Budget Choices with Minimal Compromise

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Most of us have to make decisions where economics are a consideration. Here are the choices I and some of my acquaintances have made in the last 24 months.

Ruger LCP .380 $150
For when I can't carry.
Carry - American Gunner XTP
(Usually expands moderately or tumbles and penetrates 12-17". Ammo in a .380 is definitely about compromise)

Taurus G2C 9mm $170 (after $30 Rebate)
Lady's Pistol
Practice - Chubbies
Carry - Micro HST

Ruger EC9S $200
Summer Gun
Carry - Remington Golden Saber 147

S&W M&P Shield .45 (after $75 Rebate) $245
Spring and Fall Gun
Carry - Gold Dot 185

S&W M&P M2.0 .40 Compact (after $50 Rebate) $250
Winter Gun
Carry - Remington Ultimate Defense 180

S&W M&P Shield M2.0 .380 EZ (After $50 Rebate) $255
Young lady with health problems that precludes stiffer slides and heavy trigger.
On her Concealed Carry she put 50 out of 50 in the 10x or better. One lemon sized hole. The instructor joked about what happened to the other 49.
Carry - American Gunner XTP

Glock 42 .380 Tiffany Blue $400
If she hits better with a .380 and will carry it more if she likes the color, It's the correct choice.
Carry - American Gunner XTP

SP101 3" .38 Spl $400 (French Police Over Run).
Mom's gun.
Practice & Carry - Federal Gold Medal .38 Wadcutters (16" of penetration and doesn't aggravate her arthritis).

Some of the gun and ammo choices where driven by recoil, accuracy and terminal performance but money was definitely a consideration.

Tell me about the choices you have made lately...
 
Diamondback DB9 - Smallest 9mm sub compact available and very reasonably priced. The Diamondback DB9 kind of pushed my LCP out of getting much carry time. The DB9 is pocketable and not considerably bigger than an LCP.

Kahr CM9 - One of my favorite sub compacts. I am not a Glock fan. I shoot my Kahr CM9 better than I shoot a Glock. Choose what ever works best for you.

Kel-tec P32 - For when you really can't carry. I carry my P32 at work everyday where flashing or printing are not an option in my office environment. It replaced my LCP... although I still really like my LCP.

XDs 3.3 in 45acp... I went with an XDs 45 before the .45 Shield was even announced. I like my XDs and it is a touch smaller than the 45 Shield. I wouldn't mind picking up a .45 Shield some day.

XD mod 2 3.3" in 45acp. Bigger than the XDs, holds more rounds since it is a double stack. It is a lot more comfortable and I shoot it better than the XDs. I carry the XD mod 2 when hiking or camping because it is still small and light weight but handles like a full size gun especially with the extended magazine.

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Well, my last two firearm purchases were a Sig Legion and DW Valkyrie CCO.

So I'm not sure I qualify for this thread.
 
Kendahl said:
Buy a used gun from an LGS you trust.
Click to expand...

The gun stores local to me charge more for their used guns than the local Sportsman's warehouse charges for the same identical gun NEW! Then they charge $50 to do a private party to private party transfer. The LGS's are dead to me... I see no use for their existence!
 
Last few purchases/trades.

Ruger Single Seven, traded a Sig P938 I didn't like. Fun little revolver that packs a punch.
Canik TP9SFx, $650, least expensive way I could find to get a match gun with a red dot. Shoots like a laser.
S&W Model 35, uncommon S&W and I really wanted a DA .22 revolver
Ruger SR22, I always wanted one. Came in a package deal with the M-35
Sig P365, went to the store to pick up a S&W Shield .45, came out with the Sig, more capacity, smaller package. Still currently a range toy, another couple of trips and it will go into carry rotation. I'm not sure if I'll pick up some factory ammo for it or reload for it.
S&W 5906, traded a Yugo SKS for it. I'd been hankering for a full size metal frame 9mm. I settled for the 4" barrel because it's a 5906.

Also a Ruger PCC because I wanted it.
 
MikeInOr said:
The gun stores local to me charge more for their used guns than the local Sportsman's warehouse charges for the same identical gun NEW! Then they charge $50 to do a private party to private party transfer. The LGS's are dead to me... I see no use for their existence!
Click to expand...


Pawn shops but I'm glad it's not just me.
 
I have a Diamondback DB9 that I paid $200 for a couple years ago and pocket carry it quite frequently when attire dictates. The DB9 always goes bang when I pull the trigger and has been very reliable. Is it a 10,000 round capable gun, I doubt it, but at $200 I can buy one another one if necessary. I also have a Shield 9 that has been 100% reliable, accurate and fits my hand very well. I had a Taurus 709 Slim but the ergonomics just didn't work for me, but is was reliable and very reasonably priced.
 
BersaThunder 380 over Walther PPK/S when I got back into carry after an 18-year hiatus (I'd sold a PPK/S, but wasn't going to pay for another one.)

Kel-Tec PF9 for EDC later, though more simply because it "appeared" at the LGS during a time when no one could find one.

Kel-Tec P32 when I started looking for a "deep conceal" piece.

Numerous others that fit the category for many owners have come along, but I didn't purchase them as "compromises" as much as simply because I thought they were "cool" (most of my guns fall here.)
 
