The value of watching guys like this is that they shoot and own a lot more guns than most of us. If there’s a problem with something they’re likely going to experience it first, so we don’t have to. Good advise.
@Ben Morris I'm "guessing" the market for budget guns is directed at people that don't spend $100+ in ammo and range fees every month. Budget buyers are people looking for a home defense gun and 2 boxes of ammo that never gets shot. "Gun people" just tend to pick up these as range toys or boat guns. I'm willing to bet on "average", a person that buys a P229 will probably shoot more than a person that buys a G3c.
@Ben Morris Unkown if they get a special version but some have stated receiving prototypes and those can be buggy. Even if they get special versions, it's nice to know this usually won't mask a design flaw. To many people have had problems with specific guns in the same way to cover it up with a bandaid. I've stopped watching certain channels where life is so good that nothing is ever found wrong with a gun. There are shills out there and they are becoming easier to find.
legend storm . I own two hi point pistols. 9 mm and 45 acp . I called hi point and talked to a technician about my 45 super reloads I was shooting in there 45 acp which I also shoot in my Taurus pt845 45 acp with both guns rated plus p. I was concerned about prematurely eating out the hi point. we talked about the extra chamber pressure and ware and tear . he said it would handle the chamber pressure no problem. but concerned as I was wearing out gun to soon. he said hi point normally don’t recommend shooting 45 super but if you do only a couple boxes when out shooting. I took that as 20 round boxes. I use star line brass , Hornady .452 xtp 185 grain, long shot and power pistol powder at estimated 1265 FPS and around 640 fpe by the 450 smc triton reloading data . no pressure signs, a few lightly flattened primers. shoot good at least deer heart accuracy 20-25 yards. I did load them 1350 FPS by the barrel length triton ballistic information. best to use supported barrel. triton sold out to Underwood ammunition. the under wood 450 smc brass is the strongest between it and 45 super. the 450 smc uses 308 small rifle primer brass . much thicker at back. only Underwood sells factory ammunition. so much for all these people who say don’t by hi point they blow up . wishing they would quit lieing they’ll go to hell for it . Nana and papa the hunter wishing you well
@@channelchannelchannelchannel Those are the mags. My brother got sent a whole half a gun. I won't buy a Hi-Point because I want something I can trust out of the box, but....
I’ve tried to explain to my husband why I need a bigger gun budget. It’s to defend myself so I want a reliable gun. I don’t think $500-$800 is too much for a 9mm gun for me. *Update: went to the range. Paid $20 for their rental program. I was able to try limitless amounts of guns in the same caliber. I tried 6 and chose the S&W Shield Plus. With tax and shipping it was $499.67 then the $20 transfer fee from the FFL dealer. My husband paid $300 and I covered the rest.*
I completely understand where you're coming from. But I will also say this. Just because something cost more, it doesn't mean it's more reliable all the time. I have an hkvp9sk that prices for 700 (got it for 5 with in store and military doscounts). It's been really reliable. I just recently picked up a grand power q100 for 399 brand new. Comes with 3 15 round mags, rotating barrel, 4 changeable back straps. And 2 extra front sights. My best advice is to do research on guns you're interested in. Watch videos and read reviews on the good and bad and make an informed decision. And be sure to properly maintain your gun. If you take care of your gear, it'll take care of you.
@@2ataylor90 all of what you have are great choices. I'm grabbing myself a canik in the near future. I would've picked one up instead, but I found me a grand power which is very hard to find in my location.
So I took my grand power q100 to the range finally. It shoots better, and feels better than my more expensive hk. Hitting the bullseye in the head, and torso of my targets at around 20 yards. The trigger pull is smooth like butter, and the ergonomics fit my hand like a glove. Out of the 200 rounds I've fired, I had only 2 casings fail to fully eject. And that was because I was using crappy aluminum ammo. Cleared them both and fired again in less than a second. I guess what I'm trying to get at is this. Don't let higher prices determine quality. Branch out and see what suits you best. That 399 9mm might be better and more reliable than that 800 dollar one. A lot of times you're paying for the brand's name anyway.
