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Only enough $ for one gun.

S

snakedoc

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Looking to get some home security and fun on the range. Have only enough $ for one gun (would also be my only one).
Living in MA, an AR might be out of my range budget-wise. Looking at an Sig 365xl. Other recs? Maybe an Sig MPX (can you still get those in MA with removable mags?)
 
BIG difference between the 365 series and the MPX.
Do you want a handgun or a carbine ?
There are a zillion "what gun should I buy" threads here for any situation.
Me personally, if I had to get rid of the lifetime collection, and only allowed to keep one gun, I'd go with the 4" stainless Colt Python.
I'd take this over the HK p7 because of the more powerful .357 round.
Assuming this would be my only gun, it would need to serve several purposes.
Obviously, a Python is on the way expensive end of the scale (especially the old ones), but a .357 revolver serves well at more than one role because it also shoots .38 special.
 
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snakedoc said:
Looking to get some home security and fun on the range. Have only enough $ for one gun (would also be my only one).
Living in MA, an AR might be out of my range budget-wise. Looking at an Sig 365xl. Other recs? Maybe an Sig MPX (can you still get those in MA with removable mags?)
Click to expand...
GLOCK.

They are reliable and work. And I don't know why people hate so much on the factory trigger, they are not bad at all.

I recently asked a bunch of NES members at a meet, it is WW3, and they can only have one handgun, which one do they pick? Everyone but 1 said Glock. The one that didn't say Glock also said a .40, so his opinion is invalid.
 
snakedoc said:
Looking to get some home security and fun on the range. Have only enough $ for one gun (would also be my only one).
Living in MA, an AR might be out of my range budget-wise. Looking at an Sig 365xl. Other recs? Maybe an Sig MPX (can you still get those in MA with removable mags?)
Click to expand...
If you're really that cost limited you need to take the whole system cost into account. The gun is just the first part. It's also kind of funny that you're mentioning not-econo guns yet you're like budget limited; that's fairly contradictory by itself. This sounds like restrictions set forth by a broad not an actual cost restriction. 🤣
 
If I was on a serious budget id look at a Mossberg maverick shotty for home defense.

A mossberg mc2c 9mm or turkish brg elite for range and carry.

That will cost you 500 dollars.

You could go turkish pump shotty for a little less.

The rest id spend on ammo. If your cost limited your not having much range fun anyway cause ammo will eventually cost you way more than guns.

Shooting is expensive
 
Pick your favorite flavor of mid to full sized 9mm pistol. Works for both home defense and range applications if those are the purposes you are after.
 
Davidk said:
The gun is the cheapest part of the equation. If you don’t have much more money for ammo to practice and for training, don’t buy a gun
Click to expand...
That is the correct answer. Owning a gun doesn't make you a shooter anymore than owning a guitar makes you a guitarist.
You need training, ammo, and practice.
 
Handgun. You can carry it out in public concealed.
You will take it to the range to shoot way more often than a shotgun or rifle.
Easier to secure at home, faster cleaning and ammo for it is cheaper.
You will have a firearm on you more often for protection and quicker access.
Glock 19 or a H&K VP9 are great choices.
 
If I had to keep just 1, it’d be a shotgun. With the exception of range, it’s the most versatile for range fun and HD. I also just really like shotguns. As someone else said, a Maverick 88 can’t be beat for cost and quality.
With that said, you can build a pretty cheap AR in MA with the right parts. Unfortunately, mags and food for an AR are anything but cheap now.
 
12 gauge shotgun with multiple barrels. You can have some range fun shooting at moving targets with trap/skeet/5-stand etc or just blowing large holes in paper. Then quickly swap barrels at home for something more manageable around the house.
 
Why is everyone rushing to 12 gauge, and pumps in particular?

They’re actually difficult to run for inexperienced shooters. Recoil, risk of over penetrating the threat, and it’s easy to short stroke under stress.

For a single gun, I’d probably recommend a pistol. Yes, also difficult to shoot well, but will actually be cheaper, easier and more fun to train at the range and can be used for self defense outside the house too. Plus side in the house is being able to have a hand free if you need it to handle family members/use a separate flashlight. Just make sure you get a good holster, a flashlight for home defense threat identification, and actually train. Get some bulk FMJ ammo, but also some quality JHP for actual defensive purposes. Ideally take a pistol course if you can save up the money. Your skills will increase much faster if you take a course.

For type of pistol, pick one that you can shoot well. Ideally, go to a range that lets you rent a few to try. P365xl, Glock 43x/48, Glock 19, and many more “compact” pistols would be fine to start. Stay away from sub-compacts with stubby grips.

Second gun (and it will likely come. They’re different tools for different jobs) could be a carbine or shotgun depending on what you think you might be doing. I’d argue carbine, but if you want to shoot clays or hunt in MA with a firearm, then shotgun.

Honesty, if you have any inclination that you may want an AR in the future, your first gun should be an AR lower before this crap goes through the state house followed by the pistol. Don’t worry about building it up right away. And you don’t need a fixed mag one.
 
