Suggestions for a Gun as a gift.

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Smoke

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I have a nephew due to graduate high school soon, his 18th birthday will be within a few days of graduation also.

He is a remarkable kid, Eagle Scout, President of the church Youth Program for the state. Has a full ride football scholarship. DOesn't get into as much trouble as his Uncle did (or his Dad either for that matter)

I'd like to get him a centerfire pistol for graduation. Due to my budget constraints I need to keep it cheap. I've looked at CZ, Charles Daly, Llama. What else should I be looking at?

I'd prefer an auto loader but not mandatory.

Thanks
 
Why a centerfire?
Does he have experience shooting handguns?
If not, get him a .22; Ruger Mk II or Browning Buckmark.
I learned bad habits with a 9mm at that age that I took years to work out of.

If you just must, the CZ 75 is the best in the price range.
 
Yes he does have expereince with handguns. He already has a .22 Single Six. His Dad has several centerfire guns which he has use of, and he has shot almost every gun I own. He even has had some training at Powderhorn Ranch in CO.

He is deadly in the dove fields is a very respectable rifle shot and is one of the more instinctive pistol shooters I have ever seen.

He just doesn't have one "of his own".
 
The CZ75 is the best pistol on the market for less than $500 IMO. Hi cap mags are readily available and cheap too.

Open it up to a used revolver and you might be able to find a real heirloom for this boys future kids like a M25 45LC or M29 44Mag Smith. A good 357 would be a darn nice gift too, a 6" GP 100 can be had NEW for $300 plus tax and transfer fees.
 
If the boy was me, I would like something accurate and powerful but also cheap to shoot. I'm thinking 9mm for sure. A used Browning Hi Power or Beretta 92 would be a better gift in the long run than a new cheaper pistol. A used Ruger would only be $200 or so and they are tough. How much do you like this kid?
 
Hey, get him an FEG Hi Power clone. I would like one of those if I were him. They are nice.
 
Well, being a college student, he'll be poor for the next few years (and beyond, if he's taken out any loans!). He won't be able to keep a gun on campus and, since he's too young for a CHL, won't be able to store it in his car, either. How about a 6" barreled .357 revolver? Cheap to shoot with .38's, easy to reload if he has the equipment available, and can be used for some hunting. I frequently see excellent condition used Ruger Security Sixes and S&W K-frames for quite reasonable prices. Or, maybe a Blackhawk if he favors sticking with the single-action design of his Single-Six. Have you thought about taking him to one of those gun store/shooting ranges that has rental guns and seeing what *he* likes?

You're lucky to have a receptive nephew. I brought a NIB gun from my own collection to give to my oldest nephew for his college graduation gift a few years ago; it was to be his first gun. Because his mom is, ahem, not pro-gun, I took him aside in private to show him his present. He was less than enthused. Seeing this, I sucked it up and said, "You can have this gun or $300 cash, what I paid for it." "Oh, thanks, I'd rather have the cash, Uncle Steve." The gun was then worth $800!

Steve
 
CZ are an excellent pistol.

Also Ruger SS .357 magnum or any of their pistoline is dependable.

Stay away from Llama or a Charles Daley -you don't want his first experience to be sour in case these pistols break down.
 
Another CZ recommendation!!

I have several and they have all proven highly reliable with excellent accuracy. The price is generally reasonable too. Good shooting:)
 
If he's a greenhorn: Ruger MKII
Otherwise, I like the CZ and .357 ideas.

I will add that my EAA Witness has been a great pistol. A clone of the CZ but less expensive. A 9mm in WonderFinish can be had for $300.

PS: You can give ammo for birthdays, Christmas, etc!
 
Bersa / Firestorm makes some darn good pistols for a good price.
CZ's are good.
Charles Daly and Llama are more of a gamble. You may get a good one, but you may not.
 
From what I've read here & from my own experiences, I'd go w/ the CZ 75. The other option that came to mind is the Springfield XD 9.
 
I agree letter for letter with Jim Watson... First suggestion would be a Ruger MKII or 22/45 with a heavy barrel. Good guns, cheap ammo, learn the basics and you always should have a handgun in 22lr.

If you must go centerfire, I'd suggest a CZ75 in 9mm. Next to nothing recoil, reliable, accurate, decent trigger than can be tuned up to be excellent. About the cheapest centerfire ammo available.

Other choice would be a Makarov for a smaller gun. He could carry it if/when legal, usually 100% reliable with good ammo and a decent manstopper. And if you look around, you might be able to get him a 22/45 AND a Mak for the price of a new CZ75.
 
The CZ would be a nice choice-a high quality, reliable piece. If you can get one at a good price, it might be nice to have a little engraving done-perhaps the date you gave it to him, both of your initials, etc.
 
Whatever you end up choosing make sure that it is something that has cheap ammo. As a college student money may be real tight and sometimes priorities dictate that other things will come first and he won't practice.
 
Seeing you said he has expierance with hanguns if he hunts a used 357 or if he isn't interested in hunting a used 9mm. 9mm ammo is real cheap 11 bucks for 100 rounds at the local wally world.
 
stay away from polymer, it's his first handgun and gift so he'll probably have it for a long time. something with a classic look would be preferred.

So i think you want something all metal, 9mm with a .22 conversion kit available.

FEG Hi-Power Clone
just as good as the real thing except many report that the trigger isn't as good, for it's 250 price that might be acceptable. Ciener has a Hi-Power .22 conversion kit they're working on and haven't released yet.

Star Model B / Model B Super
A 1911-pattern 9mm, at 40oz the recoil is light so he won't develop bad habits and the 9mm will be cheap. price is around 200.

Springfield Milspec, Taurus .357 and CZ-75 would also be solid choices.
 
www.CDNNinvestments.com

These guys have great deals on a wide variety of stuff. The guns aren't listed on their site, but a phone number is.

They have FM hipowers for $270 bucks plus all the hicaps you can eat for $20.

I also have to agree with the Sprinfield Milspec gun. Just recently got one and am making some changes to it, but its a great piece. Plenty accurate and so far, unjammable :) .
 
Buying a gun for someone is called a "Straw purchase." It's illegal. Also to own a pistol or revolver before age 21 is against federal law.
I can see your intensions are honorable.:)
 
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