@@usnfindley Seems like a nice gun. The aftermarket community seems non existent for it though. I do not own a Q100 (golden state) but the reviews for it seem promising as a consistant, accurate, light recoil, and cheap striker fire gun. What I know about HK USP is it's nearly indestructible with lighter recoil, 90k round life expectancy, and a really bad trigger. Upgrading the trigger (on a 900 dollar gun btw...) makes the USP a really well rounded pistol. The P30L has adjustable back and side straps but its also much more expensive. Maybe GP will start making headway in the US and give cz and glock some trouble :D
It is. And more then one company can make good firearms, but have a "problem child" of one that doesn't quite fit the bill. It may be that manufacture hasn't always produced subpar product, but with an inferior weapon it can happen.
@@jeffbeaird747 never wanted to, my buddy had one and he had to send it in to get fixed within the 1st two weeks. Not sure the cause. Then it seemed like every time we went to the range, his gun had a malfunction. Whether it be a feeding issue, his gun jamming, or some unknown cause. It just didnt seem reliable enough to trust my life with so I never even bothered. I also just didnt like the feel of it in my hand which is a personal preference.
@@PoppaCap69 I hear you my brothers sisters uncles cousin had one and I heard it wasn’t good so I bash the shit out of them online when I get a chance because I’ve never owned one or any other gun but I’m an expert reviewer of weapons cause my Mom said so.... so there 🤪
HK customer service is no joke. I bought a compensator from them for my P30. The thing wouldn't lock in right, and it nearly melted. I emailed them, and three days later they sent a nice compensator that was at least 100$ more than my original. They didn't charge me anything, AND gave me a 20% off cupon for my next purchase. Absolutely excellent company.
you get Real Service with premium brands, and people don't understand that, because they're Too busy being a cheap fuck.....and they Get what comes to them.
Taurus customer service/warranty department. About four months ago, I contacted them about one of their 1911s that I purchased new in 2007. After many, many years of hard use, including a prolonged period where I was silly for ass kicker hard cast swc handloads that pushed the margins of safety (I was young-those days are long behind me), my trigger bow cracked. I spent about five minutes on the phone with taurus, and was issued a return number. I dropped it in the mail the next day-priority, nothing speedy. Exactly seven days later, they emailed me a tracking number. Seven days from putting it in the mail. I received it a few days later in good working order. I'm not a taurus (or 1911) fanboy by any means. I bought this when I was younger, and it's what I could afford at the time. Not only has it served me very well for a very long time, but I was floored by how quickly taurus resolved the issue on a fourteen year old gun. This, in the second year of covid, full of labor shortages and one hour hold times. I'm very pleased with my experience, and I thought I'd share. Hopefully you'll have a pleasant story to share soon too.
👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿. Thank you. Too many Taurus bashing in the gun community. Lord forbid if a Taurus G2C had a failure to feed, then they’d say it’s trash. But if a Gucci Glock 19 with a ghost spring had a catastrophic failure they’d just smile and tell Glock they still love their products. Bunch of spoiled hypocrites in the gun community. Sorry for that rant.
I'm pretty sure there's at least one person with a bad experience with any kind of firearm regardless of the price right out of the box, it doesn't mean the firearm is unreliable as a whole, expensive isn't always better, do your research and decide what you want
I had a CZ-97B that wouldn’t feed anything but FMJ reliably. Not a top-tier pistol, but solid guns by a solid manufacturer… probably the mag spring, but I just got a USP cause - totally valid *reasons* or cause I wanted one and had justification (and a bit over a grand to plunk down…)
@@paulpolito2001 That CZ97B is a dog. Mine was nothing but trouble. Immediately upon receipt, it randomly dropped the magazine (known issue to their customer support). Returned and the problem was fixed. Then I had the same issue as you with feed reliability. 230 round nose only would feed reliably. Then the barrel bushing broke. Then the barrel lug broke (which they replaced with a new barrel design with a longer feed ramp to solve the round nose only feed issue). I sold it and bought an M&P .45 and have had zero problems.
