Gun nuts - I need your advice

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Phanuel

Platinum Member
Apr 25, 2008
2,304
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Glocks are $500 for 9mm variants. How is that a lot? Besides, they retain their value and you'd have no issue reselling the thing later for nearly its purchase price.
 

phucheneh

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2012
7,306
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I've owned a Gen3 before, and I traded it away earlier this year to get my dream wheel-gun (a decision I don't regret at all).

I disagree that the Gen3 feels better. I felt the grip circumference was too long and it the sides of the grip were too smooth. I had a Pachmayr grip sleeve on mine to give it enough tackiness.

The Gen4s recoil spring and extractor issues are all sorted at this point. I want a Glock because of (relatively) inexpensive, readily available high-cap magazines and accessories. Factory Glock magazines are ~$20 each and good quality Korean copies are ~$10 each. I can get a threaded G17 barrel for $125. Triggers and sights up the wazoo. But stock, it's an absurdly reliable soft-shooting handgun with a good enough trigger.

The only guns I cross-shopped were the M&P 9 (really nice handgun, stock trigger isn't as good as the Glocks) and the Walther PPQ (amazing stock trigger, sky-high magazine prices).

Glock didn't perfect the striker fired polymer handgun, but they're like the Honda Accord of the market. There are other models that beat it in certain categories but no one offers a better all-around package.

To each his own. I can't stand the grip of the gen4's. It seems like a pretty polarizing thing to people on either side.

I thought the M&P trigger felt better than the Glock. Maybe not as good a feel for the break or something like that, but Glock triggers usually feel really gritty ('mushy' might even be a word I would use) to me, and it's my biggest dislike in a trigger mech. Though like I said, some feel great. I don't know if it's based on model, date of manufacture, or is just altogether more random.

I will not disagree on it being a good gun with lots of parts, though. They just seem disproportionately popular compared to other polymer striker-fired handguns, so I like to pose the 'what else did you try' question. You know what you want, though; I was thinking you were one of the novice shooters looking for a first handgun.

shorty - the thing about the cheaper guns, to me, is their tendency to be a little more finicky and, eh, need a little love. Whereas some of us will clean and lube the crap out of a new gun and have no issues, or be able to rectify issues with a little bit of work (things like minor filing and polishing), a novice shooter should probably have something dead-nuts reliable. Not just to save aggravation, but because they might not deal with failures to eject or feed as well. And they're not going to do things like, say, scrutinize spent brass to evaluate the gun's performance.

Not to generalize too much, though. If someone is willing to read and use common sense, the cheaper stuff like Ruger or Taurus will work just fine.
 

phucheneh

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2012
7,306
5
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Glocks are $500 for 9mm variants. How is that a lot? Besides, they retain their value and you'd have no issue reselling the thing later for over its purchase price.

Fixed. Heh. As long as you get a good 'street price' and don't pay near MSRP, I've seen tons of Glocks end up getting sold for profit.

And yeah, the 'cheap' guns really aren't much cheaper. $300 is about bottom of the barrel for something at all decent, unless you're talking pocket guns. $400 is a better number.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,806
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Thanks for the recommendation. Bought this rifle and got the matching AR-15 go with it.

So in the past few weeks I went from zero knowledge of guns to owning these:

- Sig P226 with Crimson Trace laser, four Mec Gar mags, and the Sig .22 conversion kit

- Colt 6920 with Aimpoint Pro

- Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22

- Smith and Wesson M&P 15 MOE

- Daniel Defense M4 V2 with a Eotech EOLAD

Not to mention 20,000 rounds of ammo, 20 extra mags for the AR-15s, several hearing and eye protection devices, cleaning kits, targets, additional lowers (for building more ARs later), locks, safes, etc.

Next up, I'm looking for about five more lowers and two more complete ARs (Sig M400 and Stag Arms Model 8). Then it's on to the 308 caliber guns.

All thanks to Obama and Feinstein - a couple of the greatest gun salespeople in history!

damn! i wish I had money to burn like that. that well over $5000 worth of guns and accessories
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,044
62
91
I dont know if its been flatout stated but Neither Glock, Sig, H&K, Kimber, or Springfield make great beginner guns. Too damn expensive for a hobby you may not necessarily enjoy.

If you are just starting I recommend a Ruger, Kahr, or one of the less expensive Smith & Wessons. Maybe Beretta if you can find a used one for less money than normal.

I found my sig p226 and p220 for $500 each in like new condition on gun broker. To me that's cheap.
 

boochi

Senior member
May 21, 2011
984
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I got a Ruger SR9C and it feels really good in my hand. It is a good CCW gun. You can pick one up for $410-$430. I put a Crimson Trace Laser Guard on that I picked up for $144 on Black Friday.

LG-449b.jpg
 

BladeVenom

Lifer
Jun 2, 2005
13,540
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They just seem disproportionately popular compared to other polymer striker-fired handguns, so I like to pose the 'what else did you try' question.

Glocks have been around longer than the other polymer pistols, and offer more models. So I wouldn't consider them disproportionately popular.

If you want a polymer 10mm what are your options? Glock or Glock.

They only thing they are lacking in is single stack varieties. With the only options there being in .45.
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,044
62
91
Glocks have been around longer than the other polymer pistols, and offer more models. So I wouldn't consider them disproportionately popular.

If you want a polymer 10mm what are your options? Glock or Glock.

They only thing they are lacking in is single stack varieties. With the only options there being in .45.

