Fun Budget 9? - Page 2

jr24 · July 20, 2018, 06:43 PM

I think if I was looking for a cheap used fun 9mm I'd look at the Canik. I've fondled them numerous times at the gun store and have very much liked what I've seen.

blchandl2 · July 20, 2018, 06:52 PM

@Smee78. I was going to recommend the Arcus but they are getting hard to find. I have the 98DA and it is one of my favorite range guns. Built like a tank!

tallball · July 20, 2018, 09:12 PM

Star BM's and Star Super B's are also excellent pistols. I still prefer the Milsurp CZ75's or Tanfoglio/Witness equivalents, but they are all great pistols. I also have no complaints about the Taurus PT92 I've owned sine 1990 or so, and my PT111 G2 9mm is also very nice for an inexpensive small 9mm pistol.

You absolutely don't have to spend more than $300 to get a reliable and ergonomic 9mm pistol.

scoobysnacker · July 20, 2018, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tallball

Star BM's and Star Super B's are also excellent pistols. I still prefer the Milsurp CZ75's or Tanfoglio/Witness equivalents, but they are all great pistols. I also have no complaints about the Taurus PT92 I've owned sine 1990 or so, and my PT111 G2 9mm is also very nice for an inexpensive small 9mm pistol.

You absolutely don't have to spend more than $300 to get a reliable and ergonomic 9mm pistol.

Definitely agree with this point.

$300 is the pricepoint I set in hunting around for used 9mms, and I've scooped up a bunch of different (and fun) models. With a little patience and some good hunting, you can land CZs, Berettas, Daewoos, S&W 3rd Gens, Stars etc at that price. And they are metal, often steel framed. Might have some cosmetic issues (otherwise known as character), but usually well within their reasonable life expectancy. Get some new springs and you should be good to go.

kmw1954 · July 20, 2018, 11:48 PM

One of the reasons I bought my PT92C. The price was right, it looked good and I figured it would make a nice shooter and not a safe queen. It was what I was looking for in size and weight and mag capacity. I figured if it got scratched up or holster rub so what.

Then I actually got it and shot it and found that it actually is a very fine gun. Great fit and finish, beautiful trigger and very accurate. It is now my favorite gun to shoot.

youngridge · July 21, 2018, 10:13 PM

I think that Canick would be an interesting firearm. Maybe a used Glock if you want to go that route

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

craddleshooter · July 22, 2018, 08:13 AM

i honestly don't think you can get what you are looking for at the price you are willing to spend.

OhioGuy · July 22, 2018, 08:47 AM

Off topic, I'm sure -- but if "fun" on the cheap is what you're going for, have you considered the .22 pistols? Many of those are quite inexpensive and pretty reliable, and of course the cost savings will compound with every round you shoot. I got a Walther PPQ .22 for under $300 new and it handles exactly like the PPQ M2 just with less recoil.

You can get the S&W Victory for around $300 I think. I had one of those for a while. You can pick flies off walls with that thing. Plus you can customize it endlessly -- heck for like $80 you can add a cheap red dot sight that's good enough for range fun.

I guess I don't really consider any of the "plastic nines" to be "fun" in any sense -- they're kind of like hammers. Is a Home Depot hammer really any more fun than a Lowe's hammer?

The fun/cool 9mm's I've shot haven't been cheap ones. If you can find some of the Beretta/CZ type clones others are mentioning then yeah, go for that. The most fun 9's I've shot were a Wilson Combat 92FS and a CZ Custom 75 Shadow-2. Probably $1200 each!

Will a Ruger Security 9 or Walther Creed budget self-defense gun be more fun than a Victory target pistol? Your call, but personally I had TONS of fun plinking around with that Victory.

(Smith's .22 AR-15 is a blast too!!!)

rman43 · July 22, 2018, 09:32 AM

I guess I'd have to vote for the Ruger Security 9. They are inexpensive and Ruger has a great customer service department if anything should go wrong.

