Looking for a $350 mid-sized semi-auto for CCW

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S&W 3rd gen guns are a good buy still. Models 5904, 5906 in 9mm and many others in 40, and 45 are excellent choices. Check out gunbroker.
 
I'd check out the Tristar (Canik) C100. They're very light, accurate, and reliable. The best part is that Academy Sports has them for $350 all the time.

I doubt the price will stay that low for long. When people start catching on that they're great guns built to Turkish military specs, prices will inevitably go up.

I wrote a review at 750 rounds that can be found here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=714680

I have over 1k through it now.
 
Why gamble your life just to save $100? Save up a few more weeks, bump it up to the $450 range, and you have pretty-much unlimited quality options. Glock, M&P, XD, Beretta, and a few Sigs can all be found in that price range.

Go to a firing range with rentals and try everything you can get your hands on to see what fits your hands the best.

Also, if you look around a little you can probably find any of the above in your price-range used. But if you're serious about using this one as a daily carry piece, don't take any chances.
 
Why gamble with your life when a new FN pistol is only $450 more?

Inevitably someone will always say this or something like it. The fact is that there are plenty of good options in the $350 range that are proven and reliable.

You don't have to buy a gun with a certain price to get quality.
 
Kiln, you are exactly correct. My brother-in-law bought a Canik , CZ Clone, for less than $350 several months ago and what a great pistol it is too. There are plenty of great buys out there today in this price range that are very reliable in 9mm. The SAR pistols from Turkey are some others that fall into this Price range new and have proven very reliable.
 
Used SIG or Glock 19, 23, 26, or 27. Forget Taurus or Makarov. Buy once, cry once. Otherwise, you will learn the hard way. I have seen too many people try to save a few dollars only to lose it testing the gun for reliability.
 
tomrkba said:
Forget Taurus or Makarov. Buy once, cry once. Otherwise, you will learn the hard way. I have seen too many people try to save a few dollars only to lose it testing the gun for reliability.
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Makarovs are some of the most reliable, best built guns for the money on the planet. Please don't lump them in with Taurus.
 
Makarovs are some of the most reliable, best built guns for the money on the planet. Please don't lump them in with Taurus.
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Perhaps they are, but they are also used surplus from one of five foreign countries. I think the esteem as a defensive tool is misplaced. I'm sure it would be appropriate if the OP were stuck in one of those countries, but he's not. He is in Kansas and has hundreds of options (though I think an Ed Brown "Special Forces" 1911 is out of the question).

**

I know this is not what the OP wants to hear, but it is what he needs to hear.

It's your life on the line and buying budget is not the way to go for a defensive firearm. The real problem is a lack of patience on the part of the OP. Another $100 won't kill him; if he has to have a gun NOW, then whip out a credit card and buy one. If he doesn't have a credit card, then borrow one from a friend. I had to do that when I was a poor grad student. If a good friend will help bury the bodies, then he should be able to loan the OP a handgun, gear, mags and ammo.

A quick search on ammoseek.com for 9mm Makarov (9mm Makarov, Defense/Hunting, Include: JHP) reveals four entries for defensive ammo. Hornady 95 grain XTP JHP and Buffalo Bore +P. I am not a fan of 95 grain handgun bullets unless launched from a really small pocket pistol. Another search for 115 grain bullets pulls up Buffalo Bore 115 grain cast flat nose, which is a suboptimal bullet for "social work".

Speer Reloading Manual #13 shows the 95 grain FMJ maxing out at 1068 FPS (tested with an East German Makarov). The next page shows 9x19mm 115 grain Speer Gold Dot JHP at 1258 FPS. That is a significant difference in performance. One can load a 124 grain GD to 1249 FPS or so. Other manuals will have variants on this (this was just a quick look into the topic).

Some light defensive ammo is available for it, but why bother when 9x19mm is so much better? Buy a used Glock 26 (or M&P 9c or equivalent) and be done with it.
 
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The S&W S.D.9 or S.D.40 are great buys in my opinion. Alot of people gripe about the trigger. But S&W will fix it free if you tell them it is rough & or gritty. These are accurate & reliable guns. And Hold a good amount of rounds, & will still conceal easily! They also feel great in your hand & are very comfortable to shoot! Also you can get them new at that price range. And it's a S&W made in the U.S.A.! Check them out! Just an old shooters thoughts! Good luck with whatever you pick!
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I second this. New pistol with the best customer service in the industry. If money is tight knowing they will make it right without hassle should count for a lot. Its basically a cross between the Sigma and M&P.
 
