How would you spend $500 on a handgun

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weisse52

weisse52

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OK, you got $500 to spend on a handgun. Only a very few ground rules.

Needs to be a commonly available handgun in a commonly available caliber, preferable reasonably cheap ammo.

NO 1911’s, 22 auto’s or Glock (that includes any Tupperware guns of any make, model or religious persuasion) Lets assume you already own / owned / got plenty of those.

Can be used, can be new, does not matter.

So, what would you buy, and MOST important why? I make the assumption that if all you can say is a make or model you do not really know why.:evil:
 
Used Smith and Wesson 66 3" (or any 3" K frame Smith)
Just a really fun gun to shoot.
And I'd spend the leftover $200 on a set of hogue grips and a bunch of ammo :)
 
If I was going to spend $500, I'd look real hard for a clean stamped slide German SIG P226 9mm. And I'm not talking of a CPO either, no flaky crusted frame finished, sanded off serial #, parts gun SIG for me. A SIG that's been well cared for by the owner, low mileage and wear.

S&W Model 19 would be a close second.
 
I'd look for a Daewoo. They're supposed to be good guns, and the "fast action" system is pretty interesting. Also, I'm Korean, so that's a factor.
 
I would have to say a 6" Ruger GP100.

I don't currently own a revolver, so I think that will be my next purchase. The 4" is tempting, but 6" would be a little better for my hunting purposes (I'm a big hunter), yet the medium frame should make it easy enough to carry when I'm out hiking/bow hunting/whatever (for SD purposes).

Or maybe I'd get a Ruger SA Blackhawk in .41 mag... a little better caliber for deer...

I don't know. You sure I can only have $500??
 
CZ75 should be well under $500 if you look around. Excellent gun!

I'd be tempted to get a used 686+ if I could find one, though. That's the gun I've been contemplating buying since I started shooting regularly again, but never have ended up buying.
 
+1 on the CZ. However to get some new blood into the thread I'd look for a Ruger P-Series 9mm.

With the money I had left I'd either buy another Ruger P-Series 9mm :) or get all the necessary stuff to turn it into a CCW.

Take care,
DFW1911
 
One of the EAA Witnesss (a clone of the CZ-75 made by Tanfoglio in Italy known in other markets as Tanfoglio Force).
One of the highest capacity magazine semi-auto pistol out there (18 + 1 for the 9 mm, 15 + 1 for 40 S&W and 10 mm Auto, 10 + 1 for 45 ACP)
You can buy one brand new for less than $400.
Double Action and you can put conversion kits ($ 200 each) for any of the caliber available for the pistol (22 lr, 9 mm, 38 Super, 40 S&W, 10 mm Auto, 45 ACP)
Tanfoglio pistols have won several IPSC championships.
IMHO the best bang for the buck, I got mine in 10 mm auto yesterday for $393
 
OK, you got $500 to spend on a handgun. Only a very few ground rules.

Needs to be a commonly available handgun in a commonly available caliber, preferable reasonably cheap ammo.

NO 1911’s, 22 auto’s or Glock
Click to expand...

Me? Ruger SP101, .357 Magnum. Or equivalent S&W snub. Spend whatever's left on holster, aftermarket grip, speedloader, other accessories.

Why? Fills a hole in my collection -- a self defense weapon that doesn't spray spent brass all over creation.
 
I'd go to my favorite gun store and see what struck my fancy. While I have features I want in general, I am not addicted to any particular make & model. I'd also find a range that rents the ones I'm interested in so I could shoot them personally and rate the experience...
 
NO 1911’s, 22 auto’s or Glock (that includes any Tupperware guns of any make, model or religious persuasion) Lets assume you already own / owned / got plenty of those.
Click to expand...
That leaves revolvers and steel semi's. A basic and common .38 or .357 revolver should be part of the collection. Others have already suggested this, so +1.

And I concur with looking for a good used one with $ leftover for upgrades or ammo.

Finally, if you don't have any revolvers, start with steel. In steel, I prefer Ruger, but could be persuaded on the right S&W. I would not rely on a Taurus (as a gun, anyway).
 
I've already got a Ruger SP101 and some Colt Cobra's.

And a Diamondback.

Oh, several others in the stable, possibly much the same as yours, (although I could always use more 1911's). I don't have any plastic guns either. Don't want any.

So I guess I'd lean toward a 4" or 6", SS GP100 with some nice grips, and maybe a trigger job after it's all broken in.

Why? Because every one of them I've shot, I've liked. Because I don't have one yet. Because I don't do 9mm. Because I don't do .40sw. Because I don't do S&W. Because 38spl target loads are cheap to shoot, accurate, and I'd still have the option to shoot some full house .357mags if I wanted to. Because it's pretty tough to kill a Ruger. Because I like Wheel Guns just as much as I do 1911's. Because I have several Colts, but if you've got a GP, and not a snubby revolver, then a SP101. You can't go wrong with a Colt Cobra. They'll never depreciate.

Good enough reasons?

-Steve
 
I wouldn't. I only buy poly-pistols. And the only metal pistol I could ever be convinced to buy would be a 1911, if ever.

I'd take that $500 and pay some bills, then take the $500 I was going to spend on bills and put it towards an HK P30 :)
 
+1 for the CZ although my situation is backward I have the steel and I am looking to spend 500 on a "tupperware" gun, although I like the term! No glock here though just an XD (it has a metal trigger, does that count?)
 
+1 on the Tangfoglio from EAA aka Witness. I've got three of them, all steel, wonder finish, dead reliable, accurate, nicely finished inside and out and as said before, conversion units for 9mm, 38super, 40S&W, 10mm and 45acp are only $200 bucks a pop. Hard to beat. Stay away however, from the plastic pistols from EAA as they have a poor to dismal reputation. No problem on this thread as you already ruled out Tupperware. Good on ya.
 
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S&w K-22

K-22s are getting a little harder to find, but there are plenty still out there.

They are a true classic (possibly Smith's crowning achievement) that are great fun to shoot and helps build trigger control by shoothing the most affordable ammo available, 22 LR.

What's not to like about that :cool: ?


IMG_1605.jpg
 
Blackhawk. Big. Beautiful. Powerful. Single actions are fun to shoot, and available in nearly every caliber you could ever want.
 
Ruger Super-Single-Six single-action .22 - they're more fun than turning off the election coverage...

... and if the store was out of SS6's I would get the Ruger Blackhawk in 38/357 for the same reasons mentioned by BigBlock.

:cool:

22SS62.gif
 
After reading some of these I guess it does point to a revolver, more or less. CZ's seem to have quite a following as well.
 
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