Justifiable guns.

[OtG]

This thread is about guns that you, personally, can justify owning. NOT "I don't need a reason to own guns". I know, I agree, that ain't the point.

If you're on a limited budget, have limited space, kids, really smart pets (redundant?), nosy neighbors, gun-shy family or whatever, what guns can you make a case for owning?

For example, I either own, or can think of a good reason for me to own the following:

.22 bolt action (obvious)
SKS (because I want a cheap, tough semi-auto, and I dislike AKs)
full-size pistol
Kel-Tec P3AT (ultra-small pistol)
Buckmark .22 (cheap pistol practice)
AR-15 variant of some sort (current military rifle. cheap ammo. highpower.)
Lee-Enfield carbine (full-caliber bolt rifle, because it's cool and I want it.)
Pump shotgun (versatile)

I'd like more, target rifles, ARs in cool calibers (.50 Beowulf, etc.), lotsa pistols, cool collector's pieces, etc.
However since I'm looking at around $2000 to fill out just that list (not including) ammo and supplies), I'll just have to wait.

Until I change my not-too-wealthy, once-and-future-student status, I figure this bunch can keep me entertained.

I hope so anyway.

 

[homeka45]

Seems to be pretty good start, and don't forget a safe.

 

[SamlautRanger]

$2000

If I had only $2000, and had to purchase some basic firearms and had to justify them as being practical, here is what I would get.

Remington 870 12 ga. shotgun ~ $300
Marlin 30-30 lever action ~$300
Glock model 30 .45 cal. or CZ 97 .45 cal. ~ $550
.22 target pistol (ruger or browning) ~ $300
CZ 75 9mm ~$450

Total ~ $1900 plus another $100 for some ammo = $2000

You would have all your basics covered for self defense, plinking, hunting.

Later if you like you can get the above models customized if you like (ex. add ghost ring sights to rem 870 or marlin, add scopes, get wood grips and action tuned in CZ, get night sights and grip reduction on Glock, etc...)

Well, just my thoughts.

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

full-size pistol

replace this with Sig P22* and you'll be all done...

 

[Lonestar.45]

I think your list looks pretty good as is. I will second the suggestion of a good safe, that ought to be first on the list probably, especially if you have kids, and your planning on introducing that kind of hardware to your household.

You didn't list a type for your full-size pistol. I'd suggest a good .357 revolver of some sort, possibly a police trade in. Of course, there's also some good Glock/Smith and Wesson trade ins out there in good shape that won't break the bank. Check out http://www.cdnninvestments.com/ , I think you'll find several you might like. They've also got some great shotgun deals as well. Good luck.

 

[TMM]

i don't own any guns, but i decided to play anyway:

Ruger GP100 .357 revo -> good for CCW/small HD and doubles as .38 target shooter.
Ruger 22/45 5" bull barrel ->super cheap plinker/target practice
12ga. shotgun -> HD gun
.22LR rifle ->target practice rifle
.222 rifle -> light/medium game rifle

and there ya go. =)

~TMM

 

[jefnvk]

Rem 870 is about the most practical gun I own.

 

[boofus]

Shouldn't "It's fun" be enough justification to own a particular gun?

 

[Chris Rhines]

Competing helps.

One carry pistol.
One full-sized USPSA Limited gun that I can also shoot in Production and IDPA.
One AR-15, conforming to USPSA Limited rules.
One self-loading shotgun, ditto above.
Another AR-15, this one conforming to NRA Service Rifle rules.
One .22 automatic pistol.
One .22 upper for the ARs.

Now filling out that list with $2000 would be tough. I'd get a Glock 35 competition pistol, a Glock 23 to carry, and a pretty-much-stock AR-15A3. Any money left over goes to holsters and a reloader, and I'd fill up the rest of the list as funds allow.

- Chris

 

[GaryP]

This thread is about guns that you, personally, can justify owning. NOT "I don't need a reason to own guns". I know, I agree, that ain't the point.

If you're on a limited budget, have limited space, kids, really smart pets (redundant?), nosy neighbors, gun-shy family or whatever, what guns can you make a case for owning?

WHAT IS THE POINT?

