Guns I Sold and Why

      Guns I Sold and             Why I Sold Them

Sometimes a gun just isn't a good fit, or it's just not what you thought it would be. Here are the guns that just didn't work out for one reason or another. 

They say you should rent guns at a range before you buy them and make sure they're a good fit. While I agree with this advice, that's not always possible. Maybe your local range has a limited selection, maybe they don't rent guns at all? I know for a fact that the ranges I frequent have a very limited selection of rental guns. Other times you just find a deal that you can't pass up. These are the guns I wasn't able to rent or found a great deal on and they just didn't work out for me. But that doesn't mean they can't work for you. Some of em I even regret selling. 

#1. Bearman 38 Special Derringer

I don't know why I thought this was a good idea but at the time it made sense. I love the 38 Special cartridge, it was cheap like really cheap, and it fits in a pocket no problem. This was returned minus a restocking fee in short order. The Bearman Derringer is one gun I do not regret getting rid of. The trigger was horrible, the half cock didn't work, and you could pull the trigger with the safety on. Lesson learned, if you really want a Derringer get a Bond Arms or use it strictly as a range toy. 

#2. North American Arms (NAA) Mini Revolver

I don't have a picture of this one for some reason, but if you've seen one you know how truly small the Mini Revolvers are. I had the basic 22lr version, if you need a gun you can carry in a speedo this is it. You're probably starting to notice that I'm quite fond of pocket pistols, and yes I really am fond of tiny guns. While I prefer a bigger gun whenever possible sometimes it's just not feasible. Plus tiny guns make great back up guns. So why did I sell it? The Mini revolvers are single action and as small as they are they're not exactly something you can get into action fast. It was a fun range toy, and I almost kept it for that purpose but I found a gun I wanted more and with limited funds it made more sense to trade it in towards the gun I wanted. Plus it's a rimfire and after you've had a few misfires with a 22 it kind of makes you rethink using a rimfire in a defensive role. Although I do regret this one a little, if I ever get another mini revolver it'll be a Black Widow in 22 Magnum. A little easier to handle since it's a little bit bigger and 22 magnum is usually made to a better quality than 22lr.

#3. EAA Windicator 357 Magnum 

Ah the Hi Point of revolvers 🤣 just kidding, this is one I could take or leave. While I don't regret selling it because it got me what I really wanted, it would make a good beater gun. I love the 357 Magnum, so much so that I put Magnum in my screen name. It's probably the most versatile caliber there is, because you can also shoot 38 Special from a 357 revolver you can do pretty much anything you need to with it. I couldn't find a 357 in my price range so when I found this one I wasted no time picking it up. This is actually what I traded the mini revolver in on. A lot of people love the Windicator but a lot of people hate it too. It's actually not bad but you can do better. Mine worked good but it had a lot of play in the cylinder, the forcing cone seemed a little thin for a 357, and it wasn't real high quality. It did however do its job and worked when it was supposed to, never gave me any issues. They make a good beater gun, and I honestly wouldn't have minded keeping it for that purpose. So why did I sell it? I found a great deal on a used Ruger Security Six and I could not pass it up. I traded the Windicator in to help fund my purchase, the Security Six was way better and I really wanted a 4 inch 357 anyway. In hindsight I probably should have kept it but I probably wouldn't have done too much with it anyway. The Ruger is better in every way.

#4. The Glock 42 380 Auto

Ok, so this one is a little unfair and honestly deserves it's own review. I will do a full review on it soon. The Glock 42 is just awesome, a very good shooter. It also conceals as well as it shoots too, the thing would literally disappear. So why did I sell such a great gun you ask? I sold it because it just didn't fill a role for me. I bought the 42 with the intention of pocket carry, and while I could pull it off it wasn't easy and it looked like a brick in most of my pockets. Before long I started carrying it IWB and before I knew it the 42 became my EDC. The problem was it was never meant to be my EDC, it was supposed to be a pocket pistol for when I couldn't carry anything bigger. I felt undergunned with a 6+1 380 as my primary so I sold it off and got something with more rounds on board. I would've kept it as a range toy but 380 is too expensive for that. Once it got to where it didn't fill a role for me there was no point in keeping it. The 42 would be perfect for someone who can't handle the small 9mm guns this size. If you can pocket carry it, and a lot of people do, it would be perfect for that too. It was just too big for me to pocket carry and if I'm going to carry on my waist it's going to be at least a 9mm, preferably with more rounds. I now have carry guns that fill both roles much better. The 42 is right on the edge of acceptable for pocket carry, it can be done but it's not a true pocket pistol. If you like the 42 but think it's too big for pocket carry I have a review coming you'll be highly interested in.

So those are the guns I sold and why I sold them. You really should rent a gun or borrow one from a friend before you buy if possible. I've bought other guns that worked out perfectly that I wasn't able to test first. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. These are the ones that didn't work out. 

  Ruger EC9s Review

 

   A good ccw pistol at a great price! 

Yes that's a correct, a good, reliable concealed carry pistol at a really good price. It has to be junk right? Actually the Ruger EC9s is one of the most reliable pistols I own! I thought it was only fitting that my first review should be on the EC9s since this was actually my very first pistol.

Yes that's my actual EC9s with Hogue grip and extended magazine. The Hogue grip really helps control recoil and I highly recommend it.

While my family had firearms while I was growing up and I always enjoyed shooting I never felt the need to own a firearm myself until I had my own family. Once I became a family man I realized just how important it is to be able to defend your loved ones and yourself. 

