Firearms and all it entails on a budget

Discussion in 'Firearms' started by Motomom34, Jul 16, 2015.


  1. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    In theory, I like what Pax stated above.... I do recognize that .22LR Pistol practice may NOT translate over to a Good Self-Defense Caliber Handgun.... This has NOT been my experience, but it certainly could be a valid point, and should be considered. My experience also may NOT be typical, as Mostly, I train Children, and Grandchildren, and not Adults. I have a 15 year Old GrandSon here this month, who will be getting his first experience with FireArms, next week. We have had the Weapons Safety Speach, and the "Every Weapon in the Cabin, IS LOADED, and Needs to be treated as such" TALK. When it stops raining, GrandMa and I will be going up to the Range, (Can't just shoot from the front of the Cabin, as there are Cannery Folks wondering around, all over the place) with him, and we will blast away, with some of those .22LR Ammo Bricks that I just received, and see how he does.
     
  2. NotSoSneaky

    NotSoSneaky former supporter

    I'll agree with the .22's as starter guns. After those, get thee to a firing range where you can rent several handguns and try them out. (NO ! You cannot take them home!) You "rent" them to shoot at the firing range. This way you get to experience the nuances of single action, double action and striker fired handguns in various calibers.

    The best advice I have to offer is find the handgun which fits your hand the best, then try it in different calibers and find which caliber you can shoot best in the handgun that fits your hand the best.

    Then buy several boxes of the same caliber ammo from different manufacturers and shoot them all through your pistol. Take note of which brand of ammo produces the best groups. That's the ammo you'll want to stock up on.

    Joke all you want about "fishing trips". NO!!
    If you've ever bought a gun at any retail location, you're on "The List."[OO]
     
  3. Legion489

    Legion489 Rev. 2:19 Banned

    That article was a near clone of the one published 30 years ago in "Kurt Saxon's US Militia" magazine. If they didn't read the article and copy it I'll be amazed and confused as it reads nearly identically. Of course I have also seen several articles written entirely separately that were near clones too, so anything is possible, but boy that one was exactly the same!

    Eye protection is a MUST! ALWAYS wear eye protection! I now wear glasses, so i usually have eye protection but this one was shown me 45+ years ago when a friend had a Remington .22 case blow up in the gun and it sprayed his face with powder and brass fragments. When he took off his glasses there was a bright red ring around where the glasses were! TWO lessons! NEVER shoot Remington .22, EVER! and ALWAYS wear glasses when shooting!!

    Ear protection is important too! (WILL SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER THAT PHONE?! Wait, I don't have a phone..... ) If your ears hurt everytime you fire a gun you will NOT shoot well! I thought electronic muffs were just another way to get money out of shooters until I tried them. WOW! Was I impressed! I got a set Sportsman's Guide "Guide Gear" electronic muffs that are probably 15 years old and getting ratty but still work fine. Not top of the line, but well worth what I paid for them 10-15 years ago!!

    READ! READ! READ! The problem is there is so much trash out there. I know, I used to review and edit books, MOST of it is trash! Get what you are looking for through the inter-library loan system. You can get ANYTHING through them, pretty much literally.

    WATCH! WATCH! WATCH! Get as many "how to shoot" videos and watch them (inter-library loan again). I got a set of "shooting videos" from SAF that features Pinkus (sounds like pinko, which is about right) that are pretty useless. Pinko....er....Pinkus has a few videos on You-Tube you might check out to see if they are any good. Too many CDs or whatever are too horrible for words however. Do NOT buy until you have seen them, then only buy the ones that are good/useful.

    Get training. Got a IPSC or IDPA group near you (just about everywhere/one does). Go there and watch, then try. MOST groups are very tolerant of newbees. Some are total scum and treat a new shooter like dirt however. My club just lost it's IPSC rating because the young rich boys game players were forcing out the old, "shoot like your life depended on it" shooters.

    Got to go!
     
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2015
    chelloveck and Yard Dart like this.
  4. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Well I will throw my two cents worth in this bucket.... tho most have already said the important stuff....

