What are the lemons of the gun world

[retiredgal]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned kel tec. If I was on a small budget I'd pick up a pf9 for 250 bucks. They've been out long enough to work out the kinks, yet also have great customer service so if you do strike out and get a lemon they will fix it

I second that! I have the PF-9 for concealed carry and it has been a reliable gun to shoot, nice trigger pull, easy to conceal and carry, a nice moderate price gun. Check it out? I do wish the grip was a little longer or they offered an extended magazine but a good gun.

 

[retiredgal]

I hear good things about the Rock Island line , Ruger, Taurus, Kel Tec and consider looking at Charter Arms also. Everybody can't be a fancy gun owner or buy the top brands. There are good moderate priced guns but do some research . Perhaps some gun owners are just "big time Charleys" and can't apprciate limited income shooting sports enthusiast and should show more understanding? Easy to criticize but lets try supporting our fellow enthusiast.

 

[sandman1212]

Since this is a "lemon" thread, I'll add my 2 cents...

The crap to stay away from:
Kel-tec
Taurus (Auto)
Lorcin
Stirling
Jiminez

The inexpensive, but good:
S&W Sigma (owned 2) accuracy not the best and trigger was heavy. very reliable (over 1000 rounds and no problems).
Hi point, Ive had 3 pistols and 1 carbine, all were flawless and accurate. PITA to tear down to clean!

Inexpensive but Great
1911's from the phillipines (RIA, Citidel, American Classic) I carry one and stake my life on it, I chose my RIA over the Kimber I HAD! 2000+ rounds and no problems. Incredible accuracy (1.5" at 21 feet)
Kahr CW Line (Owned 3, never a problem in 3000+ rounds)
Bersa, rave reviews from owners, great accuracy (New under $300)

 

[JohnnyD]

I just wanted to say I just got a sig mosquito and love it. I bought it used and fired over 200 blazer rounds that were cheap. Only misfired twice and never had any problems with feeding or injecting very good gun. The guy next to me has a Walter p22 and I fired a clip out of it and it had problems ejecting three times in a row shooting reminton

 

[deen_ad]

I'll say "crap" to those that put KelTec's in as junk!

I've had several of them and find them to be as accurate and trouble free as most small handguns! They are harder to shoot than some an most people can't/don't shoot them well and have troubles "limp wristing" them.
I shoot my P-40 with either the .40 barrel or .357 SIG barrel and have no problem with misfires or breaking anything. 1000's of rds downrange with no problems, but it does wake up people next to you! Other people shooting it have problems, I don't.
Some people seem to think they shoot well, but they aren't used to small, light, high powered handguns and don't hold on tight enough. Then they get feeding problems and blame the gun rather than working on their technique.

 

[Gratefulguy1234]

Ok, I have to say Kahr. From my experience and research - they are junk. Every time I mention in a gun shop or show about my horrible CM9, there are usually a couple of other guys who share their Kahr nightmare. Three trips to the factory and a bazillon dollars in JHP ammo (used each time the weapon came back from the factory) and it finally runs right but wow what a sour taste. I shoot it really, really well but what a hunk of junk. The first type of failure I had was 'nosedive jams' and they literally ground down the end of the feed ramp, left it uneven and called it a 'polish job'. I wish they would have just told me to throw it on the bench grinder, I would have gotten it more even and wouldn't have had to wait for shipping and processing.
Ok, I'm done.

Scott

 

[ThemGunsThough]

The worst i've ever owned and shot was a Sig Mosquito... If you have one and love it, then hey, i'm glad it works for you. I always do a lot of research when contemplating to purchase a gun and after shooting a friends Mosquito, I was kinda iffy to purchase one but wanted it strictly because I wanted a cheap .22lr handgun. I ended up buying one on here for a pretty darn good dean and purchased several CCI minimags and stingers for it. I cleaned and lubed the gun a week before taking it out to shoot and I could never make it through a full clip without at least 2 FTF's or a FTE. This was the worst experience I ever had with any kind of gun at a range. I took it apart and had a gunsmith look over it and said that nothing was wrong with it. A month later I took it out again and same problems. I immediately sold the gun and now I have a Taurus .22lr revolver that eats EVERYTHING flawless (yes, everything! including the bulk remingtons).

 

[Sgt Nambu]

if you want a decent fire arm for not a lot look at firestar handguns. I picked up a used m43 9mm for $200 and it shot very nicely. never had a problem hitting anything with it or feeding. only complaint is the single stack mag but the gun was nice and compact and all the machining was clean inside and out.

+1 with Auditrevor! I have owned my .40 Firestar for nearly 20yrs! It has never let me down and I have put a little over 1,000 rnds through it. Only issues I ever had we're ammo related and my Glock hated them too. I have always thought it was a fluke, but, it was the most accurate auto-loading, center fire pistol right out of the box with no tuning that I ever owned. It lives in my nightstand.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

No she isnt anti gun, but isnt very comfortable with them in the house yet. Right now I have a 30.06 and a 12ga. She really doesnt see spending so much money on something that she feels isnt needed. Plus when we have cash in the house or bank that isnt taken, it is easy for her to see a NEED and use the money there rather than using it for a WANT. Plus right now it seems we always need something fixed or replaced. I am working on getting her out on the range. She has gone shooting once with me many years ago, but didnt enjoy it very much.

