EAA Arms Windicator

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mikld
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EAA Arms Windicator

Post by mikld »

Lately I'vebeen looking at short barreled 357 Magnum revolvers (not for carry as I already have that covered). I've been looking mainly because I don't have one which is a good enough reason for me. I've looked at Rugers (most unavailable), S&W, Taurus, Charter Arms and saw a couple videos on the EAA Windicator. I never considered a Windicator as I've seen "junky" opinions (a lot like "Lee Hater" type opinions based on hearsay and little/no actual experience.). But the few video reviews seem to say the inexpensive revolver is reliable, quite shootable and accurate for the snubby. Not a light weight (a plus for me at 29 oz) and handles full power 357 loads easily. German manufactured and hand fitted, but only detraction I've heard is "fit and finish" isn't on a plain with American made revolvers. Heavily leaning towards a Taurus 605, but curious about the Windicator. Any first hand experience?



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Re: EAA Arms Windicator

Post by larryw »

I have an old Taurus 608, 2 1/4", .357mag, 5 shot, hammerless, double action only, with good pachmieres on it that I have completely rebuilt. Has been my main carry for what seems like ever.
Used to have a Charter Arms Bulldog 44spec, wish I still had it??
Mikld, I know you are a very long way PAST novice but, gotta say it.
These 2", 2 1/4" & 3" fire breathers, with full House .357mag loads are a very big handful & require a serious amount of trigger time to master.
Front site domination techniques are absolutely mandatory.
Close in, cross body shots are an absolute DO NOT DO EXCEPT AS LAST RESORT!!! They are not like autos, the .357mag muzzle blast & cylinder gap blast from those small pieces will seriously tear you up. Don't ask how I know? Suffice it to say, it was a last resort thing involving a javalina & an old, fat, grey, bald guy?? :? :?
Any indoor ranges near you where you might possibly rent the pieces you are considering???
Just a thought. Best of luck, keep us posted... Take care & be safe....
A day late & A dollar short? Story of my life +guns
mikld
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Re: EAA Arms Windicator

Post by mikld »

Thanks. I already have three Taurus revovers and so far (a couple decades) they have worked quite well. I own 3 snubbies; one Taurus 38 Special, one 3" Rossi 38 (I bought it in 1974 at Whitefront), and a new Taurus 9mm. I have a bit of experience with Magnum revolvers but thanks for the "cross body" warning.I will probably load the short barrel 357 with heavy 38 Special and a few lighter 357 handloads, but I know Ill try some hefty 357, 158 gr Magnum loads, I may like them (many years ago I had a raging case of "Magnumitis" and loaded all my 44 and 357 Magnums to the hilt. I enjoyed shooting my Dan Wesson,629 and Super Blackhawk with loads producing a wrist breaking recoil and a deafening muzzle blast). Anyway, I'll keep looking as the main reason for not already making a purchase is the dreaded "Out of Stock" notice.

FWIW; I have found a few vendors, two with the Taurus in stock, that only accept Villa and bitcoin neither which I have, or want to use...
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Re: EAA Arms Windicator

Post by orerancher »

Had A Windicator in .38 special.....Liked It

Exwife Ran off with It....
mikld
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Re: EAA Arms Windicator

Post by mikld »

Well it was a matter of availability. The few vendors I checked had no 2" 357 Mag. Windicators (I have noticed weird payment requirements from some dealers. I tried to purchase a handgun form one dealer but first attempr with credit card was denied. Dealer wanted bit coin, Vella, or PayPay. I have a PayPal account and figgered I'd use that. Sent money, but was told I used the "wrong account" and I needed to use "friends and family" method, and be sent to an individual, not the dealer. Too "fishy" to me so I cancelled the order). But I did find a Taurus 605 on Guns America and the transaction took less than 20 minutes and the gun will arrive at my FFL tuesday. Last purchase took 14 days to pass the NICS check, as they were backed up and there was 3,500+ in line before me!
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Re: EAA Arms Windicator

Post by Lufbery »

I had a two-inch .357 Windicator and ended up selling it. I even bought nice wooden grips for it (which actually bit the web of my hand), but it had an odd problem that I couldn't figure out how to fix.