GarandTd · July 22, 2018, 09:47 AM

Virtually all guns are fun and I've never paid more than $299 for anything I have. They were all bought new, were all reliable, and (go figure) the most problematic was a S&W with sight issues. It's problems were small and taken care of by cs. All are range/fun guns, but at least a couple double up for defensive/carry purposes.

Quote:

I honestly don't think you can get what you are looking for at the price you are willing to spend.

This attitude or opinion keeps good guns out of the hands of many. Do your homework, keep an open mind, weigh the risks, and have fun in the process. After all, this is supposed to be a "fun gun".

My $279 SAR K2P would be the ONE that I would choose to carry into battle. I like it that much. It IS that good.

hemiram · July 23, 2018, 01:47 AM

I have a lot of cheap fun guns. These are my favorites:
#1 By a mile, the full sized Tanfoglio "Mossad" gun. Nothing special about it, it's just an earlier EAA Witness, but what it says on the side takes it up a notch on the fun scale. Besides, it's hard to dislike a CZ pattern pistol, especially one that shoots as great as it does. My favorite gun of all, but it's got a couple of them close behind:

If you're really wanting a cheap fun gun that's also just a great gun period, the SAR CM 9 Gen 2 is the way to go. I would take this over the CZ P07 and Tanfoglio P series it's based on. The trigger is great and it's been 100% reliable, eating anything.

Other favorites, not so cheap are my ex-NYPD Sig P226 that was less than $300, including the conversion to DA/SA from DA only. Here it is before the conversion. My conversion parts included a nickel decocker, so it was nice looking:

And not to be denied in it's greatness is the SAR K2 45, a bargain gun that turned out to be a great one:

Hdonly · July 23, 2018, 07:08 AM

You said budget, get a Hi-Point and go shoot. Most fun you can have for $150 bucks.

tallball · July 23, 2018, 08:18 AM

Someone else mentioned the Stars. They are very nice pistols. My Super B is one of my favorites, and I like the smaller BM a lot, too. They are easy to find in the mid-$200 range.

My favorite 9mm pistol is my milsurp Tanfoglio. It looks just like the one that Hemiram posted the picture of, but it has "Cohai" stamped on it instead of "Mossad".

Some of the older Smiths are pretty inexpensive too. I got a Model 915 for less than $300 and like it a lot. It was a police turn-in, IIRC.

If you're patient and willing to buy used, it's easy to get a good handgun for not much money. I've gotten so many nice ones inexpensively that $300 is pretty much my upper limit for a handgun these days.

Skans · July 23, 2018, 08:20 AM

I would look at police trade-in S&W 5906's. Try and find one in nice shape. IMHO, the 659's and 5906's are some of the best, but most over-looked, inexpensive range guns out there. Yes, they are used. That doesn't matter.

Leejack · July 23, 2018, 01:39 PM

Smith SD9VE series, biggest bang for the buck in this solar system!

scoobysnacker · July 23, 2018, 01:49 PM

several interesting directions you can go, in the used market.

Daewoo DP-51, if you can find one. I did on gunbroker for approx $250.
Used to be an interesting orphan, but then Lionheart began importing them as the LH9, so that means parts are available again.

Used/Israeli CZ 75's. Some folks will say the pre B's are orphans, but the SP 01 mags fit without issue (the regular 75B mags usually don't). Springs, grips and such all fit. The finish can be rough, but we're talking scuffs on a parkerized, polycoated steel frame... you have to do a lot to really actually hurt one.

Beretta 92S- funny placement of the mag release limits the mag compatability, but then again, that also means Taurus 92 mags might fit (if there's a big hole on the heel of the mag, then it will work).

Functionally, all of these are just as good as the current brand-new versions, for usu less than half the price of new. And often enough, the old triggers are better and smoother.

