Carrying an Expensive Custom Gun

[Euclidean]

ACParmed:

Shop around. I never pay top dollar for anything.

I can get that Springfield XD I am considering for under $500. Of course it'll be over that with tax, shipping, and transfer fee but that's to be expected.

I have a Ruger P-89 that I am debating what to do with as my confidence in my ability to use it effectively has been destroyed. It costs less than $400 brand new and would serve anyone for a lifetime.

I have a 686-2 I paid $325 for. It's in good enough shape to fire another 30k rounds. I will probably have it rebuilt by the Performance Center some distant day but it doesn't strictly need it.

I have a brand new 642 that was $310 out the door. No, I don't feed it a constant diet of +P ammunition but I have 600+ rounds through it and it is none the worse for wear.

Hell, for $200 you can get a brand new Rossi. I'd carry a Rossi into the worst situation imaginable.

If self defense is your goal there are lots of excellent options under $500, especially if you like revolvers and don't mind used guns.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[ExSoldier]

Any quality handgun I have found costs somewhere between $500 and $1000.

Sigs are in the middle of this cost range while Glocks are near the bottom, well made 1911's are in the high end. I don't think I could pay much less than $500 and have faith in the long-term durability of the gun.

Just my opinion.

And I'd have to agree 100% My next purchase is a Sig 220ST with a SureFire X200 to hang on that nifty rail and a set of CT LAsergrips. Total package will set me back about $1250 I think. It'll become my dedicated "House Gun" and a backup for my wife on long trips. Well her backup to my P245.

[Bumper]

I haven't bought a new below $500 handgun in 10 years...

[ExSoldier]

I try and keep one or more guns I'm willing to trade plus some $$ when I stumble across a good deal I really want. Like I got my Sig P245 in trade for a total POS ParaOrdnance P10 jam-a-matic PLUS $100 in cash from a stocking dealer at a gun show. Used but in excellent condition. Possibly one of the best deals I ever made. My new standard carry gun.

[Euclidean]

I disagree with the whole > $500 sentiment whole heartedly. So much so, I started a thread on why.

[revlar]

Sounds as though I should get rid of my new Makarov since I paid less than $200 for it. Darn it - I really like that gun.

[Bumper]

I haven't heard anyone here say that a gun costing less than <insert price here> is crap. I'm getting a little testy with a few trying to portray those that have more expensive guns as "elitist".

[Euclidean]

No Bumper no one here has.

And no one has said anyone with an expensive gun is automatically some kind of snob.

What I have said is that there seems to be this ideology in place that the "minimum" level of acceptable hardware is in fact the finest hardware available. I resent it. I think it echoes the sentiments of the anti gun crowd that wants to ban so called "Saturday Night Specials" or the people who want to make a list of approved firearms we can buy.

I suppose we come from two different levels of insanity here.

We all defend our choice of tools, and sometimes a little too viciously. I know I do. Moreso than anything else, a firearm says something about its owner and his situation in life. We'd all like to think we have some kind of control over our situation in life.

[ExSoldier]

I think it echoes the sentiments of the anti gun crowd that wants to ban so called "Saturday Night Specials" or the people who want to make a list of approved firearms we can buy. We'd all like to think we have some kind of control over our situation in life.

Okay, little history lesson here. After the Civil War (aka War Between the States, aka War of NAWTHUN Aggression, aka "The Recent Unpleasantness) laws were passed in the south with the specific intent of bypassing the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. These were called The Jim Crow laws and they gave rise to the so called "Black Codes." Chief among these was an edict that no former slave could own or have access to firearms.

On the heel sof this came the creation of the KKK. And WHO praytell was in charge (politically speaking) in the South during those times? Which party was the Party of the South? Still is, although they all vote "RED." HINT.

Flash forward to the 1990's. Bill Clinton, joined by The (NOT SO) Rev. Jesse and Al Sharpton (both of whom have sold their souls for a seat at the Great White Table of Power) joined with Bill and Hill to deny the inner city and especially those trapped in Federal Housing their 2nd Amendment rights to self defense by banning the possession of guns in these areas. Most crime in the inner city is Black on Black. Folks in poor neighborhoods need access to inexpensive guns for self defense. They can't afford a Glock or a Sig Sauer. But they need to keep the predators at bay, too. So yeah, we should get rid of all those Saturday Night Specials because it's not fair that poor folks be able to defend themselves as well.

[revlar]

I was just pokin' a little fun - didn't mean to get anybody's dander up.

I don't have any three figure guns - or at least I didn't pay that much for them at the time. The three "customs" that I alternately carry are now worth more than what I have in them - at least to me. But as we all know - when it comes to "customs", should you try to sell them you rarely will get out of them what you have in them. Still - should I try to duplicate any of them today, twenty years after I first acquired these - I wouldn't be able to do it for less than $1200-1500. In fact - two of the three are not produced at all anymore.

I would not want to see any of my guns - especially not any of these three - fall into the hands of someone who didn't care for them as I have. But it would be worth the risk if my life were on the line. Because I value them - I trust them and carry them regularly. Because of the value I place in them they are not placed in any situation where they might be stolen or abused. So, unless the law expressly forbids it, each of them will either be on me - or in the vault.

However, no matter what a gun may be worth - if you acquired it for the purpose of self defense and you don't have it with you when you need to defend your life - they're not worth a plugged nickel.

[mikaldulee]

I was an MP and worked with the evidence clerk from time to time. I saw a blued Smith and Wesson revolver come out of an evidence bag(paper). The blood hadn't been wiped off (sensible, it was evidence) and ate into the finish rather badly. Evidently blood is fairly hard on metal, the weapon was ruined.

[ExSoldier]

Evidently blood is fairly hard on metal, the weapon was ruined.

Only Alien Blood.

[TravisABQ]

If you are even WORRIED about losing your self-defense weapons
to a police investigation, you need to re-evaluate your priorities.

If your gun or knife is too valuable, in dollars or sentiment,
to lose to police, you may hesitate in using it when you absolutely
need to.

Just my .02

--Travis--

[CLASS3NH]

When I go out with a carry weapon, I first place in my mind the reliability of the weapon, and how familiiar and secure I am with it. I carry anything from a Smith 469 ($250.00) to my ASP Model 39 (about 2500.00) I bought it for 550.00 in 1985 LOL.....I guess what I'm saying is, it depends on your own preference. I know most of us do carry anything from a couple hundred bucks and way upward in price to the high level custom guns.If the weapon I saved my life with (or any innocent I saved in the process) I think I could find the $$ for a re-finish job, should it get dinged up, or scartched. I would at least know I was breathing. BTW.no snob here either..
just a regular guy hanging out with good friends here sharing the same interests

[Puppage]

"My question is this: If you have to shoot a BG with your custom gun the police are likely to confiscate your firearm during the course of the investigation"

I'd be more concerned that a DA would view my custom changes (new trigger, nite sights etc.) as a soup'd up killing device made to make killing easier.