Most inexpensive MA legal handgun?

hillman

NES Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2008
Messages
2,632
Likes
3,410
Location
Central Vermont
Feedback: 46 / 0 / 0
I have a friend who just got a class A, ALP at my urging. He's been shooting with me at a range up in VT for a while now and is finally ready to make his first handgun purchase here in MA.

He is the kind of guy who likes to ease in to things, plus he's a really small guy, so my Ruger P345, which is what I recommended, kind of intimidates him.

So he is looking for the most inexpensive handgun he is likely to be able to purchase brand new from a dealer here in this state (a condition his wife set on him is it must be new, because she thinks guns are like cars, if you buy a used one it will blow up in your face).

I thought it might be the S&W Sigma 9mm, or maybe one one of the .38's. I think he's looking specifically for a .38 or 9mm. He shot a friend's Glock 22 and didn't like the snap of the .40.

He will most likely not be carrying it anytime soon, but someday... you have to convert these guys slowly, you know?

Thanks.
 
Jennings?[laugh]

Honestly This is a horrible mentallity to have. There are very few "new" quality guns that can be had for under $325. New smith 38's can be found for $350-$400 which may be his best bet, but if hes really focused on the money aspect he should really look at used quality firearms. (or get one lightly used and tell the wife its new)

Thats my personal oppinion.


-Jon
 
Jennings?[laugh]

Honestly This is a horrible mentallity to have. There are very few "new" quality guns that can be had for under $325. New smith 38's can be found for $350-$400 which may be his best bet, but if hes really focused on the money aspect he should really look at used quality firearms. (or get one lightly used and tell the wife its new)

Thats my personal oppinion.


-Jon

Agreed. The wife is not going to be able to tell used from new most likely. Especially if it's a stainless revolver. Buying a cheap gun, particularly an auto-loader, for a first gun is a bad idea.

Buy right, cry once.
 
His options would open up considerably if he can get his wife to back off on
the "new" requirement. (Or, as others suggest, simply ignoring it, as she'd
likely never be able to tell, anyways... )

If he increases the limit to $500 then his options open up by orders of entire
magnitude.


-Mike
 
He's not going to find a cheap new revolver in MA because one doesn't exist.

His best bet will be to start out with a .22 like a Ruger MKIII. They're available new for under $350, and ammo is cheap in case his wife lets him shoot it.
 
The most inexpensive might be a Hi Point, although I don't know if they are legal in Mass. They are frequently used as chock blocks, and I once hammered some nails in with one I owned, but was always afraid to fire it.....[smile]
Tim
 
If you want to play the game fair, you should consider gun plus ammo. Pick some reasonable number of rounds he might go through in a year or two, like 1000. It puts the amount saved by buying the very cheapest gun, say $100, into perspective, and would highlight the difference between a .32, .38, etc.
 
With some serious looking you should be able to find a N.I.B. revolver in the $300 range. I actually bought my Model 10 brand new almost 20 years after it was built for under $200.

But honestly, if he has to buy new, and he's a first time shooter, I'd get a .22 pistol like the S&W 22A and get some serious trigger time on that.
 
The most inexpensive might be a Hi Point, although I don't know if they are legal in Mass. They are frequently used as chock blocks, and I once hammered some nails in with one I owned, but was always afraid to fire it.....[smile]
Tim

I wish they were legal in MA... I know a guy who has about half a dozen of these things scattered around his house, in his basement in coffee cans, hidden in woodpiles, thrown in boxes of old crap.

He figures he can't hurt them any more than they already are, and what the heck, it MIGHT work if he needed it in a pinch.
 
I wish they were legal in MA... I know a guy who has about half a dozen of these things scattered around his house, in his basement in coffee cans, hidden in woodpiles, thrown in boxes of old crap.

He figures he can't hurt them any more than they already are, and what the heck, it MIGHT work if he needed it in a pinch.

I'm more afraid of that gun than an actual assailant.
 
I'm more afraid of that gun than an actual assailant.

+2

If I wanted to buy multiple copies of a single firearm to leave in strategic locations around a house, I'd buy Sigmas. Ugly, bad trigger, etc, but it'll go bang, not boom, when you pull the trigger.
 
I wouldn't sell it to him.

What are you trying to do? Rob87 him?

$100 for a freakin' Jennings?

Nope, trying to save him $69 off what I saw two of them for at Marlboro a couple of weeks ago. [laugh]
You can't get these puppies new in MA you know. {Actually I don't know if they are even made any more.} [thinking]


Does the Worcester PD still give $100 gift cards for these things once a year?

