[brookstexas]

For under $200 a Makarov can't be beat, dead accurate and a little polishing gives a smooth trigger

Taurus PT-92 or 99 Beretta copies, same quality & due to the control placement on the Taurus and the lifetime warranty I think it's superior for cheaper, about $375-450

Kimber Classic I, for around $600-700 it's hard to justify paying twice as much for many other 1911s

[Jim March]

Used, lonely, neglected Dan Wessons collecting dust in pawn shops everywhere.

Like this one:

http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=9440201

Anybody can snap that up for $295 (unless you live in California, sigh). With both 4" and 6" barrels. It'll shoot as good as any K-frame, it's tougher, and a lot more flexible. CCW it with the 4", go hog-hunting with the 6" and Cor-Bon hardcasts or the Georgia Arms deerstoppers.

[Rich357]

The S&W Performance Center 952 9mm is one of those overlooked, but outstanding pistols.

Rich

[makdaddy03]

The Heritage Stealth 9mm.

[Wildalaska]

Ravens!

WildgotchaAlaska

[brookstexas]

I say again, Ravens?

[firestar]

The Heritage Stealth 9mm.??

What is that? You can't post something like that and not post a link or a pic with it. I never even heard of such a thing. My stars! I'm all flustered.

:o :D

[firestar]

Bersa .380s. Shoots better than a Walther PPK at half the cost.

Star Firestar. Well made, accurate and often around $200 for a nice used one.

Ruger P97. Not as glamarous as a H&K USP or Glock but will preform just as well.

[Tom B]

I don't know how "overlooked" but in this day and age of the magnum craze the S&W K Frame 38spl mods 10 and 15.

[mini14jac]

The Heritage Stealth came out about the same time the KelTec P11 did.
If I recall, it had a polymer grip, but was slightly larger than the KelTec.
Also seem to remember a couple of safties, which is two too many for me.

It was made made by Heritage Manufacturing, but it looks like it has been discontinued. :(
It looks like they are concentrating on their line of SA .22 revolvers.
I like the pricing of the guns, but they have a safety, and it's in a weird place. (Up by the hammer.)
Here is a link to the web page:
http://www.heritagemfg.com/index.shtml

Side note:
Check out this from their FAQ page:
CAN I CHANGE MY ROUGH RIDER BARREL TO A DIFFERENT SIZE BARREL?
No, because your Rough Rider was registered to you with a certain barrel length and serial number. BATF maintains this information and it cannot be altered. If a barrel length is changed, then a new serial number and new registration must follow.

I don't think the above statements are accurate, as we don't have registration in the U.S., and keeping the records is against the law. :mad: :fire:

[mini14jac]

My vote for an overlooked gun:
S&W 457

Unless you are a S&W fan, you may not have a clue what it is.

Compact frame .45 acp, bobbed hammer, DA/SA.
The gun is accurate and eats hollow points, with minimum recoil.
It's one of their "value line" guns.
It was $449 and feels like it was made for my hand.

[Swamp Yankee]

Dan Wessons, no doubt about it.
Used Model 15/715 typically retail less than $250 around here. Model 44/744 can be found in the $300 to $350 range. Both are built like tanks and few stock revolvers can match the accuracy.

On the semi-auto side the Beretta 92 Compact is a great gun though somewhat large for a compact. If your into .380s the Browning BDA is a great little piece.

Take Care

[New_comer]

Bersa 380,

Taurus PT911/92 ;)

[Erich]

I clicked on this thread just to type, "Heritage Stealth 9mm."

Heck of a value. God bless Alex Du Plessis!

[chaim]

Until about a year and a half ago I'd say CZ, but today everyone knows. I was thinking about starting a thread like this thread myself to see what people are thinking today about "the future CZ".


I mostly agree with others here, but here is my list:
-Bersa Thunder in .380 (though I see that changing and they won't be underappreciated for long).

-Taurus PT92, PT911, PT940 and PT945

-the value series S&W pistols (910, 908, 457, 410)

-Taurus 82, 83, 65 and maybe the 66. The .38spl 82 and 83 and .357mag 65 (6 shots) and 66 (7 shots) tend to be overlooked in favor of Taurus' small snubs, Tracker series and large bores and can still be had at a low cost.

-Firestorm: Many people think of the Llama 1911s sold under their name and discount the Bersa made .380s, and Mini-9/40/45 as a result.

-New S&W revolvers. They still make a good gun, though not with the class of the oldies, and many of us tend to forget them or intentionally ignore them.

