How would you spend $800 slated for a firearm?

This became a longer post than intended, sorry !

FWIW, I'm actually in that position. More correctly, I will be in the spring. By way of background: I grew up as a city kid, but I joined army cadets at 12, then the CF at 16. I learned to shoot on the C1 (FN FAL) when I was 13 or 14. I also got into nordic biathlon, using Anschutz 22s. During my service, I was C2 (SAW)gunner for a few years and, in spite of the complaints against it I had a lot of fun with the C2. Just gotta keep it clean. Not a great requirement for a combat rifle I know, but fortunately I was never in a situation where it left me hanging.

Anyway, fast forward 20 years or so of working in a metropolitan city and not getting out in the bush much until the last 5 years or so when quality of life became more important than chasing the almighty dollar. Call it age if you like, but it does impose a budget restriction. Being in Canada, the regs (near as I can tell) make it difficult to get one's first gun but once you have the license it's like buying anything else. I could be wrong though because I'm not there yet.

Maybe it's just for nostalgia's sake, but I'd prob get an FAL as choice #1 if weren't prohibited here. Realistically, these are my personal requirements for a first gun: plinking/cheap and light ammo, packable rifle for a few days in the bush but not specifically hunting, ability to put meat in the stewpot (rabbits/grouse), half assed accurate at 100m to redevelop my marksmanship and preferably more 'sporting' than 'tactical'.

After looking at different calibres first, I settled on .22LR (over 223). Some of the ones I looked at were a Marlin 925, the venerable 10/22, CZ 452, and a Henry AR-7 which seemed more like a second or backup gun, especially given the reliability problems people seem to have. I'm pretty sure now that it's going to be a basic 10/22 with a scope, eventually upgraded to a target barrel with the CZ as a second choice. If it were purely for marksmanship, it would probably be the CZ, but the convenience of a semiauto in the bush is a slight edge when Thumper is getting away IMO.
Any thoughts/opinions/input ?

Although the Sako trg's are pretty sexy but...waaay out of my league!
 
Yeah the FN-Fal is prohibited in Canada but a Norinco M1 is not?
Gov't logic. I guess the pistol grip makes the FN "evil".
:rolleyes:
The semi-auto Fals were always restricted but i'm not sure what happened when they became prohibited as i don't know anyone who owns one.
The thing is in Canada prohibited does not necessarily mean you can't own one.
It just means A) guns in this class can no longer be imported into Canada and B) only those who currently own guns in this class can purchase the ones that are already here.

Example- I have a Smith & Wesson 617 with a 4-inch barrel.
With the last change in the gun laws it went from Restricted to Prohibited.
You see the barrel was 3 milimeters under the limit. Restricted is 104mm and longer, the Smith barrel is 101mm.
So 1/8 of an inch less of barrel length pushes a gun from regular restricted into the prohibited class.
So i can keep my gun (as long as i keep my PAL up to date and stay a member of a gun club or become a Gov't recognized gun collector).
However if i ever want to sell it i can only sell it to those who already own registered prohibited weapons.
So there are only a fixed number of prohibited class gun-owners in Canada with nobody new allowed to own prohibited weapons.
Eventually all us prohibited class owners will die of old age then what happens to the guns? Gov't gun grab i guess.

I'm a political moderate, i vote according to how i feel on a particular issue and don't automatically vote for any one particular party.
Up to a point i personally didn't mind some firearms regulation, background checks/ mandatory handling and safety training for instance.
However the Gov't often doesn't enforce the laws that are already on the books and then when a problem arises they think they can solve it by keep piling on new more convoluted laws on top of the old.
:confused:
And then every-time some lawbreaking lowlife in Toronto or Vancouver shoots someone the legal lawabiding gun-owners in Canada are made to feel like we are personally to blame.
Its just sickening really.
I know people who have just sold off all their guns out of frustration.
:mad:
 
misanthropist said:
Probably 2 more M14s! I always have an M14 project on the go!

Or possibly a couple more 1911s...the gf has been bugging me for a pair in 9mm. That would use up most of the $800, probably enough left over to buy some good dies for the Dillon, and everything else I have...so there you go! 2 M14s or 2 1911s!
Click to expand...

I presume by "M14" you really mean M1-A........which goes for $1300 or so EACH. Even the crap Norinico ones are $1000.

A pair of 1911's? The mil-specs are $450 + and are in dire need of gunwork to make them comfortable and shootable for the long term.

And still have money left over for Dillon ?

Man, I need to shop where YOU shop if you can pull that off w/ $800 !!

.
 
To answer the "what would _I_ buy" question, it would be to spend it on gun parts to complete the 6" STI frame/slide kit I just won. :D

IF I had any money left over, I'd buy reloading components.

.
 
If I had $800 slated for gun purchases....


It would go towards my wife's massive credit card debt. Same as always. Haven't even looked at my gun "wish list" in a couple years...
 
Eric_425 said:
Don't be silly, there's lots of guns you still need. You need a MBR type rifle. An M1A, Ar-10, one of the saigas in .308 if you love the AK's so much. Really should get an AR of some sort.
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I've had multiple AR's. I "grew up" shooting them in the military. They simply don't stand up to the abuse that nature can throw at a tool, and they break too much. Fine if you have a logistics train. Fine if you carry a ream of spare parts.

