MyGunDB Initial Review

I was recently contacted by Alan Ellis to check out and review a Firearms Database program that he created, called MyGunDB.  Of course I said yes.  I went to the website to see what the program was all about and to see what others have been saying about it.  The website is clean, simple to navigate, and provides basic info about the program, along with several screenshots to help you understand what the program itself looks like.  After browsing the site for several minutes, I was definitely intrigued.  I downloaded the full program and started exploring.

Here are my initial thoughts on MyGunDB:

First thing that I noticed about the program was how easy it is to navigate.  There is nothing complicated about it.  Everything is pretty self explanatory which is one thing that I always look for in new programs.  It only took me all of ten minutes to figure out what each tab did and how to enter and change information as I needed.

I started with the Firearm Data tab which has several sub tabs that allow you to put in a massive amount of information about each individual firearm that you own.  Details like brand, model, serial number, caliber all fall under the initial information that you input when adding a new firearm to the inventory. The cool thing about this is that after you have input the information it brings up a running list of the firearms you have in a column to the left, which you can click on and it will take you directly to the info for the gun you have chosen.  Other things like barrel length, twist rate, sights, etc. can also be input into the system, which when you have more than one of a specific firearm and there are differences between the two you can keep all of that info sorted.

                                      

Under the Firearm tab there is also an option for accessories so you know what holsters, mags, and lights you have with the firearm.  I know, for myself, I have multiple magazines for each firearm that accepts magazines, and several different holsters that I use.  This is just a nice way to keep track of all of the gear that you have for that specific firearm.  If you end up selling it later on down the road, you will already have a list of what gear you have that can be sold with it.

The next tab I believe would be great for FFL's and private collectors - it is the Pictures tab.  I can understand how, in a large inventory of firearms, it can be easy to mix up which one is which when there are multiples of the same model that are available in different colors.  Having the option to add a picture of each specific firearm, and having it connected to all of the information you have already input into this database, in my opinion, would make it much easier to keep tabs on everything in your inventory.

The Purchase/Sold tab is another great option to have.  Honestly, I wish I had this program for all of the firearms that I have sold over the past couple of years.  It keeps a detailed record of the purchases and sales that you have made - ideal for dealers who have a large volume of sales every day.

Moving on the the Ammo tab, I was surprised to see how detailed the information for your current ammo supply could be.  It is really easy to add an ammo type, and when you do, information like brand, bullet weight, caliber, and other information can be input and then shown on the main screen of the ammo tab.  This is really cool because you can also input how much of each caliber, bullet weight, and brand that you have, which then gives you a running tally.  What's even better is that you can go in and highlight the specific round you used at the range that day and simply type in how many rounds you used, hit the subtract button, and your number is automatically updated for that round.

Also, for you reloaders out there, the ammo tab has a very cool option.  It gives you the ability to input all of the information for the rounds that you are currently loading, and designates your reloads with an asterisk so they are quickly identified.  The information that you can input includes, C.O.L., powder brand, powder weight, brand of bullet, and other options. This in my opinion, as a reloader, is a great tool to have because you can add notes for the rounds that you are reloading.

The Maintenance Tab is an option that would rarely ever be used by me, but I am sure that anyone who likes to keep a detailed record of cleanings, parts replacements, and other maintenance, this it would be a great way to record what you have done or have had done, and the cost of the maintenance.

As someone who typically scours the internet looking for the best deals before making a purchase (even though the current market there are very few to be found), I appreciate the fact that there is a Deals Tab. In the top section of the deals tab there is a running list directly from SlickGuns.com and then below has folders that contain addresses to many different firearms sites where you can usually find a good deal.  This is a great idea and is something that I am sure I will check a couple times a day.

