Minimum Gun Collection on a Budget

[suthdj]

for me
Shotgun
handgun
rifle

[drjoker]

firearm ignites a spark in their soul.

Semantics, semantics, semantics. I wanted to say minimum arsenal, but I didn't say it because liberal anti-gun people like to use that word in a negative manner. It is as charged a word as "assault rifle", which should be replaced with "modern sporting rifle", instead. That's why I said, "gun collection" instead. It sounds a lot more pro-gun.

I don't know of ANY gun that will "ignite a spark in my soul," LOL, but I DO know of plenty of guns that can release the soul of a BG into the land of 72 virgins, LOL.

What I mean is, if you are poor, what is the minimum gun(s) that you should buy to fulfill every need that might need a gun? (in Texas)
1. Hunting hogs, deer and BG's looking to have their souls released into the land of 72 virgins - AR-15
2. Hunting wabbits, squirrels, and tin cans - .22lr bolt action rifle.
3. CHL EDC - any reliable tupperware 9mm that police and/or military commonly use such as a Glock or S&W M&P 9
4. Hunting dove or BG's looking to liberate you from your dull life so that they could borrow some money to buy skittles & ice tea - reliable pump shotgun such as Remington or Mossberg in 12 gauge.

Why bolt action 22lr instead of semi-auto? It is cheaper and in these days of ammo shortage, we can't be picky about our .22lr ammo, which is rarer than hen's teeth, right now. Semi auto .22lr rifles require high velocity consistent ammo of high quality. My S&W 15-22 has a list of ammo that it cannot fire in the manual. Bolt action rifles can fire anything.

[JSThane]

I'll play. Since we're saying "minimum," I'm going with fairly basic choices, no tacticoolness involved.

1. A .22 rimfire for plinking and small-game hunting. Handgun, since it's more easily stored and carried than a rifle. Revolver, for conservation of ammmunition. Choice?
Ruger Single Six.

2. A centerfire handgun for self-defense, small-to-medium-game hunting, and plinking. A revolver again, for conservation of ammunition. Choice?
Some flavor of .357 Magnum wheelgun, preferably either a used Ruger or a used Smith & Wessson.

3. A centerfire rifle for large-game hunting. Bolt-action, for simplicity and again, conservation of ammunition. Choice?
Pawn-shop .308 or .30-06, brand doesn't really matter. Usually, the store can be talked down quite a bit on the price. I chose those calibers because of the wide range of usefulness they have, plus the fairly readily available ammunition.

4. A shotgun.
Mossberg 500 in 12 gauge. 'Nuff said.


If one looks carefully, and takes one's time, you should be able to get all four for under a thousand dollars total. I'm figuring on ~$300 for each handgun, and >$200 for each long gun, on the used market. It will take some time and care to find decent firearms in each category, but it's doable.

[The Annoyed Man]

1. an accurate .22, either in pistol or rifle format. Think "Ruger 22/45 or Mk III in a heavy barrel configuration" for a pistol, or a Marlin 60 or equivalent in a rifle)

2. a Glock 19 or a .357 magnum revolver. Short barrel is fine.

3. an inexpensive AR carbine (cheap ammo and sufficient for small to smallish/medium sized game)

4. a inexpensive 12 gauge pump (consider one that you can switch barrels/magazine tubes to reconfigure later when you can afford the extra parts)

5. (if budget permits) a bolt action rifle in .308/30-06/.270.

Also, I would probably acquire them in that order too. #5 would in all likelihood include the need for a scope purchase, which would probably run at least another $200 for one worth buying. That's why I put it last on the list.

Now... that is my BASIC list for a first time buyer.

MY list would be far more interesting (and expensive).

