Do You Have an Excellent Handgun that was Inexpensive?

[Tallball]

KM, mine is sort of similar. I got it from a place that ends up with old police evidence and so forth. I paid around $150 for it.

 

[howard.anthony.71]

picked up 1994 taurus 4in. 66 for 150. very accurate

 

[Aguila327]

A Charter Arms "Undercover".38spl. I bought this one about 25 years ago at a pawn shop in Georgia (forgot what little I paid for it). I put about a hundred rounds through it a year and still going strong. Put a set of cushy Pachmyars on it and has been at my wifes side of the bed for ten years now.

 

[montanaoffroader]

Taurus 738 TCP, picked it up new for $169 OTD. The store that had it was clearing out some product and had just dropped the price, I wandered in at the right (or maybe wrong) time with cash in my pocket. Also, since my daughter had just relieved me of my first TCP I was in need (or want) of a replacement...........

I've been really impressed with the TCP handguns, both of ours and the ones our friends have purchased have worked really well - relatively comfortable to shoot and no malfunctions.

 

[Pyro]

I got a 100+ year old 32 S&W revolver I fixed up.
With wadcutters it'll pop milk jugs at 30 yards with ease, incredible how accurate that gun is for how lousy it looks aesthetically. I should strip it and refinish it with something cheap...maybe grill paint.

 

[lsudave]

I've gotten a number of surplus deals, those are usually nice (but then, everyone had the chance to get them). But I did get a few deals of note-

Back in the early 2000's I did my first auctionarms purchase- a rather worn Norinco Tokarev T 54 in 9mm, with additional (extra) 9mm barrel, for around $75 shipped. I had it sent to a pawn shop who charged me 10% for the FFL (quoted before he knew the price). I recently found the invoice, and was surprised by just how low it was. To this day, it remains one of my straightest shooting 9mm's, and after removing the crappy safety, has been very reliable.
For a price reference, about 3 yrs earlier I had bought one NIB for $169; that one had the better finish, but the cheaper/older one was smoother and slicker mechanically.
I carried it open and on half-cock in the immediate post-Katrina period.

I just splurged and put some nice walnut grips on it, which doubled the investment

 

[Gun Master]

Norinco 54

I have one of the Norinco 54's, in which I share your interest.
Could you supply the name, address, & phone # of who removed the safety?
Don't know of any reliable gunsmiths around here.

Thanks.

 

[Gun Master]

Guess he didn't want to give out that info.
Anybody, do you know the web address of a competent gunsmith.

 

[Jim NE]

Some standouts for me:

- Taurus PT 111 G2..................$239 new
- Smith and Wesson 22a..........$199 new
- Smith and Wesson sw40v......$185 used
- Ruger P944 (P94 in .40).........$259 used
- Taurus PT 1911 in .45acp.......$399 new


There are others, but not enough time to list.

 

[Blade First]

"If we just count new retail the SW9VE is the winner. Everyone complains about the trigger but honestly most gun shops that carry DA revolvers have examples of worse."

Oh, please...that series of pistols in both calibers [hope there aren't more than two] is among the worst of buys in the entire semi-auto universe. Not only is the trigger pull atrociously heavy but it cannot, because of inherently poor geometry, be helped except marginally.

Spend the extra money for a genuine contender...anything in the M&P series...which has one of the best, if not the best, striker-fired triggers in the market. It puts Glock's offerings to shame, and it doesn't suffer from the stigma of being the 4th generation of the 'perfect' pistol.

To the OP's point:

I've had all three versions of the 3" barrel SS Rossi 720; still have the Covert Special, bobbed-hammer, fixed-sight version. Likely the finest revolver Rossi ever produced. Modified J-frame, square-butt aftermarket grips in exotic wood make it a classy carry piece. For a total of $310 [revolver and grips] shortly after the turn of the century, it's a keeper.

Hornady 200g aluminum-case loads [same bullet for .44Mag loads] are the best I've found...high-energy, low-recoil and excellent terminal performance. Your results might vary, but mine are grounded in years of use.

 

[Ed Ames]

"If we just count new retail the SW9VE is the winner. Everyone complains about the trigger but honestly most gun shops that carry DA revolvers have examples of worse."

Oh, please...that series of pistols in both calibers [hope there aren't more than two] is among the worst of buys in the entire semi-auto universe. Not only is the trigger pull atrociously heavy but it cannot, because of inherently poor geometry, be helped except marginally.

Are you kidding? $250 for a reliable, accurate, and comfortable pistol with four full capacity magazines, and you call that a bad buy? Just because the standard trigger is what Massachusetts law requires?

This thread isn't about "best ever, ignoring price". It is about excellent and inexpensive. The SW9VE was. If they were still sold at the old prices they would be a standard.

Spend the extra money for a genuine contender...anything in the M&P series...which has one of the best, if not the best, striker-fired triggers in the market. It puts Glock's offerings to shame, and it doesn't suffer from the stigma of being the 4th generation of the 'perfect' pistol.