While I had some knowledge of firearms I didn't know even half of what I do now. If I did the EC9s would not have been my first pistol. With that being said I certainly don't regret my choice, it's just that a small 9mm made for CCW probably isn't the best choice for someone who isn't experienced. If you're just starting out you're probably better off with something the size of a Glock 19. Small 9mm carry guns like the EC9s tend to be snappy in the way of recoil, which can cause a newbie to develop bad habits or turn them off of shooting altogether. I had to train away a flinch myself because of the recoil from this gun. 

What's strange is, it almost seems like Ruger intended the EC9s to be for new shooters. In addition to the trigger safety it also has a manual safety and a magazine disconnect. The gun will not fire without a magazine inserted. I'm really not a fan of all the extra safeties but it's not a deal breaker for me either. All of these extra safety features would certainly appeal to a new or inexperienced shooter. 

None of that is to say the EC9s is a bad gun, or that it has more recoil than a 44 magnum, it's just probably not the gun you want to start with. My inexperience turned me off of the EC9s especially once I bought other guns. It wasn't until I got to be more experienced that I came to appreciate it for what it truly is. Aside from all the extra safeties and the snappy recoil, the EC9s is great for concealed carry especially if you're on a budget!

Right now you can find the EC9s for under $300 easily, I've seen em for as low as $240 locally! That is a great price for a reliable carry gun from a reputable manufacturer. I definitely wouldn't call the EC9s cheap, I would call it inexpensive. I have right around 1000 rounds through my EC9s and it's still as good as it was the day I got it. The only malfunctions I had were with an aftermarket magazine from Pro Mag. Magazines from Pro Mag are notoriously unreliable so that's not really a surprise. With the factory magazines I've never had an issue.

You're probably wondering why the EC9s costs less than other similar models. There's actually a few different reasons. Ruger intended for the EC9s to be a budget option, it's a budget version of the LC9s. The only difference is the EC9s has fixed sights and has a black finish instead of the blued steel and adjustable sights on the LC9s. As you can see from my personal EC9s, the finish holds up. The other reason is the EC9s is a single stack holding 7+1 rounds, 9+1 if you have the extended magazine. Other models of similar size have double stack magazines that hold anywhere from 10 to 13+1 in the same size package.

That doesn't mean the EC9s is obsolete, it's just that some other models give you a few more rounds on hand. Ruger themselves have a double stack model called the Max-9. With that said 8 rounds of modern 9mm defense ammo is nothing to sneeze at. That's more rounds than a snubnose 38 special revolver would give you in the same size package. 

Speaking of size, that is where the EC9s really shines! While I have other options I recently started carrying the EC9s again in preparation for this review. Carried in a inside waistband holster, the EC9s literally disappears! It doesn't print at all even with the Hogue grip on it. Dare I say, it can probably even be pocket carried. It's a little too big for me to pocket carry, especially on a regular basis, but I have pulled it off with the right pockets. There are people who regularly pocket carry the EC9s and other similar size models. For me it's a way better IWB pistol, especially for lighter clothing in the summer or when I need to be discreet. 

All in all the EC9s is a damn good carry gun! Wether you're on a budget, or you're new to concealed carry and like the extra safeties, or you just need to be discreet you almost can't go wrong with the EC9s. If you're new or inexperienced I would start with something bigger but otherwise I would definitely recommend the EC9s. If you keep in mind it's intended role it will serve you well. It's been in my stable the longest and it isn't going anywhere. It's not the first gun I bring to the range but you can practice and become proficient with it no problem. 

I'm not a big fan of the safeties and yeah it's a little snappy, but it's still a great gun for concealed carry. Some people don't like the way the EC9s field strips either but that doesn't bother me. The take down is a little odd but it's ok once you get the hang of it. Ruger includes an orange dummy magazine and it has to be inserted in order to field strip the gun. Be careful not to lose it or the take down pin. The recoil can be controlled by adding a Hogue or Pachmayr grip sleeve, the supplied pinky extension also helps as does using the extended magazine. The EC9s only comes with one magazine, the flat base plate and the pinky extension. If you want spare mags or the 9 round extended mag you'll have to buy them separately. I carry mine with the original magazine with the flush base installed to keep the profile as small as possible. 

The front sight can be painted if need be, and if you're like me and prefer not to have a manual safety you can always carry with the safety off. Provided you have a good holster it's just as safe as carrying any striker fired gun that doesn't have a manual safety. I carry mine safety off and I've never had it engage accidentally. Your mileage may very as they say. If you like to have a manual safety, thats even better! The EC9s also has a great trigger, almost too good of a trigger when you consider its price point. It's probably the best out of the box trigger you'll find on any striker fired pistol.

Overall I give it a 7 out of 10. It may not be the best of the best, but it is far from being the worst and it gets the job done. 

 Welcome to my blog! 

Thank you for visiting, this is the beginning of an exciting journey for me personally and I appreciate anyone who is coming along for the ride! Shooting sports have been a passion of mine for a long time now, it only made sense for me to start sharing my experiences with others. 

I'll mostly be doing reviews on guns and ammo, accessories and concealed carry but I'll probably do some opinion articles as well. My main focus will be on handguns and handgun calibers. I'm mostly a pistol shooter although I'm sure I'll cover rifles and shotguns at some point too. 

I'm also starting a YouTube channel which is @Magnum_0710 there will be alot of overlap between my blog and YouTube channel so wether you like reading or watching videos better there will be something for everyone.

Thanks for visiting!!!

-Magnum0710