[Beretta686]

I'm a pretty unabashed gun snob. My gun-safe is full of high $$$ toys as I love my Sig, HK, S&W revolvers, higher-end Springfield 1911, Beretta O/U shotgun, tricked out NFA items, blah, blah, blah. I always considered Glock the cheapest one I had ("cheapness" being only a measure of price, as with Mil/LE price they're $400 NIB).

But recently I've discovered the opposite end of the spectrum.
My mind was originally opened by the 2 10.5 incher AR-15 uppers from Model 1 Sales and FTF Industries (both lower-end AR parts producers) I've had for years which I've shot the hell out of with crappy Wolf ammo and have never had a jam on either one (except with Tula's extra-crappy ammo, but that's a whole other rant), this is despite the supposed legendary unreliability of shorty AR-15 uppers.

But recently my "budget gun" experience has spread to pistols. It started with Taurus. My buddy's Taurus .45 1911 shoots as well as my Springfield for 1/2 the price. Then I shot a bullet-proof 24/7 in 9mm that did as well as my Sig on steel plates. That was quickly followed by a Millennium in .45 which held more rounds but was about the size of my Glock 26. My ego was further damaged by a Charles Daley 1911 which ran everything I fed it.

So I stumbled across an Argentinian FM Hi-Power for $289 at a local gunstore. I love Browning Hi-Powers but they're just so damn expensive, so I decided to get a cheap one. I took it to the range and it shot just as well as any non-customized BHP I've shot.

I also picked up a Norinco 982 12-gauge for just north of $200 loaded with good features and it runs like a champ.

Anyway, my point is not that Taurus, Norinco or Charles Daley is better than higher end guns. Rather it's that you don't have to spend tons of $$$ to get a good, reliable gun, despite what internet commandos tell you.

Yes, I understand YMMV and there's always going to be turds out there produced by Taurus, Charles Daley and lower end manufacturers, but there's also turds from Kimber (I've had two), Sig, Glock and HK. There's nothing quite like watching your $1200 Kimber choke while the guy next to you's $300 Taurus merrily blasts away.

So yes, I am a gun snob who enjoys the finer things in weaponry, much as I enjoy finer wines, cigars and booze. But much as there's good deals in the wine rack for low prices, there's also some amazing deals in the bargain bin at your local gunstore. Just because you like a Cuban Cohiba Siglo VI as I do, doesn't mean you can't enjoy a great $5 cigar, much less knock someone else for enjoying one.