Overall, I am really impressed with the MyGunDB program. It is very easy to navigate and quickly pickup on how to input information into it, and just as easily retrieve and modify the information that you have saved in the program. I believe that it would be great tool for FFL's and major collectors.  However, for guys like myself with a smaller collection, it is a bit overkill to have the whole program.  It's more than I need.  What would be awesome to see, would be an Ammo Database program for a smaller fee.  This is something that I know I would use quite a bit and it would help me keep much better tabs on where I am at with my current ammo supply.

Full registration for the program is $44.95 and Basic Registration is $24.95, both of which I believe are fair prices for a program that covers as much as it does and makes maintaining a record of everything you have much easier.

The difference between the levels of the program are as follows:

Full version has NO limits.
Free version is limited to 10 firearms
Basic only disables Ammo, Maintenance, and Holsters tabs, A&D reports, and allows 3 images per firearm

(There is a mobile app available for both the iPhone and Android.  I will be downloading the iPhone version in the near future; once I have a little time to mess around with it, I will be sure to post a review of it for any of you who may be interested.)

First Impressions of the FNH FNS-9

Out of the multiple handguns that I have owned since moving to Oklahoma in 2010 it has taken me awhile to find something that I like as much as the first gun I ever purchased, which was a Sig Sauer P226. It is like I have heard said many times, there is just something about a Sig.

In the long list of guns that I have owned since I sold the P226 there have been Glock's, M&P's, a Shield, Bodyguard, and a few others, all of which have either been traded or sold in pursuing something I like better. I still own my M&P9 that has the Apex Trigger upgrade done to it and I love using it at the range, but at the same time do not like using it as a concealed carry pistol because of the trigger upgrade.

I was at my usual gun shop one day and they had an FNH FNS-9 that someone had traded in, and I had heard a few things about the FNS but had not seen one in person yet, so I figured I would give it a closer look. When they handed it to me in the shop I was quite impressed with the way that it felt in my hands, I also felt like it pointed very naturally for me. Needless to say I found myself wanting one, but not wanting to buy someone else's problems I opted to have the shop order me one that was brand new.

After waiting a couple weeks for the gun to arrive at the shop I finally was able to pick it up, but because the gun shop that I use is in Oklahoma City which is an hour and a half away I had to wait a couple days to be able to take it out to the range. So I did like I do with every other firearm I bring home, I field stripped it and cleaned off all of the factory oil and got it ready to be warmed up and apply Frog Lube to it.

Tear down is very similar to the S&W M&P's, with just one little trick that took me a second to figure out, and that was when you move the slide forward you need to put your thumb on the back and give it just a little more push to get it over the detent for the safety. Which is actually nice if your hand accidentally slips in the process your slide won't jolt forward.

After I finished applying the Frog Lube paste and letting it dry to the point that I could rub off the excess it was ready to go to the range the next day. Having very little time to spend at the range I only took 50 rounds with me so I could get a feel for how the FNS shoots and what I was going to have to do to get used to using the european sighting (actually putting your front sight on what you want to hit).

Along with the FNS I took our M&P9 that has the Apex trigger kit installed so I could compare the two. I also took my wife with since she enjoys shooting and I also like to make sure that she is familiar with every weapon that is in our house.

I must admit that the stock trigger on a brand new FNS9 is a bit more stiff than one that is pre-owned but I know that over time the trigger will wear in and be closer to that of the pre owned one I had messed with at the store. Yet running through a quick session with it I did not feel that the trigger was bad at all, actually it was much better than the stock one that had been in the M&P, the reset is very pronounced and the pull is not super long.

I should also point out that the mags are very slick and drop freely with out any hang ups.

The night sights that are installed on the FNS are very nice quality, and are very easy to use in full light and low light environments. It does take a little getting used to using european sighting but for me I have always had an easier time with that style anyways.

Overall I really like the FNS9 so far, and I am sure as time goes on and I get more range time with it that I will like it even more. I am glad that even though it is a bigger handgun in size that I can still conceal it for everyday carry and it is still comfortable at the end of the day. I plan on giving updates as time goes on and more rounds have been run through it.