-CZ 97: The one still underappreciated CZ. Everyone tends to go for 1911s (including me) in full-sized .45acp target guns or go for the bargain Rugers and ignore the CZ97 which are priced closer to the Rugers and for quality are like the mid to high end general production 1911s.

[kmays]

I think S&W 3rd gen autos are categorically underrated. In particular my 4506 has the best DA pull of any auto I own.

Their "value line" is also good but because of their poor resale value you can usually get used stainless 3rd gen S&W's for $300-400.

[makdaddy03]

Sorry.
heritagemfg.com

[Handy]

HK P9S
Steyr GB
Mauser HSc

[Big_R]

One of my favorite pistols (and most underrated) is an American Arms PK-22 I bought in the early 90's. I used to routinely shoot blackbirds from trees with it. Not bad for a tiny pocket pistol.

Ryan

[valnar]

This one!
http://www.gunbroker.com/auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=9443208

He he. Overlooked doesn't necessarily mean cheap, right?

Yah.... I'm dreaming....

Robert

[denfoote]

He he. Overlooked doesn't necessarily mean cheap, right?

With that, I submit for your consideration, the Walther P5, P5C, P88, and P88C

[OEF_VET]

The Heritage Stealth was a good pistol. I bought one when they first came out several years ago. I ended up selling it because it was excess to needs. The only thing I didn't rarely care for was the distance it ejected spent brass. It would throw it about 20 feet to your 4 o'clock position. That made for a really interesting time trying to find it in the grass at outdoor ranges.

[Jeff]

I really liked my Taurus PT99. It never jammed, but I did have a problem with the mag release button.

[makarov]

RAP 9mm and .40
Arcus 9mm
FEG's (any caliber)
Dan Wesson Revolvers ( I have an early model 15 with 3 barrels got it for $199)
Any .38 Special S&W
Model 28's and 27's seem to sit on the shelf around here too. You just have to look around. Different guns are under-appreciated in different areas. One shop in town sells lots of Glocks, HK's and 1911's , also sells lots of Cowboy Action guns. 38 Target revolvers, and the N-frames seem to just sit.

[AirPower]

Definitely Taurus, especialy revolvers. The new Chuck Daly 1911 are pretty good too.

[David4516]

Makarov for sure. Other handguns of similar quality cost 3 times as much. I can't believe more people don't own Maks...

[arinvolvo]

Ill second Mr makarov with a vote for the RAP pistols...absolutely one of the best handgun values for a new production pistol, if you can find one.

And Ill throw in the Steyr M and S series...they always seem to be overlooked, and are also excellent values.

maybe it has something to so with me owning both of these guns that sways my opinion.:rolleyes:

[B Coyote]

Makarov.
Ruger P97.
FEG anything

bc:)

[customfret]

My Heritage Stealth 40 has been carried every day & digested a minimum of 50 rounds a week for a couple of years now without a hitch. Mine has a very light trigger (striker fired, but much shorter & lighter than any of my Glocks) so the safety is a good idea in my opinion, & as a lefty I also appreciate the fact it's an ambi. safety. The Stealth holds 11 rounds of .40, weighs 16 oz., hides nicely & rides quite comfortably all day in an Alessi Talon + IWB, & was about $300 new. I didn't realize they weren't being made any longer...:(

[Sean Smith]

I still think CZs are overlooked by everyone that isn't on a gun forum (read: most shooters), but that is slowly changing, and prices are getting closer to $400 than $300 for a CZ-75B now.

I would say that Colt, belive it or not, is unfairly overlooked now. Comparing a pre-Series II Kimber to a "M1991A1"-stamped Colt was no contest... the Kimber was way better. Compare a new Colt to a new Series II Kimber, however, and the Colt is IMHO a fundamentally better gun. Less MIM slag, more reliable (on average), and often more accurate. Sympathetic gun rag tests are getting >3" at 25 yard accuracy out of Kimbers, while basic 01991s routinely are shooting into 1.5". And yes, that surprised the crap out of me, since my old Kimber ate everybody's lunch at the range. :eek:

Looking at the newest Series II Kimbers, you can really see they are cutting more corners compared to the old guns. The finishes are coarser and the "fitting" of parts is getting sloppy. I saw a whole case of the new ones and was really disappointed, since I was actually considering picking one up based on my memory of my old one. They aren't bad, but the huge advantage they had over the competition is dead...

[jimbo]

S&W Mod. 39-2. Still $325 NIB. And will do anything your Beretta will do though slightly less accurate and less reliable. But for a range gun with FMJ ammo, it is cheap, accurate and reliable.

