Help The price of the firearm and ammo question

[TAW122]

I've looked at prices of modern sporting rifles, particularly AR platform, however it seems like the price of the weapon may be a hefty price tag for me. I currently have the money for it, but I am not willing to wait too long (having less and less money, losing the financial ability to purchase one). The gun stores around my area where I live don't always have the prices of them unfortunately so I don't really know. I just don't want to be the awkward prospective customer in the store who can't make up his mind about which rifle to buy or give off some weird vibe about the prices.

Does anyone know which one is reliable, yet still within a decent price range? I am willing to go around $500-$550 (not including ammo), but not much more than that since I don't currently have any income, but with limited savings. I've looked at the Ruger 10/22, and while it is even more affordable (both the gun and the ammo itself), it uses a .22lr round so I don't know if it is reliable enough.

As for shotguns, while they are very reliable, I don't really like the heavy recoil and also it is harder for me to justify that (as I don't have self-defense/home-defense, hunting reasons).

For ammo, I believe a 5.56x45mm NATO round should be more than sufficient damage to the brain as well as the brain stem. I've considered the Winchester .308, which is fired from a bolt-action rifle (even cheaper than semi-auto rifles), but that is harder to justify (as I don't hunt and generally those rounds are designed more for hunting/defense -- sorry if I am wrong here).

In regards to having a reason, justifying myself IRL if people around me finds out that I own, I do have my alibi (target shooting, recreation/hobby, and also "my right as a citizen", etc.) for owning one, so that part is covered. Lately, I've just been shopping around hoping I'd get a good deal so I have more options and would be able to have more control over how/when I ctb instead of being limited or feeling strained.

Oh and one more thing, I live in NC, and assuming that if there is a firearm out of state, particularly a long gun, does this mean I can buy from there and have them ship the firearm to an FFL dealer to my state and then just get it from an NC FFL dealer?

 

[samsays89]

Kel Tec SU16 and Ruger Mini 14 are probably around your budget. It's pretty easy to buy from a site like gunbroker.com and have the rifle delivered to a FFL dealer.

I'd be worried about the size of the round. .223/5.56 mm isn't very big. I'd opt for the .308, or a .357 or .44.

 

[AceOfSpadesCTB]

I'm aware you gave reasons for not wanting a shotgun, but you can get a reliable 12 gauge in a home defense length (21~ inch barrel) and ammunition fit around or under $250. You can justify it as wanting to learn how to clean and maintain a weapon with something affordable, or want to hunt small game (shotgun shells loaded with birdshot).

If you do go this route, you'll want slug ammunition or 00 buckshot for yourself. Anything smaller carries a lot of risk.

Source: I'm using a shotgun I bought for $180 with slugs for $7 on myself tonight.

 

[Threads]

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[worldexploder]

A 12 gauge using 00 buckshot or PDX1 defender ammo would be far more effective than a rifle because the bullets expand.

 

[TAW122]

After giving it more thought about it, I think a shotgun might be an option for me provided I am able to handle the recoil. I remember @AceOfSpadesCTB or someone mentioning that all the gun has to do is fire once, and if the bullet/pellets hit the right areas (brain stem and surrounding areas with extensive damage), then it wouldn't matter if the gun recoiled.

Also, found a good reason to own a shotgun, I could say that I have intentions to go skeet shooting, and also just be acquainted with other firearms as a hobby (some people who casually talked about guns with me, I've mentioned the hobby side of things and they didn't seem to perk up or get suspicious there, so with those people, I think they wouldn't bat a second eye).

Now, I'm just finding the right time to purchase a gun, don't want to get it while it's too expensive (if I can save some money it would be nice as it gives me more options and control over when, where, and how I ctb.). Elections are coming up very soon, and if anyone is keeping up with politics, maybe they could chime in on how the gun market will swing. Also, I know Christmas is around the corner, so I'm not sure if that gives off any red flags like holiday suicides or shit like that (hopefully not).

 

[Jai]

I've looked at prices of modern sporting rifles, particularly AR platform, however it seems like the price of the weapon may be a hefty price tag for me. I currently have the money for it, but I am not willing to wait too long (having less and less money, losing the financial ability to purchase one). The gun stores around my area where I live don't always have the prices of them unfortunately so I don't really know. I just don't want to be the awkward prospective customer in the store who can't make up his mind about which rifle to buy or give off some weird vibe about the prices.

Does anyone know which one is reliable, yet still within a decent price range? I am willing to go around $500-$550 (not including ammo), but not much more than that since I don't currently have any income, but with limited savings. I've looked at the Ruger 10/22, and while it is even more affordable (both the gun and the ammo itself), it uses a .22lr round so I don't know if it is reliable enough.

