The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > Hogan's Alley > Handguns: The Semi-automatic Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old October 30, 2012, 01:43 AM   #1
bonefamily
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 28, 2012
Location: central Ohio
Posts: 304
Hello

Newbie to the forums here (obviously), and just wanted to drop a friendly hello. I've been lurking around, reading and learning some so figured it was time to drop a post.

Both my wife and I are gun noobs and she just got her first - just a basic entry level Hi-Point C9. Both she and I are scheduled for our CCW class mid-November. I still haven't picked out a handgun yet and am trying to learn as much as I can before doing so. The gun will be used for both personal protection (home or carry? or both? still deciding) and target shooting (to be sure that our protection needs will follow through if need be).

We live in a boonies area of central Ohio and our only local outfitters carry both Hi-Point and Kel-Tec, regularly stocked. Therefore I am looking at either the same gun as my wife (Hi-Point C9), or to change things up some they also have a Hi-Point .45 ACP and a Kel-Tec PF-9. It shows that our family budget is tight from the guns we are looking at. The PF-9 is a small gun, obviously, and felt small in my hands. I imagine the recoil would have a pretty good kick. The .45 ACP is a big gun and felt big in my hands, however it felt more managable to me. Yes, I have read that Hi-Point makes heavier than average weight guns and the .45 seems to really reflect this. The C9 felt right in the middle of the two, but I thought it would be nice to have a different gun from the wife in that we can trade off at the shooting range for variety, I don't know.

I would like to buy the gun before the CCW class as our local outfitters offers the class half off with the purchase of a gun from them. As mentioned, our family budget is tight and this $50 savings can come in handy.

FWIW, I am 5'11", 170 lbs., and have medium to large hands. Thanks for reading.
bonefamily is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 02:02 AM   #2
LockedBreech
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 6, 2009
Location: Rocky Mountain West
Posts: 3,395
I tend to be a bit of a brand snob and say a person would be better off saving up the ~ $300 for a Ruger P95 or Smith & Wesson SW9VE, but I've also been of very limited means before and I understand that every dollar matters sometimes.

Hi-Points are pretty good for what they are, but I wouldn't rely on one as a truly lifesaving tool (others may disagree).

If the options really are limited to those two brands, I'd look at any of the Kel-Tec 9mm pistols to be pretty solid basic-level performers. Please, though, give some consideration to very, very slightly more expensive guns like used Smith & Wesson revolvers, the Ruger P95, or the Smith Sigma or SV9VE.

Welcome to the gun owning community!
__________________
16 Pistols, 5 Rifles, 1 Shotgun, no time to shoot them
LockedBreech is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 03:49 AM   #3
bonefamily
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 28, 2012
Location: central Ohio
Posts: 304
Thanks for the reply. I will certainly address trying to come up with some extra $$$, but only time will tell.

The Kel-Tec is a bit higher priced over the Hi-Points, but only a little. The PF-9 that they have in stock is marked down which makes it fall into the high end of my current budget. I am a believer that one gets what they pay for and I "feel" the Kel-Tec would be a better gun. The only drawback that the Kel-Tec has is that there is no safety. I don't know what the majority feel is about having a safety or not, but in my beginning days of firearms it is an important factor to consider for me.
bonefamily is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 05:40 AM   #4
dayman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 18, 2011
Location: The Woods
Posts: 1,197
if you're planning on carrying your gun concealed, the pf9 would probably be a better choice. HiPoints certainly seem to be reliable, but the big heavy slide is going to make it harder and less comfortable to carry all day.
Plus, like you said, it could be nice to have a couple guns for variety.
I would look around and see what's available used though. Sometimes you can get really killer deals, and if you don't find anything you can always buy one of your new options.
Good luck choosing though, and make sure you let us know what you get.
__________________
si vis pacem para bellum
dayman is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 06:58 AM   #5
lapetrarca53
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 10, 2012
Posts: 108
Hi and welcome!

I started out with a Hi Point C9 myself because I was on a budget as well. As far as a functional firearm, I can't say anything bad about mine. It goes bang every time I pull the trigger. No FTF's or FTE's after approximately 400 rounds. My only dislike is that it feels big in my hands.

