Since we're less than a week into the new year, I figured I'd take a stab at predicting some of the acquisitions that will appear on MArooned over the coming 12 months. I'm going to list guns that I stand a fair-to-reasonable chance of picking up - no full autos, or pristine pre-war Smiths, or anything like that - and why I might pick that particular gun up. Over the past three years I've been blogging here @ MArooned, I've averaged about a half-dozen guns a year.
So with that in mind, I'll put on my soothsayer's hat and give it a whirl:
Ruger 10/22. I only have one magazine-fed semi-automatic .22LR rifle in the armory, a finicky Marlin 989 that I have exactly two magazines for. Break down is complicated and accessories are just about non-existent. I'd like to pick up a plain jane 10/22 for starters and possibly convert it to an LTR for an eventual Appleseed excursion.
Smith & Wesson M&P45. Basically, I want a full-sized pistol with an accessory rail. The M&P can be had rather cheaply new, with a lifetime warranty from S&W, and only has 10 round magazines available. Downside would be that it's a .45 ACP, so feeding it is pricey...
Kahr PM9. The PM9, judging from what I've seen of it, would fill an important niche in the carry gun entry. It's small enough to pocket carry in the right pants, or can be easily concealed using an IWB holster and a polo shirt. It would be an excellent intermediate carry gun between the late fall/winter/early spring Glock G30 and the summertime P3AT/S&W j-frame.
Smith & Wesson 22A. I've only got one semi-automatic .22LR pistol, the S&W 422. It's a great little gun, but a little on the finicky side. The 22A can be had with a full Weaver rail on top for all kinds of optics (LASERS), or optics can be removed for iron sight shooting. It would be nice to have a gun I can quickly change back and forth from optics to iron, and with the many options I have for sights, I could leave the 422 as an iron sight gun.
Mauser K-98. These are only getting more scarce, and it's simply a "must-have" for any lover of military arms, mil-surps, or just plain awesome rifles. The Mauser action has been the basis for so many incredible rifles that it's a rifle every gun owner should have in their armory. Plus, I get to use my C&R license for something other than saving money at MidwayUSA.
Ruger LCR. I don't have a hammerless revolver, only a shrouded hammer and an exposed hammer. While the S&W model 442 is a natural choice and would fit well with the model 38 and 360PD, the Ruger LCR intrigues me with its polymer frame. That has a certain appeal for a pocket gun that's going to see all manners of dirt, dust, and lint.
CZ-82. I've already got a Makarov in .380 ACP that I don't shoot anywhere near often enough, but the CZ-82 is just cheap enough (and starting to get pretty scarce) to pick up just so I have an excuse to buy 9X18mm ammo. Plus there's a certain evil thrill about buying a high-capacity pistol with my C&R and having it delivered right to my door...
Smith & Wesson M&P22. Sure, it's almost twice what the Ruger costs. Sure, there are no pre-ban magazines available for it. But it's an AR-15 platform for under $500; I can add all kinds of stuff to it (like lasers and foregrips) and test them out before putting them on the Bushmaster. Plus it just looks cool as hell...
So there's my list of potential acquisitions. The standard caveat applies - I may, at any given time, come across something shiny that catchs my eye and throw this entire list out the window. I may also come across something that's such a fantastic deal that I can't pass it up; I may come across something not even remotely useful but just damned cool; basically, I reserve the right to be distracted by a shiny object...
What other guns should I be thinking about?
That is all.
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17 comments:
Ruger Mark III Competition with contoured wood grips and a 6.875" bull barrel. I picked one up on Sunday. Out of the box it shot easy 2 inch groups without being properly sighted. I was standing in an isosceles stance at 25 yards. I brought a new shooter out, and buy the end of the day and 150 rounds later, she was putting together 5 inch groups. Its accuracy is unreal. I'll be having some alone time with it tomorrow night on a bench rest to properly site in. 1 inch groups at 25 yards for an intermediate shooter (myself) will be possible. And I was using crap Remington Thunderbolt ammo. Can't say enough about how fun this pistol is. You can get lesser versions for shorter money, I paid $500 at K and R in Hudson, MA for mine.
M1 Garand
The 10/22 is a fun toy, and as Kim DuToit always says, you can't have enough 22's.
However, iffin' it were me, the Mauser would be singing. Long action, K98, in fair to good condition, and some surplus ammo to get started. Nothing like cleaning the barrel with hot soapy water after a range day to let you know how much fun you're having.
The Kahr PM9 is the #1 on my "Short List" for guns to buy this year.
Gonna have to save a bunch of pennies, but it's a great gun.
Also I must note that it's actually a hair smaller and lighter than my S&W642 (and probably pretty close to your snubbie from hell) and a whole lot slimmer.
So I'm not quite sure your statement about it being "Intermediate". It's only larger and heavier than your P3AT, but its every way a more formidable carry gun (I'd suspect perceived recoil would be about the same due to the slightly larger mass and a bit better grip to hold onto the thing).
Also I can't recommend the CZ-82 more for a C&R buy. I am SO impressed with mine as far as its quality and price, and 9x18mm ammo is DIRT CHEAP and easy to get ahold of.
Also if you have a choice I think SOG offers a bit better price than J&G as they ship with a spare mag, a mag carrier, and a vintage holster of your choosing, and I've found them to be just as pleasant to deal with as J&G.
The S&W M&P (both the pistol and the .22 carbine) are guns I'm deeply conflicted with. In both cases I see them as "best in Class" guns on the general market. But with the .22 I'd want it for a training gun for both myself and new shooters....because of that the Mass requirement for the fixed stock really removes a TON of value from the gun. The normal-cap mags are just another minus for buying one under the current laws.
