Sarsilmaz SAR 9
Sarsilmaz may not be a house-hold name in the United States, but they are not new players in the global firearms scene. Based in Turkey, Sarsilmaz has been building and refining firearms since 1880 when the Ottoman Empire ruled the eastern Mediterranean. Given this longevity, they’ve built a reputation for building exactly what their customers specify. And that reputation continues with their latest offering: the SAR 9 pistol.
Made in Sarsilmaz’s state-of-the-art facility in Beköy Beldesi-Düzce, the SAR 9 is the pistol Glock would make — gasp — were Glock listening to the American market. The SAR 9 is a full-sized, polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol that’s chambered in 9mm and is expertly engineered. Best of all, it’s available with a very affordable sticker on its box.
G&A acquired two SAR 9 pistols for testing. One was all-black, and the other had a bare stainless steel slide. They came each in a lockable case, with a pair of 15-round steel magazines, three custom backstraps and panel sets (like the HK VP9), a lock, cleaning gear and an owner’s manual — all the expected goodies.
I have to confess, as I opened the box the guns arrived in to checked to verify that they were unloaded and check the serial numbers for booking, my first thought was, Oh, another polymer pistol. Ho-hum. As I pulled the first gun out of its case, those thoughts changed to Whoa, that’s a nice-feeling grip!
Let the examination begin.
First Impressions
The trigger includes a safety familiar to Glock users. The red indicator lets us know the striker is charged and ready.
The SAR 9 pistol feels good in my large hands and points well. But that trigger? Yuck!
