Budget Backup Firearms

I thought it might be helpful to get some thoughts on backup firearms and how to do it on a budget if that's possible any more.

We all know that one is none, two is one, etc. So I just found myself thinking about acquiring backups for my main rifle and pistol. My main pieces are an AK and a Hi Power, so I picked up a pretty nice Norinco SKS yesterday and am headed back Monday to pick up a FEG Hi Power clone that needs some love. I think I can get a pretty good price on the FEG.
My logic besides the obvious cost savings for both is that the SKS uses the same round the AK does and they just don't break. The FEG Hi Power has a decent reputation and it takes standard HP parts and mags. Both pieces are less expensive than my "real" guns and both give me caliber compatibility and I try to maintain as few calibers as I can.

Any interest in this?

 

@GOG
You have good firearms; so my advice is simple, buy more ammo for them. As ammonia may not be be too obtainable, buy non-corrosive ammo.
FEG made an excellent high power clone, enjoy. Its finish is military quality; however who cares.

@Dunerunner
Where you live sets the range needed. Where I live, it is heavily forested; so an '06 has more legs than I will ever need.

 

Isn't ammonia just stay pee?

Hi powers rock pretty hard.

 

@AxesAreBetter
Sorry, I can;t see myself urinating in a barrel. If urine contains ammonia, you'll notice in the smell.

So do mine.

 

Never enough ammo. Just like points in cribbage, never enough.

 

Tell me about it.
@ghrit
I've been buying firearms for about 50 years because I enjoy shooting them. It has nothing to do with SHTF; as if it did, I wouldn't have so many.

 

With the SKS you may want to be a bit careful. I bought a Chinese job about 25 years ago that has the nasty tendency to jam, (FTF - failure to feed) from time to time. I don't trust it for anything more dangerous than tin cans.

The I also had a Hi-Power back in the 70s. Not a bad gun - good capacity at 13 rounds. The only quirk it had was that it would not reliably feed 9MM ammo loaded with really light bullets - meaning less than about 100 grains or so. Those tiny 90 grain jacketed hollow cavity that you can crack out there at 1400 FPS or so will tip up in the mag and jam. Stay away.

Most 9 ammo these days starts at 115 gr and goes up from there. Those it had no trouble with. So my worth for the Hi-Power - avoid super light bullets that some manufacturers may tout as the "ultimate defense" round. These are usually light bullets for the caliber at unrealistically high velocities. They won't be worth a darn in a defensive or SHTF situation if they cause a malfunction when you really need a weapon.

 

I think the SU-16's have become overpriced for what they are. They're a ton of fun and I had one years ago, but other than it's packing capability it seemed very flimsy to serve as a shtf type rifle.

@Altoidfishfins I prefer big fat slow bullets (still do) and carried a 1911 Commander for many years before recently switching to the HP 9mm. It's loaded with Federal 147gr. HP's for social work.

@stg58 The first thing done to any HP in my possession is to remove the stupid magazine safety. BTW, my HP is an old FN as well.

 

These run at around 1200 fps from my CZ75 and SP01. Weight is 125ish.

 

@zombierspndr
1200 FPS is probably pretty realistic for that weight.
I've read a number of good things about the CZ-75.

@GOG
I also prefer heavier projectiles. Pretty much stuck on .45 ACP these days, and always go for the 230 grainers as opposed to 200 and below.

 

Agreed all the way around

Hi-Point 995 Review:


Kel-Tec SU-16 Review (3 part series):

 

In my day it was not uncommon for chambers to get expanded and ruin the gun simply feeding it hot loads.
Think of the hot load going off, like a sledge hammer striking from the inside. the slid hammering away at stop points, and springs absorbing all that shock.
With that in mind I reserve the hot loads for hunting/defense only, and reserve the lighter rounds for target practice.
Unnecessary wear and tear is pointless IMO so my new guns function like new for their life time in my possession .
Guns that I have acquired used from others , I check for wear, and load respectively .
I guarantee you that post SHTF, ammo will be at such a premium, fully automatic will soon be a thing of the past.
I learned to make each shot count when I was a kid , a box of 50 .22 LR lasted me all summer ,unless dad took us to the desert to plink. A brick of .22 lasted a few years.

 

The Hi Point pistol caliber carbines are a great buy and certainly fill the "budget" requirements I had in mind.

 

I'm going to recommend Mosin-Nagant rifles and carbines.
30 caliber rifle that can be had for under 200 bucks still
440 rounds of ammo for 120ish (27 cents a pop)

for long term / deep storage .. most of them are already packed with cosmoline so little efforts on your part is required.

as for pistols, I'm going to say Hi-point. yeah they are ugly but for under 150 ea.

Look at the military surplus pistol market, lots of combloc are out there. I just wish they ran 9mmx19 parabellum as opposed to 9x18 Makarov (or 7.62x25)

combloc pistol and ammo (9mm Mak) are still available for right around 285. If you have the ability to stack the ammo deep, these are some really decent all steel firearms.

 

Look at Sccy 9mm pistols they have the best warrantee... ( includes lost or stolen for those with boating issues) I have seen.

 

Can't beat a Mosin and a bunch of semi cheap ammo to get some inexpensive firepower in the house.

Having arthritis I rely on semi auto as dexterity relief as well as a force multiplier.

 

An alternate in .45 Tisas (Turkish) I've seen at $375.00 at though gun show..