Get a .22 auto-loader then take her to the range. Also stop by your local county sheriff's office and see if they have free gun locks. This will reassure her safety wise. As for the one available for instant use, what she doesn't know won't hurt you! When (if?) she becomes comfortable with shooting let her know what's what with home defense guns.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

The Chauchat

Yeah! They jam so often that they really shouldn't qualify as automatic weapons! Thanks for the chuckle!

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I have to disagree. Once you get used to the pull and expect it, it's really not that bad. When I first got it, I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it! But I can consistently nail cans with it from 20-40yds all day long. And I have never had a FTF with my trusty Sigma .40. Also, I have gained my trust in the hard trigger pull, and have no qualms having it holstered with one in the pipe. But to each thier own! For a cheap gun, it has out fired many if not most of my more spendy pistols I have had in the past. I also went online and learned a few tricks for lightening the trigger pull by removing a spring completely, and replacing another. Problem is, I got so used to the long hard pull, that I put it back to stock. But it can easily be dropped from a 12lb to a 6lb pull if you are mechanically inclined. Reality is, there are lemons in any brand or style. I just kept trying different ones till I found what worked for me. I'm also VERY partial to the Glock 23, which is my personal favorite concealed carry pistol!

Real gunmen are horrified by the uber heavy trigger.. try a tricked out BHP or 1911 some time

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I'll say "crap" to those that put KelTec's in as junk!

I've had several of them and find them to be as accurate and trouble free as most small handguns! They are harder to shoot than some an most people can't/don't shoot them well and have troubles "limp wristing" them.
I shoot my P-40 with either the .40 barrel or .357 SIG barrel and have no problem with misfires or breaking anything. 1000's of rds downrange with no problems, but it does wake up people next to you! Other people shooting it have problems, I don't.
Some people seem to think they shoot well, but they aren't used to small, light, high powered handguns and don't hold on tight enough. Then they get feeding problems and blame the gun rather than working on their technique.

The rule is there are 3 types of Kel Tecs

1) Those that have failed and been "repaired" and work, for now

2) Those that have not failed yet

3) Those that have failed and will not work no matter what is done to them

Everyone has to decide what their life and that of their loved ones is worth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Firestar? Yes, a M43 9MM in Starvel is still my main BUG

 

[rsmccsman]

It's been my observation and experience that they're just not on the same level as the other poly-gun manufacturers, and being that I'm a Glock guy, the great rivalry contributes to a spirit of minor exaggeration when speaking of the "other team."

They're not lemons.. but they're not on par with Glock or M&P, so it seems silly that they're priced the same.

Chiming in on XDs and Glocks. When I took the 4 day handgun course at Frontsight earlier this year, the people with the XDs and Glocks were able to keep their guns running. People with guns that had extra bells and whistles, not so much. I have owned 8 XDs and 11 Glocks over the years. Ultimately I come down on the Glock side of the debate because I prefer the trigger. That being said back to the point of this thread lemons, the worst gun I ever owned was a .380 AMT backup. jammed every shot. Also had FTF and FTE problems with 2 Taurus PT145s I had despite sending them back to the factory for work. Reliability is the most important thing to look for in a gun. Most guns shoot better than the guy pulling the trigger.

 

[chaz762]

Thou never used a pistol version anything ever touched by the manufacturer of Hesse Arms or Vulcan or Blackthorne any new name they give them selfs they keep changing becasue of the poor quality. From personnel experience I wasted money on rifles that 2 blew up and others that plain old just didn't function. Avoid like the plague. And If you dont enjoy your fun times after being warned.

Hesse Arms or Vulcan, Ive had them and I learned to avoid them. Nothing but problems.

 

[jbowls]

I sold my g19 and bought a xd9. my glock was not as tight as grouped as xd imo. I do like the g 22 though more accurate than both. I suspect xd40 just as good though. Both brands very cumfy to shoot and carry. I would like fn 5.7 or old colt 1911 as my ideal though.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Jennings 9mm, a good friend bought one and regardless of what he did it never ran reliably at all.
Stay away from them. No matter what I tried to make this POS run for him it wouldn't, at least not reliably. That's my only experience with them, but if this example is indicative of them, their trash at best.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

The zinc guns wear fast and then the issues start.. I have two Jennings 22s that are now mere paperweights after 500 rds each

 

[DFuller]

My worst pistol ever was a Lorcin 380. That thing jammed on almost every magazine no matter what brand of ammo. Kept it less than a year before selling it to a dealer for a small amount of money...I was just glad he bought it


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Lorcin, another zinc gun. Zinc makes nice chess pieces and kid's toys, not good guns

 

[mectec21]

bought a kimber ultra 10 II, frame cracked and no warranty, will never buy another kimber again