Building A "Cheap" Multi-Function Home Arsenal...

[reverendbeer]

Believe it or not, I've been asked the question, "I know you're a C&R guy...If I were to get a C&R, what should would be a good C&R weapon for X use?" several times in the past few weeks. I think it's a matter of commonly available C&R weapons being perceived as cheaper than new guns... So, what's a good selection of "reasonable" priced weapons for the following uses? Am I missing any categories that aren't overly specific ("overly specific" meaning things like "best 1911 clone" or "Best type of Mosin" which are outside the scope of this, since we're going for generalities and readily available)

Concealed carry?
Assault rifle?
Hunting rifle (no modifications)?
Long-range (sniper-esque) rifle?
Home defense pistol?
Home defense rifle (I know, I know...it was asked)?
Small-caliber handgun?
High-caliber handgun?
High-power Carbine?
Revolver?

There've been other questions, like "do you know of a smaller handgun my wife could use?" which I think are covered by the distilled categories above (such as concealed carry for the smaller handgun question), so they're not included. I've kept my answers within the =/>$500 range due to the original impetus for the questions (ie. cheap options for each of the categories.)

My answers were as follows:

Concealed carry? P-64
Assault rifle? SKS
Hunting rifle? K98 (or other flavor of Mauser...M24/47, M48, Persian, etc)
Long-range (sniper-esque) rifle? Bubba'd 91/30 (modern scope mount, glassed)
Home defense pistol? Star B-series (B, BM, Super B, etc) or P38/P1
Home defense rifle (I know, I know...it was asked)? Winchester 62A .22
Small-caliber handgun? Some flavor of Tokarev
High-caliber handgun? Ballester-Molina (remember, I'm going for =/>$500)
High-power Carbine? Steyr M95
Revolver? Webley or Enfield (in .38)

 

[MikeTF]

No K31, M1 carbine, or M1 garand?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[reverendbeer]

No K31, M1 carbine, or M1 garand?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Again, going for =/>$500. That pretty much eliminates the M1s....Didn;t even think of the K31, though! That's the stuff...

 

[dancnr]

An SKS, with any of the number of military handguns on the market would be a pair that would take care of most of those items. I mean I could get an SKS and a M57 and be pretty well covered for most anything I would ever need. Maybe a CZ-82 instead. I don't know about the .22 home defense rifle. An old M&P revolver would fit the revolver bill. A Persian Mauser wont be in the sub 500 bill unless samco gets more of those no finish rifles, but the M48 or 24/47 would get you a handy high powered rifle that could reach out pretty far with a scope. Heck you could go all yugo if you want, 59/66, M24/47, and M57.

 

[engineerbrian]

I like your list, but I don't consider a Tok small caliber handgun. They're pretty powerful.

 

[Boom Boom]

22LR for a "home defense rifle" is, well, stupid. An inexpensive 12ga pump shotgun is far better.

 

[reverendbeer]

22LR for a "home defense rifle" is, well, stupid. An inexpensive 12ga pump shotgun is far better.

Yes, but show me an easily available 12ga C&R shotgun? The 62a is reasonably available, cheap (>$300), takes .22 LR and SR, won't shoot through 3 houses, and would scare the s*** out of anyone breaking into your house.

 

[reverendbeer]

I like your list, but I don't consider a Tok small caliber handgun. They're pretty powerful.

Yeah, I struggled with that as "small caliber" but went with the small size of the round, vice the powder load of the cartridge.

Would "low-power handgun" be a better category? If so, what would "fill the bill?"

 

[reverendbeer]

Heck you could go all yugo if you want, 59/66, M24/47, and M57.

I like the way you think, Sir.

 

[fivepointstar]

good question!

