I am not talking about Amazon here.
Something a little lighter for a change.
It is without much debate that we are in what I have called The Golden Age of Gun Buying. Ammo is a different issue but firearms themselves? They are in stock and on sale for the most part. Common and uncommon, expensive or cheap, if you want it and have the disposable income you can probably get it.
As a consequence of having a Federal Firearms License and the crazy panic buying from 2020 to 2022, I was able to obtain quite a few firearms, consolidating calibers by selling guns in weird calibers for more than I originally paid for them and concentrating down to mostly 9mm/5.56mm. That doesn’t stop a fella from window shopping, in my case the window being a computer monitor, although I try to not spend too much time lest I convince myself everything is a great deal at wholesale prices.
Anyway this is what I have in the back of my head for future acquisitions, some realistic and others….not so much.
Things I Have Convinced Myself I “Need”
Need is a funny word as I have everything I strictly need but a fella can always think about how to enhance his selection.
A bufferless 5.56 AR pistol with a folding stock
This one is a little dependent on the upcoming ATF guidance in light of recent court rulings on the NFA and the Trump order to not contest those rulings. My hope is that very soon we will get guidance that essentially negates the need for the silly “stabilizing brace” and allows us to legally put normal stocks on ARs with barrels shorter that 16”. There are several options already, the CMMG Dissent, Sig Sauer MCX, Brownells BR-180 and the Palmetto State Armory Jakl just to name a few off the top of my head. As a rule, in the current situation something easier to conceal is better than something less easy to conceal. If it all goes tits up then concealment will be perhaps less important but then again maybe not. They tend to be quite a bit more expensive than a standard AR so that’s a not inconsequential issue.
The same but in 9mm and taking Glock mags
I don’t own a single actual Glock but Glock-compatible mags are widely available and cheap. Again CMMG offers what I am looking at in their Dissent line. The thing I like about them is that without the buffer tube it makes the pistol a lot easier to fold up and conceal in a backpack or other bag that doesn’t scream “Gun inside”. This is the Dissent SBR, a radial delayed blowback operated 9mm and as mentioned this model is Glock mag compatible. While not as robust as a rifle in 5.56mm, it does provide a significant upgrade over a standard handgun and again if you are travelling somewhere unfriendly to the 2nd Amendment, it can be carried without being obvious.
The retail price is again pretty steep, my cost is quite a bit less but still salty, so that is mainly why I don’t have one yet.
I sure don’t need more pistols (see: You Don’t Need Another Handgun) but at some point I would love to add a Beretta PX4 G-SD, the venerable and underrated PX4 Storm upgrade by Langdon Tactical.
Comes with 2- 17 round and 1-20 round magazine which is good because they are proprietary mags and are very expensive. The PX4 features a somewhat unique rotating barrel that eats up recoil, in theory making follow-up shots easier, and while I know striker-fire guns are all the rage I still like a pistol with a hammer.
Would Love To Have/Don’t Need
This category is for cool to own but I have no need for, at least not at the present time. Cost is an issue as is practicality.
Large caliber lever-action rifle
It is amusing that the lever-action rifle market is still so hot. The mechanics of these rifles were developed early in the 19th century and they were a frequent staple of Western movies for a very long time. Where I live especially lever-action rifles, particularly 30-30 caliber rifles, were a staple of deer hunting as the Upper Midwest hunter is unlikely to shoot at extreme ranges but is likely to be shooting through brush.
Just based on the hunters I know I would have to think that the vast majority of deer today around here (Indiana/Michigan/Ohio) are being shot with bolt action rifles in the expected calibers like .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor, with rifles easily capable of hitting a target at well over 500 yards even though very few deer hunters are shooting them at those ranges.
The funny thing is that lever-action rifles, despite being offered in only a few calibers and being relatively less accurate than bolt-action rifles, are still super expensive. You can get a perfectly functional and adequate bolt-action rifle in .308 from Ruger or Savage for far less than most lever-action rifles in 30-30.
I don’t do a bunch of deer hunting and already have several rifles I could use but I would still love a lever-action rifle just because they are cool, but I would want it in a larger caliber like .45-70 or .444 since I wouldn’t actually be using it for much other than looking nice in my safe.
A .44 Magnum revolver
I have been a wheel-gun guy for a long time, ever since I was a kid and went with my dad to purchase a Smith & Wesson .357 revolver from a local gun shop. He used to warn me endlessly about the propensity of semi-automatic firearms jamming, whether pistols or shotguns. Growing up in the era of Dirty Harry I have always wanted a .44 Magnum revolver but couldn’t justify the cost. I wouldn’t want some ridiculous hand cannon with an 8 inch barrel but I will admit to having a Colt Kodiak with a ported 4.25” barrel in my favorites list at some of my distributors….
