Looking for a cheap handgun

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onlurker wrote:

How much maintenance is required on a modern pistol though? Clean it, lube the slide rail and other metal-to-metal contact points, and wipe excess oil with a rag. You can't get much more mechanically simple than a modern semi-automatic pistol in this day and age.

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Unless someone is a newbie and reloading hot loads--shooting lead through the barrel. All firearms should be cleaned after shooting (period). There are articles online that a person can find that will show you what to look for when purchasing a firearm. Sometimes people get rid of their firearm because it is junk and jams all the time.

If a person is looking for a cheap sidearm that is dependable, they should make sure they read-up on sub-400 handguns. Someone above mentioned a Hi-point, good luck with that!

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Sylvia Plath wrote:

onlurker wrote:

How much maintenance is required on a modern pistol though? Clean it, lube the slide rail and other metal-to-metal contact points, and wipe excess oil with a rag. You can't get much more mechanically simple than a modern semi-automatic pistol in this day and age.

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Unless someone is a newbie and reloading hot loads--shooting lead through the barrel. All firearms should be cleaned after shooting (period). There are articles online that a person can find that will show you what to look for when purchasing a firearm. Sometimes people get rid of their firearm because it is junk and jams all the time.

If a person is looking for a cheap sidearm that is dependable, they should make sure they read-up on sub-400 handguns. Someone above mentioned a Hi-point, good luck with that!

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Cleaning after every range visit hasn't failed me yet!

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Sylvia Plath wrote:

Unless someone is a newbie and reloading hot loads--shooting lead through the barrel. All firearms should be cleaned after shooting (period). There are articles online that a person can find that will show you what to look for when purchasing a firearm. Sometimes people get rid of their firearm because it is junk and jams all the time.

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Right, but that doesn't really answer the question. Most modern pistols are so mechanically simple that there isn't really much to them. You can count the total number of moving parts on 1 hand and the total number of parts needing to be cleaned and lubed on the other. The biggest difference that I can find between the cheapest "why would you cut corners" models and the highest end "there is no price you could put on personal safety" model pistols is style, which has 0 effect on how reliable something is.

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killchain wrote:

Jayd1981 wrote:

Um... FN Five-seveN's are running around 1000 - 1100, quite outside of the range the guy state.

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Oops. I could have just said "Google it."

I also forgot to mention Sig Sauer, Kel-Tec and revolvers in general.

Sorry. :banghead:

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FYI, you're not getting a used Sig for less than $600 in many cases, unless you want to go old-school Sig. Even then, most old-school Sigs are going to be north of $300.

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onlurker wrote:

The biggest difference that I can find between the cheapest "why would you cut corners" models and the highest end "there is no price you could put on personal safety" model pistols is style, which has 0 effect on how reliable something is.

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IMO, accuracy is more important than reliability, if the handgun does shoot, I want it to hit the target. Glock, Beretta, parts break in them and they keep shooting. Many 1911's have very tight tolerances--unless you shoot hundreds of rounds through your 1911, I would not use it as a primary. My Beretta 92FS (much more accurate than a Glock) has never had not one cycle issue. Sigma had cycling issues every now and then--I have firead about 5k rounds through it and it does not have cycling issues at all any more--just as accurate as a Glock.

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I paid $250.00 for my Ruger P95.

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Aaron1124 wrote:

I paid $250.00 for my Ruger P95.

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I had thought about buying one of those. I hear the trigger is a bit rough. Lots of shooting will smooth it out though.

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It was pretty rough.. but it's gotten better.

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Buya used Sig, you will never be disappointed.

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Sylvia Plath wrote:

onlurker wrote:

The biggest difference that I can find between the cheapest "why would you cut corners" models and the highest end "there is no price you could put on personal safety" model pistols is style, which has 0 effect on how reliable something is.

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IMO, accuracy is more important than reliability, if the handgun does shoot, I want it to hit the target.

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Right, but in a self-defense situation you at least want it to hit a man-sized target, not blow out just the center portion of an NRA pistol target. In most cases, this means you're asking to hit an 18"x14" target inside of 10 yrds, which is easy to do with some practice regardless of pistol make/model. Like anything else, all it takes is training and proficiency.

