Cheapest Recommended Pistol

Not wishing to hijack a thread, I am bouncing this thread off the Hi-point thread.

What is the cheapest pistol you consider adequate for an emergency use firearm or would recommend to a first time buyer on a limited budget?

Quality, accuracy and reliability being the primary factors with all considerations being above the level of the Hi-point.

Major brand snobs need not reply, nor do we need to be instructed to save our money and buy a Glock.

With that in mind let's set a top price of $325 for any contender and shoot for lower price.

Anyone have an opinion?:gunsmilie:

I bought a S&W sd40ve for about $310 accurate reliable good little pistol i carry it every day.

I looked at (but did not shoot) a keltec P-11. I have heard a few here own keltecs.
The SCCY guns are inexpensive and have a lifetime warranty but a local gun shop proprietress told me ( when asked if she liked them) that they have shipped quite a few of them back.
The Bersa Thunder 380 can also be had for less than $325 but I'd like to see a first timer get something in a little bigger caliber for their first gun.

I've owned a few Smith and Wesson SD's (9 & 40) that were reliable and shot well. They can be had (last I checked) for under $300 new-in-box if you catch a sale.

If that first time buyer was also an inexperienced user of firearms I would recommend a used 357/38 revolver.

I have a Keltec PF9, a Taurus PT111 that retail in that general area. I have also picked up a SW revolver in .44 Magnum for $250 used. And I picked up a Sig P226 Navy in 9mm with a soft case and 5 spare mags for $350 in like new condition.

I gonna vote S&W SD in 9mm, or Ruger LCP 380.
Around here revolvers are "nuts money these days.

Lets stick to new.
Can't really count "used deals" as,....
#1 they really aren't there when you need/want it....and
#2 aren't available to everyone, everywhere....
#3 when someone posts what they paid for their deal....I would not believe it unless I was the seller.
Everyone knows that the best deal are on the interweb to everyone but me.

Used deals are more of a found treasure or gift.

Used Glock 17 or 19 and be done with it.

Im a Sig fan, but the Glock is a fine weapon and for the outlined limits, I cant think of anything better...

EB

I just can't think of a reason not to justify a $600 price range for any critical pistol requirement, but within your criteria, I would not mind siding with Taurus. The msrp on their medium fram 9 and 40 pistols are a good bit higher, but sticker prices often fall within the limit.

I'm not abandoning my support for the hi-point by any means by the way, but my choice is a far better pistol without too much increase in price tag.

Yes we know that there are some of you out there whose skin will dry up, curl up and fall off if you touch anything but a Glock or SIG and live under the threat of having to keep an epi-pen on them in case they touch a gun worth less than $500 and suffer an allergic reaction.

We also know that there are some out there that have never been poor or faced a restricted budget.

That was addressed in the OP due to the presence of folks who are allergic to "cheap but good" all over the internet.

This thread is for those of us that have been poor, or still are poor, or can not bare the though of having a $600+ firearm stolen from under the seat of the pickup, but still want a serviceable quality "new off the shelf" firearm.

I know you said "new off the shelf" but isn't there an option to ask someone with experience to go along with you for that first purchase and maybe find something affordable in a used piece?
Otherwise, backing out. I don't have the experience with some of the low cost pieces. Seems this state I live in tends to not put those on The List... I can't say I've seen anything new in any gun store here for under $600, but then that may be because anything lower sells fast.

I haven't been in the new gun market for some time. I would rather opt for a cz-52 or a tokerev on the surplus market if I had to choose.

A zip gun can't get any cheaper

Watching this thread with interest.

Look for a used Bersa thunder in 380. Good gun n goes bang every time.

I generally don't look at price first.... when I'm in the market.
Product first, then worry about price......and that means most of the time I don't buy anything....LOL.
Take me a while to decide if "I" ....need it, or just want it....but will say that decision is up to me....and sometimes I just want it.

When dealing and someone tells me "Gotta check with DW" that means no.

That said, I do have friends that look at a flyer .....and automatically head for the lowest price.... first.
Then try to justify the lowest price to me or any one that will listen.....Many times they will just go a buy what ever, not tell me at all, but defend it with all their might when something goes south.

Each to his own.....and I will concede that when a "deal" does come along...that may take preference over "gotta be a whatever"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hunter63

Each to his own.....and I will concede that when a "deal" does come along...that may take preference over "gotta be a whatever"

---

That's me too. I keep some cash put aside so if someone has to sell something I can get it for a good price. If it is a good firearm for a great price, I figure I can always get my money back out of it. Course, I haven't sold a gun since 1988. LOL

CZs are not cheap anymore... next?

I looked on gunbroker a bit a go. I had no idea cz-52s were going for 300 plus dollars. I think I paid 135 dollars for mine. Wonder what a tokerev is going for?

TT33 are going for $200-$250 in 9mm.

That is new Serbian production, not used surplus.

I can only gawk!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by canid

I just can't think of a reason not to justify a $600 price range for any critical pistol requirement, but within your criteria, I would not mind siding with Taurus. The msrp on their medium fram 9 and 40 pistols are a good bit higher, but sticker prices often fall within the limit.

---

Its called a budget, something a lot of us have to stick with ! :band:

Howdy Let me throw out a suggestion for you to check into.
Canik TP5 9mm $319 say some ads at $299 Not sure where in KY you're located but Buds (Lex) may be a place to check. Lots of other good KY retailer as well.

