Anyone else luck out with a budget pistol?

I love budget handguns. About half of all my handguns can fit into that description. Many of my long guns too.

I wouldn't know where to even start as I've lucked out with just about all of them.

IDK about budget... but I have picked up a few used guns for a steal (1 sig P239, 1 model 10 smith, 1 586 smith).

LGS always has great sales from Nov-Dec. He had some killer deals this year.

Friend bought two each (After Rebates):
S&W M1.0 Shield 9x19mm - $199.99 (Admittedly not generally considered horrid)
Taurus 856 .38 Special +P - $174.99
Taurus G2S 9x19mm - $159.99
Taurus Spectrum .380 ACP - $119.99

Everyone of them has run like a Swiss Watch so far. My experience is that the newer Taurus are a hit a lot more than a miss.

Ruger LCP have a rep for being hit or miss. Mine had two malfunctions by 850 rounds - 1. Burr on follower of a new extended 7-Round Magazine caused it to stick on last round of first loading causing the last empty case to load back in the magazine. / 2. One out of spec Fed AE wouldn't enter battery. No malfunctions since.

I bought it during the LGS Annual Ruger Sale and I believe it was $159.99 (Custom was $189.99 and LCP II was $219.99). In retrospect I should have spent the extra $30 for the Custom.

Stoeger Cougar was a good gun for what I paid. Sold it years ago, but it was a quality gun.

I have never ended up having BAD luck with a cheap pistol. I have bought true junk, and I have bought high quality but my only real problem was with a back to back pair of gp100s. My model 10 cheapo was ugly as sin but it’s an incredible shooter. My 30-1 was cheap enough to qualify and is one of the best handguns I own. My Phoenix hp22s have always been great on accuracy, and they live a long life but I do wear them out to where they end up being retired. Heritage, Taurus, Butler, IJ, H&R, llama, Helwan, all have been good. The butler needs the barrel lined but it truthfully wasn’t intended to be shot as much as I have shot it.

I won a Taurus 111 G2 in a raffle, have never had a problem with it. Bought a Kel-Tec P17 for $200, shoots great and is reliable. I recently bought an R51, I just couldn't resist the "space blaster" look of it, also $200.

The first time out I only put 50 rounds through it, but it functioned perfectly and was very accurate. I love a cheap gun that works well, I should include Rock Island 1911s in this group too, they've been very good for me over the years

$125 taurus spectrum from kygunco, free shipping, $10 ffl transfer fee, added $10 hogue beavertail grip. i know that some spectrums are problems, but mine runs well on simple, brass cased, fmj ball ammo after a 200 round breakin and cleaning. best $145 i’ve ever spent on a handgun.

I took a chance on a Diamondback DB9 and I am extremely happy with it. I really appreciate having 9mm power in such a small package. The $200ish price tag on the DB9 really does not reflect how good of a fire arm it is. For the record, the DB9 is not a fun gun to shoot but it feels solid and has been 100% reliable for me.

I also took a chance on a Remington R51 because I couldn't walk away from the price... I should have walked away. My R51 has been pretty reliable compared to some of the other accounts I have read but it just doesn't have any redeaming qualities. I have to put a piece of tape on the web of my shooting hand because the grooves in the beavertail are so sharp it cuts me there everytime I shoot it. The trigger and action on the R51 reminds me of my first cap gun when I was 6 years old... I think the R51 and that old cap gun are actually made out of the same metal.

A Tressitu tz99 I bought in 1999, with two high cap mags, for $265 worked flawlessly for thousands of rounds before I sold it to a friend who still shoots today. A Spanish single stack Astra A70 in .40 was a bit of a handful but ran fine. Today I have a SAR K2P which runs great. I've had very good luck sniping deals on some lesser known and interesting handguns.

Sort of. Once upon a time I won one in vending machine at an amusement part for .25 cents.

The Taurus PT111, G2C, and whatever else it's been called has functioned perfectly for me, a family member, and a friend who all own them.