An AK chambered in 5.56
My general rule is this: If you want an AK, get an AK chambered in an AK caliber like 7.62×39 or 5.45. If you want a rifle in 5.56, buy an AR that was designed for that caliber.
Still I do still love AK pattern rifles. There is something about the simplicity of their design compared to the relatively convoluted design of ARs with their millions of springs and screws. Plus they just look cool. The obvious downside is compatibility. I can mix and match almost every part from my ARs, taking them apart and swapping uppers and lowers or just pieces and parts, plus they all take the same mags. An AK pattern 5.56 rifle has none of those things but it would still be fun.
Flat Out Silly Stuff
These are things I have no need for whatsoever and won’t ever have the money for, think of these as “If I won the Power Ball and had hundreds of millions to spare” guns.
A big/dangerous game caliber double rifle.
WTF would I do with one of these? Not shoot it very much of course. I know a guy who lives nearby that bought a rifle in .416 Rigby and when I talked to him later he said he shot it a few times and put it away because they beat the crap out of your shoulder.
It isn’t like you can buy one of these at most local gun stores. If money were no obstacle I would jump on a flight to London, take a cab probably driven by some pajeet to 36 St James’s St. and order myself a Holland & Holland ‘Royal’ Double rifle in something ridiculous like .500 Nitro Express or .375 H&H. There is actually a H&H store in Dallas and they have on offer a number of used rifles including this one in .500/465 H&H that you can take home for the low, low price of $250,000…
A truly premium double-barreled shotgun.
Something in an over & under, I own a few side-by-sides and I don’t really care for shooting them compared to an over & under although I do appreciate the classic look. I also have some over & under shotguns but they are mostly practical shotguns. I am talking here about something like a Beretta S05
Or I could also just order a Holland & Holland shotgun while ordering my double-rifle. Something tailor made to fit me with the etching I want and a stock from hand selected wood.
A shotgun or rifle that costs more than my current home isn’t really in the cards aside from winning the lottery and as I don’t play the lottery that seems unlikely.
So, what is on your wish list? Practical, extravagant, ridiculous?
As the proud owner of a double rifle (that I basically own because it’s cool, oh right right, it’s for “hog hunting”). Chapius is reasonably affordable. (under 10 grand for the more plain ones). Built like a tank (triple locks). Mine is only 9.3x74R but it’s still quite a recoil ride.
Also the Spanish have English style shotguns down pat for way way way less money than English. AyA, Arrieta, Grulla, and Arrizabalaga, starts in the 3 to 4k range for a plain boxlock and they basically go up from there. You can get a EXTREMELY nice, crazy wood, sidelock SxS from most Spanish makers in the 10 to 15k range. (which is the equivilent of 50 to 100k from an English maker. )
I have three AyAs, a 20 gauge Matador that was my dad’s when he was a kid, a 28 gauge and 12 gauge, both sidelocks.
I’ve wanted the beretta storm 9mm compact for about the last year or so, About once a month I’ll think “I’m gonna buy one today.” Then I change my mind. The problem is the magazines. You can’t find them anywhere. I can’t believe beretta would make such a nice compact pistol yet no magazines to go with them. Doesn’t make any sense.
I have the compact, great little gun but the magazine thing is a hassle
Semi-off-topic: where is our favorite firearm re-habber Big Country?
I couldn’t access his blog lately, so I’m wondering if it’s his website is down, for some reason (he has his server via DiveMedic) or if it’s just my phone being nasty….
Go to Cold Fury blog.
He had to take it down temporarily, issues with freaks causing trouble
I bought a new Miroku Winchester 1886 takedown and shipped it to Turnbull. It now sports color case hardening, shot gun butt stock, checkering fore and aft, accent nitre bluing on screws and loading gate, vernier tang sights sling swivels and is chambered in 45/90. It has actually gone hunting.
Sweet gun, I have a couple of nicer guns that I don’t feel comfortable taking out in the woods which kind of defeats the purpose.
Being in Canada, my wish list is mainly composed of things you guys all take for granted.
Sigh.
God Bless America.
Years ago i almost bought a 45-70 lever gun in stainless with the short barrel (guide gun). Its now about twice what it was then but i cant justify it yet.
To be free of the kikeroach and back to America 1.0 oh el heato requests.
An M14 and Tommy Gun.
The local world class gun shop once had a BAR sitting on shelf and damn is it heavy and huge.
Still the best gun shop moment is when off duty cop behind the counter said let me shoot ya in the neck about 15 times to a guy making fun of 9MM, he walked out and we all LOL.
As I am from Germany and you are not allowed to own a gun unless you have connections or are of the right political party (the more left the better), just owning a gun would be great.
