Building my gun collection

silenthunterstudios

silenthunterstudios

Slipjoint Addict
Joined
Feb 2, 2005
Messages
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I currently own a no name single shot 22, a no name 20 gauge single shot shotgun, and a Ruger P85. Like a lot of guys on here, my want list is pretty long. However, I have to be selective with my purchases, not only because I want to make sure I don't lose any money in this arena, but I want to make sure I get what I absolutely want. I've been told I need a good rimfire rifle, a good centerfire rifle, a good shotgun(870 has been recommended by many), a good centerfire pistol (already have the P95), a good revolver and a good beater gun.

While my want list is huge for guns, I am going to be buying a Marlin 981t, which I've posted about here before, probably late October to mid November from good old Wally World. It fires 22 short, 22 long, and 22 long rifle. I just recently read an article about .17 rifles, and want one, preferably a Ruger. I also have just read about .410 shotguns, and want a bolt action 410. Since I was a little kid, I've loved the 1911 45 design. I also like the Glocks and Berettas. Then, I'm moving to PA within the next few years, and I'm looking for a good concealed carry (with permit my LEO friends ;) ), preferably a revolver. Then I've lately been looking at the single action revolvers. Don't get me started on blackpowder rifles!

As you can see, I'm developing an addiction. Better than heroin? Yes, definitely, but just as costly. I'm getting thrown off the puter, but are there any sites I should go to that can help me narrow down my yearly purchases? Any ideas, with facts to back them up, on what I should buy? Thanks in advance, and I will edit this post later to illustrate what I am interested in finding out.
 
Let me be the first to recommend the proper first 1911... COLT. I do like some of the higher end ones, but those will have to wait until I win the lottery.
Let's break it down... good rimfire rifle: I have an ancient Winchester bolt action that is hands down the most accurate rifle I've ever shot. I think the lever actions are fun though.
shotgun: you have to decide upon action, semi-auto, pump, double. The opinions here are far more numerous and fractious than anything in the knife world! (think sebenza vs. whatever)

Revolvers: I'm partial to Smith&Wesson's, there are nice Colt's too.

centerfire rifle: too vague... what caliber? for what use? Again, more opinions on caliber and brand than you can shake a stick at.

Here's what's on my immediate wish list: a Turkey shotgun... most likely going to be a Mossberg 935 due to cost. A S&W 642, cause everybody should have one!

My win the lottery list: Ed Brown bob-tailed commander, an AR of some sort, a side by side 16ga. shotgun, a Ruger Vaquero in .45LC, a new top end 12 ga. for bird hunting, a 20ga just for fun, and many more that I'd have to think about.

One last bit of advice... if you are unmarried, get ALL of the guns you want and need PRIOR to getting married!
 
.17 rifle and .410 shotgun are cartridges of dubious utility. The idea of the .17 was to shoot fox without making a big hole in the fur, but it isn't very effective and a fur with a .17" hole in it isn't really any more valuable than a fur with a .22" hole in it. .410 is for kids who can't carry a heavy gun or take much recoil -- that doesn't apply to you, does it? Even kids are probably better off with a 28 gauge....

What do you want to use a shotgun for? You can get one shotgun to serve multiple purposes, or specialized guns that are only good for one thing. Do you want it for home defense, turkey, upland birds, deer, or waterfowl? Oh, there are also three kinds of clay target shooting.... You can get one pump-action medium weight medium barrel length 12 gauge with interchangeable choke tubes that will do everything reasonably well, or you can get a specialized gun for each purpose you're interested in.

You need a .22 pistol! .22s are important -- even if you reload you gotta have something you can shoot as much as you want without spending a lot of money or time on ammo for.
 
Get a nice .22 rifle, and a nice 12 guage, and a nice 1911, and a nice .357 mag revolver, and you good to go!
 
I think your off to a good start figuring out what you want. You can really dig a hole for yourself if you just go to the gunshop with a pocket full of cash :eek: Better off to figure out what you're interests are and what would be a good purchase in each area before you go, then look for the deals on what you want.
I think I already recommended that marlin 981T to you in your last thread, but I'll say one more time what a good gun it is. At least the 81T is a good gun. I have one, and its a real tack driver, feeds everything reliably and requires little to no maintenance. I did a little bit of a trigger job on it, but the 981 has an upgraded trigger and probably doesn't need it. In the end it was just a different return spring, and a couply teflon washers anyhow. Bout a 15 minute job :D Last time I was serious about trying I could get 5 shot groups under half an inch at 35 yards, just resting the front of the gun on a fence post.