Give us more info. What experiences do you have with handgun? Do you want a thumb safety or not? Striker or hammer? DA/SA or DAO trigger. You want to carry? Pocket, IWB, or OWB

Lots of options, you just need to narrow down the specifics of what you want then we can help more
 
I have to pile on and add my recommendation that you get your hands on a Tristar C-100. Why are all these people recommending some no name pistol made in Turkey? It is a very well made clone of a CZ75 lightweight compact. The CZ 75 is probably the 2nd. most copied pistol design after the 1911. I love mine. You can get things like grips, sights and holsters made for the CZ75 PRC model to fit. These things cycle ammo with no failures to feed. They run about $350. They feel good in the hand, have a good factory SA trigger and are accurate.
 
Kahr CW9, and don't look back...
Best carry gun I have ever shot! Accurate as hell, enough grip for all your fingers, thin, light, no manual safety, no mag disconnect, no grip safety, no bull handgun.
 
Kahr CW9, and don't look back...
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I'd agree, except I think most folks consider the CW9 to be a sub-compact, certainly not mid-sized, recoil is stout for some people because of the small grip and very light weight.
 
Not sure how to judge it....
All fingers on the grip frame, to me is not sub compact. CW9s shoot as well as full size pistols:D
You be the judge..
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One more point in favor of the S&W, SIGMA / S.D. pistols are the are easy & cheap to upgrade. It cost me $86 to add Tru -Glo night sights to mine. ( They use M&P sights on the S.D.) Also Crimson Trace made laser sights for the Sigma. I don't know if they make them for the S.D.,but if they don't they probably will. I have used all of the Gen.s, starting with a used Sigma & now have a S.D.9 . And when I sell some other things, I will probably get a S.D.40 to try out!:)
 
Just an FYI CDNN sent out their recent email with LEO trade in G22's for 339.99... M&P40's for the same price and still have the 3rd gen 4046 for 299.99:eek:
 
Fat Boy said:
I have considered a Taurus pt145 but read lots of bad things
I have considered a Century Bulgarian Mak but worry about ammo availability
Looking for suggestions- thank you
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I would take serious look at Walther PPS in 9x19. I could not buy one because it was too large for my specific needs, but for inside pant waist carry that is the gun I would pick. It will cost <$350 but that is the only antipersonnel defensive handgun one would ever need.
 
There have been some fine guns suggested here. But, even though some of the L.E. trade-ins are fine guns, they are still used! I have bought a few over the years myself. And the others are made in other country's. I try to buy U.S. when I can. But the S&W. S.D. series are new. Cost in the price range of the OP. And are made here in the U.S.A. &come from a company that has one of the best C.S. departments around!
No I am not a S&W salesman, but I do use alot of their products! And always will! Good luck!
 
I still see the occasional Kahr CW9 for under $400, and that is a lot of value for the money.

But, even though some of the L.E. trade-ins are fine guns, they are still used!
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And your point is...what?
LEAs and companies like Brinks are not well known for buying large quantities of crappy guns. Those S&W revolvers and 3rd gen semi autos that rode around on someone's hip for the last 15 years are better than 50% of all the new guns out there (and 100% of the new guns in the $350 price range).
 
That is just your opinion, which you are entitled to. As I am mine. Yes there are alot of fine used handguns on the market . But they are still a used handgun not new! That was the very obvious point I was making. If you want a used handgun over a new one, that's your choice. I think that some of the other handguns mentioned in the $350 range new are also good buys. Just not MADE IN THE U.S.A.! I am sticking to my original suggestion of a NEW S& W., S.D. in 9mm or 40S&W . Just one old man's opinion! Good night. ;)
 
krupparms said:
That is just your opinion, which you are entitled to. As I am mine. Yes there are alot of fine used handguns on the market . But they are still a used handgun not new! That was the very obvious point I was making. If you want a used handgun over a new one, that's your choice. I think that some of the other handguns mentioned in the $350 range new are also good buys. Just not MADE IN THE U.S.A.! I am sticking to my original suggestion of a NEW S& W., S.D. in 9mm or 40S&W . Just one old man's opinion! Good night. ;)
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What exactly is it about used guns that would make you pass on one for a new one? What specifics?

A couple years back I bought used S&W 5906 for less than $350. I have bought several new handguns at that price point and none are as high quality as the 5906. I would take a used gun over a new gun if the gun is of better quality. Remember that new gun you buy is only new for one trigger pull, after that it is used. It is not hard to check out a used gun for function. No reason to pay extra just for one trigger pull
 
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