GarandTd · July 23, 2018, 05:32 PM

OhioGuy brought up a great point about 22s. I've been having a good bit of fun with a S&W M&P 22c. So far, it's run well on everything from subsonic low velocity all the way up to the high velocity rounds. I'm impressed with it's reliability across a wide range of ammo. I can also put most of 2mags into a hand sized area at 25 yards off hand, semi-rapid fire. That's pretty good for me.

gwpercle · July 23, 2018, 06:53 PM

Surplus Star model BM's 9mm are becoming available for $199 or so.
I had a Star Model PS in 45 acp and it was a well made and nicely finished pistol.
Stolen in 1995 ....you don't see many of them but the 9mm Star's were popular .
Gary

sigarms228 · July 23, 2018, 07:34 PM

Since you like the M&P 2.0 that sounds like a no brainer to me with the current $50 off rebate going on.

Not sure your price range but I am seeing new Walther PPQ 9MM for around $480. I find the PPQ to be one heck of a fun pistol to shoot.

https://grabagun.com/walther-ppq-m2-...lk-pol-fs.html

Kemikos · July 23, 2018, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill DeShivs

Surplus Star BMs are available for $200.
Great guns.

https://www.classicfirearms.com/star...fair-condition

$149 plus shipping. For a range toy, won't get more bang for the buck than that. Much nicer than a Hi-Point at the same price point. Just don't expect to carry it; it's an obsolete design that might not be drop safe.

GC556 · July 23, 2018, 10:03 PM

Thanks for the great suggestions guys. I definitely have a lot more to think about now! I actually did consider a .22. I will eventually get one, shot them before and they are indeed fun. I am still very curious about the Canik I must say. Next trip to the gun show I will browse around and see what feels right with these suggestions in mind. Keep them coming though! I am really enjoying all the input and knowledge.

ice monkey · July 23, 2018, 10:06 PM

CZ

kmw1954 · July 23, 2018, 10:17 PM

Kemikos thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that one before. Bookmarked it!

Bill DeShivs · July 24, 2018, 12:33 AM

Stars are pretty safe guns to carry. I wouldn't hesitate to carry one-as long as it has an inertial firing pin.
The design is far from obsolete- being the basis for all of the current 1911-looking .380s and mini 9mms.

Webleymkv · July 24, 2018, 12:51 AM

If you don't mind looking on the used market, S&W 3rd genetation 9mm's can still be found for about $300 occasionally. The 59xx series are a lot of gin for the money as are their "value line" counterparts the 910 and 915.

July 22, 2018, 09:32 AM	#34
rman43 Member Join Date: August 3, 2007 Location: NE Kansas Posts: 37	I guess I'd have to vote for the Ruger Security 9. They are inexpensive and Ruger has a great customer service department if anything should go wrong. __________________ I used to be short, young and good looking. Believe it or not, I'm still short.

July 23, 2018, 08:18 AM	#38
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	Someone else mentioned the Stars. They are very nice pistols. My Super B is one of my favorites, and I like the smaller BM a lot, too. They are easy to find in the mid-$200 range. My favorite 9mm pistol is my milsurp Tanfoglio. It looks just like the one that Hemiram posted the picture of, but it has "Cohai" stamped on it instead of "Mossad". Some of the older Smiths are pretty inexpensive too. I got a Model 915 for less than $300 and like it a lot. It was a police turn-in, IIRC. If you're patient and willing to buy used, it's easy to get a good handgun for not much money. I've gotten so many nice ones inexpensively that $300 is pretty much my upper limit for a handgun these days. Last edited by tallball; July 23, 2018 at 11:18 AM.

