Cheapest handgun you would trust for defense...

[bassjam]

I have a Hi-Point C9 that I paid $120 for that's my garage gun. It's not a carry gun, but I will depend on it for defense if I'm ever in need of a firearm when I'm in my garage.

 

[22250Rem]

Only have two that qualify as trusted to carry for possible defensive use. The cheapest of those is a Glock 19; the other one is a 4" S & W Model 686. So while I'm comfortable with either the Glock gets the nod in the "cheapest" category.

 

[Tallball]

This is a fun thread.

If the Taurus double-stack 9mm's are Models 92 or 99, those are versions of the Beretta 92. Taurus used to make them in the old Beretta factory in Brazil, not sure if they still do or not. I bought mine new in 1990 and it has been an excellent pistol.

I too have a Norinco 213. I don't know what it cost, exactly, because I traded some other pistol for it straight-up and can't even remember what I traded. It has been reliable and accurate for the few years I've had it. It wouldn't be my first choice for SD, but it would probably do about as well as any of my other handguns.

 

[Jim NE]

Cheapest handgun you would trust for defense

When dealing with guns in this price category, a person would be wise not to go shopping for a certain brand or model of gun, but rather, a specific gun itself - some examples of very low priced guns can be reliable, while others of the same make and model can be problem guns...that's the way it rolls sometimes. Some people have 100% reliability with a Hi Point .380. I do with mine, too, but only with certain types or brands of ammo. You can forget hollow points of any brand. The gun that most people have uniformly good luck with in the ultra low priced category is the Hi Point .45, but that's not very concealable, is it?

I just bought yet ANOTHER Rossi .38 revolver from the LATE Interarms era for $199, and I know (when it gets here) it'll be good quality and reliable, but most people don't want to decipher eras of this type of gun. Even the lower quality Rossi's from earlier pre- Interarms eras can be decent (as in reliable) if you adjust them and get the cylinder gap so that the gun will function correctly, but most people buy those, have problems, then say "Ahh, I should've bought something better!" when 20 minutes of work would've fixed their problems permanently. Oh well.

As far as my own guns go, I paid $185 for a lightly used S&W Sigma in .40 caliber with a 10 round mag that probably qualifies as my best quality gun for the dollar. Never malfunctions. Got it on GunBroker, but most guns of this make and model seem to go for more. Rather than looking for the best $150 gun brand or model, you might be better off looking for the rare $300 gun that somebody's trying to unload because they need money. You might get it for not much more than $150.

 

[Gun Master]

I bought an SAR B6P a month or so ago because I didn't have a full size 9mm. From Classic Arms it was $249.99. Shipping, transfer fee and all totaled $285. As of right now I'm approaching 1000 rounds and I have deliberately refrained from cleaning it to see if it'll quit, which it hasn't yet. It's also remarkable accurate and takes CZ75 magazines with very minor modification.





A couple of weeks ago I found a used one for <$190. This thing has been through the mill and apparently never, ever cleaned. I disassembled it, cleaned it up, did a little work on the trigger pull and now it's every bit as good as my "new" one.

35W

I really like Classic Arms. They have so many good deals.

IMHO, you be 'a wheelin' and 'a dealin' !!!

 

[Tallball]

Good post by Jim. I too have several very good Interarms Rossi revolvers. And I agree with your outlook. Lots of time I end up buying a gun not because I had planned on buying that particular gun, but because I've run across a gun in good condition that could easily sell for $500, but I was able to get it for $250.

 

[MedWheeler]

Jim NE writes:

I just bought yet ANOTHER Rossi .38 revolver from the LATE Interarms era for $199, and I know (when it gets here) it'll be good quality and reliable, but most people don't want to decipher eras of this type of gun. Even the lower quality Rossi's from earlier pre- Interarms eras can be decent (as in reliable) if you adjust them and get the cylinder gap so that the gun will function correctly, but most people buy those, have problems, then say "Ahh, I should've bought something better!" when 20 minutes of work would've fixed their problems permanently. Oh well.

I can't remember if I already mentioned it in this thread, but I picked one up about two months ago for $180 OTD from a local pawn shop. I haven't been able to shoot it yet, but it's lockup is very impressive. A little bit of surface rust on the backstrap is about the only blemish I can really find.

I doubt it will ever be put in "front-line" position for defense, as I have so many other (similarly-priced) options already there but, if it handles as well as the other four five-shooting .38s I have, I'd trust it.

 

[Tallball]

I got the DAO fixed-sight model of the 720 (44 spcl) at a pawn shop for $250 recently. It is in good shape and shoots well. Rossi made some nice revolvers during that time period.

 

[armoredman]

Best beater I ever got that I trusted for SD was....a revolver. A Smith Model 10 4 inch pencil barrel that looked like it had been carried in a box of rocks in a pickup bed across a bad gravel road. But when I popped the cylinder open I saw five shiny rings on it...the five rings on the cylinder where the guy kept five rounds loaded forever and ever and the "ringless" empty under the hammer. Mechanically it was a perfect as the day it left the factory, and it had been kept oiled. I think I paid $175 for that gem, and it was incredibly accurate. Sadly, it too fell prey to the bad job/need baby food days. *sigh*.
That SAR looks interesting, would love to try one.
The cheapest I ever used for SD was a CZ-70 in .32 ACP - think I paid $100 for it. Nifty features but the caliber was light and the trigger atrocious.

 

[boatdoc173]

glock 19 or walther ppq or HK vp9

 

[MedWheeler]

Tallball writes:

I got the DAO fixed-sight model of the 720 (44 spcl) at a pawn shop for $250 recently. It is in good shape and shoots well. Rossi made some nice revolvers during that time period.

