I'm now in a great mood, I just got a new job- What gun to celebrate?

[chaim]

I haven't been fully happy in my current job for a little while now. I work for a local psychiatric hospital. I loved my job when I was a float (I went to whatever unit needed me that day). I decided I particularly liked working with a specific population and the management of that unit was really recruiting me hard. So I switched. Shortly thereafter the management changed and the new manager was horrible. Also, many of my co-workers leave something to be desired. So, I was looking.

I was just offered a job today teaching special education. It will be high school, but I don't know yet which subject (they had history and science, either would work for me but I'd prefer history). Anyway, it is a great opportunity, I'm finally making a normal middle class wage again, and they'll pay for grad school (I need to take two years though to become certified as a teacher before I can go on for grad school in counseling or psychology).

This is a great opportunity for me and I'm quite excited.

So, I was thinking that after my first couple paychecks (I'm going to be making 1/3 more than my current salary) I may reward myself with a new gun. So, I wanted some feedback:

-M1 Garand. I don't shoot rifles much since I don't often get to the outdoor rifle ranges, but I love history and I'd love a Garand.

-M1 Carbine. Just as much history as the Garand and some of the local indoor pistol ranges will allow it so it might make more sense for me than the Garand.

-Blackpowder Sharps rifle replica. See comments on the Garand.

-Cartridge Sharps rifle replica. See comments on the Garand.

-Another SIG. I'm loving my SIG 226 and I'll soon have my 229 in my hands. I'm really wanting to add the 239 SAS though.

-A Kimber. I'd love either the Pro Carry or the CDP Pro.

-Taurus Tracker in .41mag. I love Taurus, I like that this is carryable, and I love .41mag (it is probably my favorite caliber).

-Big bore lever rifle. I've wanted one for some time, maybe it is time (though I don't shoot rifle much- maybe a .44mag or .454 would satisfy this desire and still be allowed on some pistol ranges).

-Glock 26. About the only Glock that carries much interest for me, but maybe it is finally time to give it a chance.

-SAA clone or similar. Maybe the Taurus Gaucho.

As for what I need, I don't really need any of them. I have well over a dozen guns and all my needs are covered.

 

[Live Free Or Die]

The only feedback I can offer is...congratulations on your new job, and all the opportunities it may offer you. Make the most of it, and if that involves buying a new gun, all the better.

As to which gun you should get, I don't know. It sounds like you might have to reckon with the abundance paradox. Well, at any rate avoid the Garand. Anything to make the supply/demand more favorable for the rest of us, I'm in favor of.

 

[CB900F]

Chaim;

Congratulations on moving to a situation that's going to suit you better.

T'were me, of the possibilities you've listed, I'd go for the Garand myself. But that's me and considering the guns I have.

The only other suggestion I might make is; if you don't have a good .22lr, get a CZ452 & top it with good glass. The Nikon Monarch 3.3-10X A/O mil-dot I've got on my 452 is a very nice unit. It is entirely possible to have more fun than you ever though possible with a .22 with a sweet combination like this.

900F

 

[Old Fuff]

Congratulations on your new job.

As for the guns, you should buy one or two of each...

More reasonable advise might be to select one that you can shoot. High-powered rifles require longer shooting ranges that are sometimes hard to find. If you are thinking of using the purchase as a prop to teach history you might also consider a cap & ball revolver. Just for grins, and 700 pages of background information, go to www.dixiegunworks.com and spend a very reasonable $5.00 for their hardcopy catalog. You'll find a lot of good ideas.

Other then that it's up to you. Enjoy what ever you get, and report back on the selection.

 

[chaim]

The only other suggestion I might make is; if you don't have a good .22lr, get a CZ452 & top it with good glass

I actually don't have a bolt .22 right now and the CZ 452 is one I'd like. I also don't have any bolt rifles right now, so add to my list:

-CZ 452. A .22lr rifle can be shot at the indoor pistol range.

-A CZ or Howa bolt rifle (in .270, 6.5x55, .308 or .243). It has the same problem for me (rarely use the rifle ranges) as the others in my first post without the history.

If you are thinking of using the purchase as a prop to teach history you might also consider a cap & ball revolver.

I'm in MD. If I bring any kind of firearm into a school I'd probably go to jail. Anyway, I do already have two nice cap and ball revolvers (one Colt 1861 Army clone and one Remington 1858 New Army clone).

 

[gunsmith]

m1 carbine

those things a cool, light , handy, historic good for self defense in an urban warfare ...I think they are way more tacticool then generally given cred for.

 

[cracked butt]

congrats!

I went through the same thing about 4 months ago and ended up with a new AR-15.

May I suggest the M1 Garand? You'll love it.
The carbine wouldn't be bad either.

 

[Quinch]

Congrats!

I vote for the 452, every able bodied american needs a plinking rifle, and the 452 is a really good one.


Garand gets my second place.

 

[Norton]

Congrats on the job!

Based on your list, I'd say to go for the Garand as they're the only thing that isn't going to be around for much longer, assuming you wanted an original rifle and not a SA repro.

Man, Special Ed.....not my gig at all. I have enough trouble following the IEPs and 501 plans for the kids that I teach now.

Two words of advice:

1) Dot the I's and cross the T's on all of your paperwork. Our director of SPED spends a lot of time in court because of teachers not following the paper trail.

2). Clear out your social calendar until the day you get your certificate. Based on what I've seen our un-certified teachers going through down here in pursuit of their certification it's a pretty grueling process. Full-time job+certification classes = one tired teacher.

