The Ruger EC9S is part of the productions' E-series (E standing for Essential). It's an all-in-one gun ideal for concealed carry. The Ruger EC9S review below shows its pros and cons, features, feel, and specs, background, takedown guidelines, and much more.
So, is it a cheap substitute or a quality handgun for anyone looking for a handy firearm that won't bank break? As the budget version of LC9S, what are the differences between the two? Here's all that and more. So let's start with its background.
Ruger EC9S Review: Ruger’s Background Concept Of the EC9S
Ruger wanted to provide an affordable, weather-resistant, sleek-looking self or home defense pistol. So it went differently with the EC9S' finishing process compared to its LC9.
The LC9 finishing is the bluing process, which requires placing components in multiple tanks to penetrate the barrel and slide properly. With EC9S, Ruger used black oxide, an inexpensive coat that offered precisely what they wanted on this gun.
Ruger's public relations manager said they have gun assembly machines that carry out the assembly process from start to finish. The cost-saving steps make lots of sense, but some ended up limiting to gun owners.
Essential Ruger EC9S Product Description
The Ruger EC9S is a single-stack compact 9-millimeter striker-fired mechanism pistol made by Ruger. It's part of its E-series guns as the budget version of Ruger LC9S.
The main difference between LC9S and EC9S is that EC9S has fixed front and rear sights milled directly into the slide. You can't adjust, remove, or change it.
I find EC9S handy for everyday concealed-carry. It fits remarkably well with my hand. I had to add a hold grip sleeve, but with narrower palms and shorter fingers, it's ideal.
Essential EC9S comes with a ton of pros that include the following.
Pros
Cons
What Sets It Apart: Features, Feel, and Specs
The EC9S features, feel, and specs include:
Unique Features
- It has a black oxide barrel finish on its slide and barrel. It offers a sleek appearance and weather resistance.
- They stripped it of bells and whistles and any extras. It, therefore, points & shoots comfortably with no frills. All the stripped amenities contributed to the reduced price. Otherwise, with gun extras comes a deeper dive into the pocket.
- The grip frame is glass-filled nylon. That's ideal because it's high performance.
- Its non-fixed capacity is open for a 9+1 mag. So I bought the 9+1 magazine to increase my handgun's capacity.
Specs
Capacity | A 7+1 carry pistol |
Barrel & Slide Material | Hardened Steel Alloy |
Barrel Length | 3.12 inches |
Trigger | Double action Trigger Integrated Trigger Safety |
Safety | Manual safety |
Caliber | A 9 mm Luger |
Action | A Semi-Auto Pistol |
Feel
With an LC9 handling background, I found the EC9s with the same feel. This pocket pistol has its four sides textured, offering an excellent rough non-abrasive grip texture. The slight swelling toward its back end offers ample hold space for the pinky, ring, and middle fingers.
However, the slight grip causes a bit of recoil. But the feel is subjective. Spending some practice time helped reduce subsequently felt recoil.
How Does It Shoot: EC9S Sights and Shoots
The manufacturer made EC9S sights into the slide. Hence, they are non-adjustable. I realized an ample space between the sights' serrations. But it made more sense while shooting because that feature made handling easier.
When I paid keen attention to the target, shooting accurately wasn't a problem. But it's a hey-get-off-me pistol, not for recreational shooting.
So when you do double taps and body armor drills (two to the chest and one to the head) with this pistol, it's more about hitting the man-size target and not necessarily accuracy.
The gun ranges between 6.5-5.5 trigger pull pressure pounds. Also, it has integrated trigger safety measures and comes with magazine safeties like manual thumb safety and a loaded chamber indicator. These are handy in preventing an accidental magazine release while shooting, especially for new gun owners.
Who Should Buy the Ruger EC9S? Ruger EC9S Overview
Ruger EC9S is for anyone looking for a quality, high-performance, inexpensive handgun. Concealed-carry gun owners on a budget seeking additional exchange options will find it handy. With that price, you can buy different colors to suit the mood. Here's our rating on the guns' performance.
- There were no malfunctions with 300 rounds fired of Winchester 115-9mm in a five-yard. We rate it at 4.9 on firing and 4.9 on value.
- For Ergonomics, it didn't fit my 3x hands well, but 2x will work well. Controls are within reach and don't have ambidextrous control. Hence, it's ideal for first-time gun owners. So we rated it at 3.8 on ergonomics.
- It has old-school sights but is very functional. We had a little hassle with the accuracy. We rate it at 3.9 for accuracy. But it has non adjustable fixed sights. So we rate it at 3.3 for customization because the parts are nonadjustable but durable.
So the overall rating for rugger EC9S is 4.2.
Maintenance Takedown and Field Stripping
For maintenance, apply lube to the barrel hood, slide, and frames. We recommend not overloading the gun. Also, check the chamber indicator to ensure there's nothing in the chamber before starting the field stripping.
Field stripping uses the takedown pin gate for a slide and magazine disconnect. The orange dummy magazine is to ensure that the chamber is empty. Here are the field stripping steps.
- Ensure the gun's empty by removing the actual mag and replacing it with the orange dummy mag.
- Houd the gun toward the front and take out the takedown pin. Also, pull your trigger.
- Press its slide release, exposing the removable takedown pin. Press it outwards with a mini-screwdriver enough to hold it with pliers. Remove it and pull off the slide.
- Separate gun components and clean and lubricate them.
- Reassemble the parts by placing the recoil spring and barrel spring into the slide.
- Put the slide on the slide frame rails as you move it rearwards, exposing the takedown pinhole as you hold the gun in the second step of the disassembly process.
- Put the pin back in using the screwdriver. Once settled, press on the gate to lock it in place. Test the gun.
What are the Alternatives to the Ruger EC9s?
If you don't find it handy, there are many alternatives to the Ruger EC9S. Let's look at two.
First is the KAHR CM-9 mm 6+1. It's pricier, almost twice as much as the EC9S, but among masked carry guns, this is a good alternative.
The M&P Shield original single stack with a 7-round mag is another option. They made it with carry in mind. Older S&W M&P 1.0 and newer 2.0 series would make good alternatives to Ruger EC9S.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ruger EC9S Good for Self-defense?
Yes, the EC9S is suitable for self-defense. It has an ideal compact, covered carry size. So it's a good self-defense ideal for carrying. You can pair it with 9mm champions like the SIG Sauer or Glock G43.
Is EC9S Better Than Ruger LC9s for Self-Defense?
Yes, the EC9S is better than LC9S because the EC9S is a self-defense improvement in reliability, accuracy, and functionality over LC9S. So it's ideal for the CCW needs, though bare-boned because of the striped extras. But an LC9S is okay for any buyer needing one with amenities.
What is the Contrast Between a Ruger EC9S and LC9S?
The Ruger LC9S is more pricey than the EC9S. The EC9S has fewer serrations than the LC9S, and the finishing is by black oxide on the barrel and slide. The finishing for the LC9S is blue because of the bluing process and its barrel steel. The LC9S has an adjustable rear sight, while EC9S is nonadjustable.
Is EC9S a Pocket Pistol?
Yes, the EC9S is a pocket pistol. That's because of its light, short length, and width. It also fits in any pocket holster, making it a reliable gun.