Guns are expensive, and budgets are tight, so where do we go for a good budget-priced firearm? Luckily, we don’t have to look far. There are tons and tons of affordable guns on the market. With that in mind, I’m not here to tell you which are objectively the best affordable firearms; I’m here to share my five favorites. I’ve written this list out more than once, but I keep erasing, replacing, and trying to figure out exactly which guns I want on this list of budget blasters.
There are just lots and lots of great budget-worthy guns these days. Speaking of budget, I used a price point of $500. The gun has to cost $500 or less before government theft and transfer fees. That’s the top price, and most of these budget blasters stay well under $500.
Heritage Roscoe
Taurus owns Heritage, so Heritage took the now-discontinued Model 85 and released a classic variant of the gun called the Roscoe. The Heritage brand was built on rimfire revolvers, but the Roscoe is a centerfire .38 Special. It’s a five-shot gun that comes with either a two or three-inch barrel. It’s as plain as a revolver gets, and that’s the point.
The Roscoe is meant to harken back to yesteryear—to the 1940s and 50s when men were men, women were women, and revolvers had wood grips and no underlugs. It’s a retro throwback to the classic revolvers of the era. The Roscoe delivers the fun feeling of a classic snub-nose revolver.
I love this budget blaster because it makes me feel like a hard-boiled private eye. To complete the look, I need a leather shoulder rig, a drinking problem, and a string of ex-wives, but I won’t go that far.
Mossberg Maverick
The Mossberg Maverick, or as my friend calls it, the pocket change profit stick, has long been the budget shotgun of choice. The Maverick is priced at the same point as any crappy Turkish gun but isn’t a crappy Turkish gun. It’s essentially a simplified Mossberg 500 with a few different features.
The Mossberg Maverick is a simple pump-action shotgun available in 12 and 20-gauge formats. Mossberg produces several variants of the gun, including sporting and home defense variants. Simple is as simple does, and if you need a bare-bones working shotgun, the Maverick is it.
If I had to pick just one of these budget blasters to protect the homestead, it’d be the Maverick. It’s so incredibly functional for such a low price point that it’s almost a must-have. At this point, the Maverick is almost inflation-proof and a great first firearm.
Extar EP9
Extar designed and built the guns it sells without a middleman. You order directly from the company that produces the guns, which reduces the cost. The Extar series comes as braced pistols and rifles. The EP9 is the 9mm series, and the EP45 is the .45 ACP series. These are quasi-AR-like firearms.
They share several AR features, like the lower receiver controls, the buffer and receiver extension, and the handguard format. It lacks the AR’s ambi charging handle and uses a mass-delayed blowback operation for relatively controllable recoil. The EP9 series uses a ton of polymer and reduces the weight and cost of the gun.
These rifles and braced pistols are easy to handle, fun to shoot, and could be a cheap way to get into PCC competition. They are quite ergonomic and feature modern touches like an M-LOK handguard and collapsible stocks. Oh, and yes, they take Glock mags. These are our most expensive budget blasters.
Arex Delta Gen 2
If you’re looking for a 9mm polymer frame strike-fired pistol, there are tons and tons of options. You’re not exactly hard up for options. However, if you want a quality option with all the features and fixes, then the Slovenian Arex Delta Gen 2 series is for you. It’s important to note that they don’t do anything revolutionary; they are arguably just another polymer frame strike-fired pistol.
However, they do what everyone else does, just cheaper. The series comes optics-ready, and there are several variants. One includes the tactical model with suppressor height sights and a threaded barrel. The L model has a long barrel, and the X model has a compact slide and full-length grip.
These feature-filled budget blasters are sleeker than most and quite ergonomic. They shoot quite well and would be excellent for home defense or concealed carry. Plus, they can be had for $300 for a bare-bones model and $350 for a more featured option.
Taurus TX22
I saw the TX22 as just another 22LR. I didn’t think it was bad, but I didn’t feel a reason to own one. Then I did, because a Gen 1 used model cost $200. The TX22 wasn’t just an average .22LR pistol. It turned out to be an extremely accurate and reliable little gun. I was shocked it cycled Remington Golden Bullets without a problem.
The first time I passed Chuck Pressburg’s No Fail drill was with the TX22 and iron sights. It’s impressively accurate. The TX22 put those little .22LRs right where I wanted them. I was so darn surprised at the gun’s capabilities and impressive design. Not to mention its excellent ergonomics, 16-round magazines, and easy-to-wield nature.
I’d suggest hunting down a Gen 2, a Comapct, or Comp model to add a red dot. The TX22 would be a great working gun, a kit gun, or even a Steel Challenge pistol. It’s so cheap and awesome that it’s a fantastic option for a pistol.
Budget Blasters and You
Those are my five favorite budget blasters. Runners include the KelTec SUB 2000, the Ruger LCP 2 (in .22LR), the Rossi Rio Bravo, and the Mossberg Patriot in 6.5 Creedmoor. It’s tough to pick just five, but if you’re looking for a new firearm on a budget, any of the above five will get you on the right track.
