I am frequently asked” What gun should I buy”?
This is a tough question, akin to asking “What Pick-Up truck should I buy? While the answer to that question is obviously an F-Series (cut me some slack, I do work for Ford afterall). The gun decision is much different.
Once the basic details are hashed out such as: What do you want to do with it? Have you shot a gun before? Do you want to carry it? We move into specifics such as type of action , caliber, recoil, weight, size, style.
All guns are not created equal however, as with other products there are all manner of companies, materials and prices to consider. You must balance these trade-offs before making your selection and it goes home with you.
In this global economy we are now subjected to the availability of products from dozens of companies from areas of the world we didn’t know even made guns.
This is both good and bad, with outstanding products now available from well respected gun makers such as CZ, H&K and FNH, as well as some made in Croatia and branded as Springfield Armory such as the great XD series.
But what about some of these other brands advertising super low prices? You may be tempted to try-out a gun that is only 50% of the price of a Glock, Ruger or Smith & Wesson.
On the other hand over the years I have seen some of these guns companies and importers come and go in the marketplace. They may have been “okay” guns, capable of putting a projectile down range with sufficient accuracy to suit your needs at the range. But will they be in business when you need a part or spring replaced in 5 or 10 years? Let’s take a step back and look at the overall economics of your purchase. Buying a gun has a few special considerations worth considering.
When you buy a gun you are often making a purchase that will last your lifetime. In fact most guns when properly taken care of will last several lifetimes and your heirs will be shooting, hunting or using them for protection after you are gone.
I recently had this exact same conversation with my brother. He is looking to purchase the perfect handguns for his wife and oldest daughter. In May they both completed a basic pistol course at Gunsite Training academy. For their training I lent them a couple of high quality 9mm pistols. Now he is sending me the advertisements from every pistol sale he sees at all the big name sporting goods stores. Some of these guns I have never even heard of.
I explained to him that his wife will likely have that gun for 30 years and that his daughter at 23 will have hers for 50 to 60 years. Saving $100 dollars on a bargain gun versus a high quality gun with a well proven reputation will cost him approx. $1.5o to $3.00 per year over their lifetime of use.
The second consideration is reliability. If the is gun is being purchased for self defense, the most important thing is that it absolutely positively has to go “Bang” when you pull that trigger.
That $1 to $3 dollars per year saved on a bargain gun will seem pretty silly if you hear “Click” when you need it most!
Take your time, do your research and spend wisely because your life may well depend upon it.
