CCW for $300

Status
Not open for further replies.
Right now, at CDNN sports, you can get the rapsberry version of the Ruger LC9 fpr $299. If the color bothers you, a $3 dollar can of spraypaint (get the kind that melds with polymer) can fix it easy enough.

You can't beat that gun at that price brand new.
 
If money is tight I would look around for a 9x18mm pistol like a Makarov PM or other surplus Warsaw Pact guns like Czech vz82/CZ83, Polish Radom P64 or P83 or Hungarian FEG P-64 guns that use the same cartridge. They are all a bit too big for pocket carry but all are solid, reliable all-metal DA/SA guns that served for decades as military and police sidearms and would serve you well and last a long time. Ammo is not as cheap as it used to be but these guns should all function well with the cheapest steel-cased ball ammo you can find for practice and a box or two of good hollowpoints for function check and every day carry. Add a basic nylon IWB holster and you'd be good go go for less than your budget not counting the ammo. Slickguns lists several options in the $200-220 range right now. See http://www.slickguns.com/category/hand-guns?caliber=35
 
Last edited:
SCCY.

I have a couple of CPX2's and they have been 100%, and they're actually built pretty well.

I also have Taurus PT111's they too have been 100%, though I like the CPX1's more.

GS
 
OP is on the right track with a pocket revolver. If you've only got one carry weapon it should be one that is easy to carry so it is not left at home. Being able to neglect maintenance has it's pluses, too.

I would go with the double-action only, enclosed hammer models from Charter, S&W or Ruger. Uncle Mike's pocket holsters work well and cheap. Get some snap caps to practice your trigger work until you can run the gun with zero movement when pulling the trigger. When you can do that, point shooting at self-defense ranges comes fairly easily.
 
In 9mm the Sig 290RS can be had at the OPs price point. In .380, a Bersa Thunder, or a surplus FEG AP 66 would be slightly cheaper while still having good quality. Lots of 9x18 options as well.
 
smalls said:
Used J frame
Click to expand...
Slightly used S&W 638 Bodyguard for $349 in my area. Might even talk the guy down 20 bucks. I've examined it and it's tight. Has the trigger lock on the side and mim parts but as a 'tool' it ought to go fine.

Might also look for a Ruger LCP. Some times they can be had for near $300.

And yes the Bersa .380 or FEG will do to!

Deaf
 
What several others have already said -- used S&W j-frame .38 Special revolver.

There are several to choose from right around $300 on gunbroker.
 
FireInCairo said:
Right now, at CDNN sports, you can get the rapsberry version of the Ruger LC9 fpr $299. If the color bothers you, a $3 dollar can of spraypaint (get the kind that melds with polymer) can fix it easy enough.

You can't beat that gun at that price brand new.
Click to expand...
Don't even need spray paint, black RIT dye should work.
 
With the OPs parameters finding a small CC gun is tough. The only used pistols/revolvers in my area are at least $50 over that except for 2 Armslist ads for EAA revolvers and they were right at $300. Anything else was .32 or .22. The S&W Sigma was over that price point. I saw CDNN has Kel-Tecs with no prices so they may be well under. Buds does have Sccy CPX 2s for $284.

If the OP is willing to relinquish two long guns he may have a larger resource pool but as ugaarguy said, that's not in his posted parameters. I wish him all success in his search.

For a couple pennies under $400 I found a Kahr PM45 but that sweet thing is $100 above the budget.
 
I think there are a few issues to consider that we can't address without more information. But just to get started, yeah- if you can sell a long gun to finance a sidearm that would be great. Even a bit more money will bump you up to another class of firearms. The S&W Shield sells for around $399 here and would serve you well. I'm not a big Glock fan but a Glock 19 would be around $500 new and is a good gun. Used Glocks are abundant and a good deal. If you want a revolver you can get a new Ruger LCR for $425, a used for less. The more you can spend the more options you'll have. If your budget is your budget and you can't change it then the Bersa BP9CC is another good option, easy to shoot well and around $300.

How important is size to you? What state do you live in? What are your laws like? People gravitate to different guns based on preference, local laws, weather, etc. For example I live in SD. Open carry is legal here and it's a pro-gun state but I have never seen anyone OC. In the larger towns/cities I think you'd get a lot of strange looks. In the small towns, not so much. I CCW and printing is not illegal. Still, the first C in CCW means concealed! My policy to be discrete.

