Ruger Security-380 Unboxing: What’s in the Box and What You Still Need Before the Range

Squat Squad, this one is a look back to December 2022, right when Ruger launched the brand new Security-380. It was snowing outside, so I stayed indoors and did something a supporting channel member asked for: an unboxing from the point of view of a new owner. What actually comes in the box, what my first impressions were with the gun in hand, and what else you might need before you head to the range.

Disclosure: Ruger provided this firearm for testing and evaluation. Ruger did not see the video before it was published. This is an unboxing and first-impressions video shot indoors. I didn’t shoot the gun in this one.

If you want the range results, the full breakdown with training ammo and defensive ammo is already up: Ruger Security-380: The Double-Stack .380 You Waited For. This article sticks to the unboxing, the out-of-the-box first impressions, and the shopping list.

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Unboxing: what comes with the Security-380

I picked the gun up from my FFL, who opened the box to check that the serial number matched the paperwork, so this was my first real look at it. Here’s everything inside:

• Paperwork: the Security-380 Lite Rack manual (Ruger usually writes pretty good manuals), a voluntary recall notice for an unrelated Ruger Single-Six, an NRA membership offer, a Ruger sticker, and a coupon card for ShopRuger.com. I kept that card face down so you wouldn’t see the code.
• A plastic insert that holds everything in place. I don’t remember older Ruger boxes having one. I think they used to just toss the gun in.
• The pistol, with one magazine in it.
• An extra magazine, so you get two in total.
• A magazine loader.
• A spare floorplate, so you can swap the extended pinky floorplate for a flatter one.
• A gun lock and a chamber flag.

Magazines: two configurations

At launch the Security-380 came in two flavors depending on the model:

• Two 10-round magazines, for the ban states.
• One 15-round and one 10-round magazine for everyone else.

The 10-round mag fits flush, so if you have smaller hands you get a really good grip right away. If you have larger paws, the extended magazine gives you plenty of room. A sleeve slides over it to close the gap between the magazine and the grip. You don’t have to use it, but without it you’ll see the gap. If you don’t want the pinky extension at all, swap in the flatter floorplate that comes in the box.

What the Security-380 is built to do

The Security-380 has the same footprint as the Ruger Security-9. Ruger did what Smith & Wesson did with the Shield EZ and built a gun for people who can’t comfortably handle the recoil of a 9mm in a compact pistol, have arthritis, or simply want a good training gun.

Ruger calls it Lite Rack. In practice, that means two things:

• A lighter recoil spring, so the slide is easier to rack.
• Lightening cuts in the slide. They take weight off the slide and help balance the gun.

Honestly, I wouldn’t compare it to the base Shield EZ .380. I’d put it up against the upgraded Shield EZ versions, and the reason is the sights.

First impressions in hand

• The sights are awesome. That was the first thing I noticed when I picked it up. The front is a big green fiber optic that’s very easy to pick up. The rear is a flat black U-notch, which I like.
• The front of the slide has cuts, so racking it from the front is easy and you get a good hold on it.
• A heads-up on heat: because the slide has those open ports, I suspect it’ll get a little hotter in your hand after a long string of fire. Keep that in mind.
• Internal hammer with a bladed trigger safety. Ruger moved to the traditional single flat blade in the middle of the trigger, instead of the older two-blade design that came together in the middle. I like this one quite a bit better.
• Grip texture on the front and back, very similar to the Security-9. I’d call it a big brother to the LCP or LCP Max, just a bit taller with a longer slide.
• A Picatinny rail under the front for a light or laser.
• An external safety. I know that matters to some of you.
• The trigger is not bad. The reset is fairly long, but I’ve definitely felt worse. For a range gun or a day of plinking, it’s very nice.

What you still need before the range

Out of the box you get a decent trigger and really nice sights. I wouldn’t change either. Here’s what I’d add:

• More magazines. Two mags won’t last long on a range day. The 15-round factory mags are at GunMag Warehouse and Brownells. Check your state and local magazine laws before you order.
• A holster. None comes in the box. I suspect some Ruger Security-9 Compact holsters will work, but the lightening cuts and different sights mean you may have to fiddle with fit. Back then I was hoping aftermarket holsters made for this gun would show up soon.

Can you carry it? I think so. It’s a little smaller than a Glock 19. I prefer pocket carry myself, which is why I carry the Ruger LCP Max, but if you want something for a purse or a bag, the Security-380 would work really well.

What came next

At the end of this video I promised a full range review: break it in with range training ammo, try various defensive loads, and compare it to the Smith & Wesson Shield EZ .380 and a couple of popular carry guns like the LCP Max and possibly the Ruger Max-9, since people shopping for one would cross-shop the others. That review is right here. Going in, I expected the nicer trigger blade, the fiber optic sights, the lightened slide, and the way it fills the hand to make it more pleasant to shoot than most small .380s.

Where to find it

• Ruger Security-380 at Palmetto State Armory
• Security-380 15-round magazines at GunMag Warehouse
• Security-380 magazines at Brownells
• Precision rifle upgrades: Anarchy Outdoors
• Everything else I run: SlavGuns Amazon storefront
• Support the channel: join the Squat Squad on YouTube

Would you run the flush 10-rounder or the extended 15? And would you carry a Security-380, or keep it as a range and training gun? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading, and keep on squatting!

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