Posted: 1/2/2013 10:55:53 PM EDT
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With all the talk about caching I've seen lately, I'm curious as to what a good cache handgun would be.
It would need to have the following characteristics: Inexpensive (sub $250) Reliable Low maintenance Easy to use I've looked around at various options, but haven't come to a conclusion. I've considered S&W Sigma, Ruger P89, and Rock Island .45, as well as S&W Model 10, Charter, Armscor, and Nagant 1895. The Nagant's price makes it very appealing except for the slow reloads, not exactly a combat handgun by today's definitions. The others seem to be toss ups, primarily depending on FTF price. Are there other options I haven't considered? Any other thoughts in general? |
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Sigma, by far. You can pick them up on the used market for $200ish, and in 9mm, they hold a competitive amount of ammo. I've got one in my GHB to back up the Glock on my belt. It goes bang, and it shoots in the general direction I'm pointing.
I don't know of any other (safe) firearms out there in the price range. I rule out Hi-Point due to the horrendous trigger mechanism, overall weight, and 8rd capacity. |
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You would better off caching a good quality .22 They would be decent for harvesting small game and with subsonics can be pretty quiet. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places should SHTF completly..they all have a $100 marlin or ruger rifle(yes used 10/22 were once available sub $100)with 500 rds of ammo. a good .22 if you're on E/E will handle 99% of what you need for survival,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. |
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You would better off caching a good quality .22 They would be decent for harvesting small game and with subsonics can be pretty quiet. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places should SHTF completly..they all have a $100 marlin or ruger rifle(yes used 10/22 were once available sub $100)with 500 rds of ammo. a good .22 if you're on E/E will handle 99% of what you need for survival,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. Only 500 rounds? Of .22? I'd be sticking a few k in that cache; it's not like .22 is going to break the bank. |
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You would better off caching a good quality .22 They would be decent for harvesting small game and with subsonics can be pretty quiet. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places should SHTF completly..they all have a $100 marlin or ruger rifle(yes used 10/22 were once available sub $100)with 500 rds of ammo. a good .22 if you're on E/E will handle 99% of what you need for survival,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. 
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I'd suggest you check local penny saver/free trader classified newspapers for low dollar second hand sales. Instead of trying to find a 'new' handgun at higher prices, you can frequently do much better on the second hand market. Keep an eye open for deals. I've seen everything from $350 Glocks, through to stuff like $200 taurus millenium semis, $275 S&W 357 revolvers, and $250 Star .45's. You simply never know what you will find. In some cases the prices are stupid: You'll see idiots trying to sell cheap second hand junk at insane prices. Just ingore them, be patient and check the ads often. It will like take some time, but you can do well with patience.
I would not bother with a Nagant. Cheap? yes. Effective? Hardly. The nagant ammo is pricey, weak, and scarce. Not a good combination. You'd do better with a cosmetically challenged $200 Star BM in 9mm (Yup, I've seen those), a $250 S&W Model 10 or 66 (Yup, seen those recently too), or even a $200 Bersa .380 (hardly a great defensive pistol, but easier to use and more effective than the Nagant revolver and cartridge). Just my two cents. Fro |
| For those saying rifle.....If you are digging up a cache....stealth is probably an important aspect of your future. Long guns....not very stealthy. Unless of course you decide to go "into the wilderness" etc....where it won't matter. Just a thought. I agree though that the best value in a cache firearm in terms of cost, versatility etc...is the .22 rifle. |
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You would better off caching a good quality .22 They would be decent for harvesting small game and with subsonics can be pretty quiet. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places should SHTF completly..they all have a $100 marlin or ruger rifle(yes used 10/22 were once available sub $100)with 500 rds of ammo. a good .22 if you're on E/E will handle 99% of what you need for survival,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. Only 500 rounds? Of .22? I'd be sticking a few k in that cache; it's not like .22 is going to break the bank. seeing as they're in 1/2 dozen "cites" in 4 states,,areas I've found myself in over the years, if I'm hitting my caches, I'm pretty much on the way to my BOL..either on foot what ever ride I can muster up....and.they're there to get me over the next bump in the road and keep me alive,, not to get me into a fire fight. 500 rds a gun, knife, water, food, changes of socks and underwear and worn in boots and a change of rough clothes as I may well be in a suit when things go south. enought to carry with out wearing one out..not about money, its about simplicity and weight when you're DiDi.. Chef |
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You would better off caching a good quality .22 They would be decent for harvesting small game and with subsonics can be pretty quiet. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places should SHTF completly..they all have a $100 marlin or ruger rifle(yes used 10/22 were once available sub $100)with 500 rds of ammo. a good .22 if you're on E/E will handle 99% of what you need for survival,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f128/steelonsteel/JustaCook3_gal_zps83aa2442.jpg WE Discussed keeping this particular information on the down low.. 