For the past couple of years, I've been pretty content with what I have. My last real purchase (excluding horse-trading) was a S&W Shield. Between a price match guarantee and a S&W promotion, I spent ~$340 for the pistol, 2 extra mags, 2 boxes of Hornady Critical Defense, and a mag charger. Naturally, prices dropped right after that. . . .

That said, a buddy of mine told me that he finally decided to get his CHCL. Said he wanted a "this little Browning .380" for his first carry gun. . . . Nothing wrong with that gun, but he's on a finite budget, just like the rest of us, so he and I went out for an afternoon of shooting every carry gun that I own or was able to borrow. He finally decided that a Shield is probably a better bargain for a first carry gun.
 
Like the OP, I have purchased a Ruger LCPII and a Taurus G2 in the past year or so. Neither of them have given me any problems at all. I carry the LCPII fairly often.
 
I remember back when I had very little money. Then I had money and mouths to feed. Everything was a compromise when it came to guns.
A used Ruger Super Single Six for $125 back in the 80's was my first handgun. I still have it today
As the years have gone by, I have gotten rid of two wives and two of my three kids have grown up and moved out. Now I don't have to compromise so much when buying guns.
 
MikeInOr said:
The gun stores local to me charge more for their used guns than the local Sportsman's warehouse charges for the same identical gun NEW! Then they charge $50 to do a private party to private party transfer. The LGS's are dead to me... I see no use for their existence!
Click to expand...

What a shame. Quite the opposite here in Wisconsin.
 
Tallball said:
Like the OP, I have purchased a Ruger LCPII and a Taurus G2 in the past year or so. Neither of them have given me any problems at all. I carry the LCPII fairly often.
Click to expand...

I've been shooting my son's G2c lately. It's changing my mind about sub compacts. Accurate and easy to handle.
 
Most of my guns are budget guns. I simply dont shoot enough to worry about buying nice stuff that I cant wear out.

A little pocket pistol is generally all I carry. The LCP II gets the nod most days, but I'm thinking about picking up another one. I've tried most everything in the sub $400 .380 pocket market. None of them were bad and I would have spent more for something that offered more than just pride of ownership.

I have numerous full size guns, but most work days a slim single stack 9mm is too much to dress around. I bounce between the LCP II and a NAA wasp. My next gun will probably be a .380 or .22 mag of some variety. I dont figure I'll spend over $350.
 
The good news is it is easy to buy a high quality semi-auto pistol from a major manufacturer and good self-defense ammunition for those on budget (and for those of use that are cheapskate, er frugal).

For example a Farm and Ranch Supply store chain has a well stocked small gun department. They just had the Ruger EC9s on sale for $199.00. $199.00 is my buy price for this gun but alas the IRS got all of my disposable money for the month. Well, maybe the next sale.

They also run American Gunner 115 gr. XTP on sale frequently for $13.99 / 25 rd. box.

I brought a new S&W M&P 1.0 last year for a few nickels and dimes less than $300.00 out the door. Not sure how this fits into the O.P.'s description of a budget gun but it is way cheaper than a Glock 19 and, imo, just as good and durable of a gun.

Happy days are here at least until November, 2020.
 
Ruger 89, 90, 91DC, 93DC, 94 and 95 pistols are good buys. You can pick them up sometimes for as little as $200 sometimes.

A bit clunky, but they work well, are overbuilt and basically last forever. I've bought several recently.
 
Taurus G2c 9mm - $199

Not a carry gun, but rather I couldn't pass up the chance to buy a well-reviewed compact 9mm for under $200. It's a truck gun, basically. Hat the trigger, weak finish, but great size and capacity.

Glock G19 Gen 5 MOS - $499 - Purchased through Blue Label program so around $100 under normal online prices. Was going to be a carry gun but is now relegated to GSSF matches and range fun.

S&W M&P40c non-safety w/ night sights - $349 - $50 rebate. Was going to be new carry gun, but wanted a safety.

S&W M&P40c w/ safety. - $366. Swapped over the night sights from other M&P. Taking it to the range tomorrow to ring it out and see how it does.
 
Me too
Lennyjoe said:
My cheap pistol that I trust my life with is a Taurus PT111 G2. I have 2 that I paid $199 for and they’ve performed flawlessly so far.
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. Like it so much I got rid of a Springfield, no longer made in USA, XD9 that never felt right.
 
Nope no compromise all my CC guns were carefully chosen to fit a need, paid what I needed to fulfill list.

Ammo is were I compromise, no magic bullet $1.00 a round stuff, just run of the mill JHP and aluminum FMJ.
 
huntsman writes:

Ammo is were I compromise, no magic bullet $1.00 a round stuff, just run of the mill JHP and aluminum FMJ.
Click to expand...

I don't think of it as a "compromise" at all, just me running what I know works in my guns and will, if effectively placed, do what it's supposed to do, for what I can afford to practice and test with.

In my Kel-Tec PF9 and my Ruger P95, it's either R-UMC or Winchester SXZ 115-grain HP. Hardly expensive, running the same prices as their makers' same-weight FMJ stuff, and they run in the guns.
 
If someone is so budget oriented, why do they own so many guns that have so much overlap.

If I was on a budget I would have just the LCP or just the Shield or just a JFrame.

If this thread is more about good guns at good prices then I am on board but so many different carry guns seems counterintuitive to budgets, budgeting, and keeping things economical. Not to mention keeping things simple when familiarity with whichever gun is being carried needs to be quickly employed.
 
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