The new piston guns look good, but they're nothing but AK's with the still impossible to clean in the field AR chamber.

I had an M1A. My Krebs AK, (really a Saiga), shot just as good, is lighter, and more durable.

I do have a collection of 308 Scout rifles that work just as well as the heavier tactical rifles I've shot in the past.

I suppose a new .338 AI folder would fill the bill, but I think that's a bit more than 800.00 :D
 
I'd get a Henry Riffle. Always wanted one.
 
the possum said:
If I had $800 slated for gun purchases....


It would go towards my wife's massive credit card debt. Same as always. ...
Click to expand...

The problem with that is that it will only temporarily bring the debt down, unless behavioral changes takes place.

The gun purchase, on the other hand, is forever !!

:D
 
Robert H said:
I do have a collection of 308 Scout rifles that work just as well as the heavier tactical rifles I've shot in the past.
Click to expand...

Mind if I ask what scout rifles you have or have had? Steyr, savage, custom? I'd be interested to hear your experiences and opinions of each, I've got a few that I've got on a long term wish list.

I've had some psuedo scouts and like the concept, I think it has a lot of merits past being a good hunting rifle.
 
I have a Savage, which is a fine Scout. It'll shoot 3-4" at 350 yards, which is plenty for the rifle, but my favorite is a semi custom Remington model 7, in 308 of course, that I'm actually building a survival kit around for a light BOB with the rifle as the main ingredient, since a good light accurate rifle can procure many things. :D Here's a pic of it under my 94' Scout.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=76073&d=1185587198
 
The new Springfield EMP in .45, checked them out at the NRA meeting in STL last April. SWEEEET!!! They feel good in the hand, balance well, compact.
 
Robert H said:
I have a Savage, which is a fine Scout. It'll shoot 3-4" at 350 yards, which is plenty for the rifle, but my favorite is a semi custom Remington model 7, in 308 of course, that I'm actually building a survival kit around for a light BOB with the rifle as the main ingredient, since a good light accurate rifle can procure many things. :D Here's a pic of it under my 94' Scout.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=76073&d=1185587198
Click to expand...

That looks great. What's the weight on it, roughly?
 
A question for the scout guys: does having the scope that far forward require some getting used to ? Are there optical advantages ? I can see where it would also be a benefit in terms of recoil.
 
Tough choice as to what else I'd buy .
The first thing on my list is a pre saftey Marlin 39 A in .22 LR. (not magnum ) . That would really round out my lever gun collection , but I would try to keep it at or below $400. A little leeway for a pre microgroove one ;)
After that, as long as I didn't hapen across another old levergun that just called to me ( they do that ) I'd stock up on reloading suplies , and whatever ammo the new .22 likes the best.

Phil
 
DeadeyeLefty said:
A question for the scout guys: does having the scope that far forward require some getting used to ? Are there optical advantages ? I can see where it would also be a benefit in terms of recoil.
Click to expand...

Hi Deadeye-

I find that it's a much more comfortable shoot with the forward mounted optic, lots will disagree. It didn't require much getting used to for me, because I found it to be a lot more natural. It makes the rifle point more like a shotgun. You are able to shoot with both eyes open, and can maintain a view of the horizon. You don't lose sight of everything except whats coming through your lens, the way you would with a traditional scope.

Some more info:
http://home.netcom.com/~chingesh/scoutrifle.html

From talking with folks, most people either love it or hate it. You can only tell by grabbing one and putting some rounds down range. I personally find that the setup allows better balance of the rifle and much more rapid, accurate shots. You don't 'lose yourself' in the scope either, you're always aware of your surroundings. The action is also fully accessible, not occluded the way a traditional scope is.

As always, YMMV!
 
Really easy:
Go to a gun shop that you trust, find a gun that you like, feel comfortable with, and that fits your needs, buy it.
 
David E said:
I presume by "M14" you really mean M1-A........which goes for $1300 or so EACH. Even the crap Norinico ones are $1000.

A pair of 1911's? The mil-specs are $450 + and are in dire need of gunwork to make them comfortable and shootable for the long term.

And still have money left over for Dillon ?

Man, I need to shop where YOU shop if you can pull that off w/ $800 !!

.
Click to expand...

Well, first off, you can't shop where I shop, because you don't live in Canada. Up here, the current norc 1911s go for around $300. Brand new, I bought my last one at $325. In total, to make it a good shooter, and a nice all around gun, I put on a) different grips for $10, and b) nothing else.

I don't own an M1a. I'm not particularly interested in them...not hot on the cast receiver or the accuracy I have had from them in the past.

I like all my Nork M14s, which are not the ones available in the US. They are much, much, much better guns, forged receivers etc, and I have yet to buy one that shot as bad as 2 moa out of the box. And once you spend a few hours and a hundred bucks...they are very accurate shooters indeed!

They are $400 apiece new up here. I have a few around the house (exact number varies due to loaning and presents and custom work) but four more on order and waiting to clear customs. These four are making a $1600 dent in my wallet. If I bought half as many...I think I would be hitting that magic $800 mark pretty accurately!

But as I said, you unfortunately cannot shop where I shop...wrong country! Your country does not allow importation of what I am buying (and that is helping to keep the prices down. Thanks guys!)
 
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