I recently purchased a Smith & Wesson SD9 VE. While almost twice the cost of a Hi Point, it's still considered a "budget" model and represents quite a step up. A very nicely made gun and it feels great in my hands. It's an S&W......something to consider.
lapetrarca53 is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 07:07 AM   #6
loose_holster_dan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 5, 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 2,461
if you can afford, and effectively conceal a p95, that's the best one in your list. don't forget to leave room in your budget for a good belt and holster. leave about $50 for a good belt and at least another $50 for a good holster. these are very important to be able to effectively conceal a larger pistol.

WHATEVER YOU GET MAKE SURE YOU CAN SHOOT IT WELL. ohio has a qualification for their permit. if you can't hit a paper plate at 5yds every time you pull the trigger, you need a different gun. this is by no means an unreasonable expectation, but more than half of my class didn't get it until their second try, and one guy didn't get it until his 9th try, when the instructor handed him a 22.

working with a budget is tough, but i understand. i've never shot, held, or even seen a hi-point, so i can't say anything there. i do own a pf9, and you're right - they kick pretty good, but that isn't the biggest problem. the trigger will pinch your finger in the bottom of the trigger guard. it really hurts after a few rounds. this can be fixed with the northwoods aluminum trigger, but that costs another $50. i'm not sure what your budget is, but if you decide to go with the keltec, and don't mind a very lightly used one and a bit of a drive, i live in the stow/kent area.

mine is for sale. $300 w/ 2mags, upgrades, and holsters
the two pocket holsters usually go for around $25 each, and the kydex iwb holster goes for $75 all by itself.

__________________
Favorite range gun for the money - CZ 75B or STI Spartan V 9mm
Go-to carry setup - Walther PPS or PPQ in FIST kydex holster 1AK
Favorite semi-auto design - HK P7
"A Sig is like a lightsaber - not as clumsy or random as a Glock."

Last edited by loose_holster_dan; October 30, 2012 at 07:24 AM.
loose_holster_dan is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 07:23 AM   #7
jimbob86
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 4, 2007
Location: All the way to NEBRASKA
Posts: 8,722
Welcome to the Forum!

Having shot a Hi-Point, I can say this: It's a gun. It beats harsh words or a pointy stick.

I would not want to carry one. There are better options.

I understand the tight budget thing- we've got 5 kids! If you want something bad enough, you can scrimp/save/pick up aluminum cans/sell plasma/garage sale/whatever.....

The best value for home defense is a youth model 20 guage pump shotgun- Remington's 870 Youth is about $320 at Dick's or Cabela's. The learning curve on a shotgun is easier than a handgun.

Have a look at used guns, if you can educate yourself on wha to look for....

That said, I think the best value in new handguns is the Ruger sR9c. They can be had for $400 OTD. If your "local outfiter" does not stock them, see if he'll do a transfer......

Whatever you choose, stick with 9mm, so you can afford to shoot your gun.

Also, handloading will allow you to shoot more for the same money.
jimbob86 is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 09:34 AM   #8
kai44
Member
 
Join Date: October 29, 2012
Posts: 15
If you can afford it, the Smith and Wesson SD9VE is a great gun. I recently just got it as my first semi-auto handgun and couldn't be happier. It's really comfortable in your hand and just feels like a quality weapon. I've only maybe fired 1000 rounds out of it, but it's functioned flawlessly. The only flaw with it is the trigger pull is fairly heavy, but you can buy kits that are about $20 and make the trigger pull a lot nicer.
kai44 is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 07:11 PM   #9
Hansam
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 21, 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 763
I've got 5 kids and when I was first starting in my firearms hobby I was on a serious budget too. I too considered the Hi-Points and having shot a few of them among the many other guns I rented, borrowed etc. so I could shoot as many guns as I could I chose NOT to purchase a Hi-Point as a first gun.

While it is true that they fire MOST of the time you squeeze the trigger and they are quite accurate for their price I found them to be of inferior quality and they felt clumsy in my hands.

I chose instead to go with a Kel-Tec P11. It was smaller, more comfortable to hold, more comfortable to carry and aside from the long and heavy double action only trigger it was fairly easy to shoot.

Now I've got more firearms and no longer have a Kel-Tec. I did purchase a Hi-Point at one point in time however as a range toy and after several thousand rounds I sold it for $100 to a friend. To this day that friend still has that pistol and still shoots it regularly without failure. It is my opinion that if you had to choose between having a Hi-Point and NOT having a gun I'd choose the Hi-Point however if I had other choices I'd not pick the Hi-Point.