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Well, I've never paid more than 250 on a handgun, and that one was a Walther P22 which has become herself's walking around the back 40 piece.

My concealed carry piece is a Makarov, Bulgarian flavor, for $179. I have two of them, and they are wonderful firearms. 27 pieces. Soviet GI proof, in 9x18.

My main open carry piece is a Czech vz82. (CZ82, CZ vz 82, all same thing). Also shoots 9x18. Paid $200. Czech GI proof.

My previous open carry piece is a S&W Model 10 with a four inch barrel in .38 Special. Wonderful revolver, reliable, and built to be US cop proof.

Incidently, the Mak, vz82 and S&W Model 10 are all made of STEEL. Yes, they are heavy, but RELIABLE.

My dream gun is a GI version of a 1911A1, probably going to get a Springfield when I save up enough of my "soldier's shillings" to get one....
("But I'm old and I'm nervis,
I'm cast from the Service,
And all I deserve is a shillin' a day.
Shillin' a day,
Bloomin' good pay --
Lucky to touch it, a shillin' a day! " Rudyard Kipling)

For those who think you have to have a "Wunderkind" pistol made by some exotic company or person, it just ain't so. I'm not a target shooter that tries to hit coffee can sized bull's eyes at 50 yards. I'm a self defense shooter that needs to hit a mansized chest target at 7 - 10 yards. What I have is great for what I need, it works, I can fix it IF it ever breaks...

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If your willing to wait for a good deal or a specific gun i always watch.

www.seattleguns.net

They are totally for private sales, very very little gun stores posting. So you always get the fair reasonable prices.

Im buying a gun from a post this coming week.

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I got my Highpoint for about $165 out the door. If it wasnt so heavy, I wouldnt mind it for my daily carry, and have no beef putting my life behind that gun. Very accurate and reliable.

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First gun i ever shot was my friend's 9mm High Point. He conceal carries it.

That was one of the worst ergonomic grips i ever felt on a gun. But man was it reliable.

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You know (slapping self up side of head) I keep seeing a .45 High Point and a 9mm High Point at Sunbirds and keep having to talk myself out of buying them...

Had a guy at a gun store (which shall remain nameless) attempt to tell me Cobra was as reliable as High Point....with a life time warranty. Now, I know that he's had that Cobra in his shop for a while, and he needs to move inventory, but...has Cobra really improved that much over the years???

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We've got a Makarov that we picked up at a WAC gun show for $250. Can't remember having a single problem with it.

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I'll throw my hat in for HiPoint as a budget firearm. I open carry the JHP .45 in a Fobus holster. It cost me $151.85 out the door when I special ordered it through Cascade Arms.

As a self defense weapon it suits me well enough. The weight doesn't bother me at all. It's big enough for my hands; many sub $300 guns are too small for me. My belts are sturdy enough to have it hanging off of them all day. Of course, my friends always complain about throwing out their back when I hand it to them.

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onlurker wrote:

killchain wrote:

Jayd1981 wrote:

Um... FN Five-seveN's are running around 1000 - 1100, quite outside of the range the guy state.

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Oops. I could have just said "Google it."

I also forgot to mention Sig Sauer, Kel-Tec and revolvers in general.

Sorry. :banghead:

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FYI, you're not getting a used Sig for less than $600 in many cases, unless you want to go old-school Sig. Even then, most old-school Sigs are going to be north of $300.

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I never quoted any price ranges for a Sig Sauer.

And where do you buy Sigs? I bought my P250 NIB for $650, and I got ripped the hell off. :what:

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For an inexpensive reliable pistol, i will tip my hat to the Makarov too. They are excellent compact firearms with respectable firepower. Double action, good safety, easy to use and maintain. Almost anything that was produced by the former com-bloc is going to be hearty and dependable. A little more buck-a-roo than a high-point, but Alot slimmer and more streamlined. For the little extra, but still under $300, Makarov is a great way to go.

Bat

P.S. Concider a good used pistol too. You can save a lot and still have a great gun too.

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Visit Mary's Pistols in Tacoma. Mary always has good used guns that were traded in. You'll get good advice and the best prices around.

www.maryspistols.com