    Training has been covered well so far but I will say, do what ever makes you and your family feel the safest. If that means going to a professional training class to get hands on instruction, do it and don't fret over the cost... it is worth it if you need/want it. If that means you teach your family with knowledge handed down through generations regarding firearms safety and a hunter safety course... cool (that was how I was raised). If you feel you know the proper techniques and have friends/family to guide you....cool. Or of off some you-tube vid.... okay, but be careful... you only live once unless you are a follower of Buddha.... They key is, get the right training for you... wear approved shooting gear while training... ears and eyes are valuable!! I do also believe what Pax said in regards to training without those tools. You need to understand the loudness of a shot within a room or the flash at night and how it affects your night vision. My training enabled me to do that in real world situations, damn Uncle Sam.... so I am a bit loose on that stringent to have protection at all times if you are trained... of course my hearing now days is a bit less due to sudden loud noises for extended durations (you do not want that if you can avoid it), FOB in the eyeballs is a MOFO as well. ;)

    Anyways, once you have become proficient in your weapons of choice... do the same for each family member. It is good to be learned and proficient in everything.... just in case you find that misc. weap laying on the side of the road post-shtf... you really want to know how to operate it... right?! ;) But on the other hand, some folks can't, won't or just are to nervous to experiment in various weaps... that is okay as well. Ultimately, you want to have each member proficient and possessing a pistol & rifle with proper holsters, slings..what have you.... that works for them. Outfit them with a rifle such as an AR/AK or other carbine that they can shoot proficient with and carry without undue burden. A basic combat load can get heavy.... sorry range queens, we are trying to be real here. A .50 BMG is sweet.... but you are not going to hump that and enough ammo down the road unless you are truly in a pinch as a civi. Outfit each of the team with good equipment... for some that is a simple LBE, others like a bailout bag and some like the tactical vest.... all have their benefits and drawbacks. It is also important to have a shotgun, which fills a lot of roles include defensive roles as well as a game getting tool for birds and other small critters.

    And in my opinion, a 10/22 is #1 a great basic rifle for plinking, especially with the newer shooter getting used to something going bang. The rounds are cheap, you can find them pretty much anywhere for sale at a good price... though ammo can still be a bugger at times. The rifle also can be a great defensive tool for the younger members of your team in defense... they are lethal to a good shooter, can dump a lot of rounds on target and are light to operate.

    Finally, buy good products, be it a firearm or gear. You will waste your money trying to buy cheap and then upgrade over time....time is an unknown variable... if SHTF tomorrow, you fight with what you have...hopefully quality tools. Many of us have a pile of holsters and other such things... even firearms... that we have in a pile/cabinet, wondering why the heck did we waste our hard earned coin on it. Their are great reviews out their to research almost any product.... use that tool and save yourself some money and headaches. Or throw a question up here on the forum, as most likely someone has experience with the item in question. [winkthumb]

    A well prepared person will have a primary weap such as an AR/AK, a primary sidearm, a back-up sidearm, a shotgun, and a long gun per team member.... as the basic... as well as an ammo supply for each (that is another can of worms). Beyond that, most of us are just hoarders for things that go bang/boom......:lol:
     
  5. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    One of the reasons I got out of IPSC. Way back when, IPSC was a lot of fun and the courses were based on some event that did happen or could happen-at least in the PNW when I was competing. Then it seemed if you didn't have a full blown race gun, and the targets couldn't have a head... I prefer the IDPA type courses-which was the way IPSC USED to be.
     
    chelloveck and Yard Dart like this.
  6. Witch Doctor 01

    Witch Doctor 01 Mojo Maker

    ditto on the 10/22 by Ruger... one of the better .22s for the price... side arm I recommend a .357mag wheel gun... a Ruger gp100 with a minimum 4" barrel... or a Tarus even though the Ruger has a better trigger to me... a pump 12 gauge... Mossberg 500 in 12 gauge.. can be has for less than $250.00 at most gun shows... get one with the 24" barrel instead of the 18" barrel... you can buy a shorter barrel later and the 24" is better to hunt with. Look at a used Marlin 336c in 30-30... that should handle any thing under 300 yards...