As for shotguns, while they are very reliable, I don't really like the heavy recoil and also it is harder for me to justify that (as I don't have self-defense/home-defense, hunting reasons).

For ammo, I believe a 5.56x45mm NATO round should be more than sufficient damage to the brain as well as the brain stem. I've considered the Winchester .308, which is fired from a bolt-action rifle (even cheaper than semi-auto rifles), but that is harder to justify (as I don't hunt and generally those rounds are designed more for hunting/defense -- sorry if I am wrong here).

In regards to having a reason, justifying myself IRL if people around me finds out that I own, I do have my alibi (target shooting, recreation/hobby, and also "my right as a citizen", etc.) for owning one, so that part is covered. Lately, I've just been shopping around hoping I'd get a good deal so I have more options and would be able to have more control over how/when I ctb instead of being limited or feeling strained.

Oh and one more thing, I live in NC, and assuming that if there is a firearm out of state, particularly a long gun, does this mean I can buy from there and have them ship the firearm to an FFL dealer to my state and then just get it from an NC FFL dealer?

Y
For your price range you can easily purchase a shotgun a Remington 870 12 gauge pump action will run you around $330 plenty left for ammo you could also by say a sig Sauer p290 rs for $400 easily enough for ammo or a Ruger security 9mm for $350 personally for you price range I'd do the 870 go to a bass pro shop or similar their experienced and friendly and always have sales hope this helps

 

[Anon1337]

9mm is enough, unless you want to destroy your head. Hi-Point C-9 is a cheap gun that fires 9mm.

 

[TiredHorse]

If you're set on a long gun, a shotgun will be the most bang for your buck, so to speak. A 12ga is the most common, but a 20ga would still get the job done. Slugs and buckshot are good, but at the range you're talking about, even dove-and-quail load will do the trick.

Stay away from the Ruger 10-22. A .22 caliber is wa-ay too small to be reliable. So is a .25, and a .32 will work only if you know what you're doing.

You don't need a semi-auto --it only needs to fire once-- so consider a revolver, which are often cheaper than semi-autos of similar power. They also tend to attract less notice when you're buying one: if anyone asks, you want a home-defense gun to keep in the bedside drawer. A small-frame .357 will pack more wallop than any 9mm and probably cost a lot less. Get a short barrel; you're not worried about long-range accuracy, and the short barrel makes it much less awkward.

Put the muzzle against your head right behind your ear pointing straight across, side to side: that'll destroy the brainstem, which is what you're trying for. For the love of whatever gods you do or don't believe in, long gun or handgun, don't just point it up under your chin; it'll blow out your frontal lobe and your face and leave you a vegetable. A friend of mine did that. And don't take your cue from Hollywood and point it at your temple: another acquaintence did that and just lobotomized himself and blew out his eyes.

 

[TAW122]

Thanks for the additional advice and comments. As far as pistols, I would need to get a pistol purchase permit (I live in the state of NC) which requires me to go to the sheriff's office of the county I live in and then going through the background check as well as application process. Each county varies in the process, some are lenient while others are iffy and are a hassle. This is why I am set on long guns instead. If I choose a shotgun, I could use the target shooting (skeet shooting), and also home defense (if needed) reason. For the rifle, target shooting.

As far as shooting at the brain stem, I will be putting the barrel in my mouth below the roof of my mouth, and just wondering, if I use a .308 Winchester round, even if I didn't sever the brainstem, would the kinetic energy be enough where it would still damage the rest of my brain and I die from that? Also, if I absolutely have to hit the brainstem, with the barrel in the mouth, which angle should I go for (15 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degress)? How about tilting my head forward, would that help with hitting the brainstem?

 

[TiredHorse]

I wouldn't have expected you to need a permit to purchase a pistol, only one to carry it concealed. You learn something new every day! But yes, that would make a long gun an easier acquisition. I understand now.

.308 is a very powerful round --perfectly capable of getting the job done. The kinetic energy could well be adequate to suffice even in a near miss. That said, have a look at the "cut away" illustration a little way down on the Wikipedia page for "Brainstem." It'll give you a good sense of just where the brainstem is, realative to your mouth, and that might tell you better than degrees just how to angle the gun.

 

[TAW122]

I wouldn't have expected you to need a permit to purchase a pistol, only one to carry it concealed. You learn something new every day! But yes, that would make a long gun an easier acquisition. I understand now.

.308 is a very powerful round --perfectly capable of getting the job done. The kinetic energy could well be adequate to suffice even in a near miss. That said, have a look at the "cut away" illustration a little way down on the Wikipedia page for "Brainstem." It'll give you a good sense of just where the brainstem is, realative to your mouth, and that might tell you better than degrees just how to angle the gun.

The video is a bit old, but the guy who posted that shows the absurdity of such laws, which are a holdover from the Jim Crow Era.