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.