Settling For Less (Budget Firearms)?

[bsg]

in most instances, i prefer the older variant of a current production gun. i hold out, and wait to buy until i find the one i want. usually, the older variant costs me less than the current production example.

[xrayoneone]

I buy used, rarely new. Because of this I do not have to settle for a "cheaper" model of anything. I bought an 870 for $150 four years ago.

Learn everything you can regarding what makes a gun go bang. Then dig into the trade/used rack. A beat up rough looking gun can surprise you. I have an 1894 38-55 that looked like hell. Stripped it down and it wwas darn near brand new on the inside.

[Khafre]

^^^^ Everybody who chooses a Bersa over a PPK is happy.
This is one of those rare cases where the cheaper item is actually better than the higher priced competitor.
I did not cheap out when I bought my Bersa, it was my first choice. After 5 years, I am still very pleased.

I have heard a lot of good reports about the Bersas. If I am interested in function I'll choose the Bersa, but the cool factor of the PPK is hard to beat.

[dpop24]

When I was getting ready to buy my first gun, I bought and read every gun magazine there was to do "research". My dream gun was a stainless Sig P228 in .40 but there was no way I could afford it. I went with a Beretta 96 instead for over $300 cheaper and have been very happy with it.

It wasn't until this very second while typing this that I realized I could have been pretty close to the Sig's price if I hadn't wasted all that money on those magazines!

If I ever find a stainless P228 for sale, I'm snapping that baby up!

[Khafre]

I dont know it qualfies as a "budget" gun but for my 18th birthday I wanted a "chopper" and could not afford an ak or ar. So I bought an uncoverted saiga in 7.62x39 and am quite satisfied with my purchase. If Difi does ban it I will convert it to accept a pistol grip and ak-47 magazines but for the time being I am very happy with my purchase.

I definitely would not call a stock saiga a "budget" gun. They are a fine rifle. I am talking about firearms that were intentionally made to be a cheap offering. I really wish I had the the money for one back before this whole mess happened, and when DiFi's bill mentioned the saiga by name I wanted it even more haha

[morfeeis]

I bought a P95 rather then a SR9 and even though i loved that P95 i ended up selling it and bought a SR9 (now i want an SR9c). I had a Hipoint C9 before that and that is one of the guns i regret selling the most, i loved that little ugly turd.

I say get what you want or you'll always look at the item as less then and long for your heart's true desire. In the end you'll wind up paying even more in DROS fees by buying what you dont want . I will say this too, don't look at the more cost effective guns as lesser. research what owners have to say and make up your mind that way, some people just think "if it cost more it must be better" and thats not always the case..

[Sir Stunna Lot]

i got a glock instead of a 1911...

[RonnieP]

I'm not sure about settling for less since the guns I want are less expensive compared to the competition. I do all my research and choose the firearm that meets my needs.

Marlin 795
Mossberg 500
Yugo SKS
Mosin Nagant

Those 4 guns pretty much covers all my bases and are all very reasonably priced to own and feed.

[myk]

When I was 1911 shopping I had a Kimber, Colt, Springfield, Sig and an RIA on a counter in front of me. I spent the next coupla' hours trying to figure out which gun to take home. Eventually I picked the RIA because all of the other guns cost almost twice as much and I just wasn't convinced about the platform in general.

Looking back on things, and realizing how much I've come to like 1911's I sorta' wish I had picked anything but the RIA; no disrespect to those makers or their fans, but for me I should've spent more...

[NOTABIKER]

i have found if you take extra good care of low cost items they perform pretty well.most of my rifles cost less than 500 dollars. i have few problems. my most accurate 100 yard rifle is a 250 dollar Savage mark 2 FV 22lr.

[Arkive]

I just got into guns a few years ago, when I was researching what to buy I fell in love with Sig. My wife wouldn't let me spend $800-900 on a gun, so I settled on an SR9 (bought it through gallery of guns without ever touching one, huge mistake) . I'm not a big fan of it and my wife got sick of hearing me complain, so she let me buy a Sig as a birthday/Christmas/anniversary/fathers day/valentines day/groundhogs day gift for myself. I somehow talked her into a $1200 p226 blackwater tacticool LOL. Then when I got the itch for another gun I had to go cheap again, so I bought an m9a1 and I just can't get over the slide controls (wish I would have figured this out at the LGS). Thinking about selling one (or both) and trying out an FNX 40.

[ElvenSoul]

HiPoint was a nice surprise!

Very happy with the ones I own. First one was a gift.

[Paperchasin]

Generally speaking...I have never personally regretted making a purchase that ended up being over my budget. Whether its for guns or electronics, I always try to save up a little more for the higher end stuff. But I have had a couple of occasions where I went with a lower model to save money and have regretted those purchases. I ended up selling them and buying the more expensive one anyways. Just my $0.02.

[Steve_In_29]

When I was 1911 shopping I had a Kimber, Colt, Springfield, Sig and an RIA on a counter in front of me. I spent the next coupla' hours trying to figure out which gun to take home. Eventually I picked the RIA because all of the other guns cost almost twice as much and I just wasn't convinced about the platform in general.

Looking back on things, and realizing how much I've come to like 1911's I sorta' wish I had picked anything but the RIA; no disrespect to those makers or their fans, but for me I should've spent more...

What would those other brands have done that the RIA wouldn't? Or couldn't be made to do?

I have a Colt (series80), Kimber (Pro CDP II) and a RIA Tactical and honestly the only one I regret buying is the Kimber. With the trouble it's given me (2 warranty trips/still not right and all the holier-than-thou crap I got off Kimber) I wish I would have spent the extra $400 on a LesBaer but I still don't regret buying the RIA at all.

[Steve_In_29]

Generally speaking...I have never personally regretted making a purchase that ended up being over my budget. Whether its for guns or electronics, I always try to save up a little more for the higher end stuff. But I have had a couple of occasions where I went with a lower model to save money and have regretted those purchases. I ended up selling them and buying the more expensive one anyways. Just my $0.02.

Would you care to share the guns and reasons?

What you didn't like might be a desired feature for someone else. Plus your lower end might be the other guys higher end they are saving for.