Best self defense pistol on a TIGHT budget

Also worth a look is the S&W 908 for carry, 457 for carry or 910 for home use. These are about $340 ish wholesale but you get some after sales support from the manufacturer for problems, which isn't always the case.

If buying from the dirty gang offends you, the EAA Witness range is great value and the same basic gun can be had in full size or compact and 9mm,40 S&W or .45 ACP sizings all for the same price (about $280). If money is tight I would definitely go for 9mm para whatever make you choose.

Regards,

Mike H
 
Ojibweindian, you asked about the FEG Hi-Power clone--I bought one for myself for Christmas and love it. As far as I can tell, it is a parts-replaceable clone of the classic Browning Hi-Power. It feels great in your hand, is very reliable and accurate. And BHP replacement parts are very available. 13 round mags are easy to find, too, at least where I am. Do a search on "FEG" on TFL and you'll find quite a few fine posts from happy FEG/BHP owners. I remember one thread: "which is better, sex or BHP?" You don't find that kind of affection for many guns...and you can imagine the responses...Mine was just under $250, so fits your price range.
 
A makarov is an excellent choice. Search the back messages for information about them, as well as going to Makarov.com You will not find a more reliable or well-built autoloading pistol for the money. They are the BEST pistol you can get for what they cost.
 
How difficult, and expensive, is it to find replacement parts and magazines?

Makarov parts are abundant and nearly free. USed mags in excellent condition can be had for $2.50 in bulk or $5 individually. Since they were made in Russia, E. Germany, Bulgaria and China there lots of different ones out there. www.jcarmory.com has new Bulgarian military/police Maks with twi mags and a duty holster for $147 delivered. This is a tough price to beat for a new pistol. As others have said Maks are stout, reliable, accurate (as accurate as pistols costing three times as much), thin and not all that heavy. With the proper leather they can be carried comfortably.

Is there any real difference in the 9x18 and 9x19 rounds?

Of course the 9x19 will give you more power. But for carry a Mak beats a HP clones hands down. You can get decent Mak JHPs from Corbon and Fiocchi. There's also the heavy Russian FMJ that packs a nice punch.

Fnally, can these guns be picked up for less than $225 so that I can use the remainder of my budget to buy quality ammo and practice rounds?

As I said above they can be had for much less. Look around for a local FFL (use the FFL search engine at www.gunsamerica.com) and get him to order from Greg Monte at JC Armory. A reliable FFL will charge from $15 to $25 for ordering. You're still way under $200 with a Mak.

Lost of companies make holsters for Maks. You can choose from affordable generic leather holsters at $17 from www.makarov.com, nylon holsters such as those from Uncle Mike's, higher quality prodcuts from Bianchi or even custom leather from Lou Alessi.

I love them. DA pull is heavy but with little creep. SA is nice and firm. They're very easy to take apart. If you follow the instructions posted at http://makarov.com/tech.html you can easily break it down to all its parts. If not removing the safety and firing pin can be done with your eyes closed after a couple of times.

Maks were desgined to be handled by raw recruits so you know they'll last. Think of them as the AK47 of the pistol world.

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So many pistols, so little money.
 
I'm with Tamara on her answer. You can find Model 10's thick on the ground, with barrels from 2" to 6" and all in-betwixt. My personal fave is the heavy-barreled 4", which points like a 6", and ran about $160. Shoots like a dream. Spend the remaining $140 on a good holster, grip adaptor, speedloader, and ammo. Now, practice!

Even better, less common, and a bit more expensive is the Model 19, which is the same thing in .357 Mag. Hard to beat, and all for under $200! Fixed or adjustable sights. Heavy or standard barrel.

I like my P-11, but a used Model 10 is easier to shoot well, and is less expensive (by a tiny amount.).
 
Lots of good advice here. It seems as if, given my monetary constraints and desires, that either the Mak or the FEG Hi-Power is the way to go. BTW, I love revolvers, but feel as if the 4" barrels are too hard to conceal and the 2.5" snubbies are a little too difficult to control using .357's.

What is a reasonable price to pay for the FEG? The Mak, from what I understand, should be no more than $165.



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For God so loved the world that he gave his onlly begoten Son...
 
I stopped by the local gunshop this afternoon and saw what the dealer told me were Bulgarian Makarovs. Asking price was $229.95.

The pistol I looked at appeared solid. Steel frame and slide, one 8 round magazine. Is $230 too much to pay for this pistol? And are there ammo manufacturers that make good defensive rounds for the 9x18?

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For God so loved the world that he gave his onlly begoten Son...
 
I'd recommend the Taurus 357 magnum snub nose. They are easily below $300 and if you decide to lighten your load, you can still shoot 38 special. They also offer barrel porting to reduce recoil.
 
YES! It is too much. You ought to get at least twenty-one mags w/ it for that price. Makarov.com will fix this, though (Ask Karl for a "Newbie" kit). Buy Russian mags, as they are easier to load with the tool.