@@toddprickett6376 yeah... in hindsight, the only good trait I really remember about that piece is that they're fairly good-looking. That kinda unreliability is just sad, glad I got rid of the thing, tbh
@@sterlingmack5394 if you can give a good used Glock 17, 19, etc. for $400 then do it. But you'll never regret buying a factory Glock for MSRP or under
I have had three G series Taurus pistols: the Pt111 Millennium Pro (a "G2" which I inherited and personally shot 1,000+ rounds through), G2c (2,750+ rounds), and, recently, a G3c (500+ rounds since April, 2021). All have functioned without any mechanical failures. After a 15 minute hold, I spoke to a service agent, sent the G3c in for a cosmetic issue on a Friday, and recieved it back the next Friday, an 8 day turn around. I have bought parts and accessories directly from Taurus and have recieved them in under a week. I have had excellent experiences with Taurus, but, I know some others have not. They are not comparable quality to my 1911's and HK's, but, their performance has been as good, so far. Thank you for your excellent videos.
I also own both Taurus and H/K. My Mill Pro in .45 with 10 round magazine has been flawless so far. Yes there have been teething problems with the budget guns but they usually work them out in time. I was told Olympic Arms made crap ARs too, when I bought a pair. They also have been flawless. DPMS had some ftf and stoves, but that was solved with a trip to the smith, the chamber was a tad tight from the factory. I've tried a hi-point 995 and semi-auto replica of a suomi m31 and both performed well, no jams. Oddly the H/K will ftf unless its freshly lubricated. A trip to the factory for that one yielded a "whatchoo talkin bout willis" from the smith. Oh well. The main thing is to practice and put some rounds thru the gun so you can feel comfortable with it on a regular basis.
@@georgelugenalt200 lol what model HK? I had a USP 45 and the magazine was loose brand new from the factory I will never buy another hk ever so over rated imho paying for the name .my Glocks run flawless, my Walther PPQ runs great so far (not a lot of rounds in it).
@@georgelugenalt200 My 1st HK was a USP compact I bought in 2000 and it is my all time favorite to shoot. I have put thousands of rounds through it with no problems and quit carrying my 1911's after I got it. (I've typically carried smaller/lighter for the past several years.) Everyone has said what a reliable PCC the Hi-Point 995 is, but, some complain about the take down procedure. If they come back down to near the old price, I may get one and see for my self.
@@brianshuler6951 sure I love the H/K, perfectly balanced, smooth, and accurate. Mine just needs lube prior to shooting, or it will ftf. In addition to the strip/clean/lube they all get after coming home from the range.
I bought a FNS-9 on sale at my LGS when it was becoming discontinued in favor of the FN-509. Took me about 6 months before I even attempted to shoot the gun. Took it out, tried to fire, click. Waited 15 seconds in case of slow burn issue, rack, pull, click. NOTHING. Disassembled and discovered that the firing pin had broken off of the end of the striker. I e-mailed FN, explained it had 0 rounds through it and identified a broken firing pin from manufacturing. They sent me a shipping label within 2 business days and had it back in my hands within a week. I'm probably 500 rounds in on it at this point and it's shooting perfectly. Gun wasn't *cheap*, but purchasing from a reputable manufacturer is a win and a must in my opinion. They'll take care of you. PSA, Taurus, Stoeger, etc. are all good folks and they make 2A accessible and you usually get better than you paid for, but it can be a hassle when you get what you pay for from time to time.
I always recommend Canik to anyone looking for a less expensive handgun that fires every time. I've had my TP9 V2 for 5 years with thousands of rounds through it without a single malfunction. I only paid 350 for it from the store.
My relationship with canik is about the same as the glock fan boys lol I recommend them to everyone I talk to. Out the box trigger is AMAZING, super smooth action!
The wife wanted a shotgun to beat up and learn on, got her a Stoeger home defense model with tube extension. Out of the box, lifter and mag tube stop were non-functional. Took 3 days to get a return email from them. Then it was off to Benelli USA in the mail for repair. 8 week turnaround. Shotgun functions fine now, but I wish I would have just spent a little more and got her a Mossberg.
Go with Maverick if you are wanting to be conservative with money. I have a Maverick along with 590s, and the former is fun to shoot. Not as adaptable as the 500 series with mods (you can still do that to some extent), but reliable, no question.
@@christopherrobin361 I have a 590, but she wanted her own. I was in the shop picking up a couple vz 24's and the stoeger was sitting there for nothing. Impulse buy.
My mom always told me: "She buys the best she can afford, because she's not rich enough to buy it twice." If you can't afford something, then save for it. It's not that hard to do.
