best handgun value

One of the benefits of a stainless steel gun is that with some elbow grease and polish, you can turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.

I bought this S&W Model 67 for under $300 because someone had tried to use a 3M scotchbrite pad to polish out some minor scratches and really screwed up the finish. A couple of hours with polish and a soft cloth turned it into a beauty. The finish now looks almost like nickel.

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Don't overlook those older used guns on the shelves of your local dealer either. A friend just came home with a pair of Detective Specials that were almost half price. The only "flaw" was that they'd been stuffed in a nightstand drawer for 30 years and exhibited light rust freckling. Some elbow work and Kroil removed it and now he has a pair of nice carry guns.

One of the more "overlooked" platforms is the S&W single-stack metal framed autos. The 39, 439, 3913, 3914, etc. This one was carried a lot by a lady police officer and traded in for a new XD. I picked it up for under $265 because of the wear. But it shoots and carries like a dream.

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S&W Model 3914NL

A Security Six in either blue or stainless is hard to beat for a bargain. Rugged, reliable and about the same size as any K-Frame S&W. The Speed-Six had fixed sights and make excellent carry guns.

If size isn't an issue, I've seen some good deals on the excellent S&W 5906. This is an excellent 9mm high-cap pistol and solidly reliable. It's full-size "duty gun" but it's stainless steel construction tames the 9mm recoil too.
 
One poster suggested a used Glock. I don't like Glocks, but I can highly recommend a used Springfield XD ... with the new m series on the market, the originals are available and I'm guessing they're selling for a reasonable price. I sold my XD-40 a while back to finance an XDm-9; it went for about $400 but it was absolutely spotless and only had about 500 rds through it ... A great gun, accurate, never failed ... you could do a lot worse.
 
In my not so humble opinion...

Cheap is an illusion. You get what you pay for. Look for a good value for your money.
Reliable is important. Both you and your firearm. Practice enough that you both are reliable. No jams on an auto with your carry ammo. And you can reliably hit what you need to at 7 yards.
Good looks don't mean that the firearm is clean and properly lubed. Make sure it is clean and ready to go. There are no "time outs."

Just my opinion...
 
what gun would Kramer or Newman use?

Without even thinking about it for a second, Springfield XD-45


Will there be a Seinfeld reunion?
 
I agree, check out the surplus Makarovs. I picked up an East German one at a gun show for $250 and it was mint. German craftmanship is a thing of beauty and it eats anything I feed it. It'a a little hotter than a 380 and the ammo is available and cheap.
 
Here is a trade-in carried a lot and shot very little Ruger Police Service Six 4 inch. Gun store told me it was a trade-in LE. It even came with the original wood grips but I put some Hoque grips on for shooting. Tough as nails and accurate for SD/HD.

Good luck,
roaddog28
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- CZ82 (~$190 to $250 - will need more than elbow grease to make pretty but 110% dependable)
- 3rd Gen Sigma (~$300 and you get a $50 rebate or 2 mags but you better know how to shoot DA revolvers)
- 2nd or 3rd Gen 59xx (~$250 -rough looking but 100% functional all the way to ~$500 for a near safe queen)

BTW, be weary and up to date with State & local laws when on road trips...



seinfeld
best handgun value
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Cop trade-ins ar a good value

The OP want's a "Cheap but reliable" gun.
The police trade-ins fit the OP's bill perfectly.

I've purchased 3 guns so far from J&G, and have been very pleased with what I got for the money. 2 model S&W Model 67's and 1 Sig P6.
I ran all 3 thru my gunsmith before I even picked them up. None of them needed any work at all. Sure, they had a fair amount of muzzle and high spot wear but who cares all that much. Stainless polishes very easily and within a couple of hours there were no scars left to see.

All 3 police trade-ins I bought place 6 rounds inside of 4" at 7 yds.
And that's on the first trip to the range. Most LEO's only shoot their guns once or twice a year to qualify. I'm not sure I'd call that excessive wear or abuse. The rest of the time is spent in a holster.

As a buyer, each person can choose whatever they feel fits the bill. All we can do here is make basic suggestions with the reasons behind our statements. Some will choose new, others used, the OP gets to make the final decision in the end.