Therefore as I have no experience with weapons except my military time where I shot the P-38. G-3, MG-3 and the M-16 (thanks to the US Army 85th Field Artillery Detachment who was using the same range as we of 2./ Missile Wing 2 did):
Practical: a 9mm handgun
Extravagant: the Stargate gun FN P90
Ridiculous: John Wicks gun, the Taran Pit Viper
I tend to be intensely practical, so while I appreciate really nice double rifles, over and under shotguns and fancy lever actions, there are only a few guns on my “if money were no object” list. One would be a S&W .357 mag revolver with 6″ barrel. Preferably with a tuned an polished trigger. Another would be a lever gun in .45 Colt. Why .45 Colt? I inherited my dad’s Super Blackhawk in that caliber and while he never actually got to shoot it, he loved the gun, and I am quite fond of it as well. Having a SA Revolver on my belt and a lever gun in my hand in the same caliber just seems cool. Though it’s not terribly practical which breaks my first rule.
More useful for today’s climate, I’m seriously considering an AR pistol with a 7″ barrel to use as a truck/car pistol. PSA has one on sale for $399, which is less than I can buy the parts to build it for. While a 7″ barrel doesn’t come close to getting max performance out of a 5.56 cartridge, it’s easier to handle than a larger one, and easier to shoot accurately than a traditional pistol.
I just picked up one that was on my wish list; a Echelon 4.0″ C. Gun points more naturally than any other pistol I’ve shot besides a 1911. Love that one.
I wouldn’t be hard to talk me into a Beretta 392 shotgun, though I shoot so little with shotguns, it would sit in the safe most of the time.
A person in Indiana and Ohio cannot use a 30-30,308 etc for deer hunting. Michigan just made it legal for bottleneck rifles to be used through out the state, not just up north.
You can use straight walled cartridges in Indiana, Ohio like the 45-70 or 444
That isn’t accurate at least for Indiana, everyone around here uses 6.5 Creedmoor
My ridiculous rifle would have been a well cared for Remington 700 in .375 H&H. Five hundred plus tax at a pawn shop in early 90’s. Beautiful rifle – but south Texas does not have much wild game, for that (with exception of nilgai). So absolutely no use for me and I reluctantly walked away. My Ruger M77 in .338 Winchester Magnum will have to do.
Large caliber lever gun – totally get that. I bought a Marlin ,444 in early 80’s and loved it a lot. That heavy barrel profile over the magazine tube was very reassuring. Lyman 66 receiver peep sight. My Uncle asked me what it was. I told him it was basically a .44 calibered 30-30 – he nodded his head. The Marlin would still be here, but I had to sell to purchase some heavy duty steel doors for our home in mid ’90’s. The Marlin, along with a Winchester 670 in .30-06 were sold to do this. I still have a some boxes of Remington green-yellow 240 and 265 grain just in case I change my mind.
If you live in the rurals, you need a .357 Magnum lever gun. Trapper or carbine. I still to this day kick myself for never purchasing a Winchester 30-30 Trapper when they were still inexpensive and easy to find.
What do you think of the Ruger M77/357’s and M77/44’s as an all-round, short-range bolt gun for deer hunting?
The Benelli M4. A beast of a semi-auto SG/Trench Broom/Alley Sweeper/Door Breacher of Choice for the USMC (at one time).
It is also my bedside “Meet & Greet” noisemaker for uninvited guests.
It’s heavy but it’s built like a Mack truck, making the recoil quite tolerable (and I’m using 00B Hornady TAC Magnum shells).
My runner-up SG: Beretta 1301, a lighter and almost as nasty kid bro’ to the Benelli M4.
I have one, that’s ONE, nice hunting rifle but it’s a potential dual use.
I have multiple precision bolt guns that can be used for hunting larger open spaces but that was not their primary build purpose. The AR10 DMR could be used as well.
Everything I have bought and built the past 15+ years has been focused on the upcoming “animated contest for liberty” (from Clay Martin) except for a match 1911 which I no longer use because I stopped shooting Single Stack. (Moved to Limited Optics.)
I believe time is short and there are priority boxes that should be checked while minimizing the number of platforms for commonality of spare parts.
Backpack PCC is a nice thing to have, but I think most people would be better served with an MCK frame for a full size version of whatever their EDC pistol is
Me? I’ve got two of everything, one for each son to inherit. I think my wife wants a small pistol. If I were to have one wish list item, it would be a .50BMG firing Barrett.
First rifle I bought was a Marlin in 45-70 – the Cowboy special with an 8 round tube and 26” octagon barrel. Very forgiving to shoot – different velocity ammo strings vertically by a few inches while staying centered. LeverEvolution shoots quite flat to about 250 yards and doesn’t drop much until about 300. Buffalo Bore has a substantial kick. Deer gun is a Henry in .44. There’s a few other things including a CZ in .375 and a couple of boxes of Woodleigh in case I ever get back to Africa. Other lever guns in .45 Colt and .35 Remington. Like them all