$1000 3-GUN Fantasy Challenge

[silverlance]

someone said that you don't need to spend $1000 to get a defensive firearm. Well, what if you were given $1000, and not a penny more? Can you build a comprehensive triad (rifle, sidearm, shotgun) with that?

Here's my submission (INCLUDE PRICES):

PISTOL: CZ-82 $190 (J&G)
RIFLE: ROMANIAN $289 (classicarms.us)
SHOTGUN: REMINGTON MODEL 11 SEMI AUTO 5 SHOT (~$200)
Total: 680.00 with $ left over for training and ammo

Pistol and Shotgun are both C&R. To make the rifle C&R, go the SKS route.


Kev

 

[whitetiger7654]

That's to simple because you didn't say how accurate or fast they had to be. You could pick up any mil surplus pistol and rifle and a used police pump action shotgun.

 

[Wes Janson]

It depends which one you'd prefer to spend more on..there are numerous shotgun options for $300 or less, while spending ~$500 or so on a handgun can give you a brand-new high-quality sidearm (Glock, S&W, etc). If you're willing to skimp on both others ($150 Makarov, $150 trade-in 870) one could get a decent AR-15 after some searching.

 

[jefnvk]

$200 for 870 New
$400 for Springfield .45 New
$400 for Field Grade M1

Approximate actual prices of what I paid

Edititng like crazy, you could substitute my $400 1903 in place of the M1 if you prefer bolt guns.

 

[CU74]

The possibilities are almost endless. How about 1) used Mossberg 500-series pump shotgun, 2) used Smith "K" or "L" frame revolver and 3) SKS rifle for one selection?

 

[Deer Hunter]

Shotgun: Remington 870 -- $185
Pistol: S&W 65 -- $280
Rifle: SKS -- $200

Spend the rest on ammo.

 

[lanternlad1]

Saiga AK (in .223 or 7.62x39) - 300.00
Rem 870 Express - 200.00
CZ, Glock, XD, Bersa 45, (you pick) - 500.00

 

[General Geoff]

$200 for 870 New
$400 for Springfield .45 New
$400 for Field Grade M1

That's about perfect.

 

[indie]

its funny, because i only have 1 gun so far, a taurus 66..., but ive kinda been budgeting to limit myself so far to trying to spend less than 1000 to get the guns i need within the next year.

$220 Taurus 66 revolver
$315 Saiga AK, 7.62 skeleton stock
$150 Mossberg Maverick 88
= $685.

leaving me 315 for a CCW,
likely a 38 special snubbie.

 

[mpmarty]

New EAA Witness 10mm, 45acp 9mm whatever $375
New Norinko 12ga pump shotty $175
New Saiga 7.62x51 a real rifle cartridge $350

 

[GTSteve03]

Saiga AK (in .223 or 7.62x39) - 300.00
Rem 870 Express - 200.00
CZ, Glock, XD, Bersa 45, (you pick) - 500.00

This is exactly my setup. Saiga in 7.62x39, Glock 17, and getting an 870 soon. Although I did spend more to convert the Saiga back to correct form.

 

[crebralfix]

You forgot the necesseties like mags, holsters, etc. You cannot fight with only one or two mags and no support gear. If you go with a selfcontained gun, like a leveraction rifle and a revolver, then all you really need is a bag to hold ammo and the ammo itself.

My picks:

Marlin 30/30 lever action rifle
Used 357 magnum revolver (Ruger or S&W)
Remington 870 shotgun
Bag
Holster for handgun
Slings for shotgun
Ammo

If you dump the shotgun, then you can upgrade your rifle. In such a case, I'd get a used AK-47, a pile of mags, and a bag for the ammo.

Alternatively, you could get a second handgun. I generally keep the handgun around as my transition weapon if the rifle stops working.

 

[kd7nqb]

Mossburg 500 ($200)
XD .40 ($500)
SKS ($200)
100 dollars for ammo

 

[silverlance]

here's a thought.

Ruger P95 .40 S&W
Ruger PC-40 .40 S&W

and instead of a shotgun, use Federal Hydra Shocks or Cor Bons.

If the point of a shotgun is to land a decisive "hard hit", then I think a .40 S&W hydra shock coming out of a 16.5" barrel would probably qualify well.

Benefits are that you can use the same magazines, and the same ammo. The problem, however, is that neither are dirty cheap.

 

[rocinante]

I just went to one 3 gun match.

I had

Shotgun saiga 12 400
Rifle saiga 7.62x39 250
Pistol S&W 915 (used) 300
9mm 3rd gen
so 950.

On the rifle and shotgun I did the conversion with relatively expensive ace folding stocks so add about 300 to each of those. The saiga 12 with 10 round magazines rocks.

Most the shooters were using AR15, glocks, and pump shotguns. I sucked as a first time out but I especially enjoyed some of the shotgun techniques. Some guys would load one shot at a time and be as quick and smooth as can be.

 

[CannonFodder]

3 guns, and $1k?

Hmmm.

I'd take a really nice mosin for about 150.
I'd take a Ruger new Vaquero for about 500/600
I'd also go for a used S&W .357 and add some nice rubberized grips for comfort.
And then, I'd cry... because all of these guns are chambered for cartridges that aren't currently in my collection.
This bargain just got really expensive.

