Nickel Plated
New member
So I'm getting ready to leave the SPRNYC. Will be moving to my new place in PA this weekend. So I want to get my first gun as a little housewarming present for myself for getting out of that awful place. Would like some help on what to get.
Currently it's down to 3 guns.
A Beretta 85 Cheetah single stack
Ruger Mini14
and a new S&W Model 66-8
No real practical purpose for any of them. Just fun range toys. Although CCW would be nice though not much use to me since I still have to go back and forth to NYC everyday for work.
Leaning towards the Beretta since it's gorgeous, can be CC'd if necessary and it's one of those guns that I just don't think will be in production much longer. Being a .380ACP pistol that's bigger, heavier, and more expensive than all the popular subcompact 9x19 offerings on the market. I think it's days are limited. No way Beretta can justify continuing production on them, especially since they already have much "better" and more "practical" pistols in that class. But I've always wanted one in nickel. So want to get one while they're still around.
The Mini 14 kinda falls into the same camp. When compared against an AR-15, which is cheaper, lighter, more customizable and easier to get mags for. Just don't see any reason Ruger would keep it around to step on the SR-556 and AR-556's toes. So again, want to get one new while I still can. I think the only thing keeping it in production are all the AWB states.
Last but not least is the Model 66 4". Always wanted one of these as well. Afterall, who doesn't want a "Combat Magnum"? This one is the least urgent of the three since they just released it and I don't expect it to be discontinued any time soon. But I still want it as much as the others and I think it would be the most fun as a range toy and can even be carried in a pinch (I'm not too obsessive about printing or being totally 100% concealed) Want to get one of the newer ones because of the lockup and forcing cone improvements. The Hillary Hole doesn't bother me. Not hard to remove the lock and plug the hole. It would definitely be getting a nice shiny polish.
Price would be mostly comparable between the 3.
So which of the 3 would you guys get for your first gun? I'm not new to shooting, so .357 magnums and 5.56 is no problem for me to shoot. Just my first gun that I can call my own. Already have an 80% AR and 80% milled AK slowly in the works (in the gathering parts stage). So maybe a pistol would be nice.
Ah, so many guns to buy, so little money.
Currently it's down to 3 guns.
A Beretta 85 Cheetah single stack
Ruger Mini14
and a new S&W Model 66-8
No real practical purpose for any of them. Just fun range toys. Although CCW would be nice though not much use to me since I still have to go back and forth to NYC everyday for work.
Leaning towards the Beretta since it's gorgeous, can be CC'd if necessary and it's one of those guns that I just don't think will be in production much longer. Being a .380ACP pistol that's bigger, heavier, and more expensive than all the popular subcompact 9x19 offerings on the market. I think it's days are limited. No way Beretta can justify continuing production on them, especially since they already have much "better" and more "practical" pistols in that class. But I've always wanted one in nickel. So want to get one while they're still around.
The Mini 14 kinda falls into the same camp. When compared against an AR-15, which is cheaper, lighter, more customizable and easier to get mags for. Just don't see any reason Ruger would keep it around to step on the SR-556 and AR-556's toes. So again, want to get one new while I still can. I think the only thing keeping it in production are all the AWB states.
Last but not least is the Model 66 4". Always wanted one of these as well. Afterall, who doesn't want a "Combat Magnum"? This one is the least urgent of the three since they just released it and I don't expect it to be discontinued any time soon. But I still want it as much as the others and I think it would be the most fun as a range toy and can even be carried in a pinch (I'm not too obsessive about printing or being totally 100% concealed) Want to get one of the newer ones because of the lockup and forcing cone improvements. The Hillary Hole doesn't bother me. Not hard to remove the lock and plug the hole. It would definitely be getting a nice shiny polish.
Price would be mostly comparable between the 3.
So which of the 3 would you guys get for your first gun? I'm not new to shooting, so .357 magnums and 5.56 is no problem for me to shoot. Just my first gun that I can call my own. Already have an 80% AR and 80% milled AK slowly in the works (in the gathering parts stage). So maybe a pistol would be nice.
Ah, so many guns to buy, so little money.