If budget is your concern I'd strongly suggest NOT getting a Hi-Point or even a Kel-Tec. Instead save up your money and get yourself something like a Ruger LC9, S&W Shield or (a bit bulkier) a Bersa Thunder 9. They're all within the $400 price range and as you posted in your OP, "you get what you pay for." This is especially an important thing to consider if you plan to carry your gun concealed. All three guns I mentioned are considerably smaller and lighter than the Hi-Point thus making them easier to conceal and more comfortable to carry. Since budget is a concern I won't suggest a .45acp because the cost of ammo is considerably higher than 9mm and when it comes to CCW, practice is key. The more you practice proper technique and shooting the better you become and that means the more effectively you can protect yourself and your loved ones should the need ever arise. The price of .45acp puts that caliber out of reach of most budget minded folks. I know this to be true because it was out of reach for me till I got my reloading set up.

When it comes to guns you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get a good gun. No you don't need to spend $1000+ for an HK USP but at the same time I'd suggest you do not spend $195 for a Hi-Point if you plan on ever needing it to defend your life and the lives of your loved ones. If necessary I'd even suggest selling your wife's Hi-Point and putting the money toward a better gun.
__________________
This is who we are, what we do.
Hansam is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 08:10 PM   #10
bonefamily
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 28, 2012
Location: central Ohio
Posts: 304
Thanks for the helpful replies and advice, everyone - greatly appreciated!

PM coming your way, loose holster dan...

Alot of very good points brought up in these posts for me to keep in serious consideration. The wife and I have 4 kids from 7 to 15 years of age, which both raise the reasons for budget and more importantly safety. I am researching as much as I can and learning along the way. In fact, we both have decided to pospone our CCW class until the next month to allow more time for research and learning. It was mentioned that it might be a good idea to sell the wife's C9, and that too is an option we can consider. The gun has not been fired yet so perhaps the local outfitters where we bought it from could let her exchange it for a better firearm.

Again, I appreciate the help you all are giving me - thank you!!
bonefamily is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 08:41 PM   #11
tahunua001
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 21, 2011
Location: Idaho
Posts: 7,839
welcome to the forum. I know that money is tight and some are more affected than others.

from all reports I've read hi points 45s are more accurate and reliable than their 9mm offerings so your chances of buying a lemon are a lot lower. however I have noticed that a lot of gun stores are jacking up the prices of hi points, the 9mms are approaching $200 and the 45s have surpassed that. they are good guns but they are large and blocky and for a skinny individual such as yourself it would be incredibly difficult to conceal, even in cold weather where heavy clothing makes it easier.

the keltec PF9 is a good concealed carry gun and many people swear by them but they are quite rough from the factory and they need a bit of "fine tuning" but there are lots of instructional videos on how to do this and it can be done very cheaply(under a dollar in some cases). however the design has been called a Kahr knockoff one too many times for my liking since I have had horrible experience with Kahrs and would never wish that on anyone.

for the prices that you are looking at I will ask you to consider another option. it is called the Arcus 98DAC(double action compact). it is a Bulgarian Browning Hi Power clone that is imported by century arms and can be had in the same price range as a hi point 45 or PF9. they are also kindof an ugly gun and have rough edges but surprisingly have more satisfied owners than not and if you know where to look has a very devoted fan base. it will be somwhere in the middle as far as concealability since it's a double stack design and the keltec is a single stack but ammo capacity is almost double the PF9 at 13+1.

all prices are taken from budsgunshop.com actual retail value may vary slightly:
keltec PF9=$259
Hi Point 45ACP=$229
Arcus 98DAC 9mm=$318-327

edit: also as safety is a concern, the 98DAC has both a manual safety and a magazine disconnect safety(won't shoot without a magazine present in the gun) which can really help avoiding a neglegent discharge in a house full of kids that are not familiar with firearms safety.
__________________
ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar.
I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein
You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

Last edited by tahunua001; October 30, 2012 at 08:48 PM.
tahunua001 is offline  
Old October 30, 2012, 11:23 PM   #12
Misssissippi Dave
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 5, 2009
Posts: 1,411
The used market should be considered. It might allow you to get a higher quality pistol at a reasonable price. Nearly half of my pistols were purchsed used. The Sig Pro is a polymer pistol and priced much lower than most Sig pistols. They are a little lighter and hold up quite well. If you find one used, that might be an option. A few years ago Sig P6 pistols were selling quite cheap. Maybe you can find one still for a reasonable price. I have put thousands of rounds down range in mine. Kel-tec and High Point pistols are not ones I normally would pick. 9 mm pistols are probably the best way to go for self defense on a budget. You can get ammo at Walmart for a reasonable price so you can practice. You might even consider a .22 pistol for one of your two pistols. It is easier to learn the basics with a .22 and ammo is cheaper than even a 9 mm.