Some people don’t have the luxury to wait and save for a gun. If the methodology is wait and save, then the question can come up, do you really need a gun? That’s what comes down in the end. Need or want.
@@totalnewb123 Yea but I think the point is that it's better to spend a little extra and get something that's reliable than get a "good deal" and end up with an unreliable piece of crap. New Taurus vs used Beretta/Sig/Glock/HK.... I know which one I'm buying
I worked the Gun counter for years and my advice was always buy what the Professionals use. Either FBI,ATF,DEA,DHS etc or Elite Military units. Those firearms have gone thru extensive testing to meet the requirements of each Dept. before being approved for duty use.Then once you have decided on one or two models go rent them at a range and shoot them to make sure they meet your requirements before buying one.
@@bobwallace9814 That was my entire reasoning for buying my Glock. If almost every major police force in the US uses a Glock, then it must be doing something right.
I started out with a budget gun, Taurus g2c and has worked fine. I intermittently have close to 1K rounds through and no problems. It was my first and only budget gun purchase. My intentions were always to learn more about firearms and upgrade within my own finances.
I also had a g2c wish I still did just as a car gun or tackle box gun something I could trust using if needed but no so expensive id be heartbroken if it got damaged or God forbid stolen
I'm really glad you do 1000 rounds reviews for this very reason. So many influencers hop on YT and shoot 50 rounds through whatever gun they were sent and (potentially) paid to review and tell people to go buy them. You actually take the time to make sure that whatever you review is reliable and give an honest, objective review on the product and you're honest enough to admit when something comes up after your first shots videos.
@@StrainXv Good thing you won't have to call Hk customer service. Companies with a reputation of having great warranties should make you think twice about buying that item. Why are so many people sending their guns back to the manufacturer?
@@mynameisjeff6988Good thing I already dealt with them. Weird flex thinking even "Well" made shit doesn't break when it wasn't even a firing induced problem but rather a faulty recoil spring from the factory.
I had an issue with a Taurus revolver a few years back. Sending it in was a hassle, having it sent back was a bigger hassle, but they fixed it and it has been fine since. In the early eighties, I bought a new, model 29 Smith & Wesson. The second time at the range the hammer locked back over a live round. I couldn't lower the hammer or unload the gun. S&W offered no assistance, was willing to repair my new gun for a deposit sent ahead of the gun to cover costs. I took it to a local gunsmith who showed me the filings and poor machining of the internals. After paying for repairs, I traded the gun and have never bought a new S&W since. Even expensive, big-name guns and companies can give lousy service and manufacture junk. At least Taurus stood behind their gun.
@@notworthit1096 Sell me a lemon, refuse to stand behind your product, leave me with a dangerously defective gun...Yup, I'm not interested in supporting your company with my money. Smith & Wesson had a number of opportunities to do the right thing but passed them up and were flat out rude to me.
I sent Smith & Wesson an old 1076 I bought from a pawn shop that was stove piping. They brought it back up to factory specs at no charge. I called them about a magazine floor plate cracking. They sent me a new one at no charge. I sent them a CS-40 that the frame was cracking on. They said they didn't have parts for it and sent me a new M&P Shield for free. Maybe you called them on a bad day.
I started with surplus pistols, then a keltec p11, then a taurus spectrum, now a glock 22. Nothing wrong with working your way up, so if you're on a budget and considering getting that hipoint go ahead. It's better to have something than nothing when it comes down to it
I am a contractor that as a hobby work at a local gun range in Palm Beach Florida,I would never own a Taurus they are absolutely not a good firearm to put it nicely they are junk.
@@relicpathfinder2800 You most certainly DID NOT carry a Taurus while working special ops or hostage rescue. I owned a gunshop for a decade, after the first six months I was all set with the constant problems customers had with Taurus and refused to carry them in my shop. They USED to be decent guns, not great, but decent. Now they make nothing but dangerous hot garbage.
Taurus is iffy. I'm saying this as someone who has owned several since the late 80's. If it's a copy, like the 92 (A Beretta copy), they seem to be okay. If it's something developed in house problems pop up more often.