Its made in Turkey, where several of our US gunmakers have begun locating their manufacturing.
I have no experience with the gun but have been seeing more mention of it lately. Its definitely nice looking with some good features. Not sure if you have "any" pistol experience? This is a striker fire pistol and has a decocker on top, mag release on side, 17 +1 mags. I have an XDM 9mm for regular use but thought this might be a good extra bugout gun?

Maybe checkout You Tube and other gun forums for reviews by folks who own

Best of luck
Harv

I've been able to pick up several firearms for really good deals.

I picked up a Ruger 22/45 for $200. I traded a .357 Tuarus revolver for a cord of firewood...

Another vote for SCCY, great quality, good price.

Few, if any of you have much to tell me about budget. Let's not pretend that either my position is unreasonable or that I didn't speak for the pistols within the criteria anyway.

You are making this thread a personal attack Canid.

The thread is not about you or your philosophy, it is about good quality firearms available NIB for less than $325.

I'm not doing that at all. I'm responding to comments directed at me and otherwise playing within the format. Not seeing the problem.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kyratshooter

Yes we know that there are some of you out there whose skin will dry up, curl up and fall off if you touch anything but a Glock or SIG and live under the threat of having to keep an epi-pen on them in case they touch a gun worth less than $500 and suffer an allergic reaction.

We also know that there are some out there that have never been poor or faced a restricted budget.

That was addressed in the OP due to the presence of folks who are allergic to "cheap but good" all over the internet.

This thread is for those of us that have been poor, or still are poor, or can not bare the though of having a $600+ firearm stolen from under the seat of the pickup, but still want a serviceable quality "new off the shelf" firearm.

---

High quality and dependability are not cheap and if your life depends on having a weapon, spend more to get something you can trust your life to. Being poor or on a strict budget only means it will take longer to save and get any weapon of good quality vs a "cheap but good" weapon that decides to fail in the middle of a firefight.

If you're worried about it getting stolen out of your truck, buy insurance and it will be covered or find a better way to hide it.

Now we're all getting off track, and I apologize. This thread can be about what it was intended to be. There's all the room the the world [forums] for other discussions about why we might want higher end pistols. Let's leave this thread to it's own premise if we can.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by canid

Few, if any of you have much to tell me about budget. Let's not pretend that either my position is unreasonable or that I didn't speak for the pistols within the criteria anyway.

---

I guess I don't understand that statement?
What/Who's budget?
What is your position?...On what?

You pay your money and take your choice.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hunter63

I guess I don't understand that statement?
What/Who's budget?
What is your position?...On what?

You pay your money and take your choice.

---

I believe the comment was in reference to his own personal situation where after a very long period of unemployment he is now back to work. During that time of zero income I'm guessing he learned a thing or two about stretching a dollar - a lesson many of us strive for - employed or not.

I guess I just missed the whole point.......
Anyway...y'all carry on.

I knew this thread was going to cost me money.

Sure enough, one of those things one should not pass up. The near perfect truck pistol, cache pistol, low end HD pistol.

Military approved, WW2 veteran, reengineered to use 9mm ammo.

NIB w/extra magazine, out the door at $219. Almost down to the pre-panic prices.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...2B1+9mm+4.5%22

I hear good things about the value on those Zastavas. Shot it yet? Impressions?

Glad I don't live near Buds.....LOL

I just ordered it this afternoon.

Will give report after I get it in my hands, cleaned and fired.

Sometimes living near Buds does get expensive.

Thing is I can order from the internet and they shift the firearm to their retail store with no shipping charge.

I can also pick it up at the retail store and pay no background check fee or transfer fee to the FFL. Usually there is a 24-48 hour delay while they "ship" the firearm from one building to the other and log in and out in the ATF books. When that is done they give me a pickup call.

What I wind up with is a firearm at the catalogue price plus sales tax (6.5%) with no other fees added to the cost.

Now that is provided that I can get in and out of the retails store without something shiny diverting my attention and costing me even more.

Honest to Pete, I walked in there one day to get a couple of AK magazines and they had the Tisas 1911 clones on "in store one day only special" for $313! When was the last time you found a NEW all steel 1911A1 millspec pistol for $313 ????

For that kind of deal, even if you are a poor boy, you buy it now and eat pinto beans and corn bread for the next month.

Yeah, I didn't particularly mean the one you just ordered, but I kinda figure they made more than just the one, jk. I'll look forward to hearing your report.

At the risk of getting flamed I'm going to say the TT clone is a better buy than a high point.

I just saw that pistol last night KY, just before you posted I reckon.. Cant tell, its akin to a Mac, or maybe a Tok but takes 9mmLugar, reviews are very good.

I too have been tracking the Canik TP9 pistol (I think I got that right), its a hack off of the Walther PPQ I think it is... There is one here at my local Gander, Ive looked at it twice or four times... Its pretty damn sweet, and has IMHO a nice trigger. The only downfall I could think of, is extra mags.

I still think a used beater Glock 17 or 19 would be a better choice than a new off brand, in the faith and trust department.

EB

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hunter63

Glad I don't live near Buds.....LOL

---

Buds carries the one inexpensive handgun I would recommend. By pistol did you mean auto or revolver too? Any way, I recently purchased a Rock Island Armory M200 revolver. It has a 4 inch barrel and parkerized finish and is chambered for .38 special. It is not rated for plus P but shoots lead bullets very accurately. It cost me $240 and I am well pleased with its performance thus far and for that money I don't know how anyone could go wrong. It is a well made revolver and would serve anyone well.

Don