What Are Your Major Gun Purchases This Year?

I'm getting married... so no gun buying for me this year (budget choices, not a mandate from her - she loves guns!).

SO, I'm gonna live through you guys. What are your buying plans for the year?

If I buy any at all, it'll be something along the lines of building an AR or some such. I'm pretty set right now in the gun dept.

Would you do anythign special with the AR?

Will be "pulling the trigger" (so to speak) VERY SOON--perhaps this weekend!--on a new .45. It will be an S&W M&P.

This may be the year I put my .308 AR together; I bought the lower receiver a couple of years back. I'd also like to put together a "feature-less" AR so I can use high-capacity magazines; I have a .223 lower receiver that I intend to use for that.

I still have several guns on my "to-buy" list.

If the magazine ban is circumvented here in California, I'm going to add the M&P .40. I'd also like an FN Five-Seven, though I'm not sure it has any real advantage to justify its cost; I just think it's neat.

To round out my collection, I still need a few wheel guns: S&W .357, .44, and .500. I like the 686 Plus (7-shooter!) for the .357, the 29 Classic (Dirty Harry's gun!) for the .44, and the 6.5" .500. If fortune smiles, I might acquire one of these a year.

I'd like a new .22 plinker, either the Colt M4 clone or the GSG MP-5 clone. I'd also like to get a Remington 700 VTR, probably in .308. Maybe an 1894-style lever gun in .44 from Marlin or whomever. Perhaps a pocket gun, a .357 snubbie or a .380 auto. And a Peacemaker. I've gotta own a Peacemaker at some point.

That should do me for a couple of years.

Allready bought my FNAR, but I plan on getting a Taurus Tracker and i'm gonna track down a Glock in 10mm

I'd like to buy another AR and probably a black shotgun. All my shotguns are long barreled.

Ruger SR9 for carry. Maybe a Judge .410 shotgun pistol for home defense.

Right now I have no plans to buy any guns this year, but that could change. All of my personal "gun needs" are currently met by what's already in my safe and anything else would be a "just because" purchase.

I'm always on the lookout for a reasonably-priced, good condition SMLE, so I could buy one of those if I found it. I also wouldn't mind having a modern, detachable magazine-fed .22 (maybe with a scope) to use as a little plinker. Otherwise, though, I'll probably stand pat this year.

What I do need to concentrate on buying is ammo. I've slacked off in that area the past couple of years and I need to replenish so I don't need to get into my reserves.

I'm going to spend way too much on a 1911. Way too much.

I've got two Les Baer's. A Concept V (with night sights) and a Thunder Ranch Special. I feel your pain.

A Baer is very high on my list. It's a nice value too compared to other 1911's in that class.

I wholeheartedly agree. That's why I went in that direction. I can buy a Les Baer for $1,500-$2,500 that'll be as good as any "custom" gun out there. Or, I can build a "custom" gun for $4,000 plus the price of the base gun.

So you think someone spending $4500 on a nice Wilson is overpaying?

Honestly, yes, yes I most certainly do. A friend of mine from my Academy days has a Wilson. He's now a Federal Agent with an Agency I won't disclose and he bought it to carry it on duty. It's a piece of shit. His isn't the first story I've heard either.

Their quality started to suffer the moment Bill stepped back from day-to-day operations and has only gone downhill since. Now, I think they make excellent parts and magazines. All of my duty mags are Wilson 47D's. But, their gunsmithing has suffered greatly.

I'd probably pay $6,000 for a 1911 worked by Bill himself, but we all know that's not going to happen and, frankly, I don't trust the rest of them.

Gotcha. It was an honest question.

The "guy" I talk about a lot carries one. He's let me shoot it and to be honest, it feels like grease lightning. Love it. But it is indeed an older Wilson. Also, I've noticed that older Wilson's go QUICKLY from the used gun sale area at the range. The new ones stick around... longer.

Sad to see what was once a good company go downhill.

I try to only talk about guns I'm going to buy if I'm getting one used and want to know if the price is fair.

Nothing major, and probably not this year. I've got everything I want save a good truck gun. Either a para SKS or a jungle carbine. but I'm in no hurry.

From what I've been able to gather, they had a big dip in quality when some of their best smiths left and started Nighthawk Custom. Since then, Ron Phillips left Nighthawk, started his own full custom shop, and then went back to Wilson. Recently, I saw they built a Supergrade for Larry Vickers. I think all the high end manufacturers have trouble dealing with turnover, expanded product lines or expanded production without quality issues popping up. With that being said, I agree that no 1911 is worth $4,000+ unless it has Chesty Puller's blood on the grips.

As expected, I bought my M&P 45 this weekend; I'll have it once it's out of jail (in 10 days). I really like these and the price was right ($579). I'm really looking forward to shooting it. And my ol' Beretta 92FS will soon stand down.

Kalifoornia.

Tennessee doesn't have a waiting period anymore.

How many states have a waiting period? I'm not even sure what Canadian law is on the subject.

Picked up my Taurus 1911 today.

A good friend of mine is considering getting one. I'd love it if you started a thread on it. Would be a good way to get a good poster here if it was a good thread!

I'll see what I can do.