As already mentioned .45 is a great caliber if you reload. Otherwise you will find you can't shoot it much since .45 ammo is fairly high priced. The same goes even with .38 Special/.357 revolvers. They once were cheap to buy ammo for but that was a long time ago.

Getting into reloading should be looked at as starting another hobby. Depending on your available time and space you may or may not want to try it. You can start out with a simple single stage press for a reasonable amount of money to load small quantities at a time. You will find reloading tends to suck up your available funds pretty fast. You do get to shoot more but you really never spend less than you able to do before reloading. I know I tend to hate that draining of my account everytime I have to buy components to keep reloading my ammo. I do buy in bulk so it takes a big chunk of my hobby money for every order. Bulk buying does get me lower pricing.

A good holster and belt really are needed if you are going to carry a pistol concealed. It makes a world of difference how well you can conceal a pistol and how the weight is felt.
Misssissippi Dave is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 01:24 AM   #13
bonefamily
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 28, 2012
Location: central Ohio
Posts: 304
Thanks for the replies, tahunua001 and Misssissippi Dave. I do plan to keep an eye and ear out in the used market. I will also research the Arcus, thanks!

One thing pointed out that I did not think of was the cost of ammo. If the .45 acp is going to cost quite a bit more to shoot, then that may be a breaker right there. I have read a bit on reloading and thought that would be interesting to get into, but if the cost is a wash then I would be doing it solely for hobby (which could be real cool in itself).

The prices I am getting are a bit better than listed above. The PF-9 they have marked down to $239 and the Hi-Point .45 they have marked down to $179. Then, they offer the CCW class for half price ($95 regular cost, so $47.50). The near $50 savings for the class would be a nice thing to get, but I am not letting that be a deal maker or breaker.

Also, wanted to say thanks for making a noob feel welcome and not stupid for asking noobish questions. I know some forums (not firearm related) can make noobs feel like complete idiots at times. I thank you all for supporting the new shooter crowd!!
bonefamily is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 07:52 AM   #14
loose_holster_dan
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 5, 2011
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 2,461
the shooter crowd is one of the friendliest crowds in the world.
__________________
Favorite range gun for the money - CZ 75B or STI Spartan V 9mm
Go-to carry setup - Walther PPS or PPQ in FIST kydex holster 1AK
Favorite semi-auto design - HK P7
"A Sig is like a lightsaber - not as clumsy or random as a Glock."
loose_holster_dan is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 09:09 AM   #15
jimbob86
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 4, 2007
Location: All the way to NEBRASKA
Posts: 8,722
Without looking very hard.....

Budget reloading:
http://www.titanreloading.com/presse...reloader-press

http://www.titanreloading.com/primin...-auto-prime-xr

http://www.titanreloading.com/primin...-shell-holder-

http://www.titanreloading.com/lee-ca...ide-3-die-set-

Well under 100 bucks, shipping included..... I was going to suggest looking for used stuff on e-bay, but most of the stuff on there was priced above new .... Lee has factory seconds (scratch and dent) sometimes....

plated bullets for 9mm can be had for less than 10 cents each....

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoot...3Bcat104275080

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.co...sku=0003719355

Brass for 9mm is pretty much free, as not many people reload it. Just pick it up. I do.

Primers .... 3-4 cents a pop. call it 3.5....

Powder seems expensive .... but a little goes a long way.

I like Alliant Power Pistol for 9mm...... $24 for a pound .... but that will load over 1000 rounds.... call it 2.5 cents for each round ....

2.5+3.5+9.5=15.5 cents for components...... for each round.

A box of factory ammo is running 15 bucks for 50 ..... you can just about cut that in half.

