How many chances do you give a gun?

[USP45usp]

I just traded in a mossberg 500A and $25 bucks and got a Norinco 12ga with rifle sights. Allot of folks will give me hell for "buying from the commies".. but what chance or how many chances do you give to a primary weapon?

I carry 24/7 a Kimber 1911 and it hasn't failed yet. Backup is the USP 45 which hasn't failed yet, and others. The primary home defense weapon is my shotgun and the old one failed three times, twice safety and the last straw shell carrier. So, was I a bad boy by trading in a flawed American made shotgun for a shotgun that is better than the one he had? (fired a complete box of bird shot this evening and it didn't even hiccup one bit).

I have my "fun guns", the C&R's come to mind since they are just for looks and such but my primaries that I have/use have to work. These are the guns that I will put my life upon.

So, am I un American? My primary carry pistols are from Canada and Germany and since my American shotgun has failed have switched over to a China made shotgun.

Wayne

 

[J Miller]

USP45usp,

I tend to agree with those who say you shouldn't buy from our enemys. However it's your money to do with as you see fit.

To answer your question about how many chances do I give a gun? Well, two years ago I bought a Rossi Puma. New in the box with all the papers. It was a pre-safety gun about 10 years old.
It was a lemon. Plain and simple. I spent a lot of money on it just to get it where it should have been when it left the factory.
It broke again the last trip to the range. When I totaled up how much I'd spent, I found out I'd spent the same ammount in repairs and parts as I had paid to buy the gun originally.
ENOUGH! No more money will be spent on it. I sold it to a gunsmith who is going to make a movie prop out of it for one of his customers. I didn't want to trade it off and stick someone else with the POS.

Joe

 

[Templehall]

frustrated

USP,

I don't blame you for getting rid of the defective gun. I'd want to have absolute confidence in a home defense arm. I don't blame you for for buying Norinco. It's your money. I think my personal choice would have been a Rem 870 platform, but that's just my preference.

On a point of information, you said your primaries (Kimber and HK) are from Canada and Germany. I was under the impression Kimber was from New York. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[photo_guy]

If people didn't get rid of guns that had "problems" there wouldn't be much for sale at gunshows.

Of course there is a wide variation in what indviduals define as "problems" as well as their ability to deal with the issues. If you have no mechanical skills every little issue requires a trip to the gunsmith, costs $$$ and time. If, however, you know something about firearms and have some simple mechanacal ability you can often take care of a lot of things yourself.

In your case your definition of "issues" is pretty strict - must be 100% reliable for defense use. Hopefully the guy who got your gun has a different use in mind for it.

 

[Boats]

Kimber is in New York, not Canada. Para is in the Great White North.

Let's see. . . support a totalitarian Communist regime's Army hard currency projects, or some lazy, effete, anti-American socialist state in Europe? Not really a tough question.

I'd buy a Remington. If I felt like supporting some decent Europeans, I'd get a Benelli.

 

[riverdog]

What Boats said. If you're going to send your money overseas, at least send it where it will do no harm. Italy has been a staunch ally and they make great firearms.

I went with the Rem 870 years ago and never looked back. It's a proven design and even the used ones have a lot of life left in them -- lots of good stuff in the aftermarket too. I'd've bought a used Rem 870 before I even looked at a ChiCom shotgun. What's the resale like on Norinco 12ga shotguns?

 

[CentralTexas]

Norinco

Hmmmm, even if you spent 10,000 on that shotgun not one cent went to China.
They are no longer imported and the Chinese had their profit years ago, the only profit went to the person who sold it to you...
CT

 

[shooter1]

I buy whatever works-----------period! A nonfuncutional gun is only a club! American guns are my first choice. Mine work.
str1

 

[USP45usp]

My bad, Kimber is NY.

The reason I got the Norinco is due to it was there with a short barrel. Also, I wanted something with rifle sights and it fit the bill. 870's are hard to find around here and the one that I did find was $439 (had the hard finish that is resistant to rust, salt water, etc..). They wouldn't take the mossberg for trade.

As for repair, why should I have to fix an almost new shotgun (as in, it had under 500 rounds (alot less IIRC))? It had gone to the factory twice before for the same problem (the safety, not this problem).

I don't think that any mechanical thing is 100%. What I'm talking about is if you have something that is mostly "new", why put up with it breaking down? That is why states have lemon laws for vehicles.

One of the things that I used to do was take in my primaries into the gunsmith on a two year basis to have them checked out and such. Since nothing was ever "bad" on them I quit doing it but I think that I am going to start up again. The mossberg was gotten after I stopped doing this.

Wayne

 

[Firethorn]

I seem to like former soviet block and .30 caliber. I have a number of CZ's, and a Yugoslavian SKS. .300 weatherby, M1 Garand, Marlin 30-30.

But, back on topic, I actually haven't had a bad gun yet. Well, except that revolver I bought off my grandfather's friend. Didn't notice a little problem with it. It has a barrel bulge about 3/4 of an inch from the muzzle, probably somebody tried to shoot .22LR in it, it's a .22WRF. It's the closest thing I have to a "safe queen". Due to it's age, caliber, and the bulge, I'm not going to trust it for anything. It's been inspected "Safe to shoot, but won't be accurate". But then, I have two perfectly functional semi-autos, am getting a .357, and have a number of rifles to support all my shooting needs (and yes, I have a ruger 10/22 for plinking, but I prefer the SKS).

 

[Bwana John]

I try to buy the best, and I dont care who made it. The problem today in American consumerism is trying to make the cheapest, not the best.

If it dont work like I think it should, I dump it. Many people have guns I have sold them, and are very happy. I have very high standards when it comes to firearms.

 

[armoredman]

I buy CZ because in my opinion they are the absolute best value for the buck, bar none, AND, the Czech Republic also supported us in Iraq. I buy Mosin rifles because they are nifty and inexpensive. If I could afford Springfield 1903A3, I'd get one.
Don't feel bad, Wayne, carry what you like. Hoe many purists here have cars stamped "Made in USA" that are actually 50% Japanese parts?

 

[jojo]

Like many others here I try to buy American first. The bottom line is though, if it works. In my mind, any of my guns may be the one that protects mine or my families lives and therefore must work.
I buy what works.

jojo

 

[riverdog]

I also buy what works. The Remington 870 is a proven work-horse. It comes in a variety of models with 18.5" up to 30" barrels. High gloss blue to parkerizing to nickel. Lots of good aftermarket and if your local gunshop doesn't have the one you want, order what you want over the net or buy a good used one thru gunbroker.com. The Norinco might prove to be just fine, but it's not an 870.

 

[Werewolf]

My guns get 1 chance.

Break once and it'll get fixed.

Break twice and it's a goner. I'll get the thing fixed and then trade it for something else to a gun store that I happen to not like very much.

 

[Mannlicher]

Well, since ya asked.....................

The only guarantee with guns, is the old saying that the last one you fired was totally dependable for that shot.