I actually own a Ruger Security 9 myself, bought and paid for with my own money, and it’s one of my favorite handguns in this price range. The Security-9 is one of their newest budget-friendly options, and it has already gathered a loyal following. Best of all, parts for these guns are also plentiful and cheap, so you can upgrade or replace anything you want, and still save hundreds of dollars.Īnyone familiar with Ruger is probably not surprised to see that they have not one, but two entries on this list. This makes the police trade-in market an excellent resource for anyone looking to pick up an affordable 9mm handgun (the most common police sidearm) on the cheap. What, are you afraid people will think you actually use your guns? I’d say finish wear and scratches aren’t a big deal in any case unless we’re talking about a truly unique piece like an antique or something with either commemorative or sentimental value.Ī little finish wear never hurt anybody, is all I’m saying. On a budget gun that’s meant to be used, that’s not a big deal. The reality is, these guns can keep on trucking for years and thousands of rounds, even though there might be a little bit of the finish worn off. I’ve seen relatively new Glocks and M&P’s, both phenomenally reliable and robust guns, on the used market for about 30% less than guns with a lot more rounds down the barrel, simply because of the holster wear making the gun look beat up. This means they don’t command a huge price on the secondary market but are still internally relatively free of wear and tear. Police sidearms are carried a lot, and holstered and un-holstered frequently, so they get a lot of finish wear, but they aren’t actually fired nearly as much as you’d think. This first entry is kind of a cop out (get it) but I’d be remiss if I didn’t recommend anyone looking for a high-quality handgun to check out police trade-ins and auctions. Some of the most reliable guns I’ve tested this year have been some of the cheapest, which…has been a huge surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.Ĭonvinced? Let’s look at some of the best options for those looking for an affordable 9mm handgun that won’t break the bank. Personally, I can tell you it’s an awfully exciting time to be a machinist.Īll of this translates into better guns at all price ranges, with some really insanely good high-end guns that not only cost but are actually worth several thousand dollars, and some equally impressive (for the price) guns in the lower price brackets as well. Ask them how much lost material they have to deal with, and how many unsalvageable parts. 9mm Pistol DesignĪdvances in CNC machining, metal injection molding, and even the old-school casting of parts like we’re making cannons to fight the Redcoats have all greatly increased the speed and ease with which companies can make these parts, which helps bring prices down as well.Īlso, ask any machinist about how much easier it is to achieve high levels of precision in both design and the actual machining of parts versus two decades ago. The good news is that this means there are a variety of reliable and affordable 9mm firearms available for prices that would have been laughable ten years or so ago. These days, with all the new-fangled manufacturing and 3D-aided design, gun prices have fallen through the floor (there are some political and other reasons for that too of course). I grew up hearing anything under $300 called “a Saturday night special” and if you wanted something guaranteed to be reliable, you were spending $550 at least. Even the Glock 33-round 9mm magazines aren't too expensive or hard to come by (if legal where you live, of course).At the risk of sounding like an old man, back in my day, cheap guns were just bad. Even if you don't own a Glock, Glock magazines are everywhere, are reasonably priced and hold a lot of rounds. Reliability is first and foremost, and the designers of the JR did a smart thing building it to feed from ultra-reliable Glock magazines. The JR Carbine is a straight-blowback carbine designed to feed from the Glock magazine. While it will take AR trigger groups, stocks, pistol grips and fore-ends, one look at the carbine will tell you it is not designed around the AR receiver. They told me the JR Carbines are very popular up there, as they do not have the same restrictions on them as true AR-style rifles and carbines. Ironically, when I got a carbine in to test and showed up at the range with it, friends from Canada I shoot with knew all about the JR. I was introduced to the JR (Just Right) Carbine at a recent industry event and was surprised to learn it had already been around for a few years.
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