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OK, time to get rid of my Spectrum

7953 Views 70 Replies 34 Participants Last post by  Czechbikr
Bought it for wife. I have shot 200+ rounds through it, no issues. She took it to the range Friday and could only fire 5 or so rounds, She can not pull the trigger. No way, no how. It was all she could do to get the 5 rounds fired. Guess it's back to the Sig 238 for her. Was hoping for this to work for her but no dice I guess.

I have to many handguns to make up my mind about now so guess I'll see what I can trade it towards. Looking real hard at the S&W 380 EZ. She can rack it and likes the trigger. Just "It's so big! Especially for my purse!" Oh well will see in the next few weeks.
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Well, that sucks. Sorry about the issues.
Maybe the new G2S?
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Bought it for wife. I have shot 200+ rounds through it, no issues. She took it to the range Friday and could only fire 5 or so rounds, She can not pull the trigger. No way, no how. It was all she could do to get the 5 rounds fired. Guess it's back to the Sig 238 for her. Was hoping for this to work for her but no dice I guess.

I have to many handguns to make up my mind about now so guess I'll see what I can trade it towards. Looking real hard at the S&W 380 EZ. She can rack it and likes the trigger. Just "It's so big! Especially for my purse!" Oh well will see in the next few weeks.

The 380 EZ has its problems at the start. It is easy to rack and load a magazine. Still it is a 380, and a 9mm is a better choice in my and many others’ opinions. You really should look at the Ruger LC9s, and it’s less expensive cousin the EC9s. Both are striker fired and the triggers are much better than most small pistols. I carried one for three years. I trusted it. It is worth considering.
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My friend was thinking about one, I said don't bother. Sorry but Taurus is back in the dumpster.
My friend was thinking about one, I said don't bother. Sorry but Taurus is back in the dumpster.

This contributes to the discussion ...HOW? The OP doesn't have an issue with the gun, like many others who own one. His wife doesn't like the trigger.. Do you own one? This is bashing, plain and simple. I suggest that you re-read the guidelines if you wish to remain a part of this group.
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Yes, the 380 is considered a less effective choice than the 9mm. The 357 is even better. All those choices are great-IF the user can effectively operate the pistol. Since the demise of the Beretta 86, there really hasn't been a good choice for people with small hands, lack of hand strength, or arthritis. If the 380 EZ is something she can use, go for it. Set the gun rags and wags aside, and get her the most effective gun she can use. People without pain really don't get it. I don't need an EZ every day-but there are days with high humidity and/or cold weather that makes other choices simply impossible to use. I do hope more manufacturers recognize this market as we age.
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Bought it for wife. I have shot 200+ rounds through it, no issues. She took it to the range Friday and could only fire 5 or so rounds, She can not pull the trigger. No way, no how. It was all she could do to get the 5 rounds fired. Guess it's back to the Sig 238 for her. Was hoping for this to work for her but no dice I guess.

I have to many handguns to make up my mind about now so guess I'll see what I can trade it towards. Looking real hard at the S&W 380 EZ. She can rack it and likes the trigger. Just "It's so big! Especially for my purse!" Oh well will see in the next few weeks.
well I am sure that you two have your reasons but why would you buy a Spectrum if you already own a Sig 238??
hands down my Sig 238 is the easiest, smoothest semi auto that own to rack and the trigger is super good.
but anyway.
I am duly impressed with the 380 EZ, its a great pistol from what I have seen and it shots like a dream for me (I don't own one) and the other two newbies (both ladies) that bought them.
sure its more a duty sized pistol but the its a very easy operating. use weapon.
for its targeted sales group I think they hit a home run with it.
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The 380 EZ has its problems at the start. It is easy to rack and load a magazine. Still it is a 380, and a 9mm is a better choice in my and many others’ opinions. You really should look at the Ruger LC9s, and it’s less expensive cousin the EC9s. Both are striker fired and the triggers are much better than most small pistols. I carried one for three years. I trusted it. It is worth considering.
the 380 for all practical applications is about 1/2 the power of the 9 MM , but it comes in smaller weapons as well.
the 380 is considered adequate for many shooters, myself included IF I do close to my part and place the magic pill near the desired location.
Most people are not going to be needing the required/suggested FBI requirements for a protection caliber.
Personally I have shot several of the Ruger small 380 and 9 MM and none have approached the trigger performance of the 380 EZ, the Sig 238/938, the Kimber 380 or micro 9, nor the Springfield Armory 911.
these loooong triggers are generally fairly heavy as well on the striker fired mini guns, they are what they are but they definitely are not top notch trigger systems.
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I have both the Taurus TCP and Ruger LCP II. The TCP has a very smooth, relatively light trigger pull. The LCP II has a crisp "snap" feeling, like the SR9c. In my opinion a heavy trigger in a tiny pistol makes it inherently inaccurate for all but expert shooters.