If you want a very small gun that's easy to conceal a Ruger LCP or Beretta Pico are .380s and about the smallest guns on the market. If you want a wheelgun then a Ruger LCR or Smith J-frame will be pretty small. I often carry a Beretta Nano 9mm. It's small enough to hide under a T-shirt but big enough to still be easy to shoot.

IMO the reliability gap between revolvers and autos isn't that great, if you look at just high quality autos. If you get a quality auto you shouldn't have any issues. Revolvers have their own issues, too (they can get tied up if a bullet jumps crimp, they can be short-stroked, etc).

With autos as a general rule reliability improves with size. A big gun will run better than a tiny one.

When I need something discreet (eg warm weather when I'm lightly dressed or going somewhere where being armed would be frowned upon but legal) I have usually carried my Ruger LCR or Beretta Nano. When it's warmer and I'm wearing long sleeves or a fleece I'll normally carry a full sized gun like my HK P30S, HK VP9 or even a P30L.

Do consider that you'll need to budget for a quality holster (for safety and to enable rapid, reliable access to the gun), a good belt and some ammo for training. If you haven't done much pistol shooting it's a bit trickier to shoot them well vs a rifle or shottie.
 
The one bar none that I carry IWB and belt carry is a S&W Shield. It is exceptional.

I also have a SCCY 9mm for my wife at home. I have a friend that's into guns big time and a SCCY 9mm is his carry piece.

Lot of it comes down to preference. I can tell you that carrying a full size pistol, particular metal vs. polymer is like carrying an anvil on your belt. When I first started carrying, I used a 1911. That lasted two days.
 
If you look you may be able to find a nice S&W 3rd gen gun. They can still be had very cheaply. They are great guns and IMO are quite undervalued.


I just picked this up for $335 OTD on Wednesday:

My9mmSampWModel69062_zpsc783368d.jpg
My9mmSampWModel69062_zps2667f35a.jpg
 
If you're used to a heavy gun ( the long guns ), you might be best served by a handgun that has some extra weight to it. While the hot thing in CCW guns is light weight, the tradeoff is often a gun that can be hard to handle - recoil and muzzle flip can be a problem with the small guns. Also, consider the type of ammo - I can shoot a 147 grain 9mm load with more control than a 115. Look for the heaviest small gun you can afford, and pair it with a slower, heavier bullet regardless of gun choice. If you're fixed on the idea of pocket carry, a J frame is a good choice, perhaps a Sig P290RS ( can be found for about $300 in some places ). P290RS also has a restrike capability. Perhaps a Rossi or Charter Arms 38, until you can step up to something better. Also, do you have multiple long guns? Maybe one could be traded for a better handgun.
Good luck in your search!
 
lcp or a Taurus lightweight 38 snub if you want a little more power. I used a cheap unkle mikes Size 3 pocket holster and carried a smith j frame for years in my front right pocket. If you could scrape and shop like crazy you might get a smith j frame for just a hair more. That would be my perfect recomendation for pocket carry although the Taurus will work. Some have mentioned a sig. I would agree with sig as quality is very good.
 
Thanks again for all the advice.I'm still leaning toward pocket carry so its easy to do and becomes routine.Like my pocket knife and keys,better to have a gun than no gun is my thought.I appreciate the Slickguns site choices.
 
Last edited:
I just bought a used Sigma S&W in .40 S&W for $185. Excellent condition, w/box. Finally shot it today and it works great. Not as concealable as the SCCY's people have mentioned, but it's doable and relatively thin.

Having a budget in mind is great, but it should be a ballpark sort of consideration rather than a self-imposed law - you could end up with a somewhat mediocre gun because the really great gun cost $30 more. I paid $330 for a used Ruger SR40c - again, in excellent shape - and it's great. Probably more concealable than a Sigma.

So I guess I'm saying a used Ruger or S&W might be a better idea than a new KelTec or SCCY. You have to feel confident buying used, though. You'll ALWAYS be able to sell the decent used gun for what you've got in it, but not the less expensive new gun.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Looking for very cheap ccw
2 3
Replies
73
Views
4K
nitestocker
N
J
  • Locked
Trade Makarov for compact 9mm
Replies
14
Views
2K
Mr. Whimsy
M
V
  • Locked
454 in 460 accuracy question
Replies
10
Views
3K
BCRider
BCRider
BigBL87
  • Locked
EAA SAR B6P 9mm, good first handgun?
2
Replies
29
Views
9K
Captcurt
Captcurt
E
  • Locked
Talk to me about Mausers
Replies
20
Views
1K
spacemanspiff
S
Back
Top