Budget-priced firearms Appreciation Thread.

[Echo40]

So the thread on "Econo gun .22s" those cheap yet high quality .22cal revolvers of decades past made by companies like High Standard and Iver Johnson got me to thinking of more recent examples of low cost yet high quality firearms which may not be as finely fit/finished as those older firearms, (but then again, what is these days?) still fulfill the same basic role as a working man's firearm.

Over the years, I have grown increasingly fond of the lower-priced firearms which are cheap yet reliable, the sort of firearm you can buy without much money, yet still have a firearm that you can trust your life with right out of the box. Plus, if they get worn out, it doesn't bother you because the finish typically isn't pretty to begin with, and actually does look better with wear.

I own a few firearms like this.

The first was my Taurus Judge Magnum, which despite being the most expensive firearm on my list, was still on the lower end of the firearms pricing spectrum at $475 OTD. I got one for Home Defense after having handled my brother's Judge and just being very impressed with it. You can argue all day about the ineffectiveness of .410 shotshells out of a pistol, but it's plenty effective with 000 Buckshot, and I doubt anyone will argue that .45 Long Colt isn't an adequate manstopper. (Or at least not anyone with a valid opinion who isn't just trolling.)

Next up comes the Mossberg 590 Shockwave. The reliability and low cost of Pump Action Shotguns requires no introduction nor explanation, but the Shockwave isn't a Shotgun, at least not as far as the ATF is concerned, and they tend to be even cheaper than standard Shotguns. Plus, for those who live in more cramped living quarters, the shorter OAL makes it much easier to maneuver around with, not to mention store.

The Ruger LCP is also a cheap yet reliable lightweight .380 pocket pistol, which can be easily concealed, even in minimal attire. Some folks claim that they aren't very durable and won't hold up well to regular range use, but if a part should fail, Ruger will replace it, and they're cheap enough that you could always buy two then make one your range LCP, the other your carry LCP.

Last but not least comes the cheapest of the cheap, the Smith & Wesson SIGMA SW40VE which I found like new in box at my LGS for $199. It's light weight for a full-size, high capacity .40cal pistol, yet feels really good in the hand. It's got a heavy trigger, but I'm used to heavy DA triggers, so it doesn't bother me.

What are some of the cheap yet reliable high quality firearms do you appreciate?

 

[Inusuit]

Although prices have escalated in the last few years, my Russian commercial Makarov was under a hundred bucks and is absolutely reliable.

SKS rifles have also shot up from the halcyon days of $99.99, but I recently bought a Tula 1951 and 1200 rounds of ammunition for $350. Always goes bang.

I have a Kel Tec P3AT, a PF9, and a Sub 2000 that were all under $300 and have been reliable.

 

[DWalt]

I bought a used but near-new SCCY 9mm pistol recently for $150 (they retail in the $200-$250 range). I am impressed by it. I have written about it earlier here. One of my best recent cheap guns was a Maverick (Mossberg) .30-'06 bolt action rifle I got new at Academy five years ago for less than $200 on sale. Plenty good enough for anyone's hunting needs. I didn't keep it too long, as I bought it mainly because it was cheap, not because I needed it. I played with it enough to get it out of my system and then sold it for more than I paid.

 

[dmthomp32]

Although prices have escalated in the last few years, my Russian commercial Makarov was under a hundred bucks and is absolutely reliable.

SKS rifles have also shot up from the halcyon days of $99.99, but I recently bought a Tula 1951 and 1200 rounds of ammunition for $350. Always goes bang.

I have a Kel Tec P3AT, a PF9, and a Sub 2000 that were all under $300 and have been reliable.

That Tula had better of been absolute junk in the looks/function department or you should be prosecuted on criminal charges! No one gets away with a Russian sks and that much ammo for that little money these days. Well done! [emoji2962]

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

 

[pmosley]

The American Pride series of S&W 3rd generation, specifically the 915, 457 and 908 are outstanding examples of low(er) cost firearms.

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

 

[Bobbysixkiller]

Bought a heritage on sale a few years ago. It had awful ugly grips. $86 bucks out the door. New. It still shoots today.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

My entry, the Star BM, they do not get much less expensive.

 

[BB57]

I have a few:

- CZ 513 Farmer.

The trigger is heavy but it has a CZ 452 action and a barrel that is as good as any of the other CZ's I own. I paid $235 for it:

- Zastava CZ 99 Precision

The metal and finish on these are excellent, but the stocks are a bit rough. However, Remington also imported them as the Model 5 for several years and new old stock Model 5 stocks can still be found. I paid $199 for the rifle and $70 for the stock. It's not as accurate as the 513, but it's close:

- Taurus 905

QA is always a gamble with Taurus, but if you get a good one it'll shoot just fine, and you can get a new one for $350-$400.

- FEG P9 and 1st Gen P9M

The P9 is a very faithful copy of a pre-Mk II Browning Hi Power with 100% parts commonality with the Hi Power. The first gen P9M uses a 1911 style slide release, an extended safety, and three dot sights. They sell for $400 in excellent condition.

- FEG AP9S, APK9S, AP7S and APK7S

These are all steel framed semi-clones of the Walther PP and PPK/S in 9mm Kurz (.380 ACP) and 7.65 Browning (.32 ACP). They varied a bit by importer, but the finish on the Interarms imported pistols was superb. They are a lot less common than they were, and if you can find one, expect to pay $350-$400 in very good to excellent condition.

- Zastava M85 Mini Mauser

These have been sold over the years by Interarms as the Mini Mk X, by Remington as the Rem 799, by Charles Daly as the Charles Daly Mini Mauser, and by CAI and Zastava USA as the Zastava M85. Again the CAI and Zastava stocks leave a bit to be desired but Rem 799 and Interarms Mini Mk X stocks can be found. (This one has an Interarms stock.) They used to be $350-$400 rifles but the prices have started to come up in the last year or so.

