Best value guns in your collection?

[maxxhavoc]

We've all heard the expression "you get what you pay for." Well, I have not always found that to be the case. What guns are in your collection that cost less than they should for the accuracy, reliability or simple fun they deliver? Please, only guns that are still available at that price. I love my $69 SKS, but folks can't get them for that anymore.

Mine:
M1 Garand - The CMP Garands are an excellent deal. $600-$700 for a well-built gun that has great historical value. After they run out, they will probably sell for $1200-$1500 like the carbines do.

S&W SD9VE - $300 for a reliable modern composite striker pistol made by S&W? People complain about the trigger, but it doesn't make it worth $200 less. If you don't like it, you can change it for $50 or so.

Hi-Point carbine - Yes, it's ugly and as sophisticated as a 2x4. Not very good for hunting, self defense, or not having your friends make fun of you at the range. For plinking at the range, though, it is just about as fun as it gets. It will tear up soup cans at 100 yards all day long. You can get them for under $200, too.

Armscor/Rock Island M206 - a no-frills 38 revolver that is very accurate and fun to shoot. As reliable as you would expect a revolver to be, too. $225 brand new.

Rock Island 1911's - Less of a secret now, they are getting the reputation they deserve at a great price. Their customer service is just about the best in the business.

Mosin Nagant - Stick enough cork in it, and it will shoot paper plate or better groups at 100 yards. It will put a hurt on any critter it hits, and the ammo is about half the price of .223. $159 for the rifle, and another $100 in ammo and you can shoot it long after the feeling is gone in your shoulder.

Those are some of mine, what do you folks have?

 

[wannabeagunsmith]

Probably all three of mine, Ruger MK. III, Remington 870 Ex. Mag (takes 3inch shells!) and MY Hi-Point Carbine in .40 S&W with Monstrum Tac. Scope/red dot.

 

[Warp]

What guns are in your collection that cost less than they should for the accuracy, reliability or simple fun they deliver?

All of them, I think. That's why I bought them.

The AR's maybe not so much once you add in the upgrades and accessories, depends how you look at it I guess.

The BCM I put together with the free BCG deal is probably the best value.

Or I guess my Mosin, though I'd rather have one AR than 8 Mosins, so again it just depends how you look at it (both is of course the best answer lol)

 

[BigBL87]

I feel all of mine were great deals. I think I did well on my AR15 ($580 for a PSA Premium M4), 22 rifle ($180 for a Savage Mark II FV), and handgun ($250 for a B6P). My shotgun wasn't as good ($380 for a Mossberg 500), but I did get an extra barrel with it.

 

[OregonJohnny]

Out of all my rifles, shotguns, revolvers and semi-autos, the 1 gun that gets the most everyday use is my little $275 Ruger LCP. I say "use" and mean that it's in my pocket or close at hand almost 24/7. I have guns that I shoot much more often, I have guns that I enjoy shooting far more, I have handguns that are worth 4 times as much, etc. But if you divide the price I paid for the LCP by how many times I've slipped it into my pocket and carried it around for hours on end, it works out to a very good value, indeed.

 

[Mosin Bubba]

Mossberg 702 Plinkster. The cheapest brand new gun I have ever seen - $100 at Wal Mart. And it's probably my favorite 22. It feels just like a BB gun, which in a 22 I actually kinda like. It shoots as well as a 10/22, and is a lot more reliable than I thought it would be.

M44 Mosin. The rifle itself isn't all that great, but where the value of it comes from is the hours I've put in refinishing and tinkering with it, hence my handle. I really enjoy that stuff.

 

[wally]

Best Bang/Buck buys:
RIA "Tactical" 9mm & .45ACP.
RIA "Match Long Slide" .45ACP
Witness Elite Match

Greatest appreciation:
Thompson SMG -- just before Bush the elder closed the registry.
DCM M1D.
HK P7-M13 and spare mags.
Also hard to beat the $200 Saigas I've converted just before the word got out about how good they really were.

Best dumb luck:
All the cheap Chinese, Russian, and Surplus ammo I bought 1990-2005 and set aside for my retirement -- way better than my 401K

 

[Teachu2]

RIA 1911 Tactical 9mm
Sig SP2022 9mm
Glock 26 w/factory night sights
CZ 527
CZ 75B

Then there are several I've bought used cheaply and modded into fine weapons. And a truly magnificent M700 that was given to me by my father-in-law a couple years ago. He passed away Monday, so I need to go shoot this weekend, after his funeral.

 

[Barry the Bear]

Ruger super blackhawk .44 magnun I got 3 years ago used for 350 from a guy, you wont find another handcannon with the quality at that price range.
t
Mossberg 500- 200 dollars from some guy used , best bargain i got , I use that shotgun very often and its never let me down yet.

winchester model 70 in 243 win.- will take anything down in TX and i got for 368 dollars used at the lgs.

 

[Thermactor]

It's a tough call between my Bryco-Jennings, my Lorcin, and my Rohm.