If you want a cheap new gun, buy a Taurus or Rossi.
IMHO if you want a quality gun "cheap", look at a used LEO trade-in.
I'll be buying more when I get the opportunity, and that's my $.02 worth
 
I happen to think a Makarov would fit your bill better than any other. Another thing to think about in regard to "value" is feeding the darn thing. A nice Police trade revolver can be had at an outstanding value, but the beauty of the Mak is low demand (thus, price) for the ammunition. Suplus may be drying up some, but tons of places sell new production @ 10 bucks a box of 50. That's not the greatest price on earth, but it's readily available (online) and fairly cheap. More than we can say for most other calibers now.

BTW, congradulations on thinking EXACTLY the same way I do... you're a smart man :D
 
I'm posting without reading any of the other posts, sorry.

A Cheap, reliable gun that looks pretty with a bit of elbow grease?

ANYTHING com-bloc. A FEG PA-63, TT-33, and relations, CZ-82, P-64, Makarovs, etc. Don't bother with a Nagant, nothing makes them pretty. Also, there's a lot of Glock and S&W (both revolver and semis) out there. I think AIM has a 9mm S&W auto right now for around $330, as well as a 2nd Gen Glock 22. Great deals.
 
I have good luck finding deals on used guns at my local Gander Mtn. Was there the other day and saw a Sigma VE priced at $200. I didn't examine it, I already have two Sigmas, but it looked new. I did examine and purchase a Ruger GP100 with a six inch barrel for $400. The gun was used but I'm guessing it has never been fired. It was purchased recently by a lady for her husband. Less than a month later he catches her with another guy. He sells the gun back to Gander Mtn. because he doesn't want any reminders.

I also found a pristine Smith 686 revolver for $400 at GM. Other used guns I've bought there include a 9mm Sigma, a CZ Rami 2075 and a Smith 5906 in excellent condition. Also found a used Kahr CW9 at one of our local independently owned gun shops and also bought a used Smith 4046 in excellent condition for $325 from Bud's Gun Shop in Kentucky.

If you're careful you can snag some great deals on used guns. A good online source is http://www.summitgunbroker.com/index.html
 
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You might have trouble making a Ruger P series pretty, but they are reliable and cheap enough. Plus, they are a Ruger and Ruger stands behind their products.
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What people think is pretty varies, but I like the looks of this:
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well, generally cheap and reliable don't go together in the same sentence, especially in the gun world, but I can tell you as a LEO, I fire my weapon several times a year. At a guess, I prolly put 400-500 rounds down the tube of my service Glock. However, for about $350 or less, you can buy a Bersa Thunder 9 Ultra Compact. It will carry 14 if you put one in the tube. Has a safety with hammer decock. Nice little gun and easy to carry concealed. I have one that I use for an off-duty weapon and my wife keeps it beside the bed at night. There have been several good suggestions here, but IMO you will have to purchase what you need.

To me it sounds like you want something that is easily concealed, not to heavy, dependable, pretty(beauty is in the eye of the beholder), and lost cost. Thats tough, good luck, and hope you find what your looking for. Anything 9mm and up would be a good defense caliber. Less then that and I just don't feel comfortable with the stopping power. Shot placement is what stops threats though!
 
Ruger Standard 22 Automatic. 4" barrel, fixed sights.

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Best handgun value on the market. Less than $300.00 NIB in most places.

And you can shoot the snot out of it for a long time. Ammo is cheap, you can find it most anywhere. In a pinch it will do to defend yourself with. If I was down to one handgun, it would be this one.
 
Stoeger Couger 8000 9MM - semiauto - By far the best value out there. Mine new was $369. It is an outstanding firearm. Do a search of owner reviews, you'll be hard pressed to find a bad one.
 
Makarov, but be prepared they are addictive. Magazine capacity of 8 plus one in the chamber is enough capacity for me. I also own a S&W model 10. I'm guessing it is a service revolver based on the holster strap wear. It is a great handgun, but not too pretty.

Don't be afraid of police trade ins if they are from a quality mfg (ruger, colt, s&w), but they will likely have finish wear. I believe they spend more time in the holster than the range.
 
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