[stevec]

The unloved member of an otherwise very popular family of handguns. Its got its faults (the safety needs to be broken in, and it is kind of wide), but for the going price and quality of construction and ergos, it is an excellent deal.

The firestar plus is also an underdog. Double stack, so its a little wide compared to the firestar, and some folks don't trust the alloy frame. But its a quality gun, going for half the price of CZ compacts.

Steve

[GitSome45]

jimbo,

I LOVED my S&W Model 39-2 9mm.

It only holds 8 in the mag, but it is STILL one of the few guns that has a Special / Personal place in my heart (nostalgic)...

I would buy one in a heartbeat, if I could find a decent one in good shape... (disliked the Model 59 for some reason, the 39 just looks so good) ...(wood grips, deep-rich bluing, rounded features)

I regret EVER getting rid of mine...

Howard

[mlfox]

.. still makes my heart pound!

[CZ-100]

The CZ line...:what:

[Drakejake]

The all-steel Astra A-100s in 9MM (17round Mec-Gar mag) or .40 (13 round mag.) The pistol also comes in a .45 version with 9 round mag. These clones of the Sig 226/228 are accurate, reliable, and comfortable to shoot. The hi-cap MG mags have been generally available at prices lower than some of the alternatives. The rear sights are adjustable side to side. There are a number of finishes, including matte and polished blued, matte and polished nickel, and even a few stainless models (labeled Inox). They are fairly heavy at 35 oz. compared to pistols with aluminum or polymer frames, but this bulk reduces felt recoil. These pistols are a little narrower than some competitors and the grips are very comfortable, and smaller than the Sigs despite the higher mag capacity. You can buy these for $300 or less on the Internet gun sites and there are lots of them out there in new or nearly new condition. The drawback is lack of parts, but thus far I have not needed any with my collection.

Drakejake

[Drakejake]

Star Megastar

This is one of the heaviest .45s ever made--three pounds empty. But not that much larger than a typical full-size .45. Also available in 10MM. Not made for several years. It is built like a tank with the slide inside the frame rails instead outside. Its massive double stack mag holds twelve rounds. Its controls are unusual. It has a decocker and a manual safety which can be applied when the pistol is cocked. So this is a double action/single action pistol with decocker that can also be carried cocked and locked like 1911s. It is comfortable to hold and shoot. Accuracy is a bit difficult because of the long take-up even in single action. But once you master the two stage trigger pull which is required, it is reasonably accurate. With Starvel (nickel) finish it is a very handsome handgun and most impressive. Few people would want to lug around this monster, although it could be done. But it is a fun platform for shooting .45 rounds at the range. I have two! Can be bought in excellent condition for c. $300-350. Parts are almost impossible to find.

Drakejake

[ddj8052]

I would also have to say the third gen S&W autos. They are not very popular here locally and I just had a 910 special ordered for me. This guns feels like it was made just for me. I have small hands and usually have problems reaching the controls on fullsize guns. Yet with the 910 I can reach all of the controls with out shifting the gun at all. To bad I live in Cali Cause thier are 15 rd mag available for this gun. I look forward to getting this out on the range. I have 1 more week till I get to bring this baby home with me.

[Berg01]

Ditto here on the S&W 910(s), and the S&W 952 and 945 .45 ACP; also, the Sig P220 9mm.

[kalibear45]

Charter Arms Bulldog .44sp revolver
Cobra Patriot .45 pistol

[goon]

I think that the SIG P-225 is often overlooked. It is a high quality 9mm, but is over looked because it was never intended to be anything other than a mid-size, single-stack 9mm. No hi-caps here. Nothing like a gun that will shoot the bullseye out of a target and actually fits your hand.
The CZ's are also overlooked, but that can be a good thing. If no one knows about them, I can but three more for $300 each. I ain't gonna complain about that.;)

[1badmagnum]

my witness is one of my favorite pistols.
under $400 including tax.
:D :D :D :D

[firestar]

S&W Mod. 39-2. Still $325 NIB. And will do anything your Beretta will do though slightly less accurate and less reliable. But for a range gun with FMJ ammo, it is cheap, accurate and reliable.

The S&W 39-2 may be a decent gun but it is NO Beretta! You should compare it to something that is in the same league, maybe a Springfield 1911A1 or a Ruger P89. Not bad guns but nothing to write home about either.

[Dr.Rob]

FEG FEG FEG!

But a used SW model 10 is probably the BEST, and most oft undersold defensive pistol you can own in todays uberglochsauer culture.

[Correia]

Makarov
Feg

The one that surprised me the most however was the Baby Eagle. Extreamly nice gun. And they used to be cheap.