SAR9 Pistol Explained: Variants, Specifications and Users

Quick answer: The SAR9 is a 9×19 mm, polymer-framed, striker-fired semi-automatic pistol family made by Sarsılmaz in Düzce, Türkiye. The current full-size SAR9 Gen3 weighs 670 g without a magazine, has a 113.5 mm barrel and takes 10, 15, 17 or 19-round magazines. The family includes compact, subcompact, long-slide, competition and special-operations variants. Its best-documented institutional user outside Türkiye is the Galveston Police Department in Texas, which adopted the SAR9 SOCOM in 2024.

The SAR9 is the pistol most people mean when they search for Sarsılmaz. It is the company’s highest-volume export model, the base of its US law-enforcement business and the product that most often appears in comparisons with the Glock 17, Glock 19 and CANiK’s TP9 series. This guide answers the common questions in one place: what the variants are, what the official specifications say, who uses the pistol and where it sits in the market. For the company behind it, see our Sarsılmaz company guide.

SAR9 at a glance (Gen3)

SAR9 Gen3 specifications
Specification	SAR9 Gen3 (manufacturer data)
Manufacturer	Sarsılmaz, Düzce, Türkiye
Calibre	9×19 mm
Operation	Semi-automatic, striker-fired, polymer frame
Magazine capacity	10 / 15 / 17 / 19 rounds
Weight	670 g without magazine; 760 g with empty magazine; 975 g loaded
Barrel length	113.5 mm (4.46 in)
Slide length	185.5 mm (7.3 in)
Overall length / height / width	193 mm / 141.3 mm / 35.7 mm
Rifling	6 right, 1:10 in (250 mm)
Trigger pull	15–25 N
Stated muzzle velocity	350 m/s
Safeties	Manual safety (model dependent), trigger, firing-pin and drop safeties

Last verified: 30 September 2026. Values from Sarsılmaz official product pages. The manufacturer’s English page labels the 185.5 mm value as slide width; it corresponds to slide length.

SAR9 variants explained

Sarsılmaz has built the SAR9 into a modular family. The Gen3 models share the same frame concept and trigger pull range, and differ mainly in barrel length, grip size and optic or light options. Older Gen1/Gen2 models remain in circulation but are not the focus of the current catalogue.

Current SAR9 family, manufacturer data
Variant	Barrel	Weight (no magazine)	Capacity	Role according to Sarsılmaz
SAR9 Gen3	113.5 mm	670 g	10/15/17/19	Full-size, current generation
SAR9 T C Gen3	119 mm	690 g	10/15/17/19	Combines compact grip and longer barrel
SAR9 T SC Gen3	100 mm	555 g	12/15/17/19	Subcompact with finger-rest magazine
SAR9 CX	103.5 mm	690 g	10/15	Compact, ported slide, optic and light ready
SAR9 X	113.5 mm	730 g	10/15/17/19	Full-size with all development options
SAR9 SOCOM	131 mm	750 g	10/15/17	Full-size, threaded barrel; used by US law enforcement
SAR9 SP Special	113.5 mm	730 g	10/15/17	Developed to special-operations requirements (SAHA 2026)
SAR9 Sport Gen3	133.5 mm	730 g	10/15/17/19	Long-slide sport and competition model
SAR9 METE	113.5 mm	650 g	10/15/17/19	Full-size Sarsılmaz model; unrelated to CANiK’s METE line

Sarsılmaz SAR9 SOCOM 9 mm pistol with threaded barrel — SAR9 SOCOM, the variant adopted by the Galveston Police Department in Texas. Image: Sarsılmaz

Two points often cause confusion. First, the SAR9 SOCOM is not a military special-forces issue weapon. It is a full-size model with a longer, threaded barrel, and its name reflects its market positioning. Second, the SAR9 METE is a Sarsılmaz model. CANiK, a different Turkish manufacturer, also uses the METE name for its TP9 successors.

Design features

Polymer frame with interchangeable grip panels. The Gen3 uses small, medium and large grip panels and an 18-degree grip angle, according to the manufacturer’s Turkish product page.
Accessory rail and optics. Current variants carry an accessory rail, and several (such as the CX, X and SP Special) are marketed for red-dot sights and lights.
Capacity options. A 10-round magazine exists for markets that restrict capacity. The 19-round option is one of the higher standard capacities in the full-size class.
Published data. Sarsılmaz publishes trigger pull, three weight values, rifling and muzzle velocity, which is more than many competitors disclose.

Who uses the SAR9?

Documented SAR9 users
User	Model	Evidence
Galveston Police Department, Texas, USA	SAR9 SOCOM	Adopted as duty pistol in 2024 (Sarsılmaz, Defence Turkey)
Turkish National Police	SAR9 family	Reported in service (company statements, Turkish press)
Civilian and sport shooters	Most variants	Sold through SAR USA in the US and importers in other markets

Sarsılmaz has not published a list of foreign military users of the SAR9. The SP Special was presented at SAHA 2026 as a model developed to special-operations requirements. That describes its design goal, not a confirmed contract, so we do not list any special-forces user.

Market position: how the SAR9 compares

The SAR9 competes in the crowded 9 mm polymer service-pistol class alongside the Glock 17 and 19, CANiK’s TP9/METE family, the Walther PDP and the CZ P-10. On published data, the full-size SAR9 Gen3 has a barrel almost the same length as the Glock 17 (113.5 mm against 114 mm). It is 40 g heavier without a magazine (670 g against 630 g), and it offers a 19-round option where the Glock 17’s standard magazine holds 17. Where Glock leads is institutional adoption: its pistols are issued by many European armies and police forces, while the SAR9’s documented institutional footprint is smaller.

Same-class reference data from manufacturers
Model	Manufacturer	Barrel	Weight (no magazine)	Standard capacity
SAR9 Gen3	Sarsılmaz (Türkiye)	113.5 mm	670 g	17 (10/15/19 options)
Glock 17 Gen5	Glock (Austria)	114 mm	630 g	17 (19/24/31/33 optional)
Walther PDP Full Size 4.5″	Walther (Germany)	114 mm (4.5 in)	about 632 g (22.3 oz)	18

Weights are compared on the same basis, without magazine. Walther lists weight without specifying magazine state in its US data, so treat that figure as indicative.

For Turkish-language technical background, Envanter Medya publishes a SAR9 technical profile.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the SAR9 weigh?

The SAR9 Gen3 weighs 670 g without a magazine, 760 g with an empty magazine and 975 g loaded, according to Sarsılmaz. Other variants range from 555 g (T SC Gen3) to 750 g (SOCOM) without a magazine.

What is the SAR9’s magazine capacity?

The SAR9 Gen3 accepts 10, 15, 17 or 19-round magazines. Some variants are limited to 15 or 17 rounds, and the subcompact T SC Gen3 starts at 12.

Who makes the SAR9 and where?

Sarsılmaz makes the SAR9 at its plant in Düzce, Türkiye. SAR USA imports and distributes it in the United States.

What calibre is the SAR9?

All SAR9 variants are chambered in 9×19 mm (9 mm Luger/Parabellum).

Is the SAR9 used by police?

Yes. The Galveston Police Department in Texas adopted the SAR9 SOCOM in 2024, and the SAR9 family is reported in service with the Turkish National Police.