Ranger Arms RA9 Defence 2
- Graham Baates
- 1 minute ago
- 5 min read
*Some of the external links found on this website are affiliate links. Those links use cookies to generate revenue and fund continuation of this website. By clicking an external link you are consenting to a temporary cookie, by purchasing from that link you are supporting this website. To opt out of cookies do not click external links.
Thanks to Blue Wolf Arms, (yes the same folks responsible for getting us the BRG Elite Gen 2) Ranger Arms is back in the US. You may recall the original RA9 Defence01 reviewed in 2024. It was a great gun with uncommon construction that I really enjoyed on the range, but was also lacking some features "en mode" on the US market.
Ranger Arms took note and quickly produced the RA9 Defence 2 featuring many enhancements:
Deeper, broader, and longer slide serrations for enhanced traction.
Top-mounted loaded chamber indicator that is tactile for use in low light.
Right-side slide catch/release lever.
Optics mounting with RMR-pattern plate included
New enhanced trigger with cleaner feel.
What's retained is the same great ergonomics, use of commonly-available CZ-75 pattern magazines, and beefy monoblock construction. This uncommon construction method is similar to a "chassis" gun you might be familiar with, but instead of thin stamped steel uses a solid block of steel to hold everything in place. I find this superior to pin-through-polymer designs because the steel monoblock does not flex or wear like polymer does. The end result is a more consistent and more durable internal construction. From 1st round to 5,000th round the Ranger Arms should be able to provide the same experience. Another feature of such construction is additional weight in the frame where it helps steady the shot and absorb recoil. This is complimented with the slight reduction in weight from the reciprocating mass.
Who's It For? While competitively priced, the Ranger Arms RA9 Defence 2 is built for heavy use. I could see it serving as a duty pistol and definitely a training pistol. My only rservation is the method taken for making the gun optics ready. Instead of direct mount, a plate system is required which uses the tiny screws from the blank to hold the plate to the gun. I may be worried about nothing, and it's possible the plate's interface will absorb sheer forces, but the screws were quite small and RMR-pattern optics aren't known for their light weight.
Take a look at the Ranger Arms RA9 Defence 2 up close in the tabletop video below. Rumble Link
Specifications:
Note the Trigger feel I noticed is by spec different than the RA9 Defence01
MODEL: Ranger RA9 Defence Series
CODE: RA9 Defence 2
COLOR: Matte Black, Cerakote FDE, Burnt Bronze, or Tungsten
ACTION: Single Action Semi Auto
CALIBER: 9x19 mm NATO Parabellum
SLIDE MATERIAL: 4140 Steel
FRAME MATERIAL: Reinforced Polymer
CAPACITY: 17 Rounds
LENGTH: 7.55"
HEIGHT: 5.66"
WEIGHT (with mag): 29.45oz
WIDTH: 1.25"
TRIGGER WEIGHT: Between 3.4-3.9lbs
TRIGGER RESET DISTANCE: 0.04"
BARREL LENGTH: 4.17"
Pricing as of 10OCT25
Click links for current pricing and availability
In the Kit
Usuer Manual
2x 17rd CZ-75-pattern Magazines
2x backstraps
Bore Mop
Bore Brush (nylon)
Bore Brush (brass)
Celaning Rod
Magazine Loader
RMR-pattern optic mounting plate
Everything seems great, and my experience with the first model has my excited about this newly-improved version. To prevent bias from tainting a review the GBGuns Range Protocol was of course implimented including:
Cold Shots: Truly my first shots through the gun.
Full Magazine +1: Suprisingly some modern guns still struggle with this. It's a test of how much play is in the magazine as well as how the slide cycles with pressure. This is also when I do my best to learn the trigger. With aged magazines there is no promise.
What's For Dinnerâ„¢: A test to see what ammunition the gun will eat. Does the gun feed the round from slide lock, will it cycle and feed another round of the same type, does the slide lock to the rear on empty, and is there any notable point of impact change with different loads.
For this gun the following ammunition was used:
Priced and linked where found at the time this article was written
100gr Liberty Ammuniution Steel Plate and Range $33.59 / 50 at Palmetto State Armory
100gr Sellier & Bellot XRG $13.34 / 25 at Target Sports USAÂ (see review HERE)
100gr Blazer Reduced Recoil $17.89 / 50 at Palmetto State Armory
115gr Hornady American Gunner $21.41 / 25 at Global Ordnance
115gr Wincherster SilverTip $18.29 / 20 at GrabaGun
124gr Federal Premium HST $39.95 / 50 from Widener's
135gr Hornady Critical Duty $29.85 / 25 from Widener's
147gr Fiocchi Defense Dynamics JHP $21.89 / 50 at GrabaGun
147gr Winchester Defense JHP $25.85 / 50 at Widener's
165gr AMMO, Inc. /stelTH/ $21.25 / 50 at Target Sports
Standard range ammunition was Norma 124gr $12.82 / 50 at SportsmansGuide
Sights & Trigger Control: on a 6" spinner target at a distance of 12-ish yards. We got this from Titan Great Outdoors and use it to gauge how learnable the trigger is and usable the sights are for forced, timed, precise shots.
Practical Accuracy: Five shots from a distance of seven yards at a one inch target. This isn't so much about printing a tight group as it is a culmination of the shooting experience and time for to collect thoughts prior to making a conclusion.
After Shots: Final impressions and reflections from the range session.
See the process for the Ranger Arms RA9 Defence 2in the Shooting Impressions video below. Rumble Link
Ammunition seen in our Shooting Impressions video was made possible by our Patrons and supporters of our ammunition savings account through Ammo Squared.
On the Range I had some initial frustrations. I was having an off day and that combined with the sun in my eyes, sun highlighting the smoke, and a wet berm meant I couldn't see where my misses were going. That was a bit disheartening, but as I demonstrated in the insert from a later range trip, it was me, not the gun.
Recoil impulse is very comfortable, traction is excellent, and the new trigger makes shooting EASY. On the second range trip I mounted the OSight X which made aiming much easier for me and let the Ranger Arms RA9 Defence 2 become the comfortable, easy-shooting accurate machine it's capable of being. The price has come up since the original. I think some of that is warranted by the enhancements (the gun costs more to make) and some of that is the recognition that while Range Arms may not be well-known in the US, they do make a fine handgun.
See the revisit for a much better group with the OSight mounted: