Building my gun collection

In pump shotguns go with either a 12 or 20, either one is adequate, both are easy to get shells alfor. The Remington 870 WINGMASTER (they are better than the express ones) is probably your best bet in a pump, BUT if you can find an Ithaca Model 37 Classic, they are nicer although the company that made them is out of business,so give the Browning BPS a look (I'd buy it over the Remington just bc it is a copy of the Ithaca and I personally prefer that design but 870s are excellent, can't go wrong with any ones of those).
As far as autoloading shotguns: Remingon 1187, Browning Gold, any Beretta or Benelli would all do equally well, some prefer one over the other but any difference in performance is most likely going to be due to the shooter. In over/unders I'd personally go for a Beretta Silver Pidgeon ;) fantastic gun, but a new one is like 4,000 dollars.

In centerfire rifles I would follow the suggestion of any earlier poster and go military surplus. The German '98 Mauser in 8mm can perform as well or better than any new bolt action and they can be had for reasonable prices. If you want a Lever Action I'd go with a Marlin (Winchester is equally good, but second choice) because the Marlin is a side ejector where most if not all Winchesters are top ejectors.

Rimfire rifles, go with a Marlin models 795 in semi-auto (ruger 10/22s are just as good a gun but tend to be less accurate bc of their heavier trigger), or the Marlin bull barreled bolt action.

In handguns: 80 series COLT M1991 (.45) or Browning Hi-Power or Beretta Brigadier (in 9mm or 40) for a target .22 Ruger MkII or Browning Buckmark, in wheel guns you'll be happiest to stick with S&W(think performance center), but the Colts and Rugers are also very good.

For Concealed Carry I'd say go with a SIG P229 in 9mm or .40 OR a Smith and Wesson SW99 in 9mm or .40. The SIG is probably a BETTER pistol and is probably one of the most carried by Federal Agents, but the ergos on the Smith are much better for me, and it is much slimmer than the SIG. I'd stick with a compact pull and shoot gun for CCW (less hassle than a Hi-power or 1911, and the Beretta is too big for CCW) Also and I'll probably get flamed for this, Glocks are very good pistols and worth your consideration (read that before flaming) but stick with a DA/SA design for carry, the SIG or SW99 are as safe to carry as a DA revolver, the Glock trigger is too short and light for a CCW for a NOVICE user, (although I'm sure many will disagree). I have know people that had accidental discharges while holster Glocks in CCW holsters, granted it was the users fault, but chances decrease with the longer/heavier DA triggers. BTW you can have manual safety put on a Glock, and/or you can have a heavier trigger installed for not much money.

IF you insist in a snub nosed revolver, go with a S&W 640 Centennial or a 649 Bodyguard, both are all stainless, 5-shot .357mag/.38+P),and are totally snagproof, I prefer the 649. Beware the scandium and titanium snubbies, they are light and easy to carry but usually don't hold up as well over time and are difficult to shoot.
 
in order of need/utility my choices are

.357 revolver with 6 inch barrel (m 19)

.22 rifle that breaks down to backpack size, (ar7)

12 gauge pump with short barrel (winchester 1300, with shorty rounds)

30.06 rifle (winchester 742)

If you need more firepower, buy extra ammo.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
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.
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  • Good Rimfire Rifle - I don't think you can go wrong with a rimfire from any of the better makers. I have a Ruger 77/22 that has worked faithfully for a number of years.
  • Good Centerfire Rifle - At the top of my wish list is a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe in .300wby. Since I don't anticipate having $2K plus to drop on a "good" rifle any time soon, I've had my eye open for a deal on a Remington 700 BDL in 30-06, or perhaps a Ruger M77.
  • Good Shotgun - I agree with the 870. A classic with the flexibility to work for hunting, sport, or self-defence.
  • Good Centerfire Pistol - My choice in this catagory is my Glock 21. I've got a 17 also, but if I had to choose one it would be the big .45 any day. There's just something... comforting about wraping your hand around 13 rounds of 230gr goodness.
  • Good Revolver - For me this is my S&W Model 686 (4 inch bbl). A good revolver is a beautiful thing, and I really like the stainless Smith in .357
  • Good Beater(?) Gun - Personally I don't care for the idea of owning a "beater" gun (a gun cheap enough that I don't worry about breaking or loosing it?). I could see a nice .22 handgun (pistol or revolver) for plinking, target practice, etc. Either a Ruger MkII or S&W Model 317 would be a great choice here.

Of course this does not cover all your "must haves" but it seems a nice start to a life-long addiction. :D
 
razcob said:
Smith and Wesson = :barf:
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If you mean the Sigma and a good majority of their newer semi-auto, I agree. If you are refering to old, classy S&W wheelguns.....you're high.
 
Good deal, hope its as good as the old 81T that I have :D
I filled another spot in my collection last weekend. Bought a winchester 1300 12 gauge. Wood furniture on it, 28 vent rib barrel and 2 different choke inserts. Now I just need to find a good "reach out and touch em" rifle to have the basics covered :D
 
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.
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If you're only going to have one of each, go with calibers that are easy to find and that are proven for a range of uses.

1. Ruger 10/22. You can get about as many aftermarket add-ons as you can for the Remington 870.
2. Go with a proven caliber (.270, .30-30, .308, .30-06) and maker. For bolt actions, I'd look at Remington, Winchester, Savage. You can go a lot more expensive, but those are a good start. For a lever gun, Marlin or Winchester. On a budget, Savage makes a fine, accurate first centerfire.
3. Remington 870 in 12 gauge. Plenty of parts and add-ons available. Remington sells combos that offer a long barrel with interchangeable chokes (bird hunting, trap, skeet, etc.) and a shorter rifled barrel for slugs (deer). Lots of good Remingtons in the used market if you look closely. I wouldn't bother with .410 or 20 gauge until I had a good 12 gauge and could shoot it. For deer hunting, a pump will do just fine. Save the (probably much more expensive) over/under for bird hunting.
4. 9mm was a good choice on the P95. It's a good pistol as well. Little bulky though for concealed carry unless it's winter and you can wear a coat. In the summer, I like the size of the little Kel-Tecs, which can be slipped into the pocket of shorts without a problem. They now make a small semi-auto in .380.
5. .357 S&W (686, 686+) or if you're into Rugers, a GP-100. You can, of course, shoot .38s as well. For concealed carry, there are plenty of snub-nose options here. The big Rugers revolvers are nice, but BIG.
6. Yugo SKS might be a good option. Ammo is cheap. So is the milsurp rifle.
 
Nothing new under the sun, they say. Like most guys already said, the popular wisdom is that, for centerfire, a Remington 700 is the best you can get right out of the box. I've had one in .308, as well as a Springfield M21, and a Steyr SSG in the same caliber, and unless you want the apricot, they're all the same... Except for price. The Remington is great, truly. Now the Steyr... Its groups tighten as your range increases: a neat trick! And the M21, nice rifle... way too heavy for anything. (Buy a .50BMG!)
In pistolas, it's all the same. Just what do you prefer, a .45, a .40, or a 9mm? Go to a range where they rent newish guns to see what works for you. Look for ergonomics (Check for blisters), reliability, POINTABILITY, as no 2 wrists and hands line up the same, and... accuracy. I had a two-tone Browning hi-power, and couldn't hit squat with it (it was me, not the gun, my friends confirmed), and I have a Sprinfield 1911A1 that never misses. (Again, me, not the gun) But start from a caliber you can practice with, a lot (cost and comfort versus ballistic performance.) In any case, it's rare to find a name-brand pistol that doesn't work well. Biggest good surprise ever, and cheap to boot? The compact Baby Eagle in 9mm, stunning accuracy. unbelievable.
And my all time favorite, through which I've put tens of thousands of rounds: a heavy-barrelled Ruger 10/22. The best gun in the world to my eyes. You have to find a round it likes, mine likes the Eley match rounds, and when you do you'll print one-hole groups at 80-100 yards...
 
Regarding ammo in .22 semi-auto rifles, I've never had a problem with Winchester Wildcat in Marlins or Remington semi-autos, it's cheap, reliable and very accurate, just remeber its a lead bullet so you'll have plenty of barrell scrubbing to do after your shooting session. Personally if I couldn't have but one semi-auto I'd definately buy the Marlin, either a model 60 or 795 (preferred). Marlins have the BEST trigger of any .22 semi-auto factory rifle I've used, Remingtons and esp. Rugers can't compare to the trigger feel.

Like many folks have said the Remington 870 is a great pump shotgun. I prefer the Ithaca and Browning BPS (ithaca copy) but that design isn't for everyone.

In Centerfire (bolt) rifles I'd go with a WWII surplus Mauser, OR a Browning A-Bolt or Weatherby Vanguard. But in all honesty you can't go wrong with a high-end bolt action from any of the major manufacturers. Personally I'd get a Marlin Cowboy (.45-70) first just because I like levers better than bolts.

In a pistol a Colt 80 series can hold its own with anything. I'd make it my first if I were you, if you only buy one handgun an 80 series Gov't or Commander is the way to go. In a target pistol go with either the Ruger MKII or the Browning Buckmark. Revolvers=Smith and Wesson unless you can find a deal on a used Colt Python.
 
1. rimfire rifle,
2. centerfire rifle,
3. shotgun
4. good centerfire pistol
5. revolver
6. beater gun.

Ruger 10/22
AR-15 / Remington 700
Benneli M2
STI Edge
S&W .357
AK-47
 
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