I own guns because I like them and want to! --- Period! ---

 

[Kamicosmos]

My dad told me when I was a little kid:

"You can have anything you want as long as you save up the money for it."

There's my justification. I'm an American, I have money, and if I want a Ruger Mark II, or a GE Mini-Gun, my Want equals my Justification.

That said, I do tend to look at new purchases first with a 'what role will this item fill'. But, most of the time, the want of the item wins out whether or not I actually need it.

 

[Cortland]

Hey man, last I counted I had 65 guns in the closet -- and I have a perfectly legitimate excuse ... err, reason for each and every one!!

 

[dakotasin]

i gave up trying to justify a long time ago... doesn't seem to work for me.

anyway, my minimal battery:
rem 700 vls in 308 (targets, varmints, just long range fun).
rem 700 bdl in 338 win mag (my ideal hunt anything, anywhere, anytime gun)
ar-15 in 223 (just the principle of owning it - i very rarely shoot it, but...)
sig p226 in 40 (gun games, or use/carry where concealability isn't an issue)
1911 (gotta have at least one, and they carry nice to boot)

that would be my minimum. note, i include no 22's... i find 22's to be extremely boring, and don't even like 223's all that much (but ya still gotta have an ar).

 

[Kurt S.]

I don't have an unlimited budget now, but when I was really broke here's what my arsenal consisted of:

Ruger 10-22
Brazilian made SxS 12 gauge
NEF .22 Revolver
Davis .32 Derringer
Charter .44 Bulldog 4" BBL
Savage M99 Lever action .243
.380 AMT BackUp
Llama pseudo-1911 .45 ACP

The Charter got sold a long time ago, replaced now with a newer stainless steel "Pug" .44. The .380 AMT got sold, bought back, and finally traded off. The Savage Model 99 is in the capable hands of 2 of my nephews in Kentucky who have killed dozens of deer with it. The Llama .45 got left at a pawn shop. I think I had only paid $110.00 for it (worth every penny, too ) and the pawnshop gave about $80 or $90 for it.

I still own the 10-22, the NEF, the shotgun and the derringer.

I have acquired a lot of good additions over the past 10-15 years, I don't know what I could bring myself to part with at this point- even the ones I seldom fire.

From what I have now, I'd have to at least keep:

.22 rifle - small game
.22 pistol - cheap practice
9mm pistol - fairly cheap-to-fire centerfire semiauto
.357 revolver - all purpose handgun
.38 snub - concealed carry
12 gauge pump - all purpose gun
SKS - cheap-to-fire semiauto "beater" rifle
Ruger M77, .25-06 (might trade for a .30-06 or .308) - medium to big game
Maybe a 1911 - is love a justification?

 

[TheLastBoyScout]

Well, I'm also just getting started...
Bold= what I have underlined= what I'll get in the near future

AR15- I personally have a 20" A2 and its a great all around rifle; If I were to do it again I'd get an A3 though.
Beretta 92- Yeah it's big, but it holds a whole bunch of cheap ammo and I can make 2" groups with it. My brother gives me crap about it not having "knockdown power" compared to his 1911, but I'm able to make headshots on silhouettes the same % of the time he can make respectable COM shots. Note: I don't have to worry about concealing it, as I'm still 3 yrs from getting a CCW.

M1 Garand- The essential "old" rifle. Adds penetration, range, and the ability to take deer-sized game to the capabilities of the AR, but more importantly serves as a tangible link to the riflemen who have defended this nation in the past.
Beretta Storm- Fun carbine, handier than my AR, cheaper to shoot, and uses the same mags and ammo as my pistol. Easier to mount a red dot on than an AR15A2. In addition, it can easily be converted for southpaws (I am one).

The above (guns only) can probably be found for around $2000 (homebrew AR, CMP garand, and used Berettas)... With each gun, you should lay in a respectable supply of ammo and mags before getting a new platform. Definitions of "respectable" vary by person; mine is a GI load of magazines and at least 1000 rounds of ammo.