- Star BM

The Star BM can currently be had for around $250 to $300 and they are very reliable 9mm semi-clones of a 1911. The bobbed grip frame is a plus.

 

[sheepdawg]

How about the CZ82 which can still be found for under 300 bucks. One of the finest shooters in the safe.

 

[walnutred]

Not a pretty firearm by any means but not long ago I bought a NIB Steven 320 20 gauge for $125 OTD in an after season sale. It's an odd configuration with 22" barrel and a stock with full pistol grip like an AR "tactical?" but I've found it a handy configuration for pest control.

I bought more Mosins than I should have when you could get them for $69 just about everywhere. Once the prices started climbing above $200 I thinned the herd down to just a couple that I really liked.

Though not exactly in this category I think the LEO trade-in S&W M&Ps you could get for around $225 until fairly recently were a great bargain. I like the 40s and 45s I picked up, didn't bother with the 9mm versions.

 

[pawngal]

In the 1911's the Rock Island Arms are a good solid value gun.
Just got a SCCY NIB for $149 from PSA, good gun for the $$
Most any Charter Arms are good to great revolvers for the price.
For a single action .22, hard to beat the Heritage Rough Rider at $100 or slightly more.
My son has a Ruger American .45 that he really likes. One online retailer is currently selling them for $329.
Still seem to be plenty of .40 cal LE trade ins available.

 

[dmthomp32]

Beretta 92S would be another great surplus but low cost entry into a fine pistol. Much like the Star BM 9, hard to match the material and qualities for the price.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

 

[Univibe]

Kel Tec Sub 2000.

 

[URIT]

I like to rescue S&W Gen3s in 9mm or .40S&W that I can get into my safe for less than $350 after shipping and fees. Here are some examples including price before shipping and fees...

6904 - $260; CS40 (blk) - $280; 4046 - $289; 3953 - $275; 3904 - $280; 915 - $275; and 908 - $265

I couldn't afford to go after the 45s.

 

[Gene L]

Back about 30 years ago, I bought a Remington 788 in .223 with a 3-9 Tasco scope for $125, new, Hardwood stock, rear locking lugs, questionable trigger. After bedding it shot 3/4" starting a long affair with me and the 788. Not so cheap today if you can find one, but cheap back then. Got a .308 and a .222 now.

 

[Smoke]

So the thread on "Econo gun .22s" those cheap yet high quality .22cal revolvers of decades past made by companies like High Standard and Iver Johnson got me to thinking of more recent examples of low cost yet high quality firearms which may not be as finely fit/finished as those older firearms, (but then again, what is these days?) still fulfill the same basic role as a working man's firearm.

Over the years, I have grown increasingly fond of the lower-priced firearms which are cheap yet reliable, the sort of firearm you can buy without much money, yet still have a firearm that you can trust your life with right out of the box. Plus, if they get worn out, it doesn't bother you because the finish typically isn't pretty to begin with, and actually does look better with wear.

I own a few firearms like this.

The first was my Taurus Judge Magnum,

And that is where I stopped reading.

 

[Echo40]

Ah, the Star BM, Hollywood's 1911. Fantasic firearms at a fantastic price.

FEG's clones are top notch as well, I still kick myself for hesitating to buy an excellent condition FEG PA-63 that was on sale for $150 at my LGS a few years back. You know that a clone is of excellent quality when the manufacturer of the original hires the manufacturer of the clone to produce their firearm under license, which is precisely what Walther did with the PPK/E.

Military/Police Surplus weapons are almost always going to be the absolute best value that you're going to find.

 

[DWalt]

At one time, many milsurp rifles fit that category, but not so much today. The last really good deal I had on one was about 10 years ago. I bought a Spanish M1916 Mauser (7mm) short rifle in excellent condition for $15 at a gun show. It needed only a magazine follower to make it shootable (I made one from a M1903 follower I had). And it shoots amazingly well at 100 yards. The perfect compact pickup truck rifle. I successfully resisted the temptation to sporterize it. It wasn't too long ago that those Turkish 98 Mausers were selling everywhere for around $40, but not today. Around that time I managed to buy a nearly perfect Swiss K31 rifle for $110. Talk about craftsmanship in gun making. The Swiss wrote the book.

 

[dockmurgw]

I know I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one, but this Rohm 22 and I were inseparable when I was a kid, back in the days that I ran a trap line. Many a fury beast met their maker with this one. Its been dropped in the mud, dropped in ponds, used as a hammer, rolled around on the floor of my truck...and still went off when I pulled the trigger. I use it now with shot shells to nail mice in the basement. Its worth more in memories than if it was made of gold.

 

[Echo40]

I know I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one, but this Rohm 22 and I were inseparable when I was a kid, back in the days that I ran a trap line. Many a fury beast met their maker with this one. Its been dropped in the mud, dropped in ponds, used as a hammer, rolled around on the floor of my truck...and still went off when I pulled the trigger. I use it now with shot shells to nail mice in the basement. Its worth more in memories than if it was made of gold.

Hey, if it works, it works. I'm no gun snob, and this isn't a thread for gun snobs either, so I'm not going to turn my nose up at anything. Only impressionable fools knock firearms they've never owned nor shot, and seeing as I've never owned/shot any firearms by Rohm-Gesellschaft, I'm not about to go making ignorant comments about them. In fact, I would be more inclined to believe that they're decent nowadays, considering that they've been a subsidiary of Umarex (the parent company of Walther) for the past decade.