    To practice with the handgun... place 2 quarters on top of an empty pistol over the cylinder and pull the trigger until you can keep the quarters from falling off... that will guarantee a smooth trigger pull on all of your weapons...

    YMMV
     
    3M-TA3, chelloveck, CATO and 4 others like this.
  7. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    Thanks for that tip witch doctor. It's a much cheaper way of practicing.
     
    chelloveck and Witch Doctor 01 like this.
  8. Legion489

    Legion489 Rev. 2:19 Banned

    I said that Remington .22s are junk and after buying a few boxes of the cheap junk (thunderbolt) and the highest end stuff I can, it has ALL been trash. Every year for the last 30+ years when I tried it. Duds, misfires, blown rims, inaccurate. Ever notice that Rem Thunderbolt (they should have named it "Thunderbird" or "Ripple", same quality) is the ONLY stuff that is available right now pretty much everywhere? No CCI (very, very rare), no Federal (or very little, and it cost a lot more when you find it), no Winchester (AT ALL!), but "Thunderdolt" is all over?! Well there is a reason! The informed buyers won't buy it, leaving it for the stupid! And even the stupid aren't buying it like they did after trying it!!

    I fully agree, BUY QUALITY! That is why I will buy Lee dies, but refuse to buy ANY Lee presses any more. And yes, I have owned or tried every Lee press except for the CAST CLASSICS (check the various Lee sites for more on them). The Lee presses are all over the map as far as quality. Some may (but generally don't) work OK for awhile, but the majority are junk and Lee does NOT stand behind them! Just go the "Lee" web sites and blogs and see what people who LIKE Lee presses have to say about them! For every "I love my Lee press!" there are a dozen "the Lee press I bought is junk!" Pick any model Lee press, doesn't matter, they are generally trash. Junk is junk, even if it is cheap junk. I never regretted buying quality, ever.
     
    Gator 45/70 and chelloveck like this.
  9. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    Something my father has always said: "always go with quality, you will never wonder why."
     
  10. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey


    I honestly haven't had any of the issues you mention with the Thunderbolt ammo. The odd misfire, but I've had that in every brand of .22LR I've ever used. I have a couple of boxes sitting here in the desk. I shoot them out of Ruger 10/22's and Ruger MKII'S mainly. The equipment in the reloading area is mainly blue for a reason;)
     
  11. Legion489

    Legion489 Rev. 2:19 Banned

    If it was one gun or even a couple, I might think it was the gun, but no matter what guns I use Rem ammo in, it is duds, misfires, hangfires (repeat strikes might or might not set them off), blown rims and inaccurate. Once a bunch of us brought out all our .22s, at least 30 of them and tried Rem, Fed, Win, CCI, etc and the ONLY .22s that didn't work were Remingtons. Everything else worked fine in all guns, but the Rems gave everyone fits. Possibly Remington has tightened up quality control the last few years, or maybe your guns just like Remington, I got no clue. I just had so many problems (and other people tell me they still have the same problems I did) that I refuse to buy Rem .22s, period.

    There IS a reason my progressive presses are blue and the single stages are RCBS!
     
    3M-TA3 likes this.
  12. Pax Mentis

    Pax Mentis Philosopher King |RIP 11-4-2017

    My experience is pretty much the same as TM's...my son and I each recently bought 1K rds of Thunderbolt and have shot close to half of them mostly through a 10/22, a MkII, a Savage and 2 Marlin 60s. One of the 60s has had too many FTFs and FTLs, but that particular rifle has been having those at about the same rate with every kind of ammo (though I can't seem to find the issue with it).

    This is actually the first batch of Thunderbolt I can remember buying and we have been shooting them because I didn't have experience with them so didn't want to store them until I got a feel for them.
     
  13. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    Like many here I've received several firearms as gifts from my father in the past. When anyone mentions being on "the list" it brings a smile to my face. Many years ago on my 21st birthday my father bought me a S&W model 28. Of course I was very happy with the gift. Sometime later he bought 3 10/22's one for himself, my brother and myself. YEARS later it somehow came up that he had my Drivers Lic. # committed to memory. "Why the heck did you do that?"

