Best .380 or 9 for $500

Status
Not open for further replies.
Y

Yung.gunr

New member
I have a motorcycle my cousin is wanting to buy for $500. That's great because it's just sitting in my garage. But, if I sell it the wife will expect me to use the $500 for something like bills or something.

So... I came up with the idea of him trading me one of his guns for it. What gun is your favorite .380 or 9mm for $500?

Oh, couple things, no Beretta 92, XD or Glock.
 
F

FloridaVeteran

New member
Depends on the brand and model, assuming pretty equal condition. For example, a 1911-style SIG in .380 would be nice, but so would a 9mm Hi-Power. As for just picking the caliber, I'd vote for 9mm over .380 unless tiny size is a priority.

Not meaning to speculate too much, but if it were me I'd check out how long he has to have owned the gun before trading it (transferring ownership) to you, relative to the "straw buyer" law. Others here may know more than I do about the straw buyer part.
 
M

Mrgunsngear

New member
New---Caracal C
DSC01638.jpg


Used---P228
 
J

jmhyer

New member
Look at the Sig SP2022. I picked one up new for $399. Only comes with one mag. Spare mag will run about $35-40. It's a very nice shooting, reliable weapon.
 
Y

Yung.gunr

New member
Yeah Florida, I totally understand what your are saying. That's what is so great about my cousin, he's got so many I can't keep track of them. I was thinking of getting a list together and running it by him to see what he has and is willing to trade.

Regarding the size of the gun, that's where I am truly conflicted. Do I go with a subcompact/pocket gun or more of a range gun? That's the exact reason I came to you fine folks.

I do have a TCP so I'm not too interested in an LCP. But.... I would love a Sig P238.

That Caracal looks VERY interesting too. Anyone shot it?
 
K

KyJim

New member
I think you would first want to narrow it down by purpose of the pistol. Will it be for home defense/range use, home and carry, or carry only? The 9mm is superior to .380 for defense, so I would normally suggest a 9mm unless you need a very small pistol. You seem to have that covered with the TCP.

If it's a home only or range only pistol, I would suggest a full size, hi-cap 9mm. At $500 (for good used pistol), there are a number of choices, even after those you have eliminated. If it is to possibly be used for carry, I would suggest a compact 9mm, single stack with a barrel of 3.5 to 4 inches or so. They are quite concealable in an IWB holster and you will still typically get 7 or 8 rounds (plus one chambered).

After deciding which way to go, see what your cousin has that he is willing to trade, handle them to see which you think you like (shoot them if you can), and then decide. You can check back here before you decide to make sure the value is somewhere in the neighborhood.
 
R

Rmart30

New member
The caracal is a nice gun. I purchased a caracal F the fullsize model a few months back. 18 rd cap and so far have about a 1000 rds thru it and not a problem. Its a great shooter. I now keep it for a bedside gun with a light mounted on it.

Holsters are becoming more and more available for them now. There are kydex and IWB crossbreed types also on ebay.

I got mine for $399 shipped....at slick guns they are ON SALE for 48 hrs for $349...... buds has them at $420.

http://www.slickguns.com/product/ca...8rds-polymer-grips-two-mags-260-free-shipping

here is a review of them also.... http://averagejoeshandgunreviews.blogspot.com/2011/10/caracal-9mm-compact.html
 
M

Mrgunsngear

New member
That Caracal looks VERY interesting too. Anyone shot it?
Click to expand...

About 30 people have shot my F and C so far---literally every one of them liked it. The only malfunction either has had was a bad primer in the C (verified by trying to fire it in a G17). The ergonomics and trigger are superb. I recommend these guns probably more than any other (and that's coming from a Glock fanboy :D ).


CARACAL F & C REVIEW

The review above was one of my first reviews ever, so it kind of sucks but there's still plenty of good info in there. I've shot these guns a ton since then and love them much more than I did then (which was a good bit...).
 
R

RBid

New member
The Caracal C might be the best all-purpose pistol south of $800, if not more.

It is a great size for concealed carry, holds 15+1, is a truly resilient and reliable gun, has a great trigger, etc. zero flaws. It has fantastic balance, a great bore axis and low profile slide... All of this adds up to great recoil management.

The Ruger SR9c and S&W M&P9c are also great options under $500.

At just over $500, the Walther PPQ or P99AS and Glock 19 are great.
 
F

FloridaVeteran

New member
Yung.gunr - yup, the P238 is the .380 I like.

I have a .380 Walther PPK - while I love it for its craftsmanship and beauty and that it is lefty-friendly, it is much heavier than the alternatives you have in these other recommended guns.

Great that you can get so many suggestions here, because it can cut your deciding time in half and your regret rate to near zero.

Another 9mm to consider, that gives you light weight and small size, is the Walther P99C. I have not fired one yet, but a friend owns one and is very fond of it. If you're lucky, you'll be able to try out a number of your cousin's guns at a range before making your final choice.

Hopefully your wife thinks you still love the bike and assumes that it will hard for anyone but a relative or close buddy to pry it away from you. If she hates it and wants you to get it out of there, even better. Good luck - hope I can find the thread to see what you end up with.
 
T

TennJed

New member
Sign p290. It is the best shooting of.the.subcompact 9mm IMHO. Got.mine recently from buds for under $500 total
 
K

Kreyzhorse

New member
Look no further than the Walther PPS in 9mm. Great gun, reliable, well made, very nice trigger and very accurate. The gun is a compact that shoots like a full size while making it both an excellent gun for CCW and range work.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top