 

[CajunBass]

Hi-Point C-9 $150.00 or
CZ-82 about $200.00

Mosin M-44 $80.00

Used Mossburg or Remington pump gun $200.00

X 2 still less than $1000.00.

 

[Nameless_Hobo]

Saiga in 7.62x39/51, converted to pistol grip set up. It'll run you about 400 buck and will run just as well as any AK.
It'll keep you fed, this is the number one reason to pick it over a pistol-caliber carbine.

CZ 9mm of your choice. Run a little bit under to a little bit over $400
If you would have added 100 more bucks, you could buy a Springfield 1911 GI or a CZ97 I'd save a while longer and buy a .45.

Remington 870, you can get them cheap used, although, I'd probably take the money from this and put it in a handgun. Or put it in a cheap, single shot .22Lr to take small game with.
In reality, a rifle will do everything a shotgun will, except hunt birds.

 

[Euclidean]

Interesting exercise. If $1000 is all I have to spend period, my selection would probably go about like this:

Cheap universal cleaning kits for everything, like an Outers kit or something. Would be nice to have bore snakes but I can get by with this and I'm on a budget. Get a can of brake cleaner and some Hoppe's #9. About $25 let's say, taxes included.

$975 left.

$250 will generally speaking get me a fairly good used 12 gauge pump. A Mossberg for sure, maybe a Remington 870, just depends. I need $20 more for a serviceable and simple carry sling I can get any any sporting goods store. It'll be worn, it'll be simple, it'll be wooden furniture with a blued finish, but it will work and it will shoot and shoot. Worse comes to worse, I go get me Maverick. Done.

$705 left.

Now a rifle. As much as I love my AK/AR etc. platforms I just can't spring for the stuff that goes with 'em that makes them great. The magazines alone would just be too much. I don't have a lot of money for fancy glass either. I'd go with an SKS here. $275 outta do it worst case scenario and I could most likely do it cheaper. There's still tons of 'em around and there always will be as long as I'm alive. The levergun is not a bad idea either but costs more in my experience.

$430 left.

All right not too tough. Right now I'm looking in the CDNN catalog and I spy me a Glock 22 for $340 or a Smith and Wesson 686 for $350. Let's budget for worst case scenario $50 for FFL transfer fees and shipping. With taxes that eats up the budget.

Or worse comes to worse, I can get a new Ruger P95 for $380 that will come with 2 magazines.

Is any of this idea? No, but it's an interesting exercise.

 

[JKimball]

The first time I shot in a 3-gun competition a few months ago I used the following:

CZ-75 P01 = $450
Yugo SKS = $120 (That was the price a couple years ago.)
Winchester 120 ~ $200 (Christmas present from years ago)
Total = $770

It was a blast. I was getting my hits with the SKS, but it was slooowww recovering from recoil and loading stripper clips every 10 shots. The pistol and shotgun were fine though. Now I'm afraid I've caught the bug and may have to start sinking some more money into it. (Maybe an XCR? CZ-75 TS?)

 

[Navy joe]

3 I actually have that would make me feel well armed.

K-31 w/ 60rd pack of ammo $160.

Refurb'ed Glock 17 Gen II and Ithaca 37 Police trade in bought as a package deal, $500.

Seems I have money left over.

 

[rugerdude]

Uh, I'm used to bargain guns, so here goes:

WASR-10 AK: $355

S&W Sigma: $300

Maverick 88 18.5" barrel: $150

Now you have nearly $200 to spend on slings, ammo and such.

The nice thing about this setup is that they are all brand new at these prices, they're all full-size (no pocket auto just to save money), and they are relaible guns considered to be better than their price would suggest...I.E. bargains.

Yuo could even spend the extra cash to upgrade the maverick to a semi-auto from stoeger and you'll have all semi-auto's.

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

OK, I'll play:

1] Saiga .223 16" :$263
2] Springfield XD9 4":$449
3] Mossberg 500: $260


Total: $972


All prices are for brand new from a local dealer's website.

Saiga is light years better than the SKS. Handles easier, lighter, far more accurate - comes in .223, so lower recoil, ammo more available.

I would have listed the CZ, but the XD is close enough in price, has dirt cheap mags, and is a proven system with a lot of popularity and good ergonomics.

Maverick 88 is another good choice. That can save $90, and that $90 can go toward a sidemount and a reddot for the Saiga OR a Mojo sight ..or shell holder, or a holster...or whatever else you can buy with the leftover to speed up your performance.


My choices maximize firearm quality for under $1,000 while (my restriction) sticking to new firearms only. I find that more realistic. When you start talking used or surplus, not everyone can find the ridiculously low priced uber-deals that are often mentioned on the internet. The shotgun is going to be reliable, the Saiga is an AK and will be reliable - I definitely think the bulk of the money, about 1/2 of the budget should be spent on a well-known, quality pistol that won't be some jam-o-matic. It's been my personal experience that it usually costs more money to get reliability in a pistol than it does in a long arm. CZ or XD are the only choices in a NEW sub-$500 gun as far as I know that are decent out of the box reliable shooters.