The biggest issue in a small gun is recoil. If it is sufficiently powerful, it is snappy and hard to shoot. If it is easy to shoot, it is probably under powered. I've not shot one, but I believe the Ruger LC380 would be worth looking at if you are recoil sensitive.
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I don't mind the long trigger at all. As a revolver guy, I consider it a safety feature. Guess it all depends on what you want. Me - I want a trigger that make sure I want to fire. Practice practice practice.
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I have both the Taurus TCP and Ruger LCP II. The TCP has a very smooth, relatively light trigger pull. The LCP II has a crisp "snap" feeling, like the SR9c. In my opinion a heavy trigger in a tiny pistol makes it inherently inaccurate for all but expert shooters.

The biggest issue in a small gun is recoil. If it is sufficiently powerful, it is snappy and hard to shoot. If it is easy to shoot, it is probably under powered. I've not shot one, but I believe the Ruger LC380 would be worth looking at if you are recoil sensitive.
interestingly (to me anyway) I was down at the range last week and in walks a guy that had just bought a Ruger mini 9 MM, the one in the discussion here.
we nodded at each other as he came in and I continued to shoot.
he began to load mags and shoot.
he had a standard B size target of a human outline at 5 yards.
the guy was all over the place but mostly almost off the bottom of the paper.
so I went on shooting but took a break after 50 rounds and sat down in a chair.
he came over and began talking, it was apparent he was fishing for help, so I asked do you need some pointers?
yes I would appreciate that he said.
anyway long story short, he had shot a gun before but not much, he had just bought the weapon and the clerk tried to talk him into a larger weapon in size, nope! he wanted a mini to carry.
anyway he was pulling the weapon downward so far when puling the trigger that he was almost missing the entire target at 5 yards. I aske if I could shoot a few rounds , he said yes.
I shot 3 rounds all in the red but honestly I had to stop twice as I to had dropped the weapon way low during the trigger pull.
I gave him some pointers, explained that the Clerk was trying to help him and that small guns typically are not the best choice for the inexperienced.
anyway, small guns are what they are, BUT there are small guns out there that have pretty decent triggers as well.
He was leaving as I was trolling the gun cases for new and exciting things and didn't appear to be a real happy camper at that point.
hopefully he will consider the classes that I suggested for him.
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If a carry piece is what he needs however, then he needs to learn how to shoot the one he bought accurately and safely. You are absolutely correct that he should be taking some classes and practice with a range gun to get the idea of sight radius impact and trigger control.
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I absolutely love the trigger on my Spectrum.
Wife went through a bunch of guns. This one's too big. That one kicks too much. I'm not carrying that ugly thing. LOL She settled on a NAA Guardian in 32ACP.

The EZ is big but I liked the one I saw at the gun show.


Bought it for wife. I have shot 200+ rounds through it, no issues. She took it to the range Friday and could only fire 5 or so rounds, She can not pull the trigger. No way, no how. It was all she could do to get the 5 rounds fired. Guess it's back to the Sig 238 for her. Was hoping for this to work for her but no dice I guess.

I have to many handguns to make up my mind about now so guess I'll see what I can trade it towards. Looking real hard at the S&W 380 EZ. She can rack it and likes the trigger. Just "It's so big! Especially for my purse!" Oh well will see in the next few weeks.
While I am not a fan of the .380 round if that's what she can use that's better than nothing. However, I am one that believes in a fist fight having a rock is better than throwing punches. Just my humble opinion.
If a carry piece is what he needs however, then he needs to learn how to shoot the one he bought accurately and safely. You are absolutely correct that he should be taking some classes and practice with a range gun to get the idea of sight radius impact and trigger control.
His intentions were to IWB carry or so he said-- so there was a pretty wide choice of sizes and calibers to choose from.
I think this again was a preconceived notion that he wanted the smallest thing that he could find?
The gun shop/range carries all sorts of weapons -Ruger, Dan Wesson, Smith, CZ, Springfield, Beretta, Sig, colt, Kimber, Glock, Charter, and on and on--they typically have I would take a wild guess and estimate around 120-140 pistols in stock.
they even stock some of them really old antiquated revolver type guns.----GriiiN.
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Was at Academy today. They have Spectrums for $230. I don't need one, but thought it was a decent price. I was there for .45 caliber bullets, should tell you what I think of .380. :rofl:Of course, if she can't rack the slide on a Spectrum, FORGET about most .45ACP slides. :D
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Was at Academy today. They have Spectrums for $230. I don't need one, but thought it was a decent price. I was there for .45 caliber bullets, should tell you what I think of .380. :rofl:Of course, if she can't rack the slide on a Spectrum, FORGET about most .45ACP slides. :D
Or those hinky CZ pistols and clones that are so cheap they only put half the serrations on the slides !! :D
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well I am sure that you two have your reasons but why would you buy a Spectrum if you already own a Sig 238??
hands down my Sig 238 is the easiest, smoothest semi auto that own to rack and the trigger is super good.
Gonna pretty much agree with this, so wondering what it was she didn't like about the sig?
I'm guessing it was the single action/cocked and locked thing....which she would/should get used to over time and with practice/training.
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