buget carry guns

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If this is going to be your only carry gun get one that you will want to carry & be comfortable with. Some guns get real heavy after 6 hours or so. Sticking one in your belt at a gun shop for 2 minutes & thinking your going to carry it all day can be deceiving. Even the lightest revolvers & semi autos get heavy after awhile. You might look at a Keltec p-11. It's about the same size as a Bersa 380. I carried one for a long time until the p-32 came along. It's pretty easy to conceal. If you don't mind a heavier gun check out the Firestorm mini .45-I think it 's price over $250.00 though. You should be able to get a good reliable gun in your price range
 
For a "cheap" gun the bottom line has to be a Makarov.

Just bought my 13th one at the Dallas show last Sat. $159

Actually I don't carry the Makarov because it weighs as much as my Ultra 45 Kimbers and is as big. But I can get 5 Makarovs and have money left over for what one Kimber costs.

For what it is and what it costs the Mak is hard to beat.
It will keep all shots in the 5 ring of the TX CHL 15 yard target at 50 yards.

You can get 115/120 grain Russian JHP that does a true 1000 fps and expands well. (putting it close to a 9mm)
The regular 95 JHP isn't bad to.

It's very accurate and as reliable as any semi auto on the market.

If the Mak was all I had to carry I would not feel at any disadvantage.
 
The problem with the Makarov is that they are quite heavy for the caliber. They also have a heavy DA trigger in my limited experience. Ammo can be a pain to find if you are not near a gun store. I don't think Wal-Mart sells it but I haven't checked.

I think a Bersa is a safer bet for a newbie because a new one will have a factory warrenty and parts are just a phone call away if needed. Also the .380 is very common and there are more choices of loads.
 
"I think a Bersa is a safer bet for a newbie because a new one will have a factory warrenty and parts are just a phone call away if needed. Also the .380 is very common and there are more choices of loads."

Ya, but you don't need a warrenty with the Mak. It isn't going to break, it's russian for crying out loud! Parts and ammo are found easily online or thur mail order.

If ammo is really that big of a problem you can always get a .380 Makarov...

"The problem with the Makarov is that they are quite heavy for the caliber. They also have a heavy DA trigger in my limited experience."

I think the heavy DA trigger is a plus from the saftey standpoint. You don't want it to go bang untill you REALLY pull the trigger. For target shooting, it sucks.

I agree that they are a bit heavy for the caliber, but that never really bugged me much. I'm not a big guy (5'10, 160 lbs) but I almost forget it's there after a while. But for some people this is a real problem, guess it just depends on the person. For me, I don't care how heavy the gun is, just how big it is...
 
Makarovs are excellent pistols, but for me just too heavy for carry. One alternative is the Hungarian FEG PA-63 in 9x18. Lighter, small and very inexpensive...sometimes cheaper than Makarovs. I have no first hand experience but from what I've read on Makarov.com boards and on TFL they are reliable and good shooters.
 
Full sized= FEG Hi-power, the old models need a better safety but are a true HP clone, the new versions aren't true clones but have better ergonomic controls. Great reliability, all steel.

Compact= FEG pa-63, slightly bigger than a PPK can be had for under $200, uses similar holsters, very reliable, lightwieght alloy/steel.

Revolver= look for a used SW model 10, even this full sized 38 is a lot smaller than it looks when it comes to hiding it away.
 
An inexpensive carry gun? That sounds easy enough until you consider the aspect that your inexpensive carry gun has more to do other than the named job of being carried. It is what you will use to defend your life or the life of a loved one should the need arise. So it isn't just a carry gun, but a "Oh my God, the fit has hit the shan and I am going to have to destroy other human lives in order to protect my own and those of my loved ones" gun.

Either be more frugal in other aspects of your life, take a little longer to save, or take an extra job and get a quality self defense gun of a larger caliber and then practice with the gun on a regular basis. Shooting 20 rounds a week will do you better than shooting 100 once a month. Note that many of the cheaper guns have poor reputations of being reliable. Is that really what you want to be carrying? Keep in mind that being reliable means that the gun will work when needed, even after you have been practicing. Some of the smaller and cheaper guns simply are not made to last through many rounds of practice. They are really carrry a lot and shoot very little guns. The problem there is that the "shoot very little" translates into not practicing with the gun.

Hey, it is your life. If you are going for the cheapo small caliber gun, then be sure to invest in some quality running shoes as well. You may fair much better by physically leaving the situation at a full run than trying to deploy your budget self defense gun.
 
Akurat quote-----"Makarovs are excellent pistols, but for me just too heavy for carry. One alternative is the Hungarian FEG PA-63 in 9x18. Lighter, small and very inexpensive...sometimes cheaper than Makarovs. I have no first hand experience but from what I've read on Makarov.com boards and on TFL they are reliable and good shooters."

True, I have a PA-63, they are lighter.
They run under $150 at the gun shows.
They are reliable but not nearly 100% like the Makarov.

The one big thing against the PA-63, for me, is they won't feed most JHP ammo.


I also carry the Kel Tec P-11 40 S&W (and a KT 32) if I can't carry a 45.

As much as I like Maks I never carry one because I have so many other choices, like the P-11. But the P-11 isn't much of a fun shooting gun.

But if I could only have one "cheap" gun to carry and shoot it would be the Makarov.

If carry was the prime reason for having the gun I think I'de use the Kel Tec P-11 in 40 cal.
 
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Pocket carry? IWB? Belt holster?

Being a Die-hard pocket carrier, most of the offerings on this thread are simply too large/heavy/thick for pocket carry.

Tell us more....................
 
"22luvr
Being a Die-hard pocket carrier, most of the offerings on this thread are simply too large/heavy/thick for pocket carry. "


Well 22luvr, my always carry pocket gun is the Kel Tec 32.

I should get a Kel Tec 380 next week and it will replace the 32 if it proves to be as reliable.

The KT 380 was $235 out the door so it's under the $250 "cheap gun" limit. :)

As I said, I have the Kel Tec P-11 9mm/40 S&W but it's too thick for pocket carry for me.
I usually carry it in a boot holster if I'm not dressed for a 45.
 
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