Many consumers looking to purchase their first gun are turned off by what they perceive to be the high cost of modern firearms. What they may not initially realize is that buying a firearm is a lot like buying a car. The BMW may come highly recommended and be a beautiful piece of machinery, but sometimes driving a Mazda can be just as much fun.
What if I told you that for under $1,000 you could build a collection consisting of a pistol, revolver, auto-loading rifle, bolt-action rifle, and a shotgun? No, these aren’t used and they aren’t junk. And while I appreciate the value of Russian Surplus as much as the next guy, these guns are all made or assembled in America.
Let me say that again, for less than $1,000 you can build a well-rounded collection of brand new American fun to shoot firearms. Intrigued? Let’s get started:
Handgun: Hi Point C-9 (Retail $160)
The first firearm you’ll want to buy is a handgun for Self-Defense. And if you’re looking for a reliable handgun on a budget, nothing beats a Hi Point for the price. Often chided for its unique looks and low price point by those who don’t own one, it is almost universally loved by those who do. We won’t pretend the Hi Point is as refined as the venerable Glock, but refinement isn’t required to go practice your skills at the range. And since a Hi Point will stop an intruder better than no gun at all, I would have no problem recommending it for beginners.
Revolver: Heritage Rough Rider 22/22M (Retail $180)
Since you will already have your self-defense handgun, you’ll want your next handgun to be a fun plinker. And this nice little Rimfire revolver is one of the best plinkers money can buy. Nothing will get you more in touch with your American roots than shooting tin cans off a fence post with this Colt SAA inspired six-gun. Plus, since you can buy over 500 rounds of 22lr for $20, you can easily afford to shoot all day while still having enough power for some small game hunting with the included 22 Magnum cylinder.
Bolt-Action Rifle: Savage Axis (Retail $280)
No, a rifle does not need a high grade walnut stock or a bolt that cycles like butter to kill a deer. This rifle may not have the best trigger or win a beauty contest, but the Savage will provide you years of reliable service in the field at a great price. So while your hunting buddies may not be jealous of the black synthetic stock, you can be sure they’ll be jealous of the price you paid.
Rimfire Rifle: Marlin 60 (Retail $165)
This auto-loading rifle is one of the most popular Rimfires of all time. It’s reliable, light, and just plain fun to shoot. The Marlin 60 is often compared to the Ruger 10/22 as both are reliable and fun to shoot. The main difference is the Marlin has a tube feed magazine while the Ruger uses a detachable rotary magazine. And while the Ruger may have more aftermarket support for those wanting to spend an additional few hundred dollars tricking out their 22, nothing beats the value of the Marlin 60 out of the box.
Shotgun: Maverick 88 (Retail $210)
No gun collection is complete without a shotgun. A shotgun can not only be used for self-defense and hunting varmints, but also upland game and waterfowl. Plus, busting clays out of the sky with friends is just plain a lot of fun. The Maverick 88 is made by Mossberg in Mexico but assembled in Texas. It is very similar to the much loved Mossberg 500 and is sure to provide years of reliable service.
So there you have it. This gives you a great collection guaranteed to provide years of fun for a total of only $995.00. You could even by some of these guns used and save even more money. Either way your dollar-per-fun ratio will be well above that of your peers.