Posted on 11/09/2001 11:43:47 AM PST by jdub
Recently I was at a gunshow and there were several booths that, in addition to higher priced Taurus, Glock, S&W and other "brand" handguns, they also carried several that were extremely inexpensive. I cannot for the life of me remember the names, one was made in OH and i think the other in CA. The guns felt solid, the action was smooth, and I couldnt find anything other than they may not be quite as pretty as others to tell me they were not a quality firearm. I asked two dealers how they could sell them so cheap. Both said basically that they didn't know, other than it must be volume because they sold a lot of them. They said that they came with lifetime warrranties, and they hadn't had anyone bring one back to them unhappy. The 9mm was like $119 or $129, the .38 was $99, and I think they also had a .40 for $129. They were semi-auto, black, and i think either a 7 or 10 rd. mag.
Is anyone familiar with these guns?
Which begs the question, "Aren't things supposed to get cheaper as time progresses?" Black and white television sets used to be very expensive, then came down in price. Now you can't get them anymore, same with color tvs, same with transistor radios and a whole slew of other things.
A friend had a 9mm and liked it, no problems.
There are a few good cheap guns out their. Kel-tec is one of them. Even there, they may not be in business long enough to continue honoring their warranty (I've never needed to use it, but I'm told their service is excellent). With non-standard guns, if you plan on keeping them running for a while and actually shooting them extensively, it's cheaper to own several copies than to stock up spare parts. The best spare parts set for an SKS carbine is another SKS carbine. 'Course, I feel that way about AR-15s too, much to my wife's dismay...
...but seriously...
The "Ring of Fire" manufacturers produce some nice guns. No, their not quite the quality of a "Brand" gun, but dollar for dollar, they're very good guns. As the State threatens various laws against "cheap" handguns, these companies improve their designs and processes. In one of those "unindtended consequences" things, the State's laws, while intended to keep the poor from getting guns, end up making the cheap guns better and better. Threats to ban smaller calibers caused them to develop models in 9mm and .40 S&W. They all passed the State's "SB15" requirements before the law was even signed. Of course, any gun is better than no gun, but if your resources are limited, these guns are generally a very good buy.
Have you had a look around www.auctionarms.com?
Stamped weapons, such as the AK-47, or Sig-Sauer P-226 are just as durable as their milled counterparts.
One other question however. All pistols I have owned have been double action types (decocker) which I like a lot. It feels a lot safer to me than a hammerless one. What am I missing? Since all these guns I handled at the show had the on a line so that you couldnt work the trigger, and I wasnt planning on buying one that day (shotgun day) I didnt ask to have one unchained. Is the trigger pull harder on a hammerless, or is your safety your only fire prevention aid?
I have a hi-point 9mm auto. It retails for about $140.00.
Under what circumstances are you going to use the tool?
How mission-critical will your use of that tool be?
For a screwdriver there is one set of answers, for a heart-lung machine there is another.
Admittedly it has been said that it is the poor workman who blames his tools, but on the other hand good tools make a job easier.
One other question however. All pistols I have owned have been double action types (decocker) which I like a lot. It feels a lot safer to me than a hammerless one. What am I missing? Since all these guns I handled at the show had the on a line so that you couldnt work the trigger, and I wasnt planning on buying one that day (shotgun day) I didnt ask to have one unchained. Is the trigger pull harder on a hammerless, or is your safety your only fire prevention aid?A pistol without a visible hammer might be either single or double action, or even something in-between like a glock or a sigma. Inexpensive pistols without a visible hammer tend to be single action, with a light trigger; the manufacturer often recommends that they be carried with an empty chamber because the "safety" lever is not so safe that you'd actually want to bet on it.
I appreciate your point about handling a pistol before buying it, and I think that the fit of a handgun is an important and often-overlooked attribute. Since you don't seem to be in the market for something that is necessarally going to be used in a defensive role, by all means give one of the inexpensive pistols a try if it feels good to you.
You might like a CZ-50/70 for a small, inexpensive .32 with a hammer-drop, although I have heard of some problems with the slides being soft and getting battered after a while. A Mak is always a good bet, too.
Agree, I was amazed by the quality engineering on their P-11 and P-32 pistols. And, they are reliable when you need them. Kel-Tech link
The East German Makarovs are better finished (and more expensive, $140), but the Bulgarian has a better trigger.
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