chaim
Member
Revolver:
May still be used S&W K-frames but the prices are certainly going up. The Taurus 82 is a pretty darned good value- a quality new medium framed .38spl for under $300. Depending upon your needs a basic blue Taurus 85 or Rossi snub can be had for under $300, are about as good as the Taurus 82, and are more concealable.
Pistols:
My top choice is probably the Taurus Milennium Pro series. These really are quality guns (mine is terrific and most other owners of these guns seem pretty happy). They are quite accurate for the size (once you get used to the revolver like DAO trigger), they are reliable (mine has 700 rounds, about half in various JHPs, with 100% reliability), they are well made, they are available in most major defensive calibers (.380, 9mm, .40S&W, and .45ACP- heck the .32ACP version may even still be available) and they can be found for just over $300 in most locales (the areas with cheaper gun prices may have them for just under $300 and even the most overpriced areas will have them for under $350).
Rifle:
SKS or Winchester 94 in 30-30
Honorable mention, the Hi Point Carbine.
Shotgun:
Under $300 will get you some very good quality guns. Hard to chose between the Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. With those two in the price range I'm not sure why I'd need to come up with one of the bargain brands. Quality, both are very well made. Both are highly versatile- switch out the barrels and you have your skeet/trap gun, rifled slug barrel for your deer hunting, smooth bore for birds, and a nice short barrelled home defense gun. Both are pretty much the standard by which everything else is judged.
May still be used S&W K-frames but the prices are certainly going up. The Taurus 82 is a pretty darned good value- a quality new medium framed .38spl for under $300. Depending upon your needs a basic blue Taurus 85 or Rossi snub can be had for under $300, are about as good as the Taurus 82, and are more concealable.
Pistols:
My top choice is probably the Taurus Milennium Pro series. These really are quality guns (mine is terrific and most other owners of these guns seem pretty happy). They are quite accurate for the size (once you get used to the revolver like DAO trigger), they are reliable (mine has 700 rounds, about half in various JHPs, with 100% reliability), they are well made, they are available in most major defensive calibers (.380, 9mm, .40S&W, and .45ACP- heck the .32ACP version may even still be available) and they can be found for just over $300 in most locales (the areas with cheaper gun prices may have them for just under $300 and even the most overpriced areas will have them for under $350).
Rifle:
SKS or Winchester 94 in 30-30
Honorable mention, the Hi Point Carbine.
Shotgun:
Under $300 will get you some very good quality guns. Hard to chose between the Remington 870 or Mossberg 500. With those two in the price range I'm not sure why I'd need to come up with one of the bargain brands. Quality, both are very well made. Both are highly versatile- switch out the barrels and you have your skeet/trap gun, rifled slug barrel for your deer hunting, smooth bore for birds, and a nice short barrelled home defense gun. Both are pretty much the standard by which everything else is judged.
