Guys need your help...$250 travel gun

[lloveless]

Yes, a kel-tec p-11 or pf-9 should fill the bill. Light weight, concealable, accurate, cheap ammo, and a caliber that will work when the chips are down. etc.
ll

 

[Ben86]

Taurus 738 TCP, go for around $260 and really easy to conceal.

 

[evan price]

OK, so basically, you'll be shipping it by airline in baggage so nothing that's heirloom quality. You want simple ammo interchangeability so Wal*Mart or any decent sporting goods store can get you ammo. You want compact and CCW. You want a decent self defense caliber. You want under $250.

I would say for that set of criteria to consider a Kel-Tec P11 or PF9. They are available for under $250, they chamber 9mm and are capable of +P for carry ammo. A Kel-Tec is not anything you'd be upset about accepting an insurance check for if it comes up missing in baggage.

Magazine capacity is acceptable at 10 rounds in the P11 or 7 rounds in the PF9. Pick up a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster and it will pocket carry very well. There's also belt holsters for IWB or OWB carry. You can get 9mm Luger nearly anywhere that sells ammo and you can carry it with Speer 124 gr +P or Winchester PDX 124-gr +P ammo for good performance in the short barrel.

If you want to step down to a .380, the Bersa Thunder and the KelTec P3AT fill that bill for the same price point.

 

[EVIL]

OK, so basically, you'll be shipping it by airline in baggage so nothing that's heirloom quality. You want simple ammo interchangeability so Wal*Mart or any decent sporting goods store can get you ammo. You want compact and CCW. You want a decent self defense caliber. You want under $250.

I would say for that set of criteria to consider a Kel-Tec P11 or PF9. They are available for under $250, they chamber 9mm and are capable of +P for carry ammo. A Kel-Tec is not anything you'd be upset about accepting an insurance check for if it comes up missing in baggage.

sir, you hit the nail on the head with this post. The kel-tec pf-9s are running about $269 street price locally, so I am also considering the cz-82 sold from AIm Surplus down the street ($219 w/ 2 mags). I may pay the extra few bucks and get the kel-tec because of the 9X19 ammo. I actually like & enjoy shooting the 9X18 rd... i just have issues with it's widespread availability, it is available locally at the same store, Aim Surplus, down the street from my house.

you mentioned insurance...how would you get an insurance check for lost baggage?... I thought you were just SOL...

 

[Quaamik]

I suggest either a Kel-Tec P-11 or a PF9.

 

[9mmforMe]

Ruger P95 or the Sigma would be great choices and 9mm ammo is everywhere (The Kel-Tecs sounds good to come to think of it).

 

[Uncle Peter]

Sigma. I have a 1st gen and have never had a problem. I personally think they are a great gun for the money.

 

[QUICK_DRAW_McGRAW]

ive had a sigma 40ve allied forces for years, its been my daily carry for almost 4 years now. ive ran everything from steel cased crap to match ammo and it will eat EVERYTHING. im serious, ive put over 4Krnds through it and i have NEVER had any issue what so ever. very accurate gun, great ergonomics, good cap with 14+1 in 40 or 16+1 in 9mm(if i remember right on 9mm).

the kel-tec's aren't a bad idea ether, lightweight, easy to toss into a pocket and forget BUT they are a pain to shoot. i know, ive had a PF9 and currently carry a P3AT while at work.

 

[HelterSkelter]

EAA windicator .357. i bought one of these just for fun and 1000+ rounds later the gun hasn't shot itself loose. it's got 6 rounds instead of 5 and is heavy enough to where you barely even feel the .357. it's the best option for a gun in the 250 range.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I saw several suggestions for the Kel-Tec P-11. While I'm a big fan of Kel-Tec pistols I'm not a P-11 fan. IMO it has too many problems, problems that were fixed in the PF-9. The Kel-Tec PF-9 is a fine pistol chambered in 9mm, it's small so easily concealable and it weighs only 12.7 ounces unloaded.

This pistol is easily concealed and packs 7+1 rounds 0f 9mm Luger ammo. what's not to like??

 

[Oyeboten]

If it was me, with that criteria, I would find an older Carried much and Shot little Police Turn-in, 4 inch Bull Barrel, S&W Model 10-6 or so, and have a few Speedloaders to go with it.


Get a box of the 158 Grain Hollow Nose Semi-Wads loaded to the higher perfmance or so called old 'FBI' Load levels, and, you have a very nice package then...and, for the kind of price you had in mind.

 

[doc2rn]

I would look at J&G sales for a police trade in S&W .357/.38

 

[killchain]

Kel-tec P3AT.

You can hide that thing in the pouch in your skivvies if you have to.