The ruger you have is a nice gun. I looked pretty hard at P89's when I was looking for a centerfire auto. Ended up buying a Taurus model 92 though as I could get a better deal on it and liked it a little bit better.
For a .22 pistol, I can recommend a Ruger for an auto, have shot a mark II and a mark III and both are very nice guns for the money. For a revolver, I would look for a Ruger single six, but depending on budget you might have to go with something else. The EAA bounty hunter is a very nice little gun for the money, haven't had a chance to do any more than handle one at a store though so I don't know how they shoot. I do have a heritage rough rider and I would leave this as a last resort for a single action .22. Its a very serviceable gun, pretty accurate, but ugly as sin and not made to be around for your grandkids. Not a bad gun by any means, but I would look for something better if you have the cash.

Personally I would leave the .17 for a later purchase, something for after you have the basics covered. If the get the .17 rimfire, its a niche caliber. Doesn't reach as far or hit as hard as the centerfire's and isn't as economical as the .22. If you go with the .17 centerfire, you get good balistics for long range shooting, but ammo cost and availability sucks compared to a .223 remington. .17HMR costs about $9 for 50 rounds last time I looked, and you can get winchester varmint loads in .223 rem at about $11-12 for 40. Much more bang for the buck in the .223.
 
If you are going to start a firearms collection, first thing is to buy the best gun safe you can afford.

I would suggest getting a Sig P220 in lieu of the Colt. I favor the double action trigger to the single.

Smith and Wesson = :barf:

I would also suggest you buy anything you fall in love with, even if the price hurts.

Stock up on ammunition.
 
your best deals on the market right now are military surplus rifles. i deal with ALOT of surplus rifles and know them inside and out.

for a semiauto centerfire rifle i would sudgest a sks. your plain jain yugo sks's run for about 80 bucks still in cosmoline (about 150 give or take at a gun shop) there are many different countrys that made the sks, the cheapest are the yugos and the most expensive are the russians (300-600 depending on the guns condition and buyer) and vietnam bring back chinese factory 26s although im not even going to cover those right now. ammo is extreamly cheap, 3 bucks for 20 rounds and its the same round as the ak47 if you ever decide to move to a ak47.
http://aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Yugoslavian_Model_59_66_7_62x39_SKS_Rifle.html
sksyugoshooter.gif

Roosky_01.jpg



if you want a bolt action rifle your better off with a masuer variant, many can be had for the sub 200 buck range. or a mosin nagant 91/30 or m44. 91/30s like the one pictured can go for 70 bucks (usually 130 off the rack at a gun shop) or 50 bucks for a m44 (about 100 at a gun shop) the ammo for this gun is about 4 bucks for 25 rounds although finding non corrosive is hard if not impossable so make sure to clean after use.
http://aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Russian_Model_91_30_7_62x54R_Mosin_Nagant.html
heres a pair of laminated 91/30s and a m44.
Mosin_01.jpg

24422172787.jpg



another good gun to look for are the swiss k31s, these rifles are EXTREAMLY accurite and in alot of shooting competitions they are outlawed or pushed up to the modified class because they have a unfair advantage. the great thing about them is that they only cost about 100 bucks (130 from a gun shop)
http://aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Swiss_1931_Carbin_Scmidt_Rubin_K31_7_5Swiss_Cal_.html


BUT, if you can afford alittle better get a m1 garand or m1 carbine. if your interested i can tell you all about them.
 
Umm, why are we having to look at naked man ass in the Gadgets and Gear area? :barf:
 
Danbo said:
Umm, why are we having to look at naked man ass in the Gadgets and Gear area? :barf:
Click to expand...

I think the server those images were hosted on doesn't like remote linking.

Sometimes the results of remote linking an image can be disturbing.

KaBar: Hit CTRL-F5 on this thread and see.
 