[victory]

Functionally, a Glock 19 and a suppressed .22LR rifle could handle 99% of what I need a firearm to do. ymmv

[gljjt]

4. a inexpensive 12 gauge pump (consider one that you can switch barrels/magazine tubes to reconfigure later when you can afford the extra parts)

A Mossberg Maverick ($199.99 new at Academy) is a good choice for the budget conscious. Get it w/the 28 inch barrel. Barrels are interchangeable with the Mossberg 500 series. Pick up an 18.5 inch barrel for $99.99 (Cabeleas). Or get it with the 18.5 inch barrel for the same price.

[drjoker]

I'll play. Since we're saying "minimum," I'm going with fairly basic choices, no tacticoolness involved.

1. A .22 rimfire for plinking and small-game hunting. Handgun, since it's more easily stored and carried than a rifle. Revolver, for conservation of ammmunition. Choice?
Ruger Single Six.

2. A centerfire handgun for self-defense, small-to-medium-game hunting, and plinking. A revolver again, for conservation of ammunition. Choice?
Some flavor of .357 Magnum wheelgun, preferably either a used Ruger or a used Smith & Wessson.

3. A centerfire rifle for large-game hunting. Bolt-action, for simplicity and again, conservation of ammunition. Choice?
Pawn-shop .308 or .30-06, brand doesn't really matter. Usually, the store can be talked down quite a bit on the price. I chose those calibers because of the wide range of usefulness they have, plus the fairly readily available ammunition.

4. A shotgun.
Mossberg 500 in 12 gauge. 'Nuff said.


If one looks carefully, and takes one's time, you should be able to get all four for under a thousand dollars total. I'm figuring on ~$300 for each handgun, and >$200 for each long gun, on the used market. It will take some time and care to find decent firearms in each category, but it's doable.

You've got a good point there. Even though the Glock 19 uses 9mm which is slightly cheaper than 38 special, you're shooting less with a revolver than with a semi-auto, so you save more on ammo. Also, if this person doesn't hunt, then a .22lr revolver should be more useful for training with cheaper ammo than a .22lr rifle. I think I'll reccomend revolvers and bolt actions instead of the Glock and AR-15 for those on a budget.

I like the way you think,

[patterson]

if he goes with a revolver he wont have to purchase additional mags and some of those can be expensive

[The Annoyed Man]

if he goes with a revolver he wont have to purchase additional mags and some of those can be expensive

How about speed loaders then?

[patterson]

if he goes with a revolver he wont have to purchase additional mags and some of those can be expensive

How about speed loaders then?

speed loaders are cheaper than mags

[patterson]

I guess if he is on a budget he could do without extra mags or speed loaders

[C-dub]

I guess if he is on a budget he could do without extra mags or speed loaders

And if it's just for having and not competition or carry then speed loaders are even less important.

[Dadtodabone]

For me the words "Gun Collection" evoke a vision of historic or artistically significant firearms. If you are on a budget, the value inherent in bespoke pieces from Westley Richards & Co Ltd can't be beat. A selection of shotguns and rifles from this maker would be a wonderful start on a collection you could pass on to future generations to enjoy the art and artistry of fine gunmaking.
Shotguns,
Start off with the side by side double gun in 12 bore. You'll want the Drop Lock*. The Drop Lock is a Westley Richards Patent from the 19th century that they have been refining ever since. Not only are they more reliable than side locks and quick to change out in the field should the need arise, but they will save you £8,000.00 per double gun over the side locks. Stick with Traditional engraving and wood but add a leather covered recoil pad or tip and toe plates(if you wear a padded vest whilst at the shooting grounds), multi chokes, an extra set of locks, and a makers case with accessories are options I would consider.
As companions I would suggest a 20 bore and a 28 bore similarly caparisoned.
Rifles,
Again the Drop Lock is your choice for your double rifle. Along with the reliability you need in a dangerous game rifle comes a savings of £9,000.00 when compared to a side lock. When choosing calibre, the .500 Nitro Express will save you £5,000.00 over the .577 or .600 Nitro Express. Traditional engraving and wood to match your double guns is a must. Options should include QD scope mounts(your eyes won't always be 21 years old, plan ahead), Strap Over Comb(protects the stocks wrist), leather covered recoil pad, an extra set of locks, and a makers case with accessories.
A magazine rifle would round out the collection nicely. Call me old fashioned, but there is nothing like the thump from a .375 Holland & Holland Magnum fired in a slick Mauser '98 action. Yes, I know the .375 H&H is considered the bare minimum by some shooters, but for me the history of the round along with its tapered case(ease of extraction)make it my choice. Should you have a preference for another round, the action can be built up to a .505 Gibbs. Options abound for your magazine rifle, Rifle or Carbine lengths, and a meticulously machined and finished Take Down version. Traditional engraving is an added expense but a must to complete your unique 5 gun set. You'll want strap over comb and an extended trigger tang if you move up in calibre, Extended Magazine Box, QD scopes mounts, Quarter Rib, WR patent foresight and 1 Standing plus 2 Leaf Express Sight(I'm a belt and suspenders guy), leather covered recoil pad, and a makers case with accessories.