Chef |
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You would better off caching a good quality .22 They would be decent for harvesting small game and with subsonics can be pretty quiet. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places should SHTF completly..they all have a $100 marlin or ruger rifle(yes used 10/22 were once available sub $100)with 500 rds of ammo. a good .22 if you're on E/E will handle 99% of what you need for survival,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. Only 500 rounds? Of .22? I'd be sticking a few k in that cache; it's not like .22 is going to break the bank. seeing as they're in 1/2 dozen "cites" in 4 states,,areas I've found myself in over the years. I'm interested! Buddies houses? Buried? Curious minds would like to know |
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CZ-82 fires the 9mm Makarov (9x18) and can be had for $225. Between .380 and 9mm in punch. Silver Bear HP Ammo is cheap online $15/50, and you'll need to cache a decent supply as it's not common enough to find at WalMart. CZ82 + Spare Mag + 150rnds = $300
I agree that a .22 pistol would be a better overall option but I'm not aware of anything available, much less reliable, at that price. - JP |
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You would better off caching a good quality .22 They would be decent for harvesting small game and with subsonics can be pretty quiet. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places should SHTF completly..they all have a $100 marlin or ruger rifle(yes used 10/22 were once available sub $100)with 500 rds of ammo. a good .22 if you're on E/E will handle 99% of what you need for survival,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. Only 500 rounds? Of .22? I'd be sticking a few k in that cache; it's not like .22 is going to break the bank. seeing as they're in 1/2 dozen "cites" in 4 states,,areas I've found myself in over the years. I'm interested! Buddies houses? Buried? Curious minds would like to know 2 on public property in "city forrests" IE Greenbelts. 2 on private property in major cities 2 near highway rest stops 1 at a relatives home coordinates not to follow. 
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You would better off caching a good quality .22 They would be decent for harvesting small game and with subsonics can be pretty quiet. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places should SHTF completly..they all have a $100 marlin or ruger rifle(yes used 10/22 were once available sub $100)with 500 rds of ammo. a good .22 if you're on E/E will handle 99% of what you need for survival,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. Only 500 rounds? Of .22? I'd be sticking a few k in that cache; it's not like .22 is going to break the bank. seeing as they're in 1/2 dozen "cites" in 4 states,,areas I've found myself in over the years. I'm interested! Buddies houses? Buried? Curious minds would like to know 2 on public property in "city forrests" IE Greenbelts. 2 near highway rest stops How the heck did you do this?!? coordinates not to follow. Quoted:
What's a Ruger SP101 go for now? $350-400? |
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The little sig P6/225's are nice. Sometimes AIM has used glocks. I'd go w/ something known reliable if I were doing this. ETA: hotlink |
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I'd suggest you check local penny saver/free trader classified newspapers for low dollar second hand sales. Instead of trying to find a 'new' handgun at higher prices, you can frequently do much better on the second hand market. Just my two cents. Fro Thats a hefty 2 cents, Fro. I picked up an XD9 with three mags, and 200 rds of ammo for $150. Deals are there, you just have to be vigilant. |
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. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places ,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. I'm interested! Buddies houses? Buried? Curious minds would like to know 2 on public property in "city forrests" IE Greenbelts. 2 near highway rest stops How the heck did you do this?!? coordinates not to follow. SSS 3 to 4 am most cities are pretty dead..took a couple of days of scouting, digging, triangulating "permanent" landmarks.. may not be there when I get there, but unless the whole city scape was changed, they're there. Rest stop cache's were in place before they started fencing men from meeting men in the woods beyond the light  
maybe if I live a few more years and get bored, I might set mile markers on the freeways where they are and do a contest  |
It may sound cliche, but a cheap .38 revolver and a .22 rifle seem like solid, low cost stash guns A .38 is noisy and easily concealable; both things you'd want for closer range self defense. A .22 is accurate and can take small game. Toss some subsonic rounds in there and it shouldn't draw a lot of attention either. You could even take the stock screw out of an old single shot shotgun and round out your whole stash collection for under $300 if you wanted to  Speed |
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You would better off caching a good quality .22 They would be decent for harvesting small game and with subsonics can be pretty quiet. I have a couple of cache's set up in various places should SHTF completly..they all have a $100 marlin or ruger rifle(yes used 10/22 were once available sub $100)with 500 rds of ammo. a good .22 if you're on E/E will handle 99% of what you need for survival,,but I'm just a cook CHEF. http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f128/steelonsteel/JustaCook3_gal_zps83aa2442.jpg WE Discussed keeping this particular information on the down low..
Chef Whoops Ms. Eliniak distracted me. 
Hmm, lots of options out there. used Ruger service or speed 6 would be high on my bargain list for this. Rugers are clunky but they don't break that often. |
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The OP final list looks to be centered around defensive handguns. So given his budget my vote would be for a used Ruger P-series handguns. The P-85 (old fist series MkII) was my go to handgun for years, as my finances improved I eventually moved on to other platforms but the P-85 is extremely reliable, heck for stout. Stick with the factory mags and it will serve you well.
Long term a .22lr makes sense to me but given the OP budget I doubt that a .22lr handgun (that I would want to rely on) is going to stay under his dollar amount. So I would save up a little bit more and get a second hand .22lr rifle to go with his handgun. My $0.02. |