Nah, I wouldn't sell it to him. He might load it.
And if he loads it, he might fire it.
And if he fires it and it hits someone, and they discover it, they'll be pissed! [smile]
 
Last edited:
Nope, trying to save him $69 off what I saw two of them for at Marlboro a couple of weeks ago. [laugh]
Can't get these puppies new in MA anymore you know. {Actually I don't know if they are even made any more.} [thinking]

Nah, I wouldn't sell it to him. He might load it.
And if he loads it, he might fire it.
And if he fires it and it hits someone, and they discover it, they'll be pissed! [smile]

You forgot the best part- it might just blow up in his hand, too. That's what happens when you have a pistol which is made out of the recycled foil from gum wrappers. [laugh]

-Mike
 
Have your friend tell his wife that going out and buying the cheapest gun possible is like going out and buying the cheapest car possible. He's just asking for trouble down the road, and he's going to end up so frustrated with it he won't want to shoot it and will probably lose interest.

Implore him to spend the extra couple hundred dollars and get something reliable that he's going to enjoy shooting. See how well he likes a 92FS. It's 9mm and heavy, so it'll minimize recoil. You can buy them new for around $550. And it's a fairly reliable gun.
 
So he is looking for the most inexpensive handgun he is likely to be able to purchase brand new from a dealer here in this state (a condition his wife set on him is it must be new, because she thinks guns are like cars, if you buy a used one it will blow up in your face).

It's no wonder he wants the most inexpensive gun he can get since his wife will only let him pull the trigger ONCE! It will be used after that, of course, and might just explode... He can give it to me for disposal after that 1 round.

Seriously though, a .22 is the for a standard first pistol. If he wants to get in slowly a Ruger MKII or III can be had for not much, will provide lots of practice, and can be fed for an absolute minimum of cash. and will be useful to him his whole life. If he wants a defensive gun, look for a good .38/.357 revolver and pay to play.
 
I have a friend who just got a class A, ALP at my urging. He's been shooting with me at a range up in VT for a while now and is finally ready to make his first handgun purchase here in MA.

He is the kind of guy who likes to ease in to things, plus he's a really small guy, so my Ruger P345, which is what I recommended, kind of intimidates him.

So he is looking for the most inexpensive handgun he is likely to be able to purchase brand new from a dealer here in this state (a condition his wife set on him is it must be new, because she thinks guns are like cars, if you buy a used one it will blow up in your face).

I thought it might be the S&W Sigma 9mm, or maybe one one of the .38's. I think he's looking specifically for a .38 or 9mm. He shot a friend's Glock 22 and didn't like the snap of the .40.

He will most likely not be carrying it anytime soon, but someday... you have to convert these guys slowly, you know?

Thanks.

Tough call here. If he does not want to spend much, why does it have to be brand new? The Sigma has been improved since it first came out, but it's no one first choice. I would say get a used revolver, like a Ruger GP100 and shoot .38 out of it. Great guns (though for a few $$$ more I would get an S&W 686) that last forever, need very little upkeep, and have no real recoil when shooting .38. I would go used. The new choices in that price range are going to be of such low quality it's just not worth it.
 
If 22 is ok and he has small hands, Walther P22. I he has "normal" size or large hands, a Ruger MKIII.

For a larger caliber, a Sigma in 9MM would get it done, but I wouldn't spend my money one of those when a SW99 or M&P9 can be had for a bit more.
 
I have a friend who just got a class A, ALP at my urging. He's been shooting with me at a range up in VT for a while now and is finally ready to make his first handgun purchase here in MA.

He is the kind of guy who likes to ease in to things, plus he's a really small guy, so my Ruger P345, which is what I recommended, kind of intimidates him.

So he is looking for the most inexpensive handgun he is likely to be able to purchase brand new from a dealer here in this state (a condition his wife set on him is it must be new, because she thinks guns are like cars, if you buy a used one it will blow up in your face).

I thought it might be the S&W Sigma 9mm, or maybe one one of the .38's. I think he's looking specifically for a .38 or 9mm. He shot a friend's Glock 22 and didn't like the snap of the .40.

He will most likely not be carrying it anytime soon, but someday... you have to convert these guys slowly, you know?

Thanks.

if moneys important he could always get the new ruger .380 you can pick one up for $325 new ive been told. but i dont own one just offering ideas
 
I just bought a new M&P9mm at Four Seasons over the weekend for $480.

Also just found out today that S&W are offering 2 more free mags to anyone buying an M&P between 2/27 and 3/30. Just send in the certificate with copy of receipt.
 
Back
Top Bottom