Stoeger STR-9F, by Thomas Christianson

If I had to describe the Stoeger STR-9F in as few words as possible, I would say that it reminds me of a Glock 17 with a good trigger.

It is roughly the same general shape as a Glock 17, holds 17 rounds like a Glock 17, weighs about the same as a Glock 17, and field strips in the same way as a Glock 17 into the same component parts as a Glock 17.

I found the trigger to be better than any Glock 17 I have ever fired, and I was able to shoot it more accurately than any Glock 17 that I have ever fired.

With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $329 at the time of this writing and widely available online for under $300, the STR-9F was significantly more affordable than the $500+ price of a Glock 17.

Stoeger is a fully-owned subsidiary of Benelli. The STR-9F is manufactured in Turkiye (formerly called Turkey.)

Background

I like full-sized handguns. The longer sight radius tends to help me shoot more accurately. When I shoot, I appreciate all the help that I can get.

I recently received a press release from Stoeger about their STR-9MC. As I looked over the micro-compact STR-MC, I actually found myself more drawn to its full-sized brother, the STR-9F. I asked Stoeger if I could borrow a sample of the STR-9F for testing and evaluation. They were kind enough to agree. Before too long, I received notification that a firearm had arrived for me at the gun store that handles my firearm transactions.

First Impressions

The outside of the box contained more information than is typical for a firearms box. The picture on the box and some of the information was specific to the STR-9 rather than the STR-9F, but most of the information is applicable to both models. They are both polymer-framed, double-stack, striker-fired, handguns with 3-dot sights.

The box contained the generously oiled handgun in a plastic bag, one 17-round magazine, a wide rubber band with the designation “STR-9″ imprinted on it around the grip, a cable lock, a magazine loader, and the manual. There is a nice accessory rail under the front of the slide on the bottom of the frame. The proprietary heat-treated blued steel magazine is made in Italy. (Glock magazines will not fit.) The grip fit my hand quite well with the standard insert. Optional inserts in other sizes are available from Stoeger.

The trigger pull is a little long, but very smooth and crisp breaking. I measured its weight with a Ready Up Gear Digital Trigger Pull Weight Gauge. My five measurements ranged from 3.49 pounds to 4.58 pounds, with an average of 4 pounds even, and a median of 3.97 pounds.

I was a little disappointed to receive just one magazine, since two magazines has pretty much become the industry standard for handguns. What the sturdy, steel, Italian-made magazine lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.

The slide serrations are easily gripped. This is helpful, since the recoil spring feels slightly heavier than some. I liked the fact that the recoil spring was captive to the stainless steel guide rod.

As is common for many modern handguns, the STR-9F is equipped with a trigger safety. Just as with the  Glock, there is no manual external safety.

Reading the Manual

The manual consists of 46 pages including the front and back covers. It begins with a well-illustrated list of basic firearm safety rules, which is good. The only state-by-state warning is from Massachusetts. It appears toward the end of the manual, where it is less likely to induce narcolepsy in the unsuspecting reader. Avoiding that danger is also good.

I noticed a number of interesting details in the manual:

Like the manuals from most firearm manufacturers, it warns against the use of reloaded ammunition. I feel that this is a little like a dinnerware manufacturer warning against the dangers of home cooking. Done poorly, it can be dangerous. Done well, it is much better than the average restaurant meal.
The handgun is rated to safely use +P or +P+ ammo, but not sub-machine gun ammo. Use of higher than standard pressure ammo may decrease service life.
The use of snap caps is recommended for long-term dry firing to prevent striker damage.
The handgun can fire while the magazine is removed. This is good, since magazine disconnect safeties can make the trigger grittier and heavier. I also feel that if I ever need to fire a handgun part way through a mag change, it would be good to have the ability to do so.
Storing the handgun with the slide open can reduce the strength of the recoil spring.
The directions in the manual are clear, precise, and cover the basics well. Stoeger’s technical writers are to be commended for a job well done.
The directions for clearing squibs and misfires are also clear and helpful.
The sights can be moved in the dovetails for windage, and are interchangeable for elevation. An adjustable, fiber-optic rear sight was available at the time of this writing for $54.39.
The mag release is reversible.
The slide and barrel are steel with a black nitride finish.
It is necessary to pull the trigger as a part of the disassembly process.
The handgun should be cleaned before initial use.
The cleaning instructions are especially clear, precise, and well illustrated.
20 round magazines are available for STR-9 series handguns.
The 5 year warranty covers defects in material and workmanship for the original owner.

