First Firearm, couple questions

[BrainMonkey]

I have never owned a gun before and am looking to get something relatively cheap. I do have shooting experience, and I do know about safety, not so much about proper maintenance, but I am willing to learn. I dont know whether I want a pistol or rifle yet, I'm looking at both, but I have a thing for certain styles of guns. I like unusual looking weapons...I dont know why, but I always have. Most things like that are out of my price range, but i want something functional, sub $500, and something that doesnt take an arm and a leg to get a hold of. I have always been a fan of the Kriss super V weapons, as well as the Dragunov, the M14 EBR, and classic revolvers. I was looking at the mosin with an SVD stock addon, but i'm not sure yet, I want something semi auto. I originally had my eye on the calico just for the sheer clip size, but I hear they are fragile. I am currently absolutely in love with the super V aesthetic but it is way out of my price range, and my other favorite gun, the P90, is as well
Please help me find something that is a good gun, not to expensive, and might fit within the aesthetic
(edit: not to upset anyone, but I absolutely hate the m16/m4 platform, I always have)

[universal_exports]

first you need to decide what the primary use of the gun is, one gun will not fill every roll, it takes several

here is my collection to give you an idea,

AK-74, -my SHTF gun
Saiga 20(Russian AK designed 20 gauge)- indoor SHTF gun.
Remington 700 SPS in 308 - my long range gun (300-800 yard shots)
Remington 12 gauge pump, bird and small critter hunting gun.
Magnum research 22 MAGNUM semi-auto, for those long range (75-150 yard) squirrel or bird shots.
Walther PPS, in .40 S&W my CCW
Walther PPK in .380 my backup CCW


no one gun will do it all,
if it is home protection, and I could only get one gun a Mossburg 500 in 12 gauge will hold 7+1 I believe.
and would work great against one or several intruders, no pistol really can compete with it.

the only benefit of a pistol is it is smaller, easier to conceal, and a bit more maneuverable, and you can forget about making a shot past 75 feet or so, it's possible but is a low percentage shot. and the bullet speed drops off quick.

if you want a Rifle for SHTF I would recommend a AK-74, the newer version of the AK-47, only it shoots the 5.45x39round, and surplus ammo is SUPER cheap
at around 14 cents a round vs over a dollar a round for something like 308 ammo.

a Saiga (real Russian made AK-74) can be bought for 475 but will not have the pistol grip, (they have to be built to sporter configuration for import)
but can be converted super easy, if you want for pretty cheap,


if you want a pistol there are lots of good quality guns, I would not recommend anything smaller than a 9mm. personally I like the walther pistols but a Springfield XDM is a great gun as well, you might find a used one in that price range.



and you cant beat the reliability of an AK.


AK-74 is sporter configuration

[Bearcat]

I think a ruger 10/22 or saiga like Universal said would be a good starting point.

[AKFTW]

Get an AK, SGL if you can afford it, converted Saiga for $500 if you cannot, and a Glock in 9mm, 17 or 19 depending on if you can conceal carry or not. Get a .22 conversion slide for the Glock. Get at least 10 rifle mags and 5 pistol mags. Get some support gear for your setup like a low profile chest rig, a camelbak, and a belt for a holster, dump pouch, and trauma kit. Buy a few cases of ammo. Get some professional training from whatever tactical schools are in your area. Buy more ammo.

[hatchtrikk]

My first firearm was a pistol.

I can't tell you what to get, but I can tell you that I am currently trying to get rid of the XD40s that we own and turn them into Glocks in 9mm.

Oh yeah, BUY ONCE, CRY ONCE.

Fuck, the money I could have saved had I just followed that simple rule.

Don't have enough money to get the gun you want? SAVE THE FUCK UP and get the one you want! I can't stress that enough. Learn from our (ZS collective) mistakes.


Good luck!

[BrainMonkey]

looking now at the 74 or a derivative with a dragunov style stock possibly. Anything in the revolver carbines would be neat as well, and I love the rossi circuit judge (expensive though)

[BrainMonkey]

looking now at the 74 or a derivative with a dragunov style stock possibly. Anything in the revolver carbines would be neat as well, and I love the rossi circuit judge (expensive though)

[Niblick]

Well at least he can double tap. But seriously, if you love the ps90, save up for it. You will buy it eventually and we're just trying to save you a few stops on the way. What seems like a cheap alternative, isn't after you re-sell it for a loss to get what you really want.

[vawilderness]

You know, if you bought a little .22 rimfire, you would save a little cash and would have a great platform to learn basic marksmanship on. Ammo is super cheap as well. Just a thought... Not nearly as cool as a saiga, ak, or some of the others, but good and practical.

[Kutter_0311]

Rifles - Saiga in 5.45x39, 7.62x39, or 5.56x45

Pistol - Glock in 9mm(9x19)

Other shit may look cool, but these work, and are in your price range.

[Lodewijk]

You should be able to find a decent revolver for that price, which is a solid first gun. .38 Special in a Ruger GP100 or something similar is going to be very comfortable to shoot.

Honestly I'd start with a .22 LR of some kind and go from there just for the trigger time. You can afford to have unique-looking things here, like Walther G22s, or the Buckmark rifle (pricey), or whatever you want to build a 10/22 into. If you NEED a centerfire rifle, an AK is a great place to start. So is a .357 lever action.

You will get a lot of Glock 17/19 responses for semiautomatic handguns because that's what ZS likes (which is fine because they're great guns), but really you should be fine getting whatever gun fits you best from whatever quality manufacturer happens to make it. Beretta, Sig, Glock, CZ, Smith and Wesson, Springfield Armory, FN, HK, and maybe even Ruger - they all make good guns that you can't really go that far wrong with.

[Phoenix David]

Make your decision on what to get then take a training class from a reputable trainer

[s.leinicke]

Ruger 10/22 Takedown. They're on sale at Gander Mountain right now.

[JaPes]

Start with a .22lr semi auto handgun or rifle. Low recoil and affordable ammo will help you learn the fundamentals of marksmanship. I'm partial to the Ruger 10/22 and Ruger MK III Standard.

If your circumstances will only allow you to own one center fire firearm in the near future, a 9mm semi auto is advisable. Find one that fits your hand just right. Then narrow it down to which bone stick factory trigger feels the best to you.

If budget is limited, a Ruger P95, Sig SP2022 (when on sale), S&W SD9 VE, are good affordable firearms. While from experience I do not prefer Glocks, a used Glock 19 would also serve you well.

[tarafore]

Make your decision on what to get then take a training class from a reputable trainer

I'd like to echo this, but with one slight change.

If anybody around you offers beginner's training classes in which you can rent a gun, or try several guns, do that first, and THEN you'll know exactly which gun you want.

But not everybody is lucky enough to have those types of classes in their area. In that case, Phoenix David has a great point.