"Off-brand" handgun that's been really good for you

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You know the saying, even a bind squirrel finds an acorn now and then?

Same applies to lower quality manufacturing. On the average they may be junk, but once in a while all the parts fit just right and that 1 in a thousand rolls off the line. Sounds like some of you lucked out with your off brands. Me I tend to get one of the other 999.
 
I kind of lumped together several different kinds of handguns into the general category of "off brand".


1) The inexpensive kind, the "store brand" of handguns, such as maybe Phoenix, H&R, Heritage, etc.

2) The kind that are unknown to many shooters, such as maybe Miroku, Bernadelli, the Sphinx pistols, etc. that are not necessarily inexpensive or cheaply made.

3) The military surplus or "military grade" handguns (which might also be little-known), such as the Star, FEG, Makarov, etc.

There are probably other kinds that could be lumped in there somewhere.


Most of my best deals on handguns (and firearms in general) have been military surplus and LE turn-ins.
 
Astra. Love my Constable. Carried a very reliable .380 in the '70s. Now enjoy a nice .22lr. Well made guns.

Seecamp. Perfect pocket gun.

Daewoo. Well made guns. Had .40, .380 and .22lr

Sphinx AT380. Very compact and all stainless gun with a very nice DAO trigger.

Canik. Been very, very good to me.
 
I guess these?
MS Safari Arms (NOT Olympic) .45
AMT x2
Bersa
J.C. Higgins Model 80. Though a re-branded Hi Standard, it still raises eye-brows with the otherwise well informed.

*Off-Brand* being rather subjective.

Interestingly, there was a time that my favorite revolver and semi-autos would have been *off-brand* as less than half of the fellas at any given gun show could even identify them. Ironically, they are now under the same umbrella; CZ and Dan Wesson.

Todd.
IMG_1601.JPG
 
Page 2 and no one has mentioned KelTecs? I have several: P3AT, PMR 30, 2nd Gen Sub 2000, P11, PF9. All have worked well for me.
 
Hy-Hunter SA .22 lr revolver. It's beat to hell but a blast to shoot.

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The Shooter Arms 1911 in 9mm has been one of the most reliable and accurate guns I own. I have lost count on how many rounds I’ve put through it. Has to be north of 15,000 and only had to change recoil spring.
 
Phoenix HPA22. Just wish all my 22's. were as good, could have saved myself a whole heap of money if I had bought it first. Terrific little shooter, with nice sights, trigger and accuracy, reliability.
 
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I have an Auto Ordnance 9mm 1911, and it is great. I put about 2500 rounds through it, with no malfunctions with full power ammo. It stovepipes with the lighter loads I us in the CZ (115gr at 1050fps). I did break the ejector after 900 or so rounds, so its not peprfect but it is nice. Good finish, very tight, very accurate.
Second was a Kel-Tec P11. I bought one a very long time ago, before they were a major brand. Never anything to complain about. Carried it today.
Third, anything FEG. Its really to bad they didn't find a steady importer.
 
I will second the STOEGER Cougar that 460Shooter put forward. I bought one used for $260.00 and it has never jammed or failed to fire. I liked it so much, I now have an 8000 in 9m.m. and an 8040 in .40S&W.

And yes, BERETTA owns STOEGER, but these guns were made in TURKEY for STOEGER, not in ITALY.

Jim
 
I know you say RIA isn't an off brand these days but it's all I got, as I buy careful and quality and didn't start until many of the oddballs were scarce.

The only impulse buy I do have is an RIA tactical 10mm because my wife thought it was "pretty". With my handloads (200 gr XTP over AA#9 @ around 1200 fps) it is an absolute tack driver and the most accurate gun in my (and anyone else who's tried it) hands, despite being my "cheapest" 1911.

Ahh, I sometimes miss the days of living in bush AK and on our trip to the big city, Anchoage, every couple months my wife turning to me and saying, "let's go buy a gun!". Then making me buy two, cause she wanted something different than I had researched and planned. Good times.
 
When I first got into them CZ’s were very much an off brand. That hasn’t been the case in a long time. That’s the first one that comes to mind though.
 
golden said:
I will second the STOEGER Cougar that 460Shooter put forward. I bought one used for $260.00 and it has never jammed or failed to fire. I liked it so much, I now have an 8000 in 9m.m. and an 8040 in .40S&W.

And yes, BERETTA owns STOEGER, but these guns were made in TURKEY for STOEGER, not in ITALY.

Jim
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I don’t think anyone was confused about where they are made. I think that many people don’t recognize the Turks as being the craftsman they have always been. Now more than ever. They use cnc technology and tend to make nato approved and tested arms. Great regional buy. I’m not sure about Sar. But stoeger and Canik are great.
 
Browning said:
When I first got into them CZ’s were very much an off brand. That hasn’t been the case in a long time. That’s the first one that comes to mind though.
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Yup - having my brand new CZ-75 in 83 or 84 was likely to get guys to ask me; "Is that some kind of Hi Power, or sumpin'?":D

Same with my Dan Wessons in the late 70's early 80's. "That must be one of them Yu-ro-pee-un pistols, huh?"

Certainly not the case anymore.

Todd.
 
Sarsilmaz K2-45
Double stack .45, copy of a Tanfoglio (which is a copy of a CZ, but not an identical clone). From the factory, it is every bit as good as my CZs. Actually... better, because the trigger is much better. However, Cajun Gun Works doesn't make parts for Sarsilmaz guns, so one of my CZs has gotten better than the Sarsilmaz. It still isn't a double stack .45 though.
 
Yeah, my Turkish pistols have been good.

I've had a Tisas, two SAR's, and a Canik. All of them are/were reliable and well-made.

The Tisas (1911 GI) and one of the SAR's were among the three handguns I traded for a 629.

I still have the second SAR (CZ75 compact "clone") and the Canik (Walther "clone").

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another Turkish pistol. IIRC, they make shotguns, too.

Canik TP9 9mm

Canik TP9 9mm

 
There have been a few Kel-tec mentions, also. I've had three.

The P3AT worked just fine. Eventually I replaced it with an LCPII (due to the superior sights and trigger.) I let my FiL have it for cheap, and it still works just fine. It's about six years old, has been carried and shot plenty, and has had nothing replaced except for the mainspring. I think that the old man has to go to Loews today. If so, the P3AT will be in his pocket holster.

I got a PF9 for dirt cheap because it was rusty and dirty. I cleaned it up and it worked fine. I took it to the range a few times and had zero problems with it. I eventually traded it towards something else because the trigger was so stiff.

I still have the P32. I bought it used, mostly because it was in good shape and I got it for $120-something. It's been completely reliable. It doesn't have "real" sights, and I'm not comfortable with 32acp for SD, but it would be way better than unkind words and a sharp stick. IIRC, this was the original pistol that "inspired" the LCP and Pico and probably various others.

KelTec P32

KelTec P32

 
I hadn't thought of Kel Tec in this vein but, it does make sense.

Along those lines, my PMR-30 has been a dream!

Assuming that I do NOT try to get 30 rounds in there.:evil:

When light-weight is the right-weight, a stupendous combo.

Todd.
IMG_1602.JPG
 
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