I've never really gotten into shotguns... Messing around with clays at the BSA range was fun, and I got the badge, but I don't know the protocols and rules of the game as played at gun clubs; In addition, from what I've read here, my family's only shotgun (a M590 Persuader) would be highly unsuitable for busting clay birds and visually offensive to the other shooters on the line.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Quite a few years ago, my ex-wife expected me to justify my firearms purchases.

 

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

The simple enjoyment of shooting of just looking at a firearm is enough justification to own it, regardless of whether there is any practical need for it.

The mere exercise of one's 2nd Amendment rights is justification for ownership of any firearm.

 

[SapperLeader]

If this less a fashion of justifying ownership, but instead, I have a limited 2000 dollar budget, this will gives me the basics. This is my limited list

.22 marlin 60(prefer a cz bolt but marlins cheaper ~50 dollars used)
Full size pistol - browning hipower (430 total from cdnn)
Pocket gun - 642 j-frame. (300)
always gun - kel-tec p32(175)
cheap pistol practice - buckmark .22 if can find one used, .22 conversion for hipower if not $200)
rifle - .308 ishapore enfield - awesome enfield action, common .308 caliber. Substitute with .303 enfield if not as worried about ammo costs 150)
pump shotgun - 400 Dollar Budget
Shop for used gun extensively, if I have no luck with that a 870 express. Purchase the single point sling and surefire light mount. Total for gun, sling and light is under 400
carry belt – 50 dollars, belt holster 50 dollars, desantis pocket holsters for j-frame and keltec 20 dollars)
total is 2000

this gives me a three gun carry package, two .22 guns(pistol and rifle), shotgun for hunting, fun, and home defense, and a hunting/homeland defense rifle. Im more of a a handgun/shotgun guy, so that is why most of my money went towards those. This is a "I have time to shop" list, as these are good prices that I have purchased guns for over the last two years.

 

[Mannlicher]

every gun I own is 'justified'. We all have our own way of looking at things.

 

[Wedge]

My firearm purchases are justified through an equal expediture of jewelry.

I think I could 'justify' pretty much every gun purchase. I could justify an M2 on just grin factor.

If I had 2K to drop it would probably be on a nice rifle and some really nice glass.

 

[Bear Gulch]

I think I can justify the purchase of any firearm. First there are the taxes which go to the Pittman-Robertson funds to promote habitat improvement, conservation projects, and the building of public ranges.

Secondly, the purchase of durable goods keeps the wheels of commerce moving, providing peace and prosperity for all.

Now if I could just convine SWMBO of this! Although I have justified the purchase of 3 rifles this week.

 

[Nitram68]

I'd say long gun, carbine, shotty and a pistole.

 

[OtG]

I'm not trying to knock anyones choices!
I'm just trying to say, that if you're on a limited budget (like me), what guns would you buy, and why.
This is more of a "what guns do you need most" thread.

I don't mind if you want a .410 Cheytac, hell I want one myself. However, until can afford it, it ain't gonna happen.

An example: I have a S&W 5906. I'm not thrilled with it, but it's pretty good, and the price was right. So now I can't really justify buying a SIG, much as I would like one.

I'll probably get one anyway, but that's a different matter... after my CCW guns... and my surplus Enfield... and Mauser... and extra SKS... and RRA National Match rifle... and CZ... and Glock...

 

[taliv]

if all I had was $2000, I'd probably spend $800 on a compact 1911, $800 on a high quality, low-frills AR15, $200 on a lever-action 22lr and the rest on ammo.

depending on my circumstances, i might drop the AR and replace it with $800 of .45acp ammo. (which would allow me to practice/have fun with my ccw gun)

depending on my circumstances, i might drop the 1911 and buy $800 of .223 ammo.


perhaps a better plan would be to spend $300 on a used 9mm, get $100 of ammo, and invest the rest into improving myself so i could get more income, and a few years later, spend $10k on whatever the heck catches my eye

 

[Kamicosmos]

An example: I have a S&W 5906. I'm not thrilled with it, but it's pretty good, and the price was right. So now I can't really justify buying a SIG, much as I would like one.

So, instead of saving up some extra cash to get what you really wanted, you threw the money away to get a cheaper gun that you don't like very much?

That sounds wasteful. Save up some money and go trade the 5906 in on a Sig that you want.