Taurus USA announced on its Facebook page that the company is now shipping the Spectrum pistol. (Update: You can read my Taurus Spectrum review here. At the 2019 SHOT Show, I will try to track down someone at Taurus who will be willing to comment on the problems I’ve experienced with the gun.)
Taurus made the announcement on December 22, narrowly beating an “end of the year” deadline that I was told the company was working toward.
The Spectrum was officially announced at the 2017 SHOT Show, though I previously broke the news about the gun last December. The gun was slated for a first quarter release, but was delayed. I spoke with a company representative about the delays and was told that Taurus decided to make some improvements to the pistol prior to shipping. These improvements required additional testing to ensure customers would be happy with the end result.
It was at that time I was told the company was hoping to have them out by year’s end.
It is a .380 ACP pistol that has a number of design elements that may appeal to shooters. This includes a shape based on extensive ergonomic testing and research, the use of soft overmolds and the use of a magazine extension that works with the size of a pinky.
However, the most eye catching feature of these new guns is the wide variety of color options available. When announced the basic colors would cost only $289.
I have been critical of Taurus in the past, but I also judge every gun based on its own merits. I look forward to testing these and hope Taurus has a winner on its hands. Regardless, you will get an honest gun review from me on it.
Update: My local gun shop was able to order me an all black version of the Spectrum. I have it in my safe now, and will be testing it in the coming weeks.
The Ruger EC9s is one of the most expensive – yet reliable – 9mm pistols currently on the market. Designed for concealed carry, this micro-compact pistol offers a lot of features which I review here.
If you don’t want to read the whole article, here’s the bottom line: the EC9s is a good quality defensive tool. It isn’t ideal, but for the price, it is one of the best you can get.
Let’s dive in.
Where to Buy the Ruger EC9s
The EC9s is an incredible value. You can purchase this gun online through the affiliate links below and pick it up at your local gun shop.
Days ahead of the 2018 SHOT Show, Ruger announced a new handgun aimed at being an affordable self-defense pistol: the EC9s.
The Ruger EC9s was a new model, but one that design cues from the company’s existing LC9s. The two guns shared many features and were the same size.
However, the EC9s was significantly more affordable with a suggested retail price that was nearly $200 cheaper. As you might expect, people flocked to the less expensive gun. Eventually, Ruger discontinued the LC9s.
In the years since its introduction, the EC9s proved to be a reliable performer. Some early adopters reported issues with the striker mechanism, but those complaints fell away and the company seems to have fixed any problems in the production line.
EC9s Features
Sized for concealed carry, the EC9s is chambered for the 9mm cartridge. The 9mm is a proven defensive round, and when you select high-performance ammunition, it will perform admirably for you. Let’s review some of the additional features that make this gun a good consideration for CCW.
The EC9s feeds from the same 7-round magazines that run in the LC9s. This can work to your benefit as mags marked for the discontinued LC9s might be found at a bargain price.
It has a 3.12″ barrel and weighs about 17 ounces unloaded. It is relatively compact with a height of 4.5″. Its thinness – only 0.9″ – should help it to conceal as easily as the LC9s did.
This is a striker-fired pistol. As with many striker-fired handguns, Ruger added a pivoting safety lever in the center of the trigger. This helps to prevent accidental discharges when the handgun is dropped.
Like many of Ruger’s pistols, this gun has a small thumb safety on the left side of the frame. While many people do not see the need for an external safety, many of Ruger’s customers appear to appreciate this option.
One of the cost-saving measures used by the company is to use sights that are integral to the slide instead of replaceable sights that are dovetailed into place. Both the front and rear sights have serrations on their faces to reduce glare when shooting in bright light.
Another cost-saving decision made by the company was the inclusion of only one magazine. I always recommend having several magazines for each firearm you own as they tend to be the most likely point of failure in a gun. At least Ruger includes a pinky extension for the magazine floorplate.
Originally, Ruger set the suggested retail price on these pistols at $299. After more than 5 years, Ruger continues to keep the price low on these guns. Currently, the suggested retail price is only $339.
Since dealers often sell Ruger products below full retail, it is conceivable that you could walk out of the local gun shop with one of these for less than $300 total with tax, transfer fees, etc.
All of the links above are to dealers with prices well under $300.
Ruger EC9s Specifications
Here are the specifications on the base model EC9s:
Model #
3283
Caliber
9mm
Magazine Capacity
7 rounds
Included Magazines
one
Barrel Length
3.12″
Overall Length
6.0″
Width
0.9″
Finish
black oxide
MSRP – at launch
$299
MSRP – current
$339
EC9s Variants
With a gun this popular, it is understandable that Ruger would want to offer variations to appeal to as many different shooters as possible.
Ruger offers the EC9s in a rainbow of colors including those with purple, turquoise, gray, FDE and Muddy Girl colors. You can see the full line of EC9s color options through this affiliate link and this one.
