what is the best handgun and shotgun in america?

[natty bumppo 289]

I do. And it seems pretty consistent across the board. I've yet to meet the guy that said, "I just didn't like my Saiga."

keep in mind ...

once the $$ are spent on a firearm ... it stays in firearms. you can sell/ trade and even add a little more $$ toward a new acquisition ... just don't take the $$ out of the firearm fund and put into the general coffer or else it's lost.

trade ups are always good

[JohnR! 5,495]

It depends on what the purpose of the gun is. There is no absolute be-all end-all.

[slim 1,514]

keep in mind ...

once the $$ are spent on a firearm ... it stays in firearms. you can sell/ trade and even add a little more $$ toward a new acquisition ... just don't take the $$ out of the firearm fund and put into the general coffer or else it's lost.

trade ups are always good

Oh absolutely. Once the funds have been earmarked for my "slush fund" they don't come back out. Even the thousands of dollars spent on ammunition is still there because it's been used to "upgrade the software" of my unit.

However, the whole "money spent on guns never goes away" thing is pretty true for guns alone. Accessories and "kit" - not so much. Hence my hesitation to buy a $900 weapon system that will probably require another $600 or so in accessories, tuning, etc.

When buying firearms I prefer to buy used with accessories already installed. Nothing like getting a bunch of magazines with a gun. The flip side of that is selling. It takes quite a while to find the guy who understand the value of Barbie'n up a firearm. "Yes, bro, that stock is aftermarket and no, it wasn't free. I don't intend to just give it away with the firearm when you purchase it. Yes, I know Buds has it online for $50 cheaper. Have you ever heard of shipping and FFL transfer fees, installation, test firing, etc.? That stuff is not free."

Probably why I love online classifieds and FTF transfers so much. No BS. And since everyone is armed, the deals always go smoothly!

It depends on what the purpose of the gun is. There is no absolute be-all end-all.

No doubt. But I can think of very few shotgun type roles where a semiauto, magazine fed AK wouldn't work. And that's the whole point. It pretty much fills every role of shotgunning that I'd want to do. I'm not a duck hunter.

The only thing really stopping me is the cash commitment and the fact that I like having multiple weapons for trade/barter/etc. purposes instead of having all my eggs in one basket. Is it better to have three or four pumps or one Saiga-12 and a bunch of mags?

[slim 1,514]

Well, I've decided to go with the Saiga 12.

To kick start the acquisition, I sold the 590A1 already. (Kept the bayonet though since it'll fit on my ARs just fine.) I'm still trying to move a 1300 Defender and a 500 Persuader. I figure after I sell those I'll be really close to what I need for the Saiga.

I took in a few more USGI mags as part of the 590 deal. When do you guys start feeling "comfortable" with your mag situation? I feel pretty good with 1 in my rifle, six on my kit, and another 10 or so in my ruck. Once I get my "more secure location" established I'd like to have a dozen or so in each location around the area. Thoughts?