The Ruger LC9, introduced in 2011, stands for "Lightweight Compact 9mm" and is a recoil-operated, locked breech, hammer-fired, semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9mm. Designed with safety features like a loaded chamber indicator and magazine disconnect safety, it meets the regulatory standards for sale in California and Massachusetts. The LC9 boasts a 3.12-inch barrel, measures 6 inches in length, 4.5 inches in height, and has a slim width of 0.9 inches, weighing 17.1 ounces with an empty magazine. It features a robust black polymer frame paired with a blued alloy steel slide and barrel. The pistol comes with one magazine and includes two interchangeable base pads: one flush-fitting and the other extending the grip by about 0.5 inches. Recognized for its design, the LC9 was named the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence's Handgun of the Year in 2011. In 2013, Ruger released a 9-round extended magazine to enhance its capacity. The LC9s, a striker-fired, single-action-only version, was launched on July 29, 2014, addressing customer concerns about the trigger pull and eliminating the loaded chamber indicator in favor of a visual inspection port behind the ejection port.