Payment Plan on a Handgun: Need Advice

[NguyenVanDon]

My friend's neighbor has been burglarized twice in the past two weeks. He's been really paranoid at night and is thinking about getting his CHL and a handgun, but he is on a tight budget with bills and rent. He wants to know if there is a Payment Plan for buying a handgun. Is there such thing as one? He doesn't want to do a layaway plan because he wants his handgun right away. What are his options?

[fisherchris]

Can he put it on a credit card? Then he could just pay it off on a regular basis and can shop for the firearm anywhere.

[Lumberjack98]

Carter's Country offers 0% for 12months. I think that they do this twice a year. Contact them to find out.

[HankB]

Let's see, how can I put this delicately . . . I believe every law-abiding person ought to be able to have a firearm, but if your friend's neighbor is so strapped for cash he can't even afford a modestly-priced handgun without a payment plan, he probably won't be able to afford practicing with it, which I consider essential . . .

A handgun IS a valuable piece of safety equipment, but you have to learn how & when to use it - it's not a magic talisman that automatically makes you safe just because you have it.

[NguyenVanDon]

Let's see, how can I put this delicately . . . I believe every law-abiding person ought to be able to have a firearm, but if your friend's neighbor is so strapped for cash he can't even afford a modestly-priced handgun without a payment plan, he probably won't be able to afford practicing with it, which I consider essential . . .

A handgun IS a valuable piece of safety equipment, but you have to learn how & when to use it - it's not a magic talisman that automatically makes you safe just because you have it.

He's been to the shooting range with me a few times and have shot a couple of handguns that he is interested in. He's looking into a Glock as for starters. You can't go wrong with a Glock.

[anygunanywhere]

Maybe he needs a shotgun instead of a handgun if he is concerned about home defense.

A good home defense shotgun is a whole lot cheaper than a Glock and is easier to master.

There is the intimidation factor as well.

He can take the shotgun with him when he leaves the house and is still legal. He doesn't even have to worry about the traveling stuff.

Anygun

[NguyenVanDon]

Maybe he needs a shotgun instead of a handgun if he is concerned about home defense.

A good home defense shotgun is a whole lot cheaper than a Glock and is easier to master.

There is the intimidation factor as well.

He can take the shotgun with him when he leaves the house and is still legal. He doesn't even have to worry about the traveling stuff.

Anygun

Yeah, but he is considering to carry concealed with him at all times. I've already mention about the shotgun to him already, but he rather have a handgun instead.

[Mike1951]

Carter's Country offers 0% for 12months. I think that they do this twice a year. Contact them to find out.

Yes, contact them. Carter's was using Wells Fargo until Wells Fargo decided they would no longer provide financing for firearms.

(So if you've got one of their green credit cards, it isn't valid now.)

The first company Carter's found to replace Wells Fargo would not do handguns.

I understand they now have a different lender for handguns, but I'm not sure they still offer the generous 0%/12 months deal on handguns.

So it appears they have one lender for handguns and another for everything else.

[hi-power]

My friend's neighbor has been burglarized twice in the past two weeks. He's been really paranoid at night and is thinking about getting his CHL and a handgun, but he is on a tight budget with bills and rent. He wants to know if there is a Payment Plan for buying a handgun. Is there such thing as one? He doesn't want to do a layaway plan because he wants his handgun right away. What are his options?

Lots of good advice above. Here's my 2 cents:

1) Someone in your circle of friends could loan him a gun until he can afford one.

2) Trade for one at a pawn shop.

3) The shotgun idea above is a very good one. Much cheaper to get and a big deterrent.

Yeah, but he is considering to carry concealed with him at all times.

I hope you don't mean he wants to carry concealed at all times prior to him getting a CHL. He would be illegal a lot of the time. Not smart.

[Rex B]

There is a Mossberg pump gun on DFW Craigs List for $100.
That should secure the home.

Beyond that, he will have at least 60 days to save up for that Glock.
Between the CHL and the price of a Glock, he will be in for $700.

[anygunanywhere]

Maybe he needs a shotgun instead of a handgun if he is concerned about home defense.

A good home defense shotgun is a whole lot cheaper than a Glock and is easier to master.

There is the intimidation factor as well.

He can take the shotgun with him when he leaves the house and is still legal. He doesn't even have to worry about the traveling stuff.

Anygun

Yeah, but he is considering to carry concealed with him at all times. I've already mention about the shotgun to him already, but he rather have a handgun instead.

A long coat or duster would work fine to help conceal the shotgun!

ANygun

[T3hK1w1]

If he absolutely will NOT settle for a shotgun(which I think would be a better idea for HD), one thing he might try is a milsurp weapon such as a Makarov, CZ-82, Walther P1, etc. These are inexpensive and proven reliable. Downside is that many of them use unusual(and therefore expensive) ammo, such as 9x18 Makarov. My father just purchased a Walther P1(P38) for $280 out the door. It's in 9mm, so practice will be cheap. This is essential, because regardless of what your freind buys, he MUST learn to shoot it. A weapon you cannot use can very quickly become a liability. Remember, you are in more risk when you confront than when you hide(usually), so confronting an armed criminal if you are effectively unarmed is often a very bad idea.

[NcongruNt]

If he absolutely will NOT settle for a shotgun(which I think would be a better idea for HD), one thing he might try is a milsurp weapon such as a Makarov, CZ-82, Walther P1, etc. These are inexpensive and proven reliable. Downside is that many of them use unusual(and therefore expensive) ammo, such as 9x18 Makarov. My father just purchased a Walther P1(P38) for $280 out the door. It's in 9mm, so practice will be cheap. This is essential, because regardless of what your freind buys, he MUST learn to shoot it. A weapon you cannot use can very quickly become a liability. Remember, you are in more risk when you confront than when you hide(usually), so confronting an armed criminal if you are effectively unarmed is often a very bad idea.

I agree on the milsurp option. 9x18 is not as cheap as 9mm, but it's not that much more expensive either. You can get a box of S&B at Cabela's for $13.99, and the store I go to usually has it. Wolf and Silver/Brown Bear can be had for around $10/box in various places. For defense, they also carry Hornady XTP in this caliber for $15.99/box of 25, and they seem to have it in stock here locally about 70% of the time.

My first pistol was an FEG PA-63, a copy of the Walther PPK in 9x18. It's not the most overwhelming handgun, but is reliable and the only problems I have ever had with it involved steel-cased Silver Bear hollow points . The XTP feeds flawlessly through this gun. I don't think I've had a failure with ball ammo, brass or steel-cased. It is my carry when I am not able to pull off concealing my Hi-Power. Aim Surplus sells this gun for $129.95, and includes 2 magazines along with it. If your friend is insistent on getting a handgun for cheap, this would be a good place to start.

http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Hung ... istol.html

All that said, I agree that a shotgun would be better for home defense on the cheap. A 12 ga. with buckshot is certainly more effective against an intruder than most pistol rounds. As was previously noted, a shotgun is much more intimidating.

[seamusTX]

I think he needs to get a baseball bat and wrap the handle with friction tape for the house. Then he need to work another job. He needs at least $250 for the CHL. I've seen used weapons at gun shows that could probably be negotiated for less than $200. That's a week's pay at minimum wage.

- Jim

[NguyenVanDon]

Oh yeah, of course he is going to get his CHL first before he carries. Shotgun is a great idea, but my friend is really picky and he wants a handgun. He planning on taking his CHL course first and borrow my G19 to do the shooting proficiency test. After that, he going go look for a handgun and concealed carry when his license arrive in the mail.

Does Academy, Gander, or Bass Pro do payment plans?