As for the M&P .45, I don't see much point in buying this gun as it doesn't bring anything to my armory that my S&W1911 and S&W1911Sc don't bring, an M&P9 would be a GREAT choice for a trainer or an HD gun (again my S&W1911Sc is as close to an ideal carry gun as I'm likely to see) but with only 10 round mags available for a gun built around a 17 round mags, its a deal breaker.
Too bad, they have amazing ergonomics, design, and one of the best DAO triggers for a double-stack duty-gun. It would be my #1 choice for filling the "Wonder Nine" void in my armory...but with only a 10 round box, there isn't much wonder left in the nine.
Also I'm very interested in seeing reviews from gun bloggers on the LCR, the price and innovations in that gun really make it a gun people should get...but I'm wary of innovations made to a tried and tested platform that is the oft copied S&W J-frame.
So for 2010 besides buying the PM9 for my light-carry and backup gun, and any C&R guns that may fall into my lap, I'll be spending a LOT of my gunnie chits to get the shitty AWB overturned in this state.
Likely 2010 won't have time enough to kill the beast, but I suspect if we work hard we can injure it badly.
Hart,
The Mark III Hunter with the fluted, stainless barrel calls to me as well...
Steve,
The M1 Garand is on my list of guns to get. Just not immediately...
ASM826,
The K98 might be my only centerfire longarm purchase this year - I've been keeping an eye on them and watching the prices creep steadily higher. Might be time to pull the trigger and score a piece of history...
weerd,
I'd have to actually fit the PM9 into a pocket holster and try it out before I'd move it from intermediate to small. It's definitely smallish, I just haven't been able to do a direct comparison.
In any case, a simple tuckable Comp-Tac holster and a polo shirt hides 6+1 rounds of 9mm +P goodness with up to 8 (I think) in a small back-up mag. That's nice.
The M&P is a stand-in for "any full size gun with a duty rail". If I could find a gen 3 G17/19/22/23 at a reasonable price I'd jump on that as well - obviously, the G21 would be my grail gun here, as I've already got a couple hi-caps for it.
The M&P 22 is a "fun gun" - it would be a hoot to have a .22 rifle that I can add lasers, lights, etc. to. The lack of a collapsible stock on the .22 really isn't that big of an issue (although it is incredibly stupid that there's not a rimfire exemption in the AWB).
As for the LCR, it intrigues me. It is the only polymer revolver out there, and one look at my gun cabinet will show that I appreciate the oddities... :)
Rodom
Its Polish-made, a knockoff of a CZ. Chambered in 9x18.
Its an all-steel gun, EXTREMELY slim, highly accurate. If memory serves correctly its a 10+1, single stack. Its of the simple blow-back design, so the barrel is stationary, as its pressed into the frame.
And to give you an idea of how compact it is, you can put it in the Pistol Pouch that I sent you (which is sized for a Bersa Thunder / Browning BDA / etc.) and if you turned the pouch upside down, it would fall right out. I made a Pouch for one of these, and had to adjust the internals to snug it up a bit so as to hold it properly.
Dragon
With regard to the 22A... I humbly suggest that you might also look at the Beretta Neos. I bought one as my Heller-celebration-gun and I absolutely love it.
Also, for more 22 fun, I'm looking at a GSG-5 or similar. They just look cool! :-)
LCR is a good choice. I'll be picking one up in a few months, I think, and it will become my main CCW piece.
Colt AR22. Accurate beyond belief, or I really got a good one.
See Ya
I am trying hard to not read your list because I'm perilously close to getting a FFL and having these ideas would lay waste to the wallet !
My list for future acquisitions is pretty short.
Stainless blackhawk in 44mag with about a 5.5" barrel.
Russian PTRD (anyone know where I can find one?)
SKS, but I can't stop kicking myself over the hundreds I didn't buy when they were $90.
Do have a few builds in mind too-
Ultralight AR using a chopped cav-
arms polymer receiver
AR10 modified for G3 mags.
If you find yourself fancying a Ruger Mk3, do the right thing and get a Mk2.
Get a 10/22 receiver and go wild with the Midway/Brownells catalog. Have The Boy help you build a tack driver .22.
Wouldn't that make for an interesting conversation:
Teacher: And what did you do on summer vacation?
The Boy: Helped Dad build a rifle!
I can hear the police helicopters circling your house now.
Hey Jay, FYI was just looking at Four Seasons' pre-owned page. They have a BUNCH of G21s on the Glock rack (no idea if they have rails) They also have a S&W99 in .45 ACP.
Hehehe Its fun shopping with the monies of others!
22A: I dig mine but watch the mags - last round in doesn't always make it fully in.
Jay, I strongly suspect that once you get the PM9 you will lose interest in buying or carrying a snubnose ever again.
I've shot the 22A, not impressed. Ruger MarkII is much better. Much. As for the M&Ps, love the three we have. Two 9mm and a .40. We keep to .45acp being 1911s. Love 10/22.
re mk3 vs mk2. It's much easier to take the lawyer parts off the mk3 than to move the mk2's mag release to where it belongs.
Wally: let me know if you build the ultralight AR. A build like that is on my 'someday' list.
I have an alloy frame S&W 22A. The finish hasn't held up and the trigger is crap. That said, if it had a decent trigger it would be as accurate as my Ruger MkIII Target and new shooters like the lighter weight of the alloy frame.
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