You will avoid Hazmat shipping fees if you find a local source for the powder and primers.....
jimbob86 is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 10:49 AM   #16
tahunua001
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 21, 2011
Location: Idaho
Posts: 7,839
don't mention it. these kind of questions are quite common for people new to firearms and new to concealed carry. as has been pointed out 45 is expensive to shoot and even though reloading setups can be had for cheap I would recommend against getting into the cheapos as they are not manufactured to the tightest tolerances and can make your home loads very inconsistent, sometimes even to the extent of destroying guns. if you do get into reloading then I would recommend Dillon or RCBS or at the very least Lee equipment and the presses alone will cost over $100,

a good suggestion would be to keep an eye on craigslist. reloading components,equipment and dies popup there all the time and usually for pretty decent prices. it is next to impossible to damage, wear out or otherwise break a good setup. if you can get a decent deal on second hand ammo you will still end up having to load quite a bit of ammo to make up the difference. the real money saver is casting your own bullets but some pistols do not do well with cast bullets as the rifling can become clogged with lead. last I knew however all pistols mentioned have land and groove rifling and are good to shoot hard cast.
__________________
ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar.
I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein
You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin

Last edited by tahunua001; October 31, 2012 at 11:00 AM.
tahunua001 is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 12:38 PM   #17
jimbob86
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 4, 2007
Location: All the way to NEBRASKA
Posts: 8,722
Quote:
if you do get into reloading then I would recommend Dillon or RCBS or at the very least Lee equipment and the presses alone will cost over $100,
@t- Horsefeathers.

All of the stuff I listed was Lee equipment, of new manufacture ..... and is every bit as capable of making as high quality ammo as RCBS, Dillon, etc..... and certainly better than most factory loads. Quality will be determined by the diligence of the user. Lee's own online store was out of stock on the press I was looking for .... this was just the first distributor (Titanreloading.com) the search engine picked up.... I'm sure Natchez, Shooter's Supply, Midway, Graf's, etc. have the same stuff at similar prices. The OP was looking to reload 9mm, or maybe .45, and does NOT need $300-500 to do that.



Reloading is not rocket science and it need not cost a whole lot. For those with more time than money, the Lee WhackaMole kits are under 30 bucks, and though not the fastest way to reload, are capable of making safe, servicable ammo, if the user can read and follow instructions.
jimbob86 is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 12:49 PM   #18
Remington74
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 5, 2012
Location: Carthage, NY
Posts: 231
I haven't owned or shot either the hi-point or the pf-9 but I do have the Kel-Tec P11 and am very happy with it. You can get a factoy 12 round mag and that makes 13 rounds of 9mm on tap. Don't worry about the lack of a mechanical safety, the long, heavy trigger pull on the P11 is plenty enough safety, at least for me. Don't misunderstand me, I have no intention of getting rid of or replacing my P11, the trigger pull is just fine for me, may or may not be OK for you. Price compared to the PF-9 is pretty darn close.
Remington74 is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 04:57 PM   #19
tahunua001
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 21, 2011
Location: Idaho
Posts: 7,839
Quote:
All of the stuff I listed was Lee equipment, of new manufacture ..... and is every bit as capable of making as high quality ammo as RCBS, Dillon, etc..... and certainly better than most factory loads. Quality will be determined by the diligence of the user. Lee's own online store was out of stock on the press I was looking for .... this was just the first distributor (Titanreloading.com) the search engine picked up.... I'm sure Natchez, Shooter's Supply, Midway, Graf's, etc. have the same stuff at similar prices. The OP was looking to reload 9mm, or maybe .45, and does NOT need $300-500 to do that.



Reloading is not rocket science and it need not cost a whole lot. For those with more time than money, the Lee WhackaMole kits are under 30 bucks, and though not the fastest way to reload, are capable of making safe, servicable ammo, if the user can read and follow instructions.
um...did I say not to use Lee? no I said that Leewould be as cheap as I would go.

as for reloading not being rocket science I beg to differ and anyone that says otherwise is truly ignorant of the dangers of reloading. there are literally thousands of different types of propellants yet only a handfull can be used for any given cartridge. the level of precision needed is in tens of thousanths of an ounce. a single 10th of an ounce can mean the difference between standard velocity loads and a blown up gun. just try loading and rifle powder in a 45acp casing and see what happens. that is why you need to make sure you buy properly calibrated scales, precisely manufactured scoops and above all else reloading manuals.

there is a reason why RCBS and Dillon are the largest manufacturers of reloading equipment, they are the most trusted because they are the best quality.

