Idaho45guy
03-07-2019, 04:07 PM
The Extar EP-9 that I ordered came in Friday, but I was suffereing from strep throat and a cold and working 12hr shifts, so picked it up Tuesday.
My brother was telling me about these things last year and how they were getting rave reviews and only $400.
I had no interest since I really couldn't come up with a need for one.
Then Washington passed that stupid I-1639 law that classified all semi-automatic rifles as "assault rifles", raised the age to purchase one to 21, added a $25 fee to the price, added training requirements, and made it so the local Chief of Police or Sheriff had to sign off on you buying one after he reviewed your medical records.
So I started buying stuff that I thought I might want before I could move to Idaho.
Then they introduced another bill to outlaw normal capacity magazines. So I started buying those. I bought a Glock 33-round magazine that would work in my G19. Absolutely no need for one, but if it made the libs nervous, then I was going to get one.
It came in and I recalled that the Extar EP-9 uses Glock mags, so I started researching them and watching all the videos I could find.
Maybe I could use it for a home defense firearm?
What the heck; if it scares leftists, then I'm getting one. Took a couple of weeks of trying to order one on the company website, since they sell out within minutes.
Another two weeks later it arrived at my FFL.
Opened the box and it is a bit underwhelming. Shipped in a plain cardboard box with only a PMag 17-round magazine and a very basic owner's manual.
Initial inspection revealed that it is indeed very light.
Polymer is so-so quality with nothing egregious, but not on par with the quality of a Glock, or H&K, or even a Taurus. Think Kel-Tec level of fit and finish.
Everything that could possibly be polymer is; the lower, the upper, the trigger group, the safety, the mag release, the charging handle, and the handguard.
Charging the handle is a bit difficult and it feels like it needs a few hundred rounds through it to loosen things up a bit.
The polymer safety feels like it has already been loosened up too much. Hopefully a decent metal AR safety will work.
The trigger is polymer as well but it is very good with almost no creep or reset and measures at 5.75lbs.
The stock pistol grip is cheap and slick and I've already ordered a Magpul replacement.
But boy does it handle well! With a red dot on it, 33-round mag inserted, and a weapon light added, it is quick handling and well balanced and very pleasing to look at.
I have not been able to shoot it due to recovering from strep throat since last weekend and the fact that my range is under 2' of snow as well.
Of all the reviews and videos of it, I have never seen anyone actually do any accuracy testing. So I will definitely be seeing what it can do at 25yds with a rest.
Overall, pretty happy with it. It is cheaply made, but no one has managed to break one, yet. If I had paid over $500 for it, then I would be disappointed. But for $440 including shipping, it's worth it.
And that cheap polymer is now coated with one of my silly camo jobs, so it doesn't bother me now.
237535
237536
I realize that a weapon like this won't appeal to most folks here, and that's OK. It didn't really appeal to me at first. But now that I've put my own personal spin on it, and the more I handle it, the more I really like it.
Should be a blast at the range and it offends those on the left, so it's a win-win...
My brother was telling me about these things last year and how they were getting rave reviews and only $400.
I had no interest since I really couldn't come up with a need for one.
Then Washington passed that stupid I-1639 law that classified all semi-automatic rifles as "assault rifles", raised the age to purchase one to 21, added a $25 fee to the price, added training requirements, and made it so the local Chief of Police or Sheriff had to sign off on you buying one after he reviewed your medical records.
So I started buying stuff that I thought I might want before I could move to Idaho.
Then they introduced another bill to outlaw normal capacity magazines. So I started buying those. I bought a Glock 33-round magazine that would work in my G19. Absolutely no need for one, but if it made the libs nervous, then I was going to get one.
It came in and I recalled that the Extar EP-9 uses Glock mags, so I started researching them and watching all the videos I could find.
Maybe I could use it for a home defense firearm?
What the heck; if it scares leftists, then I'm getting one. Took a couple of weeks of trying to order one on the company website, since they sell out within minutes.
Another two weeks later it arrived at my FFL.
Opened the box and it is a bit underwhelming. Shipped in a plain cardboard box with only a PMag 17-round magazine and a very basic owner's manual.
Initial inspection revealed that it is indeed very light.
Polymer is so-so quality with nothing egregious, but not on par with the quality of a Glock, or H&K, or even a Taurus. Think Kel-Tec level of fit and finish.
Everything that could possibly be polymer is; the lower, the upper, the trigger group, the safety, the mag release, the charging handle, and the handguard.
Charging the handle is a bit difficult and it feels like it needs a few hundred rounds through it to loosen things up a bit.
The polymer safety feels like it has already been loosened up too much. Hopefully a decent metal AR safety will work.
The trigger is polymer as well but it is very good with almost no creep or reset and measures at 5.75lbs.
The stock pistol grip is cheap and slick and I've already ordered a Magpul replacement.
But boy does it handle well! With a red dot on it, 33-round mag inserted, and a weapon light added, it is quick handling and well balanced and very pleasing to look at.
I have not been able to shoot it due to recovering from strep throat since last weekend and the fact that my range is under 2' of snow as well.
Of all the reviews and videos of it, I have never seen anyone actually do any accuracy testing. So I will definitely be seeing what it can do at 25yds with a rest.
Overall, pretty happy with it. It is cheaply made, but no one has managed to break one, yet. If I had paid over $500 for it, then I would be disappointed. But for $440 including shipping, it's worth it.
And that cheap polymer is now coated with one of my silly camo jobs, so it doesn't bother me now.
237535
237536
I realize that a weapon like this won't appeal to most folks here, and that's OK. It didn't really appeal to me at first. But now that I've put my own personal spin on it, and the more I handle it, the more I really like it.
Should be a blast at the range and it offends those on the left, so it's a win-win...