    "Because I don't want to be the only (surname used) on the list..":D
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 20, 2015
  14. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I appreciate all the replies on this thread. Great reading and great knowledge shared. Now let’s bring it back to the title- Fire arms and all it entails on a budget. Yes the article I linked had quite a list and I am not sure if all those are budget weapons. My years on survival sites I have seen many posts like this-

    The purchase of a firearm can be a real big investment to some. I heard on @falcon’s show this weekend at least 2000 rounds of ammo per gun. If someone only has about $30 a week to put towards prepping and they don’t start prepping on a credit card. Classes are about $150. So think budget---What would be the one gun you would advise someone to save up for?
     
  15. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    That single question has to have some details behind it. What is the intended use for that single weapon? There's no such thing as an all purpose gun. (FWIW: I started off with a shotgun, but in those days, I hunted.)
     
  16. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Mossberg 500..... it will shoot the best variety of ammo for the basics, provides for a good defense and a solid game getter for providing food on the plate. Price is reasonable for what you are getting IMO
    Mossberg® 500 and 590A1 Tactical Pump-Action Shotguns : Cabela's

    On a budget, I would also suggest a Hi-Point 995TS.... I picked up one in 9mm and like it lot. The selling price is less than $300 at this time.
    Hi-Point Firearms: 9mm Carbine

    A couple of good videos on the 995 by @Brokor in this thread!
    Hi-Point C9 9mm Pistol! | Survival Forums
     
  17. Witch Doctor 01

    Witch Doctor 01 Mojo Maker

    While the high points are good guns... I prefer a used Star pistol in 9mm like the BM model.. a little heavy but the solid steel weapon will handle a lot of abuse.... modeled after the 1911 i's easy to work on and clean... price around $200.00
     
    kellory and Tully Mars like this.
  18. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    As far as Ammo goes, I firmly believe you never have enough. That being said, you buy it one box at a time if needed. Just like anything else, you set goals. 100 rns put away(not practice ammo) 200rns put away and so on until you get to your main goal. I always tell folks 1,000 rounds per weapon system is a great goal.

    @Yard Dart's suggestion is spot on IMHO, however I would suggest the Mossberg 500 home defense/field combo. One barrel for defense,one for hunting. Barrels change in a couple of minutes.

    Classes are a must unless you know someone that can teach you properly. Not some knucklehead armchair commando. Books are great, SOME videos are as well, but without having someone to properly train you a person can easily pick up bad habits-and they can be hard to unlearn. My [2c]
     
  19. kellory

    kellory An unemployed Jester, is nobody's fool. Banned

    You know I am budget conscience. I make Lincoln's head hurt from pinching. I bought for my use the Mossberg 500, with interchangeable barrels. Rifled sabot barrel for deer, smooth field bore for shot or rifled slugs. It is a good choice for an all around tool. You can get a variety of barrels to suit what you need, just order them as you determine what that need is..
    Other items can be added as needed, like extending the five shot tube to hold a couple more rounds.
    Being a pumpgun, it is simple to use, simple to load, simple to swap barrels. And not too expensive.
     
  20. Kingfish

    Kingfish Self Reliant

    My wife and I are on a tight budget. However before the shortage of .22 rim fire we bought piles of it and can now shoot cheap practice ammo. Yesterday we did handgun target practice and went through 200 rounds of Remmington Thunderbolts in the Ruger SR-22 handguns. By the end both of us were hitting center mass at 25/30 feet rapid fire. Im pleased. Still have a lot of .22 for practice and will be doing more practice from now on out as things get worse.
     
  1. 3M-TA3
  2. Motomom34
  3. Matei
  4. Ganado
  5. Yard Dart
  6. Yard Dart
  7. hot diggity
  8. Oddcaliber
  9. Dont
  10. oil pan 4
  11. Oddcaliber
  12. Yard Dart
  13. Marvin L. Steinhagen
  14. Ura-Ki
  15. Ura-Ki
  16. Witch Doctor 01
  17. Big Ron
  18. OldDude49
  19. Yard Dart
  20. OldDude49
survivalmonkey SSL seal        survivalmonkey.com warrant canary
17282WuJHksJ9798f34razfKbPATqTq9E7