July 23, 2018, 05:32 PM	#42
GarandTd Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2016 Location: Rural PA Posts: 1,639	OhioGuy brought up a great point about 22s. I've been having a good bit of fun with a S&W M&P 22c. So far, it's run well on everything from subsonic low velocity all the way up to the high velocity rounds. I'm impressed with it's reliability across a wide range of ammo. I can also put most of 2mags into a hand sized area at 25 yards off hand, semi-rapid fire. That's pretty good for me. __________________ 22lr, 20 gauge, 8mm Mauser, 35 Remington, 30-06, 5.56x45/223, 9mm, 380acp

July 23, 2018, 07:34 PM	#44
sigarms228 Senior Member Join Date: October 29, 2011 Posts: 1,767	Since you like the M&P 2.0 that sounds like a no brainer to me with the current $50 off rebate going on. Not sure your price range but I am seeing new Walther PPQ 9MM for around $480. I find the PPQ to be one heck of a fun pistol to shoot. https://grabagun.com/walther-ppq-m2-...lk-pol-fs.html __________________ “When the people find that they can vote themselves money that will herald the end of the republic.” ― Benjamin Franklin

July 24, 2018, 12:33 AM	#49
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	Stars are pretty safe guns to carry. I wouldn't hesitate to carry one-as long as it has an inertial firing pin. The design is far from obsolete- being the basis for all of the current 1911-looking .380s and mini 9mms. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

July 20, 2018, 06:43 PM	#26
jr24 Senior Member Join Date: August 29, 2011 Posts: 870	I think if I was looking for a cheap used fun 9mm I'd look at the Canik. I've fondled them numerous times at the gun store and have very much liked what I've seen.

July 20, 2018, 06:52 PM	#27
blchandl2 Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2008 Location: TN Posts: 525	@Smee78. I was going to recommend the Arcus but they are getting hard to find. I have the 98DA and it is one of my favorite range guns. Built like a tank!

July 20, 2018, 09:12 PM	#28
tallball Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2014 Posts: 2,444	Star BM's and Star Super B's are also excellent pistols. I still prefer the Milsurp CZ75's or Tanfoglio/Witness equivalents, but they are all great pistols. I also have no complaints about the Taurus PT92 I've owned sine 1990 or so, and my PT111 G2 9mm is also very nice for an inexpensive small 9mm pistol. You absolutely don't have to spend more than $300 to get a reliable and ergonomic 9mm pistol.

July 20, 2018, 11:48 PM	#30
kmw1954 Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2016 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 1,524	One of the reasons I bought my PT92C. The price was right, it looked good and I figured it would make a nice shooter and not a safe queen. It was what I was looking for in size and weight and mag capacity. I figured if it got scratched up or holster rub so what. Then I actually got it and shot it and found that it actually is a very fine gun. Great fit and finish, beautiful trigger and very accurate. It is now my favorite gun to shoot.

July 21, 2018, 10:13 PM	#31
youngridge Member Join Date: February 22, 2018 Posts: 57	I think that Canick would be an interesting firearm. Maybe a used Glock if you want to go that route Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

July 22, 2018, 08:13 AM	#32
craddleshooter Junior member Join Date: March 9, 2018 Location: NY Posts: 90	i honestly don't think you can get what you are looking for at the price you are willing to spend.

July 22, 2018, 08:47 AM	#33
OhioGuy Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 2016 Posts: 1,089	Off topic, I'm sure -- but if "fun" on the cheap is what you're going for, have you considered the .22 pistols? Many of those are quite inexpensive and pretty reliable, and of course the cost savings will compound with every round you shoot. I got a Walther PPQ .22 for under $300 new and it handles exactly like the PPQ M2 just with less recoil. You can get the S&W Victory for around $300 I think. I had one of those for a while. You can pick flies off walls with that thing. Plus you can customize it endlessly -- heck for like $80 you can add a cheap red dot sight that's good enough for range fun. I guess I don't really consider any of the "plastic nines" to be "fun" in any sense -- they're kind of like hammers. Is a Home Depot hammer really any more fun than a Lowe's hammer? The fun/cool 9mm's I've shot haven't been cheap ones. If you can find some of the Beretta/CZ type clones others are mentioning then yeah, go for that. The most fun 9's I've shot were a Wilson Combat 92FS and a CZ Custom 75 Shadow-2. Probably $1200 each! Will a Ruger Security 9 or Walther Creed budget self-defense gun be more fun than a Victory target pistol? Your call, but personally I had TONS of fun plinking around with that Victory. (Smith's .22 AR-15 is a blast too!!!)