After shooting a cylinder full or two of .357 magnum, the cylinder latch would lock up and I couldn't open it until everything cooled down. The cylinder also wouldn't rotate. After I let it cool for a few minutes, everything was fine. I have read one or two other posts over the years with the same issue.

Still, the Windicator was okay, and I totally get the issues you're having finding guns right now.

For what it's worth, my .357 Magnum Ruger LCR is fantastic, with a great trigger pull, great accuracy, etc. I much preferred it to the Windicator. I haven't tried an SP-101, but I've always thought the 3" barreled ones looked good.

Good luck with your quest.
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Re: EAA Arms Windicator

Post by Lufbery »

Ah, I see I posted too late. The Taurus is a better gun. My mom has a Taurus 856 and it has a great trigger and shoots well.
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Re: EAA Arms Windicator

Post by mr surveyor »

Since I saw the mention of the SP-101, I have to add my 3¢ worth. I bought a very lightly used, safe queen, 3" SP-101 (1994 vintage .357 mag) in November of 2010. It's the gun that finally drove me to take up reloading at a later age in early 2011, and it's been my every day "field gun", 5-6 days a week, since. I've never so totally fallen in love with a handgun.

Now that that's out of the way, I'll confess to my latest "experience" since not buying/obtaining a new/different gun since 2015. For several years I've really been infatuated with .44's, and even owned a Ruger Super Red Hawk in .44 mag. If you could see my digitally challenged hands it's obvious why large framed handguns just don't like me. For the last 10 years or so I've considered a .44 spl revolver (DA/SA) and looking for the smaller frame, but haven't really gone out on a search, particularly the last 5-6 years. In my local "toy store" on a routine visit to my ffl buddy, I noticed something new in one of his almost bare display cabinets that I'd been asking to stock for several years ... mainly so I could look it over and get the feel. The "less than expensive" Charter Arms Bulldog .44 spl. I've had a C.A. before, and this one felt the same, or maybe just a little better quality. But, it fit my grubby hand perfect, so I left the store to go back to work. Next morning I was back at the store to buy it, then took it home to give it the obligatory "remove the factory goo" cleaning and should have then gone back out on a field job. Nope, went to the range to give it a 20 round test ..... ooopppsss, had five (maybe 6) light strikes that took extra hits to light up. The ammo came from a "small factory" that my ffl buddy had bought a good supply from several years ago, and I was a bit suspect, particularly of the seating of the primers. I had on hand about 60 pieces of 44 spl brass (kept for when I finally had the need for spl brass), plenty of cast 240 gr bullets, powder and primers, so I decided to put together about 30-40 start loads, with definitely well seated primers, to give the Bulldog another chance. Well, it failed again - this time not only with my loads, but the factory loads as well. I believe that just pretty well nails the issue down to the gun - not sure if there's factory crap in the firing pin tunnel, if the firing pin is faulty, or if the transfer bar is at fault. At this stage of the game, I don't care what it is as long as Charter Arms makes it right. I was, and still am, doing very well with the old SP-101 as a "field gun".

I'm trying to not think about the fact that (at today's prices) I could have bought at least 4 bricks of primers with that money - if they were available :lol:

just wasting bandwidth :)

jd
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mikld
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Re: EAA Arms Windicator

Post by mikld »

Yep, my hunt started with an LCR in 357, nowhere to be found. Then an LCR in 327 Fed. Mag. Zero avaliable. Then a Ruger SP101, and then a Ruger GP100, S&W 640 or one of the 38 +P models, Taurus 605, Charter Arms Mag Pug, and finally the Windicator. "Out of Stock" on all. Found a 605 at "Firearms King" and gave up on their payment process which didn't look legitimate. Finally found a 605 at Guns America and it's due at my FFL tomorrow.

I have a few revolvers but I don't have a 2" 357. My 4" Taurus 357 is a good gun and the Taurus 85 is a fun shooter, but not +P rated. I guess I just get a wild hair and want something I don't have and hunt one down (I even have a Beretta in 32 ACP, saw one, didn't have one so I bought one! :lol: )
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Re: EAA Arms Windicator

Post by mr surveyor »

O.K., I'll admit it, since you did. I still have a Kel-Tec P32 (wife insists it stays since I got it for her use). I can't remember the last time she wanted to go to the range and shoot "her" gun.

By the way, I didn't mean to side track your post about the Windicator....



jd
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