True but their double stacks are thinner than most other double stacks.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
17,365
136
I'd rather have a 40 or 45. More common, better selection of weapons, cheaper ammo.
Which also means its cheaper to train with, which is needed for effective use of ANY weapon.
 

jpeyton

Moderator in SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones
Moderator
Aug 23, 2003
25,375
142
116
I'd rather have a 40 or 45. More common, better selection of weapons, cheaper ammo.
Which also means its cheaper to train with, which is needed for effective use of ANY weapon.
You would rather have a 9mm. Much cheaper than either .40S&W or .45ACP, more common (it's a NATO standard), and very effective with modern self-defense loads.
 

TallBill

Lifer
Apr 29, 2001
46,044
62
91
You would rather have a 9mm. Much cheaper than either .40S&W or .45ACP, more common (it's a NATO standard), and very effective with modern self-defense loads.

40 s&w has been my handgun round of choice lately
 

uberman

Golden Member
Sep 15, 2006
1,942
1
81
First model is a Police Sniper Special Rifle, the second is a pistol:

Someone reccomended a Remington 700 in .308, I had one tricked out and its great for those 600 yard shots, but very heavy carry for hunting or walking about.

I'd say go for a Glock model 21 in 45ACP, they're great. Do some Zen thinking and realize yes there will be muzzle hop, get used to it and subsequent shots will be straight and true. BTW, I think night sights are a waste of money

Glocks will shoot. They torture test them shooting underwater, burying them in the sand, etc., etc.
 
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jpeyton

Moderator in SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones
Moderator
Aug 23, 2003
25,375
142
116
Well you mofos just made me buy another 1500 rounds of AK ammo.
What kind did you get? I've ordered four full cases of new production 7.62x39 in the last month. I also picked up another case of 7.62x39 locally; it was 2/3rds Norinco steel core, 1/3 Sako brass cased match ammo.
 

Farmer

Diamond Member
Dec 23, 2003
3,345
2
81
What kind did you get? I've ordered four full cases of new production 7.62x39 in the last month. I also picked up another case of 7.62x39 locally; it was 2/3rds Norinco steel core, 1/3 Sako brass cased match ammo.

I bought Wolf 5.45 FMJ at 23 cents a round. That and Wolf soft points are the only thing I can find in the world of 5.45. It's alright, because that is my usual practice ammo.

The first thing I noticed with the panic was the Russian mil surplus spam cans/corrosive 5.45 dried up (I know those dried up a long time ago for 7.62). I don't usually shoot corrosive but I planned on buying a couple of spam cans in the event of an ammo shortage, but I guess I missed the boat.
 

madoka

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2004
4,344
712
121
Just a heads up:

Turners will have $130 lowers (PSA) and a $1000 AR15 (Windham SRC) next week. My local store let me make deposits on them this morning. Now I got 10 rifles in DROS.
 

madoka

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2004
4,344
712
121
Started receiving my optics:

2cpsvh4.jpg


So far I have an Aimpoint Pro, Aimpoint Comp M2 x2, and a Eotech EOLAD.
 

Farmer

Diamond Member
Dec 23, 2003
3,345
2
81
Started receiving my optics:

2cpsvh4.jpg


So far I have an Aimpoint Pro, Aimpoint Comp M2 x2, and a Eotech EOLAD.

Jesus christ, I have never seen anyone get so much gun-related stuff in such a short period of time. Enjoy!

But, why did you get M2s when you could've just gotten 3 PROs? The M2s are in every way inferior to the PROs. Also, I'd take a laterally mounted XPS EOTech over the traditional EOTechs. I think, given your budget, a nice setup would be an EXPS + DBAL.
 

madoka

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2004
4,344
712
121
But, why did you get M2s when you could've just gotten 3 PROs? The M2s are in every way inferior to the PROs.

To be honest, I've got so many different rifles coming in, I figured I'd just also get a random mix of different optics so I can form an informed opinion on them.
 

madoka

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2004
4,344
712
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Also, I'd take a laterally mounted XPS EOTech over the traditional EOTechs. I think, given your budget, a nice setup would be an EXPS + DBAL.

Isn't that what an EOLAD is? A 552 mated with a Laser Device laser?

I got the EOLAD V1 with the red laser, instead of the green. Is there a reason why the green laser is $300 more expensive? I was told it comes down to just color preference, but that seem like a lot for mere preference.

http://www.laserdevices.com/index.cfm/p-EOLAD_133.htm
 

Farmer

Diamond Member
Dec 23, 2003
3,345
2
81
Isn't that what an EOLAD is? A 552 mated with a Laser Device laser?

I got the EOLAD V1 with the red laser, instead of the green. Is there a reason why the green laser is $300 more expensive? I was told it comes down to just color preference, but that seem like a lot for mere preference.

http://www.laserdevices.com/index.cfm/p-EOLAD_133.htm

Modern green lasers are frequency doubled lasers. They require a fairly exotic crystal for the second harmonic generation. Because of this, they are a lot more expensive to fabricate than lower frequency solid state lasers such as red or IR lasers, hence the cost difference.

The 552 has the batteries mounted colinear with the bore. The newer EXPS requires one less battery, and it is mounted perpendicular to the bore, making it less susceptible to recoil. I don't really see the advantage of having the laser on the sight, which is why I suggested an EXPS EOTech and a standalone laser like a DBAL.
 
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madoka

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2004
4,344
712
121
Green lasers are usually frequency doubled lasers. They require a fairly exotic crystal for the second harmonic generation. Because of this, they are a lot more expensive to fabricate than lower frequency solid state lasers such as red or IR lasers, hence the cost difference.

So there is no performance difference between red and green?

The 552 has the batteries mounted colinear with the bore. The newer EXPS requires one less battery, and it is mounted perpendicular to the bore, making it less susceptible to recoil. I don't really see the advantage of having the laser on the sight, which is why I suggested an EXPS EOTech and a standalone laser like a DBAL.

Oh I see. Thanks for the info. I will consider it for a future purchase.