KaBar said:
i hate when hostes do that, but what can ya do about it?
Click to expand...

Host them on your own server like Photobucket or xs.to. They don't want you using their bandwidth.

I'd edit out those last two images for now before a moderator does.
 
You said you don't want to lose money. Do you feel you will probably not
be keeping the guns for a long period of time? If that is the case the best advice is to stay clear of most guns that are still in production and if they are in production look for good clean early pieces. You mentioned a 1911.
Lots of them around and some are highly desired and pricey.
Get a good one if you can. You're much more likely to break even or profit
from a $1000+ piece than a $300 one.
I've never had trouble getting the price I wanted for nice clean top quality guns.
You said gun COLLECTION so obviously I'm referring to collector guns.
For shooters get the run of the mill stuff from the guys that have to dump them and might even be selling them at a loss.
 
if your looking for older military style rifles stick with real usgi guns. take the m1 carbine, i had a mint universal m1a1 that i sold for 300 bucks :barf: i missed it so much i picked up a rockola carbine, one in good shape is 1000+ the universal was nice (atleast mine was) but you will hear horror storys of them and they will never be as collectable as a real carbine.

same goes for the garands, a new SA garand will set you back about 1300 bucks. the funny thing is that people are actually paying that much for those cast reciever POS knock offs. :D theres alot of people loosing there asses on those. ive seen people try to trade brand new springfields for usgis, needless to say they got laughed at.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
I need:

1. a good rimfire rifle,
2. a good centerfire rifle,
3. a good shotgun(870 has been recommended by many),
4. a good centerfire pistol (already have the P95),
5. a good revolver and
6. a good beater gun.
Click to expand...

1. Spendy? Anschutz. Value? CZ452
2. Remington 700 in .308
3. No experience, but Yanks like pumps and the 870 is ubiquitous
4. Your choice of 1911 in .45 ACP
5. Colt Python!
6. SMLE No.1 Mk.III, III* or Mk.4!

maximus otter
 
I think the ruger mkII or equivelent is a great recommendation, accurate and lots of fun to shoot for cheap. As far as the other gun categories you listed, what do you want to do with them? Are you putting together a tactical battery or do you want to participate in all the various shooting sports or be able to hunt a variety of game? The 870 and all of its various accessories is a classic that gives you a ton of flexibility and they can be gotten at wal-mart (if you insist on shopping at that shithole and buying your guns from people that probably no nothing about them) for a decent price. In regards to revolvers I like the S/W guns, when I sold guns I got to handle and shoot lots and the fit/finish on the S/W guns was the best IMO. Again lots depends on your desired use though. My best advice is hook up with some folks that shoot and own lots of guns and get your hands on as many as possible. Go to the range as much as you can. The best most highly regarded super weapon may have some quirk that you hateand you won't know that until you shoot it.
 
KaBar said:
another good gun to look for are the swiss k31s, these rifles are EXTREAMLY accurite and in alot of shooting competitions they are outlawed or pushed up to the modified class because they have a unfair advantage. the great thing about them is that they only cost about 100 bucks (130 from a gun shop)
http://aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Swiss_1931_Carbin_Scmidt_Rubin_K31_7_5Swiss_Cal_.html
Click to expand...

Thanks for the note about the K31. I have a Spanish Mauser for the last twenty years that I've really enjoyed. I'll have to take a look at buying one of these at the next gun show or two. Any buying tips for the K31? Things to look out for; things to avoid?

TIA

SHS- Consider a 12 gauge pump. They are pretty versatile with different shell loads and configurations. Mine has both pistol grip and standard stock, long and short barrel. They can be switched out with a philips and allen wrench in a few moments.
 
I haven't done much deer hunting, the hunting I'm used to is when I see a groundhog in the back yard, I take it out, hopefully, with my single 22. My pistol is pretty much being used for target practice, same as the 22 and the 20 ga single barrel I have. Below is my list of what I need...

