I have never shot the SR9, but I have seen them shot at my club. I noticed that the slide stop either does not work correctly, or the gun is not designed to lock theslide open after the first shot (not sure which is the case).

I would recommend the P95 with decock onlyand not a manualsafety if you go with a P95. The P95is a very strong and realiable handgun. Ruger says it is approved for+P and +P+.A lot ofself defense trainers prefer a handgun without a manualsafety unless itis a single action 1911 (not recommended for the occasional shooter). They alsopreferto NOT have a magazine disconnect (check your local gun laws). If you do not shoot a lot, I think the Springfield XD may bethe best choice. This gun has the grip safety and trigger safety, and the recoil is low for a polymer handgun. Start out the the NRA Basic Pistol course and then move to the NRA Personal Defense courses.