July 23, 2018, 01:47 AM	#36
hemiram Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2005 Location: Toledo, ohio Posts: 762	I have a lot of cheap fun guns. These are my favorites: #1 By a mile, the full sized Tanfoglio "Mossad" gun. Nothing special about it, it's just an earlier EAA Witness, but what it says on the side takes it up a notch on the fun scale. Besides, it's hard to dislike a CZ pattern pistol, especially one that shoots as great as it does. My favorite gun of all, but it's got a couple of them close behind: If you're really wanting a cheap fun gun that's also just a great gun period, the SAR CM 9 Gen 2 is the way to go. I would take this over the CZ P07 and Tanfoglio P series it's based on. The trigger is great and it's been 100% reliable, eating anything. Other favorites, not so cheap are my ex-NYPD Sig P226 that was less than $300, including the conversion to DA/SA from DA only. Here it is before the conversion. My conversion parts included a nickel decocker, so it was nice looking: And not to be denied in it's greatness is the SAR K2 45, a bargain gun that turned out to be a great one:

July 23, 2018, 07:08 AM	#37
Hdonly Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2013 Posts: 340	You said budget, get a Hi-Point and go shoot. Most fun you can have for $150 bucks.

July 23, 2018, 08:20 AM	#39
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	I would look at police trade-in S&W 5906's. Try and find one in nice shape. IMHO, the 659's and 5906's are some of the best, but most over-looked, inexpensive range guns out there. Yes, they are used. That doesn't matter.

July 23, 2018, 01:39 PM	#40
Leejack Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: The Alamo! Posts: 2,056	Smith SD9VE series, biggest bang for the buck in this solar system!

July 23, 2018, 01:49 PM	#41
scoobysnacker Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2015 Posts: 235	several interesting directions you can go, in the used market. Daewoo DP-51, if you can find one. I did on gunbroker for approx $250. Used to be an interesting orphan, but then Lionheart began importing them as the LH9, so that means parts are available again. Used/Israeli CZ 75's. Some folks will say the pre B's are orphans, but the SP 01 mags fit without issue (the regular 75B mags usually don't). Springs, grips and such all fit. The finish can be rough, but we're talking scuffs on a parkerized, polycoated steel frame... you have to do a lot to really actually hurt one. Beretta 92S- funny placement of the mag release limits the mag compatability, but then again, that also means Taurus 92 mags might fit (if there's a big hole on the heel of the mag, then it will work). Functionally, all of these are just as good as the current brand-new versions, for usu less than half the price of new. And often enough, the old triggers are better and smoother.

July 23, 2018, 06:53 PM	#43
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,752	Surplus Star model BM's 9mm are becoming available for $199 or so. I had a Star Model PS in 45 acp and it was a well made and nicely finished pistol. Stolen in 1995 ....you don't see many of them but the 9mm Star's were popular . Gary

July 23, 2018, 10:03 PM	#46
GC556 Junior Member Join Date: July 8, 2016 Posts: 9	Thanks for the great suggestions guys. I definitely have a lot more to think about now! I actually did consider a .22. I will eventually get one, shot them before and they are indeed fun. I am still very curious about the Canik I must say. Next trip to the gun show I will browse around and see what feels right with these suggestions in mind. Keep them coming though! I am really enjoying all the input and knowledge.

July 23, 2018, 10:06 PM	#47
ice monkey Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2008 Location: Kansas Posts: 416	CZ

July 23, 2018, 10:17 PM	#48
kmw1954 Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2016 Location: SE Wisconsin Posts: 1,524	Kemikos thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that one before. Bookmarked it!

July 24, 2018, 12:51 AM	#50
Webleymkv Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 10,446	If you don't mind looking on the used market, S&W 3rd genetation 9mm's can still be found for about $300 occasionally. The 59xx series are a lot of gin for the money as are their "value line" counterparts the 910 and 915.