The Quest For "Cheap" (insert whatever cheap **** you are looking for here).

[Frisco]

This really breaks my logic chips.

Why in the name of fuck are so many so-called and self-proclaimed shooters always looking for "cheap" guns, ammo, and gear?

A pistol (or a shotgun, or defensive carbine) is a tool. In essence, it's not much different that a hammer or a cordless drill. If you plan to build a house...do you buy the cheapest bargain bin hammer you can find, or the cheapest cordless drill you can find at Harbor Freight, or do you spend a few more bucks and buy an Estwing framing hammer, or a Milwaukee cordless?

You will NEED a hammer that won't break the handle when you're driving nails, and you will NEED your cordless to actually run long enough to get the job done.

The difference is, you may need the gun to actually save your life and perform in a situation that is not "perfect" on a square range or dirt patch, or in a situation NOT of your choosing.

A "cheap" gun that you bought strictly on price, that may or may not (probably NOT) perform when you NEED it to just became very expensive when you tie that to the relative value of your ass.

Yes...you can find guns that are "inexpensive" that will perform "pretty well" if you need them to. You have to look, and you have to buy smart...but they can be found.

Let's face it, the cold hard truth is that the extreme vast majority of so-called shooters are nothing more than enthusiastic amateurs and fan boys who will never ACTUALLY train and the (insert brand here) they buy based on it being "cheap" will probably perform better than they can in a given situation, even if it doesn't work.

That just illustrates the point...if you can't shoot and perform up to the level of your "cheap" gear, then the disconnect is YOU. Buying junk and not being able to perform to a "junk level" just doesn't make sense. Neither does buying the most expensive ego-boosting tacticool gun you can afford because YOU will never be able to perform up to the level of the tool either.

You might be (and love being) "the gun guy" among your friends who don't own guns because they know (and you make SURE that they know) that you have a gun, and you have some cool pics of you posed with your "badass tactical SKS" with the AK mag sticking out of it that works (or not), all the UTG crap you could bolt and tape to it, and the chest rig you bought at the gun show from the MADE IN CHINA TACTICOOL GEAR table...but you're relying on bargain basement "cheap" junk that you don't/won't actually learn how to run (because it's "cheap" and probably WON'T actually run) because you don't train. BUT...having the "tacticool" looking stuff makes you "tacticool" among them and your ego gets a stroking.

There are a LOT of relatively inexpensive guns on the market that WILL perform, and perform better than the shooter. They aren't "cheap", but they are economical and will allow you some extra cash to do something silly such as buy TRAINING AMMO, so you can actually develop a skillset with your defensive firearm that goes beyond shooting dirt clods and beer cans with the buddies you are trying to impress.

Don't buy into the "cheap" guns/ammo/gear mindset. GOOD used gear is available that will cost close to the same as new "cheap" shit that will still WORK, and will give you a long service life.

Don't bet your ass or the collective asses of your family on "cheap".

[Deeznutz]

I prefer DeWalt over Milwaukee, personally, but fair point. Lol.

[Frisco]

I prefer DeWalt over Milwaukee, personally, but fair point. Lol.

I only used Milwaukee because it's the one sitting on my bench. I have a Hilti too...but it wasn't the one I could see when I made the post.

I had a DeWalt....lent it to a friend....haven't seen it since.

[Deeznutz]

I prefer DeWalt over Milwaukee, personally, but fair point. Lol.

I only used Milwaukee because it's the one sitting on my bench. I have a Hilti too...but it wasn't the one I could see when I made the post.

I had a DeWalt....lent it to a friend....haven't seen it since.

He I DeWalt only because my Dad was a Developer and Contractor and that and Milwaukee was all he would buy and I would get his DeWalt Hand-Me-Downs.

I picked up a Kobalt Miter saw a while back. Meh. Lol. But I only use it maybe once or twice a year, so I got what I paid for out of it, at least (Very little, heh heh).

[Eric]

I try to not use a hammer,I have an assortment of nail guns.


But I do own an Estwing hammer and hatchet,to beat the crap out of stuff

[Deeznutz]

I try to not use a hammer,I have an assortment of nail guns.


But I do own an Estwing hammer and hatchet,to beat the crap out of stuff

We really need a "like" button, here.

john.....John....

lol

[John]

We really need a "like" button, here.

john.....John....

Give me a week. You're going to have a like button plus a whole lot more. I'm working on a pretty major upgrade on the website software right now. I think I'll be finished by Friday next week.

[cstricker]

We really need a "like" button, here.

john.....John....

lol

Got you with a 'cheap' like! LOL!

[baarf]

OK I'll throw in my $0.25 here (inflation) I would posit the reason we see "cheap" is because so many pseudo-gun aficionados see prices on various web sites (no longer facebook though) and see prices far beyond what you would pay at the local retail outlet. Plus the thought that you are getting a "used" firearm so unless it really is collectible, why the insane mark up?
Where else can you buy a Glock for more than 1.5 times the price, let alone the "value"?
I fully agree with your sound logic that when it comes to the elusive "quality" you get what you pay for, and it wold be more efficacious to have one or two quality arms and spend the excess disposable income on "practice, practice , practice" to reduce the most failure prone link in the chain.

Good post Frisco! Thank you!

[clay]

My recent quwstion about the "cheap9mm" being the Canik is the fact that i dont want to pay 400+ on a hand gun that is going to sit in my go bag as an extream backup. Don't get me wrong , im not looking for the cheapest i can find, just looking for a good deal. My edc is a 40, my backup is a 38, and i have plenty of ammo for both. I also have plenty of 9mm ammo and no gun for it. I like the way the Canik looks and was looking for any info from any one that owned one. To me it looks like a good deal with all that cones with it. It is also about $100 cheaper than my xd mod 2. If Ihad wanted the cheapest iIccould find, a hi point would be just that, but Iwwouldn't trust mine or my family's life on it. I spend as much time keeping my shooting skills up as i