Gunundrum...

Buy A Gun Day (please note the new URL) is a little over a month away. I'm torn on what to get - there's a fair amount of money in the gun fund; I'm waaaay behind on my acquisition schedule (haven't bought a gun yet this year, if you can believe it!); and I'm suffering from a baaaaad case of Iwannanewgunitis... Problem is, I don't know what I want...

In the course of trying to figure out just what I wanted to get, I decided to break it out into different categories. I'm hoping that if I can take a long look at the areas where I could use something, I might find the one gun that I simply must have... Right... All listed guns are in my price range (or close to it) and are available for me to buy - remember, living in MA I have to abide by the AWB for longarms and the Approved Firearms Roster for handguns.

So, here goes:

.22LR rifles: Just a couple on this list, as I already own about 8 or 9 .22LR rifles. However, only one of those rifles is a semi-automatic, magazine-fed rifle, my cranky Marlin 989. I'd like to pick up either a Ruger 10/22 (finally) to convert to an LTR for Appleseed or a S&W M&P22 as a low-cost training aid to the Bushmaster. Plus it just looks cool as all hell, and since it's in MA, 10 round magazines are available.

The Ruger's got an edge because it's about half the price and magazines are cheaper; the S&W has an edge because I've got a bunch of accessories for the Bushie that will work with the M&P22.

.22LR pistols: I am totally set for revolvers, having a target revolver (S&W 17), a single action revolver (Colt New Frontier), a training snubbie (S&W 34), and a novelty (NAA mini-22LR) among others. If I get another .22LR handgun, it's going to be an autoloader to complement the S&W model 422 and the (mostly inoperable) Hi-Standard Military-HD. It's a tough call between a Ruger 22/45, Ruger Mark III, Walther P22, or S&W 22A.

S&W has an edge in the top rail - the whole top of the gun is a Weaver rail, just perfect for red dot sights, scopes, etc. The Walther P22 is just all kinds of fun, lightweight and easy to handle. And the Rugers are simply ubiquitous - it's hard to find someone who doesn't already own one or know someone who does.

Potential darkhorse: Browning Buckmark if I can find one.

Centerfire rifles: Given my current price range, upper-end ARs and exotic rifles are out at this point in time. No $2,500 Remington 700s or Les Baer .264 ARs; no competition AR-15s or AR-10s. Possible rifles are another AK-47 clone a la the SAR-1 or WASR-10; a Mauser K98; or an M1 Carbine or M1 Garand from the CMP.

AK clone has the edge here because it's cheapest and I stand the best chance of getting one in time for BAG Day.

Centerfire pistols, CCW: Really, this is a small list. The Kahr PM9, the Ruger LCR, or a S&W 442 (ideally with no lock). They're in that order because that's the likelihood of getting any of them - Kahr PM9 is way out in front here, as it has the potential to be a good "year round" carry gun - it's small enough to slide into a pocket in a pair of cargo shorts in the summer, and is potent enough to be carried in the winter even when larger guns can be concealed. LCR would be nice for the novelty factor; S&W 442 would round out my S&W snubbie collection to finally include a hammerless revolver.

Edge: Clearly PM9. I don't have a pocketable 9mm, nor a Kahr, in the armory.

Centerfire pistols, Not CCW: Basically, I'd like to get a full-sized pistol with a rail. I'd love to get a S&W M&P9, however with the MA AWB it'll be a cold day in hell before I put a 10 round magazine into a gun designed for a 17 round magazine. Ain't. Gonna. Happen. I'll wait until I move to NH for that one. Now, the M&P45, OTOH, comes with a 10 round magazine stock, so it's a contender. Used Gen3 G21 is another possibility, as is a Gen3 17 or 22 (or even 19/23, for that matter - it's gotta be Gen3 with the rail, though).

Edge: S&W M&P45, as it's the only one I can readily get.

Dark horse: Uh, anything I happen to stumble across? I'd love to get my hands on a 8 3/8" barrel S&W model 29 or model 14; a .45 ACP revolver would be a fantastic addition to the armory; any number of mil-surp pistols a la CZ-82 or P-38; basically anything I happened tp

I've left shotguns off the list because I've got all the shotguns I could ever want or need, with the possible exception of the SBS Mossberg 590, which I will not be getting any time soon.

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So... What should I get?

That is all.