Hooray!!! I finally got my new carry piece. I picked up my Max9 with a Crimson Trace red dot. My old P11 has done reasonably well since the 90's but getting consistent hits to 25yds with the irons has been getting challenging. I slapped a dot on a 22 pistol and realized how much easier it was to just pick things off out to 25-50 yds. I'll wring it out tomorrow and see what it'll do. First I'll bench it to zero everything and find it's mechanical accuracy potential then start doing drills with it.
Without the dot it's only justification over the P11 is the sights that I can actually see and the trigger is a few pounds lighter. They are identical in size both holding 10rnds.
I have always found Ruger's to be solid, reliable performers. My Kel Tec not so much I put what would have cost over $1,000 in work into making it the gun it is now. From what I hear the Max 9 does around 3" @ 25yds so with the dot I should be good to 50yds as minute of bad guy with anything inside 25yds a slam dunk. The red dot has a 20,000hr battery life and shuts off when not moving. I have a few holster ideas so I'll need to hit Hobby Lobby for a piece of leather. I have a design I came up with that can do a shoulder, belt, cargo pocket discreet holster.