Concealed carry? East German Makarov
Assault rifle? Russian SKS
Hunting rifle (no modifications)? Mauser
Long-range (sniper-esque) rifle? Mauser
Home defense pistol? CZ52
Home defense rifle (I know, I know...it was asked)? SKS with bayo
Small-caliber handgun? Walther PP in .32 cal
High-caliber handgun? Tokarev
High-power Carbine?
Revolver? Colt

 

[JHE1956]

Concealed carry? Beretta M1934
Assault rifle? SKS
Hunting rifle (no modifications)? or FN -made Israeli Mauser
Long-range (sniper-esque) rifle? Not under 500. M1903A4
Home defense pistol? If you can get it for the price, Browning Hi-Power. Otherwise Walther P38
Home defense rifle (I know, I know...it was asked)? SKS (Not my choice, but $500 lets out M1 Carbines
Small-caliber handgun? Can't think of one
High-caliber handgun? Argentine .45
High-power Carbine? Swedish Mauser
Revolver? S&W Victory

 

[Bob A]

Concealed carry?
PP, PPK, FN 1910, P64, Remington 51, S&W or Colt snubby
Assault rifle?
SKS
Home defense pistol?
CZ 82, Browning HiPower, Colt & S&W revolvers in 357 or 45, Sistema or Ballister Molina
Small-caliber handgun?
Colt Pocket 25ACP, Colt 1903, Walthers in 7.65, S&W Hand Ejector in 32 S&W Long, on and on and on
High-caliber handgun?
Tokarev in 7.62x25 . . . I know it's "small,", but anything that goes thru both sides of a Kevlar helmet and the head within is plenty high, IMO
Revolver?
Tons of S&W, Colt, what have you. I got a Smith pre-27 reblue, had it re-timed, and spent less than 500 overall.

There are few more pleasant ways to spend your time and money than shoveling it into your bound book. I feel that the firearms made 50 years ago were superior in many ways to the stuff made today, but then I'm an old romantic. And of course the more recent CZ pistols are an incredible value.

 

[Boom Boom]

Yes, but show me an easily available 12ga C&R shotgun? The 62a is reasonably available, cheap (>$300), takes .22 LR and SR, won't shoot through 3 houses, and would scare the s*** out of anyone breaking into your house.

What's the obsession with C&R for everything? Inexpensive Mossberg 500 and Remington Express 12ga shotguns are available just about anywhere for under $300, especially used ones. Besides that, I see C&R-eligible 12ga shotguns all the time. Shotguns old and new are for sale most everywhere as cash and carry. Regardless, proper 12ga home-defense ammo is less likely to over-penetrate than any 22LR round capable of seriously injuring (likely not stopping) a drugged-up intruder.

The notion of firing a gun to scare an intruder is beyond foolish. At best, it can land you in a world of legal hurt for reckless discharge, if you are lucky enough to not hit someone innocent. If you fire that gun, it better be to hit the target in order to stop a (perceived) deadly threat.

 

[reverendbeer]

What's the obsession with C&R for everything?.

Er...this is the C&R forum. My question wasn't "What's the best weapon for X," it was "what's the best C&R for X?" A Mossberg does not apply, unless it's 51 years old.

 

[stu929]

Skip the ballister and get a sistema or commercial colt from argentina. Milspec 1911 at reduced prices. I'm refurbing a sistema right now.

 

[Alphabrew]

I'm so pissed off that the K31 was omitted from the first post I'm not even reading this!

 

[Alphabrew]

22LR for a "home defense rifle" is, well, stupid. An inexpensive 12ga pump shotgun is far better.

I disagree, particularly for a female shooter. A .22 is deadly with no recoil. Keep in mind, for close shots like in a home defense situation, a shotgun pattern does not have time nor distance to spread, so it behaves more like a rifle.

I'm not saying a 12 ga is a poor home defense choice. But neither is a .22.

 

[Docster]

Yes, but show me an easily available 12ga C&R shotgun? The 62a is reasonably available, cheap (>$300), takes .22 LR and SR, won't shoot through 3 houses, and would scare the s*** out of anyone breaking into your house.

I picked up a Remington Model 11, 12 ga. semi with my C &R for $150. There's lots of them out there....

 

[Sirex]

I would choose a M44 for all the roles.

 

[hdatontodo]

CZ-82 9x18 Makarov pistol