Jealous here.. recently passed on a Bulldog for around that.. should not have.

 

[Tallball]

I have gotten so many good solid handguns (mostly milsurp) for under $300 that I don't like to pay more than that for one. I can't recall for sure what I paid for my CA Bulldog, but it was around $300. It was in very good shape and has the shrouded hammer. It is so much lighter and easier to carry that I never consider either of my 720's. They are way more fun at the range, though. The model with the trigger spur and adjustable sights is much more accurate than I would have expected.

 

[GRIZ22]

I just bought a new Taurus 709 for $185. That works out to about $40 in 1975 dollars. A new S&W Model 10 cost about $80 in 1975. The Taurus ran through about 300 rds of various ammo without issues. I'm carrying it now.

 

[junglebob]

I carried a Hi-point C9 for a while, even had a IWB holster similar to a Alien Gear made for it. Problem I had with it was the magazine release button kept wanting to let the magazine drop out. Anyone here actually carry one? Any problem in that department.? I carry a Glock 19 in an Alien Gear IWB holster now. Have a Hi-point in a gun safe by my wife's side of the bed, loaded and ready to go if needed, Glock 19 by my side of the bed if needed. The week part of the Hi-point is their magazine, great customer service though, great warranty.

Someone had a Hi-point C9 for sale on the IllinoisCarry.com forum recently for $80. If they'd lived close by I'd probably have bought it.

 

[sean m]

A Harrington & Richardson 929 sidekick in 22LR, less that $100 invested. Shoots straight and 9 rounds should take the fight out of most of anything that I stumble across on a daily.

 

[Blkhrt13]

Let's see I paid 50 bucks for a 1971 charter arms undercover that was not functional. I replaced all the springs. Got her running fine and carried it for 7 years. Now my son has her.

 

[Oldschool shooter]

A few years ago I bought an SCCY. A tad over $200. It eats everything I feed it and never had an issue with it. I've got around 1000 rounds through it.

 

[Gun Master]

A few years ago I bought an SCCY. A tad over $200. It eats everything I feed it and never had an issue with it. I've got around 1000 rounds through it.

My SCCY had some malfunctions, and I shot less than a box of ammo. I'm just waiting to fire (for the first time) four other guns before further action. Also, I bought a Star Super B 9mm for about the same price and had issues. Been so long ago that I can't remember exactly what they were. They don't let me out often.

 

[biggameballs]

If you're really going to "trust your life to it" no way I'd set a price limit on what you buy. If it's just your excuse to buy another inexpensive gun then fine. Hard to beat the shield right now. Sales and rebates. Guessing they're going to come out with a 2.0

 

[If1HitU]

I have a Jenning .32 auto.I thank God it's broke and i'm never going to have it fixed.

 

[Gun Master]

A few years ago I bought an SCCY. A tad over $200. It eats everything I feed it and never had an issue with it. I've got around 1000 rounds through it.

I've heard this so often that it must be true. I think mine hasn't been broken in yet, since I haven't shot it enough. There's been more important things going on in my life recently. Besides, SCCY has a lifetime warranty, if there are continuing problems. This makes me believe the SCCY-CXP2 is an inexpensive reliable SDW.

 

[elde]

Taurus PT111 G2 with a backup Sig 226 20 round mag.

 

[Moparnut]

Best beater I ever got that I trusted for SD was....a revolver. A Smith Model 10 4 inch pencil barrel that looked like it had been carried in a box of rocks in a pickup bed across a bad gravel road. But when I popped the cylinder open I saw five shiny rings on it...the five rings on the cylinder where the guy kept five rounds loaded forever and ever and the "ringless" empty under the hammer. Mechanically it was a perfect as the day it left the factory, and it had been kept oiled. I think I paid $175 for that gem, and it was incredibly accurate. Sadly, it too fell prey to the bad job/need baby food days. *sigh*.
That SAR looks interesting, would love to try one.
The cheapest I ever used for SD was a CZ-70 in .32 ACP - think I paid $100 for it. Nifty features but the caliber was light and the trigger atrocious.

I have owned a few cheap ones. The S&W Sigma 9mm and a SAR compact 9mm. Both were/are very reliable and accurate with practice. I no longer own the sigma, but the sar compact is still in the safe. Both were less than $300. Side note, Sigma was used and the SAR was bnib.

 

[Flatbush Harry]

What is your life worth...$199 after rebate? If a firearm is intended for purposes other than range fun and plinking, total reliability is needed along with a design that works for the shooter, meaning action type, grip angle, sights, capacity, safeties, etc. A late 1960s phrase comes to mind..."different strokes for different folks."

I would offer an analogy (although reasoning by analogy is always suspect): Do you buy the cheapest insurance policy, though the selling company may have a poor rating from A.M. Best, or do you pay up for a policy from a seller with very high financial ratings and reserves to back your policy? I know the answer for the benefit of my heirs and assigns.

Cheers, and don't ever forget the old chestnut, "Penny-wise and pound foolish."

Harry

PS-I bought a Colt Mk IV/Ser. '70 for $179...in 1973 and had a "B" rebuild with a couple of extras by James W. Hoag in 1979. Today, it would cost a bit more. In more than 5,000 rounds, it has never malfunctioned and still puts a magazine-full into a 2.5" circle at 25 yards off a bench-rested hold. I still carry it daily.

FH

 

[Gun Master]

Maybe we should review the OP ?
It's not, "Would you trust the cheapest HG for defense ?"
It is, "(What is the) cheapest HG you would trust for defense ?"

Merely a subjective question.

Oh, BTW, there are more expensive HG's that I would trust less than cheaper ones.