Corbon, Fiocchi, and Hornady, make HP defensive ammo, in order of preference.

The best Maks are E.G. (including the Samson-Suhl commercial post-communist guns), then Bulgie milsurp (not commercial "arsenal" marked), then Russian milsurp, then commercial Bulg., then Ruskie commercial with the crappy irreplaceable adj. sights

You can get the E.G. shipped to your door w/ a curio&relics FFL, along w/ the overpriced Ruskie milsurp. Bulgies don't fit this category, so you must be screwed by a dealer for the transfer, though the Shotgun News website lists FFLs willing to transfer for reasonable prices. Be prepared to drive, though, to get one, depending on state.
 
No one mentioned kel-tec.


I think its a great gun for CC. And in your price range. You can get em in .32, 9mm, and .40 S&W.


Tim :)

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Why dont you get rid of that nickel plated sissy pistol and get yourself a glock. :::Tommy Lee Jones. U.S. Marshals:::
 
Kahr E9 - $312 NIB or $280 used.

Best quality CCW 9mm you can get in the $300 range brand new. You'll be proud of your gun then . . . not like these other "value" guns you've been offered.

Hey, how you feel about the gun is just as important than anything else! Maybe you'll even keep it after your funds lossen up?

The Kahr E9 is almost as reliable a Glock 26 but thinner.

Almost as durable but heavier. IWB you won't notice though.

There's my 5 cents worth!

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The Seattle SharpShooter - TFL/GT/UGW/PCT/KTOG
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ojibweindian:
Okay, guys, I need advice. I need a reliable self-defense pistol for under $300.....
[/quote]

Just remember that for a self-defense gun, reliability is critical. Don't get some cheaply made jamma-matic. If your budget is firm, look for a deal on a used quality name gun. A quality revolver will do you well, as will a reliable Ruger semi-auto.
 
Some prices I noted last Sunday at a local gun show. FEG Hi Power NIB $199 with 2 mags.
Kel Tec 32 $239, .40 or 9mm $210.
FN 49 .40 $369 with 2 mags.
 
dalpra,

Good advice. How much experience do you have with Makarovs? They're inexpensive but far from cheap.

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So many pistols, so little money.
 
Remember the first rule of gunfighting? "Have one." Go for a good used S&W Model 37. Why? It is light enough to always have it with you. Second to that the Kahr E9 is a very good choice. If you choose the Kahr make sure to put about 200 rounds through it and it will then be totally reliable. Regards, Richard.
 
My advice is get a Ruger auto. High-caps are still around and the ones I've used have been extremely reliable. Very good pistols in a common calibre.
 
ojibweindian,

The 9x18 round is rated between .380 and 9x19 for stopping power, maybe a hair closer to the .380. www.makarov.com is an awesome resource. I have owned a .380 and currently own a 9x18 Mak. If you want to carry it concealed, I would suggest a Bulgarian milsurp model with fixed sights. The Russian commercial model (like mine) have bulky adjustable sights.

Bulgarian Maks are available new as military surplus for $149.00. This includes two mags and a hip holster. I would suggest Makwrap grips to replace the standard grip - about $20.00. I use Pearce grips on my Mak, but it is not my carry weapon (Glock 27 is my choice for that).

These guns are very accurate, and recoil is moderate - about the same as a .380. I have never, ever had a jam in either Mak I've owned. Drawbacks include difficult to load magazines that take an extra second or two to change. Overall it's a solid buy, and you get more than you pay for.

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NRA/GOA/SAF/USMC

Oregon residents please support the Oregon Firearms Federation, our only "No compromise" gun lobby. http://www.oregonfirearms.org

[This message has been edited by Longshot (edited May 28, 2000).]
 
Buy Russian Mags from Karl at Mak.com. These are easily reloaded with the neat reload tool he sells in his Newbie kit (includes a owners guide, some mags, a set of grips, and .... not sure what else). This tool doesn't suck because it is too complex to use effectively; it is simply a thick plastic ring that slides over the mag and depresses the follower tab.

The same ease can't be said for E.Germ. mags.

Also buy the E.G. cleaning rod/extractor tool and never take out a Mak extractor unless you have to.

This gun is almost Glock-like in its ease of disassembly otherwise.
 
My personal preference would be for something like an Officer's ACP Enhanced, but you're not going to find one for under $300.

I recently purchased a Taurus snubbie (85UL? The one with a snag-free hammer) new for less than $250, and an Uncle Mike's Sidekick pocked holster for a few dollars more. It's always with me, at the cost of carrying my keys in the wrong pocket. Bought it specifically for summer carry, BTW, and it was a good choice.

And No, a 38 Special won't stop as well as a .45, but I'm betting that it will do the trick with +P ammo and proper shot placement.
 
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