of silly things in his life, but quitting police work to follow his passion of writing about guns was one of the smartest things he ever did. He founded this site and continues to manage its operation.

22 replies on “Stoeger STR-9 Pistol – New Contender for Best Handgun Under $400”

Spoke to my FFL about the night sight model and he said that as far as he knows, all production on these fine pistols has stopped. That from what he read Stoeger may be moving the factory to Italy.
Are there any of the night sight models available? Or was production stopped before they were made?

Am looking to purchase my first hand gun. Doing alot of research. Have considered the S&W MMP Shield, 9MM,PCP/Glock 19/Spring Field XDE 9MM. Then I came across the STR9 and found the info to be compelling, especially concerning the $$$. But $$$ is not the bottom line, QUALITY is. (Though $$$ is still part of the equation.) The STR9 being new, I do not want to gamble on my purchase, but not pass on a less expensive hand gun that would serve me as well as the three I have already researched.
Appreciate any advice you can help me with.

Sorry for the slow response. If you have a nearby range that will let you shoot each of these pistols, I’d suggest spending a little money to rent them and get a feel for which you like best.

I own a Smith & Wesson Shield and a Glock 19, and I have shot the Springfield XDE. My choice for a first gun would be the Glock 19. It is a very reliable pistol with a broad range of accessories should you ever want to upgrade or carry it concealed. I also really like the Shield, though it may be slightly more difficult to learn than the larger Glock 19. (This may be counterintuitive, but a larger gun in the same caliber is generally easier to shoot than a small one.)

Best regards,

Richard

Good handgun but I keep having problem with disassembly latch spring keeps popping out While firing it i’ve sent it in twice to be fixed the same thing keeps happening how do I fix that problem

I am having the same problem with the take down lever. Actually my Slide Stop (takedown lever) fell out. Found the spring bar loose in the lower. I was wondering if the Glock part would work as a replacement? Having some issues with Stoeger’s web page accept my registration, host 505 error, a few times. Also called twice to customer service and both time they say we are having connection issues when i start explaing the problem. I am sure this is a coincidence, I’ll keep trying. In the meantime, will Glock parts work? Thx

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