one time when I was a young-un I went to my LGS with my older brother and a man brought in a kaboomed rifle. when asked what happened the man simply replied "Lee Scoops happened". my brother exploded laughing and the guy behind the counter simply nodded and gave that all knowing smirk. unknown to me my older brother also Kaboomed a rifle using Lee scoops. I'm going to say that Lee has had serious QC problems in the past and I would never take the chance on it for that reason.
__________________
ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar.
I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein
You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin
tahunua001 is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 05:59 PM   #20
jimbob86
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 4, 2007
Location: All the way to NEBRASKA
Posts: 8,722
Quote:
or at the very least Lee equipment and the presses alone will cost over $100,
The stuff I listed was under $100 bucks. Total. All the tools needed to reload 9mm. Press, priming tool, dies, shell holders, all of it.

To which you replied....

Quote:
even though reloading setups can be had for cheap I would recommend against getting into the cheapos as they are not manufactured to the tightest tolerances and can make your home loads very inconsistent, sometimes even to the extent of destroying guns. if you do get into reloading then I would recommend Dillon or RCBS or at the very least Lee equipment and the presses alone will cost over $100,
Quote:
as for reloading not being rocket science I beg to differ and anyone that says otherwise is truly ignorant of the dangers of reloading.
I know a couple of "Rocket Scientists" (Lockheed Martin variety... some refer them as "Aerospace Engineers", but they call themselves "Rocket Scientists") ..... have seen the math required of actual "rocket science" ... reloading is not that. No math involved, to speak of. Follow the recipe, use the tools properly, use safe procedures ..... simple stuff.

Quote:
one time when I was a young-un I went to my LGS with my older brother and a man brought in a kaboomed rifle. when asked what happened the man simply replied "Lee Scoops happened". my brother exploded laughing and the guy behind the counter simply nodded and gave that all knowing smirk. unknown to me my older brother also Kaboomed a rifle using Lee scoops.
It does not get any simpler than Lee dippers.... if a fella manages to jack that up, he would do well to avoid anything with moving parts.
jimbob86 is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 06:15 PM   #21
erob3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 9, 2010
Location: East Tn. for 56 years
Posts: 540
Welcome to the forum. After being a penny pincher for years I completely understand where you are. I want to suggest perhaps looking into a used pistol. Many new pistols manufactured today are in my opinion much like new cars, they will enevitably go down in value. I have no doubt if you look around, in places other than a gun store, you can find a used in very good condition pistol. This will afford you the opportunity to get more pistol for less money. I hope this may offer an alternative solution. Good Luck.
__________________
If something is worth doing well, it is worth failing at to get there.
erob3 is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 07:52 PM   #22
Misssissippi Dave
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 5, 2009
Posts: 1,411
As for reloading I probably don't keep my costs down nearly as much as I could. I prefer jacketed bullets for pistol and even revolvers loads. That raises the price to reload. I do load a fair amount of ammo each month all year long. It is the reason I use a progressive press. Many years ago I was able to produce the ammo I was going to shoot every other weekend on a single stage press and it did the job I needed it to do. There is nothing wrong with keeping the prices down or using a single stage press. Most dies will get the job done. Only after you have been loading a while will you probably notice the differences between different company's dies. Maybe there is a feature one makes that you really like over another. It doesn't mean that they both can't produce good quality ammo. It might be the setup is easier with one. That doesn't really even matter unless you have to keep changing things like the bullet type, depth etc. Some seating dies will allow easier cleaning and that could be important if you load only lead bullets. Loading only jacketed bullets and again it doesn't matter that much.

As you can see you can get really expensive or keep your costs down and still be able to reload your own ammo. As mentioned I'm not using the cheapest bullets (one of the more expensive componets) even with that I load better ammo than the cheapest ammo at Walmart. Even .45 ammo (50 rounds) costs me about $1 or so less than the cheapest 9 mm ammo at Walmart to load. 9 mm costs me about 6 to 7 dollars a box of 50 to load. Switching to cheaper bullets will reduce my costs. Since it is fun for me to reload I don't consider the cost of labor or things like that.