Pre-Cleaning

I disassembled the STR-9F in accord with the clear directions in the manual. I used OGRE Manufacturing EnviroClean FA as a solvent, removed the remainder of the solvent with dry patches, and then applied a thin film of Breakfree CLP in the bore, barrel, recoil spring, slide, and other accessible metal parts.

My Range Session

It was a beautiful early afternoon in mid-April. The sun was shining brightly, the temperature was 49 degrees Fahrenheit, and there was a light and variable breeze swirling around the points of the compass, most often from the northwest.

I set up a target stand in front of the backstop on the improvised range behind my pole barn, and then set up a table 15 yards away. I chambered a single round of Blazer aluminum-cased 115-grain FMJ ammo, placed the STR-9F on a MTM pistol rest, and fired at the center target. The bullet struck about 1 inch to the left and about ½ inch below the point of aim. I then loaded and fired 4 more rounds of the Blazer ammo. The resulting 5-shot group was about 1.28 inches in size. It ended up being my best group of the day.

I proceeded to fire additional 5-shot groups using the Blazer ammo, Winchester White Box 115 grain FMJ, Remington UMC 115 grain JHP, and G9 Defense 80 grain 1480 FPS external hollow point. I fired groups from rest and I fired off hand. I tended to get 4 nicely placed shots and 1 flyer in almost every group.

For the sake of comparison, I used my Rock Island Armory MAPP FS as well. This is the handgun that I typically can fire the most accurately, and that I am most comfortable using. My results with the MAPP showed that I was not having a good range day. My groups from rest using the STR-9F averaged 2.81 inches in size. My groups from the MAPP were about the same. I should spend some more time in dry fire practice with the Mantis X10 as well as on the range. My muscle memory shows signs of fading.

I did verify the 17-round capacity of the STR-9F magazine while I was at the range. The spring was a little stiff at first, as is often the case with a new magazine.

During the course of the range session, I noticed that the stippling on the back of the grip insert was a little more aggressive than I would prefer. It began to get a little uncomfortable under extended use.

I also felt that adjustable sights would be a help for me. My hits with the STR-9F were consistently a little low and to the left of the point of aim. But that could have been due to some flinching on my part.

The STR-9F ate everything I fed it, with 100% reliability.

Final Cleaning

I took the two handguns inside, and cleaned them with EnviroClean FA and Breakfree CLP as I did during the pre-cleaning.

Conclusions

Even though I was having a mediocre range day, I was able to fire the STR-9F more accurately than any Glock I have ever fired. It ran with total reliability.

I would like to see it come with a second magazine and adjustable sights. I would also like the stippling on the grip insert to be a little less aggressive. Other than these minor quibbles, I cannot think of any improvements. The STR-9F did what a full-sized handgun should do consistently and well. With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $329 at the time of this writing, the STR-9F is a great value for the money. If you are looking for a reliable, reasonably-priced, full-sized handgun, you may want to consider the STR-9F.

DisclaimerS

Stoeger loaned me a sample of their STR-9F for testing and evaluation. Ready Up Gear had provided me with a sample of their Digital Trigger Pull Weight Gauge for a previous review. OGRE Manufacturing had provided me with a sample of EnviroClean FA Gun Cleaning Solution for a previous review. G9 Defense provided me with a sample of their 80-grain 1,480 FPS external hollow point ammo for another review. Rock Island Armory had previously loaned me a MAPP-FS for review. I subsequently purchased that handgun. Mantis had provided me with a sample of their X10 for a previous review. I tried not to allow the kindness of these vendors to interfere with my objectivity, and I believe that I have succeeded. I did not receive any other financial or other inducement to mention any vendor, product, or service in this article.