 

[CWL]

Best values, a few off the top of my head:

SKS para - $99

SigSauer P229 .40SW - $350

SW 586 - $200

Ruger MKII Comp - $169

Browning Buckmark - $139

Remington 870 Marine Magnum $375

 

[Tony k]

Mossberg 535. Back in 2006 I wanted a basic do all shotgun to replace the 870 I stupidly sold. I think I paid full retail for it (about $350 bucks at the time). It's been a reliable all-around gun. I use it mainly for turkeys (the ability to take 3 1/2 in shells is nice) and upland birds. I could use it for waterfowl if I wanted, where again the ability to launch 3 1/2 steel shells would be nice. I could also use it for short range deer with slugs or buckshot if i wanted. It's just a basic wood and blue steel SG, but I'll probably never part with it.

 

[simonstough]

My mossberg .30-30, i bought it for 400+ tax and i love it, never fails to put a smile on the face of whomever is shooting it. I got a sweet camo savage mkII a few years ago for my ishapore enfield i paid 100 for when i was 18, i came out way ahead on that deal my roommate destroyed the stock on it when he flooded our bathroom and my bedroom.

 

[wally]

Best values, a few off the top of my head:

SKS para - $99

Forgot about those. A while back I plugged in what and when I paid for my SKS collection into an "inflation calculator" and at current selling prices netted about a 3% return above inflation.

 

[burk]

My "best value" gun is a mid 80's S & W model 29 4" that I received even up in a trade for a Ruger LCR.

ALL of my guns are good values, I buy guns that work and last a long time, Glocks are my main carry guns, and they don't make a bad value.

My AR is a built up 07 Bushmaster M4 I spent $749 at the time. I've got a lot more into it in optics (Acog), lights (Surefire), stock (Magpul) and rail (Troy). But I couldn't buy anything close to it for what I have into it. I've got about $1600 into it, but the ACOG alone retails for 1300.

 

[tubeshooter]

Since the OP requests items that can be bought present-day for a comparable amount of money, that actually helps to narrow things down quite a bit.


For the stuff in my stable, I guess I will say:

• Used Single Six, stainless 5.5", .22lr cylinder only, $275. Better than average deal on an accurate, rock-solid lifetime gun.
  
• My backup SKS. Recently bought a "you-clean-em" for $300. This is still a good price on a solid gun, although obviously not the deal you saw years ago. I include it because you can still get one today for around $300-ish.
  
• My Bersa Firestorm .22lr is a lot of fun to shoot, and well worth the $279 plus tax.
  
• My Marlin 39A was bought new for $425 plus tax, and has been worth every penny. I got my Marlin .357 rifle at a great price too, but you can't really get that price nowadays so I won't include it here.
  

I will also say that most of my .22 acquisitions (rifle or handgun) have been good values and worth the money spent, even if they weren't all screaming deals. I have some other good deals I could list, too. I am thankful to have been fortunate that way.

 

[SlowFuse]

Savage Mark II, hands down. Scary accurate and I paid $100 for it, lightly used.

 

[tubeshooter]

Okay, two more:

• Used Savage 110 in .243, made in the '80s, great bore. $200 OTD.
  
• Marlin 336 in .30-30 with no rear sight. $190 plus tax. From a pawn shop, no less!
  

Those were two of my better deals ever and it wouldn't be right to leave them out.

 

[Cee Zee]

I would list my Norinco SKS even though it hasn't appreciated more than inflation. It has given me 22 years of excellent service for $100. That's a bargain IMO.

Then there's my Taurus PT-145 Millennium Pro. Paid $325, got an extra mag and hasn't missed a beat since. It's accurate and reliable and small enough for CCW but still packs 10+1 rounds of .45 ACP.

Savage 110 in 30.06 I bought used for $220 and it came with a scope.

And the best is last. I got a brand new Marlin 795 for $35 after rebates, sale prices and discounts. Any brand new firearm for $35 that isn't a Saturday Night Special is going to be a great value.

I have actually bought several other firearms at great prices. I even had some given to me. But these are the best deals I've made IMO.

 

[ACP]

CZ 453 Varmint. Bought it used, I believe, for just under $300. Most accurate rifle I have ever shot, and 100% reliable.

 

[Cee Zee]

CZ 453 Varmint. Bought it used, I believe, for just under $300. Most accurate rifle I have ever shot, and 100% reliable.

Missed my chance to buy a 452 for well under $300 new when the price had already gone up a lot elsewhere. But I eventually got my 453. It is an excellent rifle but it isn't my best shooter even though it's close. I have 2 Savage rimfire rifles that will shoot more accurate than my 453. One is a rock solid rifle and the other is the best shooter of all my rimfire rifles Still I would likely keep my 453 and sell my more accurate (slightly) Savage if push came to shove. The CZ is just built way better. My old Savage is built very well though. It will still be working long after I'm not.

 

[bannockburn]

Best value for the money:

Ruger 10/22.
Colt AR15.
Maverick Model 88.
Nearly every Colt, S&W, and Ruger handgun I have bought.

 

[critter]

Top of the list is my DCM (yeah, I'm THAT old!) M1 back when they cost $165.

 

[SleazyRider]

I have but one candidate: The CZ 82. These days they seems to retail right around $280.00, which is still a bargain for a tough-as-nails 9X18mm that is typically offered with two 13-round magazines and a holster. No need to buy aftermarket parts and better grips---the ergonomics are astounding right out of the box.

Oh yeah, and the Maverick 88 shotgun. Can't be beat.

Let's not forget the Marlin Model 60, too.

 

[hornet41]

Shiloh Sharps,quigley 45/110