About value, London gunmakers products are seeing a 5% to 7% annual increase in price. If you request sequential serial numbers for your commission, you have a 3 1/2 to 5 year lead time on receipt. Your new, in case collection will have substantially increased in value over purchase price during that time. Matched sets always command a premium and yours with 5 works of art, even more so. If for some reason you need to sell, there is always a Wall Street/Robber Baron/Master of the Universe type guy around(who can't be bothered to wait for the completion of a commission, probably because he'll be in the slammer for something)who will again pay a premium.
Here's an example,
Holland & Holland Bespoke Royal Deluxe 12 bore side lock, new, in makers case - 2001 $93,000.00 2014 $165,500.00 Currency exchange rate also helped in this example.
*While known on this side of the Atlantic as the Drop Lock, the Westley Richards patent is for the Hand Detachable Lock. It is a variant of the Anson Deeley Action(box lock)that allows removal and installation of the gun locks through the actions floor plate sans tools. Beside reliability, another benefit of the Drop Lock and Box Lock guns over their side lock brethren is the strength of the stock. With the lock enclosed in the action, the stock isn't half carved away to allow the fitting of side locks. No Cracks to worry about.

[cyphertext]

Why bolt action 22lr instead of semi-auto? It is cheaper and in these days of ammo shortage, we can't be picky about our .22lr ammo, which is rarer than hen's teeth, right now. Semi auto .22lr rifles require high velocity consistent ammo of high quality. My S&W 15-22 has a list of ammo that it cannot fire in the manual. Bolt action rifles can fire anything.

While I can agree with a bolt action .22.lr, I can't agree with the reason given. The 15-22 does not have a list of ammo that it "cannot fire" in the manual. What it does have is a list of ammunition that did not "perform consistently or reliably" during their testing. However, that list was present in the manual when the first version of the rifle came out... S&W has since changed the springs that come from the factory, but they did not bother to retest or alter their manual. Within that list you will notice that it lists "Any and all sub-sonic brands and types"... Do you know how many folks shoot sub-sonics through their 15-22 with suppressors?

I have shot many of the rounds that are not recommended through my own 15-22... without any issues. If your rifle has the replacement blue springs, I doubt you will have any issues.

[cyphertext]

Is this a collection for collecting sake, or a collection for shooting and using? On a budget, I would recommend...

1. Centerfire rifle - Ruger American, Savage 110... .30-06 or .308 can meet most larger game hunting needs and can be had cheaper than an AR-15, even the Sport.

2. Shotgun - 12 Gauge Pump - Remington or Mossberg - can be used for hunting and home defense

3. Centerfire pistol - 9mm Glock - inexpensive and proven reliable

4. - Bolt action .22lr - I like the Ruger American Rimfire - provides for small game hunting and inexpensive plinking

Those will cover the bases for a budget minded collection for using and shooting. I might not acquire them in that order though, depending on what my need was. If my #1 need is self defense, then I would get the handgun and a CHL. If I have access to some prime deer hunting land, then i would get the centerfire rifle. Don't forget about optics in this budget though.