Suggest a good $400 Gun

kalifornian

I'm just getting started with my collection. I own an HK45 USP and am looking for my next piece. I have a gift certificate from my local CA gun dealer so it must be a new firearm as that's mostly what they sell (they can order anything that the socialists haven't yet managed to outlaw in this state).

I would most like a carbine (hoping for 16" barrel, .45, semi-auto, similar to discontinued Marlin Camp 45) that I can use at my favorite indoor range but am also considering a Mossberg 500 combo 12-gauge shotgun with 18" and 24" barrels (home defense and skeet/trap). I'd also be willing to consider a fun to shoot handgun that packs a punch, fits into my big hand, small enough to carry, and gentle enough that my wife can shoot.

Do any of you experts out there have some advice on what to buy? I'm left handed, can spend about $400, am good with my .45 but haven't tried much outside of semi-auto handguns.

Thanks for your advice.


So many guns, so little money . . .

E.Williams

If you already have a .45 I suggest you gt a .357 magnum.Then you will have two serious handguns and you can shoot .38special for target.I think everyman sahould have a .45 and a .357 revolver..45's are good but youve got to have an old faithful.Thats my opinion anyway.

Eric S. Williams

E.Williams

Try aa 3" Ruger GP100 or 3" S & W model 65 .357 magnum.Fairly concealable and with the .38special loads your wife should definaately be able to handle those..357 for you and .38 for the wife all in the same gun.


Eric S. Williams

gskyhawk

Kalifornian: If you don't already have one then a good 22 lr is in order ,, every one should have at least one , you can do a ton of shooting for very little cost , so you get lots of practice,, good gun to start a wife or kids out with also, and loaded with CCI Stringers it can be use for defense, maybe not the best but better than nothing, put 6-10 rounds of high speed HP into someone , well you get the picture right?

Nighthawk

Buy the Ruger PC-9,or.40 carbine,there an excellant gun thats fun to shoot.If you want a hand gun buy the Ruger P89 9mm.



Good Luck.

Rugster

spclark

Ruger's newer Deerfield (5-shot semi-auto), a 44 Magnum, would be a nice companion to your USP. I have one, and their PC4 as well, but prefer the Deerfield for some reason.

rg666

Maybe a Ruger Vaquero. Its a very nice single action revolver. I may be a little over $400 though.

kwwoody

I think a 22LR would be a good buy, maybe a Ruger Mark II target. Lots of fun shooting at low cost which equal more shooting for the money.

azgunnut2@yahoo.com

Hey ,
The .22 suggestion was great , how about a great "carry" gun , maybe a
keltec 40 , OOPS - SOORY , forgot you reside in the republic of Kalf.
maybe spend the $$$ money on the move to a non-comunistic state......
good luck anyways....................................................

Join / Support the NRA
Guns are my friends !!!

E.Williams

I had a Kel-Tec P40 I traded it for a .357 my father had he carries a 4006 on duty so I let him get it as a back up.I had problems with the accuracy at about 10 yards I would have to aim about 4" to the left and 2"high but it would hit around the same area as long as i did that.But it ate everythingand he would only need it for point blank I didnt know you couldnt have Kel-Tecs in California.What are their banning parameters?Nothing that can be concealed?Thank God I live in the South I dont think their banning much here anytime soon.Theyll have a bunch of pised off good ole boys with 12 gauges.And thats just trouble:)

Eric S. Williams

kalifornian

Thanks everyone for the great feedback and advice.

I noticed nobody mentioned the 12ga Mossberg 500 combo that I said I was considering in the original post. Does this mean people aren't happy with them? I've heard good things about them. I liked the idea of the combo as it would give me a home def and a skeet/trap tool for my upcoming lessons.

Your thoughts?

So many guns, so little money . . .

E.Williams

Mossberg does make good shotguns.In my opinion if you want to do serious skeet you need a auto-loader or a over under shotgun.I feel that having to rack the gun after your first shot will make it harder to get back in aim concentration before your next pigeon comes.With a auto or over-under all your dealing with is recoil.But either Mossberg or a Remington 870 would be a good choice as you could skeet/protect/and maybe bag some game with either.As for a auto-loader I like Browning Gold's and Remington 11-87's and for over-uder I would suggest Beretta is good but expensive and CZ makes a pretty good over-under.Different shotguns fit different needs but the Mossberg is a good cover all.After all a shotgun is still a shotun.Good Luck

Eric S. Williams

E.Williams

I forgot to mention for over-under Fabarm Silver is good but has the same problem as Beretta a little pricey.And for a economical over-under check out the European American Armory IZH models.


Eric S. Williams

will270win

How about a Ruger Blackhawk in 44 mag. i just got one here in the high-desert for under $300. Shot one my friend had and can't wait to pick up this one and do some blasting.


~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~
Will270win@nraonline.com

dads-freehold

greetings, iagree with 'williams about shot guns, tho i'm a die hard mossberg fan still the 500 for skeet is going to get ya a lot of snickers from the pro's. that said i still believe the 500 series to be the most versitial. then again i believe i'd get the blk.hawk 44. choises, choises... respt. submitted dads-freehold

rodney colson

SlappyDappy

As for skeet/trap, I had an old pre-ban (I think) mossberg 500 with like a 14" barrel and a regular pistol grip. Needless to say the recoil hurt like a biotch, especially when firing 3" magnum slugs. Well, I also had a 12 guage Beretta 1201FP police model which was 12 guage and semi-automatoc. Yes, the "pros" and thier over and unders and semi automatic 22" barrel shotguns didnt look to amused with my tactical guns, you see, there were no duck engravings or hunters inscribed on the recievers (no wood either)! They also didnt think it was too funny when we started firing slugs at the skeets, more amazed when we hit some. I still have yet to take my Spas-12 to the skeet range, I think they would just run me outta there! As for accuracy, I do not know if there is some magic to it, but ask anyone who has ever fired a Spas-12, these guns are so accurate its scary. Slamming bullseye after bullseye with slugs, even at 50 yards it eady with this shotgun. They will run you about 800 at the least though. As for a good 400 dollar gun, I would say either a baby eagle in 45 or a walther p99 in 40SW, but it will be about 550 for that gun, and about 450 for the beagle. Both guns are reliable, accurate, and are different and unique so you wont feel like your buying something that everyone else has. Also, a super redhawk in 454 would be fun, but not good for the ladies or for carry.