Good luck....you'll do great

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Get the M1 Garand. Watch out for the M1 thumb . If you don't know what it is then google it.

 

[Dain Bramage]

Congrats on the new job!

My current #1 spot on the "if I fall into some money" celebration list is a model 629 Lew Horton .44 mag, 3" barrel, unfluted cylinder. I see them occasionally on GunsAmerica for about $750.

With that in mind, I would recommend the Taurus Tracker. You can't have too many light-weight boomers.

Mrs. Bramage also has given standing approval for a cartridge Sharps replica, some time in the distant, unspecified future, as finances allow. Probably a Quigley like that Hunky Dreamboat Tom Selleck carried in the movie.

I, of course, have a list of un-silly guns that are actually in the budget over the next year. These are a .243 Savage, a .22 CZ 452, and a .22 pistol. My oldest boy is approaching gun-trainability, and I want to be ready.

 

[moredes]

Congratulations. I know what it's like to be "liberated" from the yoke of small minds in authority.

Hate to put a serious note to this thread, but it sounds like this may be the first time in a while where you have disposable income (no offense intended). My best suggestion is to salt away 6 months' gross earnings; the economy's gonna get tougher before it gets better. I think common economic wisdom says 3 months' wages, but 6 won't hurt you. Besides, all that time will allow you to do the research on all your listed choices--manufacturers, quality, availability, accessories, list prices, used prices, cost of maintenance (how much exta $$ for the accessories?).

My choice would be a used CSharps Sharps if you can find one. My logic is, "all your needs are covered", which means self-defense is covered; ya need one strictly for its' entertainment value. A 30" CSharps usually will go for ~ 25-34% more than a new Pedersoli, and they're capable of both blackpowder and cartridged ammo (as are most all available replicas). Stay away from EMI/Taylor(?) etc.,--the only real-quality names in the Sharps repro business are Pedersoli, CSharps, and Shiloh. You'll get butchered on other manufacturers if you ever need to sell, and quality control is sporadic with any others aside from the Big 3.

 

[Ala Dan]

Congrat's on the new job chaim my friend-

Wow~! So many choices, and so few dollars~; its kind'a hard
for us to make a selection for you. I feel as though you know your
needs/wants/desires from the list that you have compiled. As you
know, I'm a SIG fan at heart; and they have some wonderful newly
designed firearms on the market. So, I'd say go with another SIG.

 

[dhoomonyou]

Glock 26, around $470-500 in my area (FLA)

 

[ACP230]

I'd put the paperwork in with the CMP and get a Garand.

I have one made in 1943. I bought it to shoot High Power rifle matches years ago.
My youngest son just shot it for the first time last summer and had a ball.

It's got a beat-up stock but I have decided not to change it. It looks like history just sitting in the rack.

The .41 Taurus is tempting, but I think I'd go for the M1 first.

 

[Vitamin G]

One social worker\Counselor\Therapist\whatever to another...


Go for the Garand... I'm in the EXACT same boat with the job..

And have you considered a g29? (I had a G26 and it was too thick to justify being a 9mm to me)

Kimber is also another good choice.

 

[Bullet Bob]

For the price of a Garand, you could have a really classy Kimber Classic .22, or a Cooper Classic .22; guns you could shoot forever, and with care would probably go up in value. I have a *few* CZ's, and love 'em, but if I was only going to have one .22 from the current producers, one of the above two would be it.

Not that there's anything wrong with a Garand, but in my wimpy middle-age I'm appreciating .22's more than ever.

 

[rev214]

go with the Garand...its a special occasion...

 

[RonC]

I wouldn't be so presumptious to tell you what to purchase. I will say that I bought a 1943 M1 Garand simply because of the history I can hold in my hands. It's the main weapon my father carried in N. Africa and Anzio in WW II.
Now that I have it, I can get almost as much pleasure from handling and looking at it as from firing it.
I also have a non-firing condition 1873 Springfield trap-door. Again, it's the palpable history that excites me.

Ron

 

[Chipperman]

Get the M1 carbine first. The prices on nice ones have almost doubled in the past 5 years. M1 Garands have not gone up as much. Get the Garand second.

All of the others you can get later, as they are still being made.

 

[gulogulo1970]

Wow, you have alot of attractive things on your list. Me I would go with the Kimber CDP, then the Glock 26 followed closely by the M1 Garand.

I choose the pistols over the rifle because I'm a pistol shooter by default, its much easier for me to go to the indoor range and shoot hanguns than to drive forever to shoot on an outdoor range. I have handguns and shoot them often but my rifles just sit home, sad really.

 

[HerrWolfe]

First a Garand, second a Garand, third the Kimber, followed by another Garand. Then if there are bucks left over a Sharps copy or better yet the Marlin 44 mag to set you on your butt so you will enjoy the Garand a bit more.

 

[Finch]

All of the above....

 

[Ohen Cepel]

Congrats!

I think the carbine might be a great option. Indoor range use, history, etc.

However, it's all a personal choice. Go with what moves you (or what you can get the best deal on )

 

[Mike_in_OC]

Few different ideas......Instead of a new gun, load up on some bulk ammo and spend some time with the guns you have. Or customize one of your guns.

I also came into some money and had the new gun itch. Instead of a new gun I sent my stock Combat Commander out to get slicked up and a new finish. I have a new "old gun" and it is now my favorite.