Favorite Beater Guns & Why?

J

JDBerg

New member
My beater guns are the two Glocks, 17 & 21. I can shoot a lot of rounds through them and they just keep on ticking like a Timex. I have shot just about every brand of factory ammo through the 21 and I've never had an ammo related failure with it. It's tough to practice tap rack & bang drills with these so I have to load snappers.

What say you?
 
Over twenty years ago I was strolling down the aisle at a local gun show and spotted a $100 revolver.
It was one of those no name brands from "west" Germany imported in the 1980s and looked brand new.
Always a sucker for a low priced tool that does the job, I bought it.
Not really expecting great things from it, it has proven to be a regular addition to my range days.
Couldn't even begin to guess how many rounds have gone through this thing over the years.
It's as accurate as anything, reliable and has made a first class way to practice revolver shooting.
Probably the best $100 I ever spent on anything.
You just never know.
 
Not sure what defines a "beater gun". I have a Witness Elite Limited 9mm that's looking rough. I installed an optics mount when the gun was new, about two weeks ago. Fired 300 rounds thru it, so it needed cleaning. Found the slide couldn't clear the optics mount, so I started to remove the mount. Had to drill three of the mounting screws out; dissimilar metals caused them to corrode. Then found the mount left its outline on the slide, same reason. As I said it's looking rough, m/b the slide can be polished some.
 
My Moisin Nagat carbide I sporterized with mauser stock, nc star sniper scope, bolt handle, dracoat make a great beater gun for the truck.
 
My Gen 2 Glock 20. It takes abuse as it in worn hiking, hunting and camping. The finish is wearing.

For rifles, my Ruger American takes a beating. I can hardly call it my rifle anymore as much as I lend it out for friends to hunt with. Can't say enough good about Ruger American rifles.
 
Ruger SR22.

I don't NEED another .22 handgun but this one feels so right I just might have to give one a home with me.

It's small. Not tiny like an LCP but small, light and handy. It's got adjustable sights which I like. The one I fired was box stock and very accurate. We shot it and shot it until it was all gunked up and wouldn't feed rounds anymore and then did a quick toothbrush, rag and Hoppes #9 cleaning (more of a wipe down) and then shot it a LOT more. Seems pretty reliable and fun.

It's not a target gun. For me it would not be a carry gun, but as others have said it seems to fill the 'kit gun' niche just fine.
 
My milsurp CZ 82. It resides in my vehicle's glovebox, it shoots as well as my CZ 83, and even though its refinished Czechoslovakian cosmetics are pretty decent, I am not overly worried about marring it.
 
Well my SR22 I suppose is my beater gun....seems like it gets wet way too much when fishing. It sees a lot of time in the tackle box, and is light enough to keep on the hip out in the field.
 
NORINCO 213 It is flat out reliable. I would compare it to the single stack 1911 format in its thin grip with a good fit to my palm. I seem to recall I paid very little for the pistol

It is not particular appealing to the eye. Therefore, it fits the beater nomenclature.
 
Russian Tula SKS, its been my saddle gun for 20+ years and gets thrown in my truck when I use that mode of transportation.
 
I define a beater gun as one that works but is cosmetically challenged. Kinda like a reliable old truck with character that you can actually use and not worry about (I know a guy with a $55k Denali HD that is afraid to put a bag of kitty litter in the pristine bed :rolleyes:).

My S&W Model 19 fits that description. Made in '66, it is in about 60% condition. I don't mind if the bluing gets messed up, its already messed up :p .
 
I'd have to pick 2:
1. S&W model 10-5 that I found at a bargain price with the bluing gone & minor pitting; its wearing a coat of black AlumaHyde II paint to protect it from rust now; the trigger is well used and smooth as butter DA & has a scary light SA trigger; with 4" barrel it's a great range gun & truck gun
2. Charter Undercover .38 that I got cheap. It locks up tight and I intend to wear it out to improve my snubbie shooting skills.
 
Exactly and why would one cause one of their guns to become a "beater gun"?
Click to expand...

A beater gun is one that has no collectability and you don't care if it gets another scratch or ding on it or lose more finish, but it still shoots well. I would put my Browning 1910 in that category as it is beat enough to have very little collectors' value, but still is a great shooter and has inhabited my pocket for the better part of 45 years now.
 
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A Sears 12 ga pump-gun that the finish wore off of, so I painted it with Bowdull camo paint. I used to carry it bungie corded to the roll bar of my jeep, or just tossed it in the back of a pickup when deer hunting. The only time it failed to function was once I short shucked it. Not the guns fault, an operator error.



It got cleaned every once in a while, when I felt like it. I don't think I ever fired anything but 3" magnum buckshot loads through it. Every deer that I pointed it at hit the ground.

BUT...since this is the semi-auto handgun section I'll add this one. I haven't had it long, but I'm pretty sure it will fill the bill.

Ruger P95DC. I got it used, pretty well already beat up.



These days I don't have much use for a "beater" gun, but it looks like someone else has used it as one.
 
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