Help me pick out a gift for myself

[strat81]

I’ll be finishing graduate school in a few months and would like to get another gun as a gift to myself. I’m not sure what I want. Here are some ideas of what I’d like:
- Less than $500
- Used or mil-surp is perfectly fine
- Something with character, history, or some other type of interesting trait. If not, it must be something that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to pass on to your child. I’m not talking heirloom quality holy-grail 1911 here, but Glocks and Remington Expresses aren’t what I’m looking for.
- If it’s a rifle: .223, .308, .30-06, or 7.62x39 ONLY.

I’m looking for something that I can hopefully give to my son or daughter if/when they finish college and say: “I bought this when I finished school. It is cool because…”
- It’s a (somewhat) unique commie gun
- I carried it often to protect you and your mother
- It was ready to protect the house every evening
- It’s a ton of fun at the range
- It’s a symbol of American quality
- It was used in a war (doesn’t matter which side)
- You can trust it to protect you. (LEO gun?)
- It’s from the “old country” (Italy for me)

Some ideas of what I don’t want:
- No Glocks or Glock clones (M&P, Sigma, P99, PPS, S&W99, SR9, XD, PX-4, USP, Sig Pro) (I own 2 of these already)
- No Mosin-Nagants (too cheap)
- No AK-47 clones (Own one)
- No AR-15s (Own one)
- No blue & walnut hunting rifles (not my favorite look)
- No cowboy action guns
- No O/U or SxS (don’t want one)
- No .40S&W (don’t care for it) and no .22LR (don’t want another)
- No silly, obscure, or chiropractor calibers (.500 S&W, .50AE, anything Nitro Express, .458 Lott, etc)

The obvious gaps in my current collection are foreign mil-surps, revolvers, and shotguns. I am not looking for collector-grade stuff for this purchase. I will shoot this gun. Refinished pieces are fine.
What I’ve been considering (in no particular order):
- CZ-82
- Makarov
- Ruger Security Six or Speed Six
- Remington 870 Police
- Italian-made Beretta handgun
- SKS
- A quality mouse gun (Seecamp, Rohrbaugh, and the new Ruger LCP come to mind. No Kel-Tecs.)
- Older S&W Revolver (Model 19, Model 10, Bodyguard, Chief’s Special, or Centennial, almost anything. Might even consider a new one.)
- Colt Revolver (Anyone have a Python for sale for $500?)
- M1903 Springfield
- M1917 Enfield
- Sistema
- Sig CPO
- Sig P6/P225
- S&W Metal-frame auto (39, 59, 5906, 4506, etc)

 

[xsquidgator]

Try a Mosin-Nagant M44 if you're not 100% serious about only the calibers you listed. Dealer prices are as low as $60-$70, spend $30 getting yourself an FFL03 if you don't already have one and you can still get a tough high-powered rifle for $100 or less.

If you do mean it when you laid out that list of rifle calibers (no 7.62x54R), then get an SKS. Still some Yugo ones available, fun rifles and they can take a beating. $150-$200 with an FFL03.

 

[critter]

M98 Mauser or a USGI milsurp of some sort would be nice! '03, '03A3, M17, M1 or M1 carbine. HISTORY!

 

[223_AR]

The new Ruger SR9's look amazing and apparently are very good. The article i read in my Guns & Ammo said they fired some 10,000+ rounds through without cleaning and didn't have one single jam. And i believe you can pick one up for around 400-450.

Ok nevermind, i just read the part where you dont want a SR9, maybe i should read the entire post before i reply, damn ADD.

 

[LiquidTension]

You can't go wrong with a good 870. Shooting clays is lots of fun, it'll last forever so you can pass it down, and there's no shame in owning one.

Have you thought about getting a .22 suppressor? Very high cool factor. I know you want a gun, just throwing that out there....

 

[jimbob86]

Get an EBR (Evil Black Rifle) while you still can. The sub $500 budget limits you to AK clones. If you have one already, stock up on ammo for same, again while you still can....... the political horizon looks stormish.....

 

[Ske1etor]

I'm thinking 03' Springfield.

OR

Auto Ordnance 1911PKZ.

 

[Soybomb]

I'm going to break your riles and say a K31. Its cheating but if you're a reloader the bullets are .308 so even if the brass is different so its not terrible. Many have troop tags under the butt plate to give you a bit of a connection to the soldier that carried it and some people are even lucky enough to make contact with the gun's former owner. Its easily the most well made of any of my mil-surps too.

 

[hacksaw]

Used Colt Detective Special. Great for CCW, There is one on GB with a B.I.N. of $550.00 Will make a great heirloom piece. I would have been thrilled to get one from my Dad.

 

[strat81]

The Mosin-Nagant violates the caliber rule and the no Mosin-Nagant rule.
I already own 2 black rifles.
Suppresor would be interesting, but I'd want one for .45, not .22 (just because).
I'd really like another USGI rifle (have an M1), but finding one that's decent for less than $500 is tougher than I thought.

I like the Detective Special idea as it would be "cool" for so many reasons (American, no longer made, bit of an LEO history, concealable).

What else do you guys have for me?

 

[Cannonball888]

03' Springfield.

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

Get an Ishapore Enfield 2A1. They are chambered in 7.62 X 51. I have one that I might consider selling.

 

[Robert Hairless]

Consider getting yourself a Life Membership in the NRA. They're available now for $300 according to another thread. That way instead of risking the loss of your right to keep and bear arms--and whatever new gun you get now--you'll have given yourself something of more lasting importance.

Then when your kids grow up you could say "I invested in your future" instead of trying to explain the word "gun" as something we used to be able to own and talking about whatever it was you bought now that isn't legal anymore.

Just a thought.

 

[strat81]

Done already, Robert. Tuckerdog's thread prompted me to.

 

[Zundfolge]

I'm thinking you need an FN-49

Its a unique rifle ... not likely to run into too many folk at the range with one. (difficult part is going to be finding one in the $500 range other than an Egyptian one in 8mm ... the Luxembourg ones are .30-06)

 

[Hook686]

You might look at CMP and a USGI M1 Carbine (.308). Nice little carbine, and a nice piece of U.S. history.

 

[Kind of Blued]

All of the fun stuff that I would want to pass on to my kids is either something you don't want, or something that can't be had for $500. It sounds like you're probably the only one that can answer this question.

If its for you (as noted in the title), theres a bunch of stuff you could buy. (.308 Saiga?)

If I was going to use the $500 for my some-day kid (as mentioned in your post), I'd either save more money and get a firearm that I'd be proud to hand off, or put it in a college fund.

 

[Robert Hairless]

Done already, Robert. Tuckerdog's thread prompted me to.

Good man. Then you paid less than I did and I'm not the least bit jealous. This is one situation in which we all benefit as more people join.

Okay, then, now for the fun. I saw the Remington Police Magnum on your list. Do consider it seriously. (That means "Run out and buy one.") I became hypnotized by a photo Zak (the moderator) posted of his, kept looking at it, and decided to get one. Then a friend handled mine and did the same. Ours are wood furniture, blued metal, and 18" IC barrel. Just racking them while they're dry is an esthetic experience. Of course firing them is fun too. I'm leaving mine barebones stock except for a Vang oversized safety that I need to satisfy my fingers and give a consistent feel with my other shotguns. The Police Magnum is fast, light, maneuverable, accurate .... It's like using a baton to lead an orchestra.