Best off brand handgun you've ever owned?

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I always though of locin,jenning's and
bryco's as off brand guns.Bersa's,star's
rossi's,astra's,llama's were lower end
guns that didn't kill your budget.

I owned a few of the lower end guns and
didn't have problems with any of them.I
really liked the astra A-75 and star fire-
star line of pistols,i'am a little surprised
that another company hasn't picked up
those designs.
 
Define "Best"

For me, there are 2.
1. If defining "best" as "best quality, fit, finish, and feel" in an inexpensive firearm, the award goes to my Bersa Thunder .380
However, Due perhaps to my guardian angel wishing for more firepower, I can't seem to shoot one without a severe slide bite. It was a very nice gun, but did not fit my hand at all. As such, it was traded.
2. If defining "best" as "best suited to the purpose I bought it for" then the honors go to my Keltec P11.
Some Keltec P11s (one of mine included) come from the factory in desperate need of a "fluff-n-buff", however, being able to conceal 11 rounds of 9mm in any attire, for around $300 in my opinion is well worth the time and energy I invested in slicking it up.

Dalton
By the way, anyone wishing to learn about slicking up their Keltec P11 will find www.ktog.org useful.
 
FEG is a classic 'off brand' that no one here knew much about. Probably my fave of the former easten bloc imports.
 
Bersa 380

Like my Bersa Thunder . 380 better than the Walther PPK/S I previously owned - and MUCH better than the Colt .380 Mustang, I also owned.

(Don't wanna argue the finish, value, quality, etc. - just like the Bersa better for accuracy, ergonomics, and it was at least as reliable and trouble-free).
 
There have been dozens

Rossi M88, never fails and shoots like it has alot more than 2 inches of barrel.

Pheonix HP22, Bounced around in my tackle box for 2 years and dispatched many snakes, turtles, frogs, pop cans, sticks, you name it. Should have never traded it off.

Keltec P11, Son and I put it thru a massive torture test, we were beat, the gun kept on. If it hadn't been a 9mm I would still be carrying it.

Grendel P10 and P12, had both, both were flawless once I got the P12 a new mag.

Mitchell Trophy II, Everyone I know has problems with this HS copy, mine was like a fine tuned target pistol.

Been many many more, but maybe I'm just lucky.
 
Off Brand handguns!!!

I have 3 Firestar Handguns that I think are great! :) One in 9mm, with the Starvel finish, and 2 45acp's one Black and one in Starvel finish. They have been fine handguns with no problems and I even carry the Black 45 as my primary carry piece!!! :)
Also mentioned are the Phoenix 22's, I have a few of these little handguns kicking around and have found them to be pretty good and pretty reliable little handguns. I've even shot a few rabbits and a couple of squirrels with mine. Good for "off Brand" handguns!!! :)
 
Norinco copy of a Browing .22 - with a 4" silencer.
Got the pistol for about R250 and the silencer was another R100 total of about $75USD.
Took down many impala with it. They are really dumb and come right up to the car....more than that I can't say without getting into legal trouble :)
 
Pre 1980 Charter Arms Bulldog .44Spl. 3" - Stratford, Conn.
It's been with me 27 years, 2000+ rounds -- No problems of any kind. :)

Sterling Arms model 302 .22LR Auto - Lockport, NY.
Bought this one somewhere around 1978 NIB and over a 10 year period my son and I put thousands of rounds of the cheapest .22LR I could find through it with only an occasional jam that apparently was caused by a dirty gun as a good cleaning always resolved the problem. I let this one get away many years ago. :(

I wish I still had it! :banghead:


:evil:
 
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For me it was a Rossi 971 and 88 before Taurus bought them out. Before that it was a Bersa 83 from back when Bersa was still an off-brand.
 
EAA

I still kick myself for selling my EAA witness 9mm. I have not found a gun since that I am as fat /accurate with and as reliable. 10,000 rds and 0 malf of any kind. It shot whatever I put through as well as one or two double charged 9mm rounds ( reloading accidents when I was a newb) and all that happened was the gun kicked hard as hell with the double loaded rounds. Funny on the range you hear bang, bang, bang, BOOM, bang, bang. AHAHAH
 
Heritage roughrider

.22lr and a second cylinder for 22mag, it has the best trigger of all my guns,out of the box, and its not a tack driver but 15yrds i can hit a playing card all day.:) gun only cost 115 dollars brand new.
 
I'm with everyone on the Bersa .380. Probably have my sister pick one up for her first gun. I by no means swear by Bersa. I had the .45 which broke the seccond time i took it to the range.
 
many moons ago I got an Astra A-100 in .40. I have taken 2 CHL classes with it, and my dad has used it for CHL once. Still one of my favorites to shoot.

BTW, I have never seen another A-100 around.
 
Easily my Dan Wesson Model 15 revolver. If that's too mainstream then my Polish TT38, if that's to C&R, then I'm lost. Because the next closest brands would be CZ and Taurus.
 
IAI M5000

Israeli Arms International (long since defunct) M5000.
A Combat Commander clone.
I picked it up for $200 and with the new sights and zebrawood grips I had put on, have $275 invested in the gun.
It's turned out to be every bit as good as my Springer!! :evil:


ZebragripsabdZebra.jpg
 
Norinco 213A which still have. it shoots everything you can put through it, and I shoot it better than I do my Sig 226 (which I shoot well). I truly love to shoot it, and it goes to the range with me every week. I paid $89 for this gun with its scratched "patina" finish, and after a few new mags, have had no troubles at all (except having to put the safety back on--an after thought on this gun any way--when it loosend).

If by 'off brand" you mean Raven (MP-25), Phoenix (HP22), and Jennings (J22)...well, I have all of those and once you tweak them enough,or find the right ammo, they do just fine for sand pit recereational shooting. My J-22 is one of my favorite tin can killers. NOt in the same league as my Buckmark, but still fun and problem free. Guess I got a good one.
 
We must be brothers...

byf43 said;
Astra Constable in .380. Walther PPK/s look alike. It was a great little pistol.

Charter Arms 'Undercover' in .38 Spec. Nice little .38. It'll get your attention if you shoot a couple of +Ps in it! (No steady diet of them, that's for sure!)
Click to expand...


Astra Constable is my choice. I ruined my Charter Arms 'Undercover' using +p ammo. Got my attention using wadcutters.:D These were my first two carry weapons.
 
Mine was a RG when I was about 18 yrs old

I saved up and bought a 2" RG .38 snubby. My father was a back door gun smith and found an old 4" barrel that would fit on it. The fixed sights lined up remarkably well. I never got to shoot it allot as we were poor but, it seemed like I couldn't miss with that thing...I loved it!
My dad traded it toward a bill he owed without my knowledge...He did things like that:fire: :(
I have lots of guns now but would really like to have that little cheap thing back!:rolleyes:
 
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