It is a very good deal for $200 or less.

The bluing wears easily, so IMHO it's worth it to pay $20 extra for stainless.

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I have owned two of these SAR B6C's. They are polymer CZ75 compact "clones" made in Turkey. Mine have been great. They were around $300 OTD apiece, maybe a little less.

These two RIA 1911's have been great for me. I bought the 9mm used for around $300, and won the 45 NiB for a bid in the low $300's. They are both good shooters that have given me zero problems.

I bought a Bulgarian Makarov for $62.50 back in the mid-90's. It's still a reliable CCW today.

I have an absolutely beautifully operating AMT .45 backUp. I bought it from a Fed who used it for quite some time as his back-up after having it tweaked a bit - as they ALL seem to need.

I bought it mostly on the boondoggle aspect of having it as the mini-gat to my maxi-gat AMT Haardballer Long-Slide.

Turned out to be so; reliable, accurate (yes, you read that correctly) and smooth to carry that I carried it for years after and long after *better*, lighter were available.

Our LCP and Bersa Thunder were backed-into with trepidation too but ended up being outstanding carry pieces.

Todd.

Forgot about this one bought decades ago and never a glitch or hiccup.

At the time, money was a bit tight and S&W or Ruger stainless .38s were no where to be found anyhow, I wanted a SS .38 for my wife and we grabbed this.

Couldn't be happier over the past 20+ years. Laughs at +P, small, relatively smooth, allows for her to sing;e-action it if she's of a mind.... So much up-side at a suspiciously low price, new.

It's interesting these days to pick it up and love its *heft* considering it was so small and light in its day.

One of the truly great, *budget* guns ever. The Taurus 85.

It has certainly earned the *never sell* monicker in our household.

Todd.

Steel Hayes said:

Taurus seems to be getting better at quality control.

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Well, that's certainly a ringing endorsement.

Bought a Taurus 856 for a few bucks over $200---works great (250 rds)---wanted a small .38 spl and couldn't pass it up.

I've had good luck also with a Taurus. My PT-111 G2 runs perfectly and is compact but big enough for me to get a full grip on (I've got small hands).

The 709 Slim hasn't given me any trouble either but I haven't put as many rounds through it. I've got a lot of other guns that I've paid budget prices for but they're not necessarily "budget guns".

Steel Hayes said:

Considering their past recalls and problems, I’ve definitely become a Taurus fan.

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Considering their past recalls and problems you wouldn't catch me dead (or you might) trusting my life to a Taurus.

Bought a Rossi 971 357 a few years back. Paid $200 and it was a tank. Accurate, and always went bang. Carried it for years shoot it 10,000 times then sold it like a dummy for $200.

I'm sticking with guns purchased new, as "budget" guns.

My first handgun, a Taurus Model 66, purchased in 1987.

A Jennings J22, still also purchased in 1987 (yeah, it actually does what it's supposed to do, and pretty well.)

One of my three CA Undercover 38 revolvers, also purchased in 1987 (the other two were acquired used, and are older.)

Both of my Kel-Tecs (PF9 and P32.)

Both of my HRR revolvers.

Phoenix HP22A.

My TISAS 1911-A2.

Really, I don't have many handguns I bought new, and a couple of those I do have I haven't yet shot, or they're not really "budget" guns.

ApacheCoTodd said:

Forgot about this one bought decades ago and never a glitch or hiccup.

At the time, money was a bit tight and S&W or Ruger stainless .38s were no where to be found anyhow, I wanted a SS .38 for my wife and we grabbed this.

Couldn't be happier over the past 20+ years. Laugs at +P, small, relatively smooth, allows for her to sing;e-action it if she's of a mind.... So much up-side at a suspiciously low price, new.

It's interesting these days to pick it up and love its *heft* considering it was so small and light in its day.

One of the truly great, *budget* guns ever. The Taurus 85.

It has certainly earned the *never sell* monicker in our household.

Todd.
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I agree... I have a M85, and will never get rid of it especially since it's been discontinued.