The reason I say it doesn't save you any money is simple. Say I was spending $40 on ammo during a range trip when I was buying factory ammo. I still shoot about $40 dollars worth of ammo for a range trip when reloading. It just turns out that I wind up shooting twice as much as I did before. I do like having my ammo made to what I like. I like accurate and fairly clean burning ammo that normally has a softer feel in recoil. I can make that but it is either very hard to find it in factory ammo or if you can find it the cost gets to be pretty steep. I sometimes like shooting .357 mag ammo. The cost of those rounds are quite high with 157 grain bullets. I can load them for a little less than I can .45 acp with JHP bullets.

Reloading is something to keep in mind. First find out how much you like shooting. If you are planning to only shoot a box of two a year through a pistol after the initial class you take than it doesn't make sense to consider reloading at all. Just buy factory ammo. If you are shooting a box or two a week than maybe a single stage press will serve you well. When shooting 500 or more rounds a week you really need to get into reloading and you will need a progressive press or at a minimum a turret press to keep you in ammo for that type of volume.

Just something to think about. See what you wants or needs are over a a period of time then you can make up your mind about reloading or not.
Misssissippi Dave is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 11:29 PM   #23
bonefamily
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 28, 2012
Location: central Ohio
Posts: 304
Thanks for the wonderful info., all. Regards to reloading, that is something I do not plan to do right away, but on down the road. As mentioned by Mississippi Dave, I want to learn to shoot well as my main priority first. Regards to how much shooting - my wife and I plan to go to the range approx. a couple times a month for starters to practice our shooting skills. Hopefully the need for self protection will never rise, but if it ever does we want to be sure we are prepared. I guess the intial cost of ammo wouldn't be too expensive at first because of this. However, this may just be a sport that takes control of our time and we find ourselves more at the range than we expected

On another note, I did find a local seller that has a couple Ruger LCP .380's in stock that he is selling for $299 each. I could probably swing the extra costs over the others if this gun would be a significant improvement over the Hi-Point and/or Kel-Tec. ??

Lastly, regarding the Hi-Point vs. the Kel-Tec - I read that the Hi-Point is a blowback design and the Kel-Tec is a locked breech design. I think I have an idea of the difference, but to be sure could someone please explain it to me? From what I understand, a blowback is when the chamber/slide kicks back when the shot is fired, but I thought all pistols do this, no? Does the Kel-Tec's chamber/slide not kick back when fired? Sorry for the noobness in me...

Last edited by bonefamily; November 1, 2012 at 12:09 AM. Reason: .380 not .38
bonefamily is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 11:41 PM   #24
tahunua001
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 21, 2011
Location: Idaho
Posts: 7,839
the LCP has a very good reputation. the LC9(same gun, larger caliber) ran into some serious issues so as long as it's the LCP in .380 auto then you should be golden. it is smaller than any of the other guns on this list so it may be a bit harder to adjust to and difficult to shoot well due to a short sight radius but Ruger stands by all their guns 100% and it would be very easy to conceal.
__________________
ignore my complete lack of capitalization. I still have no problem correcting your grammar.
I never said half the stuff people said I did-Albert Einstein
You can't believe everything you read on the internet-Benjamin Franklin
tahunua001 is offline  
Old October 31, 2012, 11:49 PM   #25
Theohazard
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 19, 2012
Location: Western PA
Posts: 3,829
Quote:
Lastly, regarding the Hi-Point vs. the Kel-Tec - I read that the Hi-Point is a blowback design and the Kel-Tec is a locked breech design. I think I have an idea of the difference, but to be sure could someone please explain it to me? From what I understand, a blowback is when the chamber/slide kicks back when the shot is fired, but I thought all pistols do this, no? Does the Kel-Tec's chamber/slide not kick back when fired? Sorry for the noobness in me...
With a straight blowback action, the barrel is fixed and the recoil moves the slide/bolt to the rear. With a locked-breech action, the chamber remains locked to the slide/bolt for a fraction of a second after firing. This is to ensure the breech doesn't open too early while chamber pressures are still high.

Almost every gun 9mm and above has a locked-breech action: if you pull the slide back on a locked-breech handgun you'll notice the barrel moves with the slide for about a 1/4 inch. And if you pull the bolt to the rear on an AR-15 you'll notice the bolt rotates and stays locked to the chamber for the first part of the bolt carrier's rearward movement.

Any gun more powerful than a .380 that uses a straight blowback action is going to need either a very heavy recoil spring, a very heavy slide/bolt (the Hi-Point), or both.
__________________
0331: "Accuracy by volume."
Theohazard is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:22 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.13999 seconds with 10 queries