A snub nose revolver or compact semi automatic pistol for concealed permit carry in Pennsylvania. I know where the bad areas are, and stay out of those areas, but I'm looking for a small pistol for CC just the same. I also want something that will actually knock someone down and keep them down long enough for the cops to get on the scene. (Thats my PC request ;) )

A 22 for "varmints". Groundhogs, all kinds of woodland creatures, especially those that like to destroy gardens. I already have a single shot 22, and I'm getting a Marlin 981T 22 in November. Even though I live in the hills, a 22 is a great gun, because the yuppies that have moved up here don't freak out when they hear a 22 BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'VE JUST HEARD! Most important of all, 22 ammo is dirt cheap, and I dearly need to improve my aim.

I live at home right now, but I plan on moving to a, while still rural, more suburban area than the one I live in currently. We have our annual manhunt in my area, the few members I know on here that live within fifteen miles of me can attest to that. Other than that, we really don't have any crime up here, other than some kids maybe egging an house around Halloween. A home defense gun is wise, but is not an absolute necessity. Thats why I can't decide between a pistol and a shotgun. The Remington 870 is a perfect home defense weapon from what I've been told. I am looking for something however that is short enough to be useful in close quarters, while still being able to scare the hell out of an intruder (another PC request...). In shotguns, I would like to add another single shot shotgun, a double barrel, an over and under, and a pump shotgun. After this, I think I'll be set for shotguns...

Like I said, I don't hunt much, usually my fathers customers bring about a cooler of deer meat, and that lasts us the rest of the year. I like to shoot, and have only been deer hunting a few times. I don't particularly care for sitting in the cold, freezing my butt off, but the thrill of taking your own deer is exhilirating. I'm looking for a good shotgun for that, as I plan on going with my father, brother, uncle and my cousin. Should I use an over/under for that? A single barrel? What gauge? 12, I'm guessing, but my 20 gauge single barrel has worked fine in the past. Also, what type of rifle for deer size game? What caliber?

Currently, I don't need a centerfire rifle, but I would still like to have one. I've been told to go with a .308. I don't know as much as I would like to, one of the reasons I'm asking this question here. I'm not planning any hunts in Montana for big horn sheep etc, I just want a good rifle. In rifles, I'm also looking at a few Marlin lever action rifles, and have no idea whatsoever what type of caliber I should be looking at. Once again, no concrete use, I guess camping in remote areas. I'm also looking at semiautomatic rifles. The Ruger carbine, that takes the same clips as my Ruger P series pistol. The slimmed down civilian version of the M4 that the military uses, once again, no real need, I would just like to play with it. I'm also looking at the HK G3A3 rifle. Just a real neat design.


In the arena of pistols, I would be carrying a small handgun for self defense, but the rest of my pistols would just be for target practice, maybe taking small game. I'm looking at a lot of semi automatics, including the Beretta 96 and 92 series, the 1911A1's, the Glock 17 series, the Ruger P series including the new 45, Ruger 22's, Heckler and Koch USP. In revolvers, I'm looking at the Ruger Redhawk and Superhawk double and single action, and at the Colt line of pistols. For revolvers, I'm looking to acquire the basics, a smaller caliber pistol that is cheap to shoot, and a fair size pistol, like a 44 or 45 (this doesn't include the pistol used for self defense). For the Berettas and Glocks, what is the difference between the 9mm and the .40 caliber? 45 and 45ACP?




Mostly, I'm looking to buy a few guns, but about a thousand choices await me. I would like to try as many as I can afford over my lifetime, but above is basically what I need, and what I am looking for. I'm getting kicked off the puter again, thanks for all of the replies.
 
I'm looking for a good shotgun for that, as I plan on going with my father, brother, uncle and my cousin. Should I use an over/under for that? A single barrel? What gauge? 12, I'm guessing, but my 20 gauge single barrel has worked fine in the past. Also, what type of rifle for deer size game? What caliber?
Click to expand...

ever consider a saiga 12? think of it as a true RUSSIAN ak47 chambered in 12 gauge. the russian special forces use this weapon alot, its impact is devostating.
http://www.redstick-firearms.com/mov/Range/12gAMD.htm

you would probably enjoy a winchester 94 chambered in 444 magnum, most of those marlins in my eyes are nothing but junk.this gun weighs alittle over 6 lbs and with the recoil pad and the ported barrel its not that bad to shoot. one warning though, ammo is expensive.
http://www.oegmag.com/winchester94.asp
 
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