It appears Polymer80 is set to release a new 80% Glock compatible pistol frame at the 2018 SHOT Show. Called the PF940SC, the new unfinished frame is designed to be compatible with the sub-compact sized Glock pistols like the G26 and G27.
Polymer80 offers a number of 80% receivers that allow you to complete various machining and assembly operations to turn them into working firearms. This allows the hobbyist shooter to literally build their own gun.
Before now, the company offered only two sizes of Glock compatible 80% frames – one for full sized guns and another for the compact (Glock 19 style) frame. The new PF940SC would allow shooters to build a complete set of Glock compatible pistols.
The 80% frames are not copies of the Glock frame. Rather, they are new designs that are compatible with standard Glock parts. As a builder, you can simply order OEM parts kits and build your own pistol with this frame once you complete the needed machining on the frame.
With the original Polymer80 Glock compatible frame, you had to mill the slide rails. The PF940SC does not require milling the rails.
The new frame uses reinforced polymer for a combination of strength and modest weight. A jig is included along with the tooling needed to machine the frame. Polymer80 opted to use a Picatinny-type accessory rail to allow the use of a light or laser when completed.
A stainless steel locking block with front rails and a drop-in rear stainless steel rail module are used. This is similar to the design used on the existing compact frames, and a significant improvement over the original full size frames. The original full size frame uses polymer rear rails that have to be milled, filed and hand fitted. It works, but it does take a lot of time to perfect.
I built a Glock compatible pistol (full size) with a Polymer80 frame. I look forward to trying out the new PF940SC also.
Polymer80 anticipates a retail price of $149.99 when they come to market. This is in line with the company’s other Glock compatible frames.
If you’ve never built your own firearm using an 80% lower or frame, you might be surprised at how easy it is. It requires time and tools, but can be done as a Saturday project. Many guns – from AR-style rifles to 1911 compatible pistols – are made by hobbyists, and are completely legal under federal law. Check out my article on the legalities of home made guns without serial numbers for more information. If you are ready to jump in and build your own, you can click here and buy one of the Polymer80 frames from Brownells. It will be shipped right to your door without any need for the ridiculous fees associated with gun transfers.
Disclosure
GunsHolstersAndGear.com is a for-profit website. I do not charge readers a dime to access the information I provide.
Some of the links on this page and site are affiliate links to companies like Amazon and Palmetto State Armory. These links take you to the products mentioned in the article. Should you decide to purchase something from one of those companies, I make a small commission.
The links do not change your purchase price. I do not get to see what any individual purchases.
A recently formed Nevada company, Full Conceal, Inc., is showing a new prototype product online called the FC-G17 that might be one of the worst ideas for a handgun that I’ve seen in a long time.
The FC-G17 appears to be an 80% receiver kit with a chopped grip and rail attachment. The receiver appears to be a heavily modified version of the Polymer80 PF940 80% lower that allows you to build a Glock 17/22 clone. I recommend reading my G17 review here for additional information on these pistols.
Although information is limited, it appears that Full Conceal takes a PF940 frame and removes the trigger guard and most of the grip area. The company replaces the trigger guard with a new piece that bolts to the accessory rail of the frame. This new piece acts as both a trigger guard and magazine holder (see the images.)
I see several potential problems with this design. The first is a problem with its use in self-defense.
Full Conceal suggests that it is ok to carry this completed pistol without a holster on its website. I can only assume this means that the gun is not meant to be carried with a round in the chamber. If this is true, one would have to draw the gun, remove a magazine from the front of the gun, insert the magazine into what’s left of the magazine well and manipulate the slide before the pistol could be used for self-defense.
Of course, having an open magazine well invites debris and other material into your firearm that could prevent the insertion of the magazine at the time of need, or otherwise render it inoperable.
Another potential problem that I see is that this kit contains an unfinished receiver. Most shooters will not want to machine the frame to make it into a firearm. I’ve completed a PF940 frame, and while it is not terribly difficult to do, it does require time, tools and additional parts. Most people don’t change the oil in their car; I wonder how many have a drill press with a cross vise to machine the rear rails on this?
Of course, there is also the question of reliability that comes with a novice machining a firearm. With the PF940 kits, you have to hand fit the slide and there is some degree of break in required. I just don’t know if this is a good idea for a self-defense firearm that is marketed for the general shooting public.
Like I’ve said in other posts, I like innovation in the gun industry. While I think this specific product is a poor idea for the vast majority of self-defense situations, I still like the idea of rethinking our concepts of what a concealed carry firearm should look like.
While I would not recommend this product in its current state, I hope the company continues in its “outside of the box” thinking and develops something that will really improve some aspect of the carrying of arms for defense.
What are your thoughts on the FC-G17? Am I off-base and this is a great idea? Is it just good idea that needs refining? Or is this a disaster waiting to happen?
Inland Manufacturing recently announced a new derringer-style handgun on Facebook. Called the Liberator, the new handgun is a double barrel design chambered in .45 ACP.