Spend the extra money getting some trigger time at the range and you won't be so obsessed with minor differences in the trigger.

I've had, or tried, 'em all. M&P, Glock, XDm, Sig, FN, on and on. They all do the same thing, and honestly the differences are all pretty subjective. The fact that a $500 M&P has a better trigger doesn't mean the $250 SW9VE isn't an excellent pistol that is inexpensive.

 

[HB]

I agree, the Smith and Wesson glock copies are great for the money. Much rather have one than one of the Turkish made guns.

There is nothing else comparable out there for the money to me.


HB

 

[Tallball]

Blade: this is my Rossi 720. I paid $331 - not a terrific deal, but okay. It is one of my very favorite handguns. Yours is the model I REALLY want, but this one will do for now.

 

[Sport45]

My best inexpensive (relatively) handguns were:
Minty S&W 19-5 $200
LNIB SA Milspec 1911A1 + Dan Wesson 15-2 for $600

All are great guns! The revolvers are still just like I got them, but the Springfield has been through Teddy Jacobson's shop.

 

[geologist]

The 12-2 Airweight (upper left) was $190.

The 34-1 Kit Gun (lower left)was $210.

The 19-4 (lower right) was $210.

 

[gbuskirk]

I got a newly refinished P64 for $200 in 2013. A CZ82 for the same. I have since picked up a Bulgy Mak and a M88a. These surplus finds were great values, but I've since done well on Ruger SR9c and LC9s also. I've got a collection of guns that I love to shoot and I think I never broke $325. Right now I think some great values are EAA SAR B6P compacts, and Taurus PT111 G2.

 

[MCgunner]

In the last dozen years, i picked up a used early 90s Taurus 66 4" nickel like new for $199 at a gun show. A few years after that, I found an 80s 3" 66 for $180. Both are great shooters and the 3" makes a good carry.

I've gotten other bargains, a Radom P64 for $179 comes to mind. I spent a little more on it for a Wolff spring kit and a set of Marschal grips. I picked up a Ruger Mk 2 in GREAT shape (don't think you can wear 'em out) with scope and mount for $275 at a gun show. I was going to take the scope off and put irons on it and sell the scope and mount, but when I shot it with the scope, I changed my mind. It's a tack driving squirrel gitter.

 

[giggitygiggity]

Polish P64. It's a solid piece that is super accurate and reliable and can easily be had for under $250.

 

[375supermag]

Hi...
Don't know if these qualify but I paid $50 for a S&W Model 10 about 25 or so years ago.
Still have it and shoot it regularly...excellent revolver.
Also have a Kimmel Industries 22./22Mag SA revolver in stainless that I bought from a co-worker nearly 40 years ago for $50. Been shooting it ever since...accurate, especially with the .22mag cylinder and always functions perfectly.

I have a few other revolvers that came to me fairly cheaply...I don't believe I paid more than $265 for a BlackHawk in .357Mag from a friend's now-defunct gunshop.

I remember my best buy ever was a S&W 57 in .41Mag., a S&W 25 in .45Colt and a S&W 29 Deluxe 44Mag...all three out the door for $900 total. I passed on a S&W 27 at the same time for an additional $300...bad move.

I once bought a Marlin .22Mag lever-action rifle off of a co-worker for $50. He needed the money much more than he needed a groundhog rifle that would put 5 shots into a dime at 50 yards

 

[Gun Master]

superb gun, I paid $160 from J and G Sales, 2002, I think it was. Can't dryfire Stars without a rd chambered, tho, or you'll break the firing pin.

Which is, what I think, happened to my Star Model P .45ACP that I bought from a local pawn shop. I carried that gun for a while, not knowing it wouldn't fire. Works great now, with a new firing pin, which it took a long time to find.
Think I paid $200 in the late 1990's, and I thought was a good (but not exceptional) deal at the time.

 

[Taroman]

$150. Estate item brought into the LGS.
Was so nasty, they weren't interested in it.
Grabbed it and started cleaning, and cleaning....
Turned out pretty decent:

 

[Gun Master]

Good for you ! I love it ! What a save !

 

[ctrent1972]

I bought a remington 870 16ga for 150$. I also have a Makarov 380 bought in the early 90's for around 200$ nib. And recently smith prelock 686 for 350$ maybe not the best deal but it is clean and I live it.

 

[Brian Williams]

S&W 13 3" barrel round butt, $350
Systema Colt 1911a1 $375

 

[lobowolf761]

I think I'm happy with my Walker Colt. Granted it's a reproduction but it will do the job if asked
I have 3 spare cylinders for it. Not to mention the 3 conversion cylinders in 45lc and 1 in 45acp. As backups to it I have a 5 1/2" barrel 1858 Remington w/spare cylinders in 45lc and 45acp, a SA Ruger Blackhawk 38/357 and a 54cal Plains Pistol. If these don't take care of the difficulties then as a last resort I guess I'll just have to get out that new fangled pistol they call a CZ 75 in 9mm bought back in 80's.