 

[DeepSouth]

I might get flamed for this one, but what about a Hi Point C9 (9mm)? They're not as small as the Kel-tec offerings, but if I wanted a gun in an inexpensive caliber that I didn't feel bad about losing, it's not a bad option.

It's also made in the USA and has a lifetime warranty for less than 2 bills in most cases.

+1..........But I would get the 45

If your willing to go a little over $250 I would recommend looking at a Stoger Cougar. I see them go on GB all the time for under $300 and I hear the quality is pretty good for the price.

 

[Daveboone]

Snub .38. Ammo everywhre, compact, 100% reliable. Many used out there for very reasonable price.

 

[Ben86]

Magazine capacity is acceptable at 10 rounds in the P11 or 7 rounds in the PF9. Pick up a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster and it will pocket carry very well.

Maybe in your cargo pocket.

 

[SouthronBoy]

I love CZ-82's, but you'll have the same ammo issue as with the Makarov: small town shops and Wally World will not have 9x18, no way, no how.

Kel-Tec in 9mm (PF9 or P11) gets my vote.

This is exactly what I was going to say.

I love my Mak, and CZ-82s are awesome. My first CZ-82 was a truck gun that was stolen, but it was a truck gun for the reasons you mentioned in the original post. Not very happy THAT plan came together...

I pocket carry a Kel-Tec PF-11 daily. I picked it over the PF-9 because it's a little thicker, and would be easier on my hand. Since I carry it way more than I shoot it, I often wonder if the smaller PF-9 wouldn't have been a better idea.

 

[Digger]

I just picked up a stainless Rossi 357, model 941 if I recall. The price is about what you have specified, and it shoots great. Ammo availability is not a problem. Ported and adjustable sights, perfect truck gun for me, would fit your bill pretty well too.

 

[walker944]

I carry a Kel-Tec P11 (9mm) fairly often. It's both easily concealed and cheap. I bought mine used for $175 a couple of years ago. Holds 11 rounds. Might be worth taking a look at.

 

[txgunsuscg]

Its about $70 more than your max, but JG has the Sig P6. 9mm, so ammo is everywhere, and if you want to later, Sig will do a factory refurb on the internals and install new sights for $140. At $330, you're still not losing much if it goes away. Other than that, JG has the Maks and CZ82s as well.

As for insurance, a couple of guys I work with had baggage stolen, and they had it covered under their homeowner/renter policies.

 

[Tidewater Tarheel]

P11 is just fine

I purchased one the year they were introduced and it has been absolutely reliable and cycled Remmy golden sabre loads just fine !. factory loads and a few JHP reloads as well ! Wouldn't carry reloaded cartridges though, just for practice.

 

[evan price]

@ EVIL: My Homeowner's insurance also covers losses from luggage.

The only reason I would not recommend my personal favorite truck pistol- the Smith & Wesson K-frame mod. 10 4" 38 special- is that it is not the easiest gun to conceal. The same goes for the S&W Sigma, the Rugers, etc. Good guns, but full-sized service pistols, and not really pocket concealable or all that CCW friendly in a work environment.

The CZ82 is a very good pistol and the price is good too. The only problem you will see- and you know this already- is finding Mak ammo is not always the easiest, ESPECIALLY hollow-point defense ammo. The 9mm Luger has that nailed down, even the Meijer stores carry the Winchester PDX 124 +P 9mm Luger in the cabinet. Odds are that you won't have a problem keeping a box of 9x18 in your suitcase with the pistol. I do know that there have been times when I was out of town and it came about that I had an opportunity to go shooting wherever I was. Stopping at Wal*Mart for a 100-rd value pack of WWB 9mm made it happen.

 

[epijunkie67]

OK, I'll just throw this out there to be different.

What about a Makarov? They are cheap, accurate, small, easy firing, and practically indestrucible.

Yes, there is a chance that really out of the way places might not have ammo but even in my po-dunk little town they carry it. If you are only carrying it for defense then you really shouldn't be needing more than a couple of magazines worth of ammo anyway.

If you think you might get it out and do a little target shooting though you probably should go with one of the other options.

 

[cluttonfred]

As said already, among new guns you have various options in .32ACP, .380ACP or 9mm, from Hi Point, Kel Tec and the cheapest Bersas. There are many, many used basic 9mm pistols that would work, as would a basic used S&W .38 Special revolver. For best ammo availability, I'd go with 9mm or .38 Special. If you're not proud, then you can easily find a Hi Point C9 complete with Safariland holster and a 50-round box of ammo and still get change for your $200.

 

[PabloJ]

Look for Chinese or Russian Makarov in 9x17mm. How good is empty 9x18 pistol in small far away town? Ok, it does make interesting looking but expensive paperweight.