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Davidk said:
The gun is the cheapest part of the equation. If you don’t have much more money for ammo to practice and for training, don’t buy a gun
Click to expand...

Really? How elitist.

Of course one should be training, but people should still have the means for self defense even if one can’t practice much due to financial reasons. When I was lower enlisted in the Army, I did not have much money for practice ammo and had to pay for a rental bay at each range trip. I didn’t shoot my pistol much, but I could still hit a chest at home defense distances. It’s not that hard to meet the bare minimum necessary for self defense. That describes a lot of people. And plenty of people defend themselves with pistols that they had sitting around for years.

Yes, training and training ammo should be considered when getting into firearms. But it isn’t a hard barrier for choosing to have the means to defend oneself or one’s family.

Also, one can do a shit ton of training without firing a shot. And you can start to get ammo for training when possible over time. You don’t need to dump just as much or more money on the ammo as you did the pistol immediately.
 
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snakedoc said:
Looking to get some home security and fun on the range. Have only enough $ for one gun (would also be my only one).
Living in MA, an AR might be out of my range budget-wise. Looking at an Sig 365xl. Other recs? Maybe an Sig MPX (can you still get those in MA with removable mags?)
Click to expand...

AR's are a bad choice for home defense , they can penetrate through walls and could injure occupants in other rooms. Keep it simple buy a handgun and ideally a light.
 
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Davidk said:
The gun is the cheapest part of the equation. If you don’t have much more money for ammo to practice and for training, don’t buy a gun
Click to expand...
This is good advice that imo is not followed by 90 percent of gun owners in America. The vast majority of gun owners shoot a gun 1 maybe 2 times a year.
 
OP, how experienced are you? Can you shoot?

If not, you should factor in the costs of climbing the learning curve (I only mention this because you mention you're cost-constrained). Figure in the cost of your range membership, as well, since you'll be going there often at first.

When I have a person who wakes up suddenly and realizes they want instant HD viability, I recommend a longer 12-gauge for recoil mitigation, a shallower learning curve, the likelihood of decreased accuracy under stress, the wide range of the ammo available, low cost of gun and ammo, and sheer fun.

If it's a handgun you want, get a 9mm Glock or a .357 Ruger revolver, but PRACTICE with that MFer.
 
Get an AR, they are inexpensive, pick up a stripped lower for $50, a lower parts kit for $150, and get a PSA upper shipped to a friend in NH, buy a bunch of magazines and ammo and you will be close to the cost of the P365 Xmacro with optic.

Anyone saying am AR is bad for home defense because it will shoot through walls should try shooting walls with a 9mm and a shotgun. Here's the thing about bullets, if the can kill someone they can go through and inch of sheet rock.
 
whacko said:
This is good advice that imo is not followed by 90 percent of gun owners in America. The vast majority of gun owners shoot a gun 1 maybe 2 times a year.
Click to expand...

The advice to not buy a gun if you can’t immediately spend more money on ammo than the gun?

Not carrying a handgun until you’re competent, sure. But it’s silly to say one shouldn’t buy the gun and keep it in their home unless they can extensively train right away.
 
PappyM3 said:
The advice to not buy a gun if you can’t immediately spend more money on ammo than the gun?
Click to expand...

OP mentioned he's a poor. I think if he'd listed a number, or not mentioned it at all, people would be tailoring their advice a little more narrowly. But he seems to care about costs.

I also think the people suggesting a stripped AR lower might be overestimating the OP's comfort level and experience, but if not, it's great advice. We'll have to wait and see if he returns.
 
PappyM3 said:
The advice to not buy a gun if you can’t immediately spend more money on ammo than the gun?

Not carrying a handgun until you’re competent, sure. But it’s silly to say one shouldn’t buy the gun and keep it in their home unless they can extensively train right away.
Click to expand...
Maybe more is getting read into my statement than what I really meant. I never said someone shouldn't do anything.

I think it's good advice to consider a budget for ammunition as well as the gun itself. I believe the VAST majority of Americans that own guns don't ever actually practice with them. As far as how I feel about americns owning guns with no budget for ammo and never practicing with them? I couldn't care less what they chose to do with their purchases 😂. But.....I do think it's pretty stupid to own guns and have very little proficiency with them or very little ammo to put through them. Basically my opinion is just that.....my opinion. People have a right to be stupid. 😂
 
PappyM3 said:
The advice to not buy a gun if you can’t immediately spend more money on ammo than the gun?

Not carrying a handgun until you’re competent, sure. But it’s silly to say one shouldn’t buy the gun and keep it in their home unless they can extensively train right away.
Click to expand...
The OP mentioned range fun and being poor in the same sentence. I think that's where whacko is going with this and I agree with him.

Buy a Turkish shotty, or a cheap 250 dollar handgun, run a few rounds thru it is what is basically going to happen here. Range fun....will happen once, and then the poor will realize he bought something he cant afford to shoot much.

If your in MA, don't forget you'll need a safe to put it in, which will cost you even more.

They just had a great sale on shotgun ammo down in SC, and I just bought 700 dollars worth.....this is where im going with this, as I shoot 10K rounds a year.
 

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