I think it depends with Taurus. The G series is like any other polymer 9mm. I wanted to be sure of mine before I put it in my car so I abused it as much as I could. I shot garbage ammo and would dump 300 rounds an hour through it until I got to about 3k rounds through it. I never had any problems. I've heard of people having problems with guns that are from decades ago but every "gun guy" that I know will tell you Taurus makes completely fine firearms today. Now would I take that over a Glock? No. But I don't have any real world reason to say that. I just *feel* like the Glock would do better long term but I don't really have a concrete reason other than the brand name.
I just bought my first HK and after a few budget guns, I'm absolutely saving up for quality from now on. It's so much less of a headache to go to the range without a bunch of tools in my bag.
HK is definitely the be of the best. They use the top of the line materials and have very very good QC. For a budget gun I personally like the S&W M&P 2.0s. Before all this crazy shit happened I could find em for just under $400!
@@paulpolito2001 What did you have to replace in your USP? The internals aren't too bad. I've got five of them. The recoil spring assemblies are a little spendy, somewhere around $50, but all the little things seem to be $10 and under from the HK web store. Allegedly, CCI just sent in one of their 9mm test guns for maintenance/repair from the HK techs, a full-sized USP. They claimed 200,892 rounds on the books, all original parts. Federal also sent one in about a decade ago, a full-size USP 45. Theirs was about 297,000. They did replace the recoil spring assembly, though. Both guns were sent back to their respective owners after a cleaning and new springs.
@@SuperVeeZee oh, nothing. I’ve had to replace the sight and get a spare mag; sights aren’t so bad (standard)… but mags are $60. Love the gun, shoots great (had it over a decade) and it’s only got surface wear… cons only being size and costs, imho. Reloaders can take advantage of the generous redundancy built into the guns; but unless you’re one of the 16 people on the planet with access to, say .45 Super or one of the overpressure 9mm/.35 & .40S&W rounds that somehow also *doesn’t* load their own. I’d believe one ate over 200k rounds w/o major failures, there’s a reason I have it versus 3 or 4 Glocks, lol
My G2C did that exact same thing when chambering a round, I would have to bump the slide on the back for it to chamber. It would do this maybe every other magazine. Once you began shooting it, it would cycle just fine. Did this for about the first 200 rounds, now it is working perfectly.
Ruger is the most budget type gun i will use for self defense. They dont break very much and when they do, they fixit fast. I had a striker break on Sunday, talked to customer service monday morning, sent it out Monday afternoon. Had the gun back by Saturday. DAMN!
Ruger has been nothing but stellar. Lost a magazine while hunting and they sent me a new one for free-they know their rotary magazines have a tendency to come out and changed the design for later iterations of the same firearm. Phenomenal customer service.
My ruger american is amazing. Ive never had a single problem. Bought it 2 years ago. Only thing thats been replaced was the barrel because of the safety bulletin. And even that went super smooth. Not everyone can afford mall ninja tier firearms. I like what i have. I use it as my edc.
almost every Ruger that I’ve owned had go back to the factory to function correctly. They usually have a 1-3 day turnaround, which is great, but it would be nice to have a handgun that works out of the box
The first carry gun I had was an m&p 9 shield. Have a few more now, and still use the shield for my daily. GREAT gun. However had a g2c that would only cycle certain rounds. It left quickly. All that to say, Any time you get a new gun, try out several different types of bullets. Your gun may or may not even cycle with certain rounds. Ok my good deed is done. Have a great and safe day
My little g2c is a bottomless pit that definitely doesn't care what's on the menu. It eats everything I have ever fed it. Bought a Tisas px9 a few weeks ago that has the same appetite. Both guns new sold for less than $300. Can't say every one of them will be as reliable, just glad mine are.
I had an issue with my Taurus G3 TORO mag release and the customer service was great. 9 days from my talking to them my gun was back in my hands. I love this thing,just wanted to put my experience with them out there. I watched a lot of videos including the one the Honset Outlaw did before I bought it. I am no expert but it is a great first time purchase. Thank you for your information in these times we are living I really appreciate the knowledge since there is so much BS out there. God bless everyone in the community.
Agree with “you get what you pay for”. My Taurus G2C has been a good reliable firearm but I don’t expect it to have the life of a Glock/Sig/ S&W. A tip on your problem is that your recoil spring is not setting on the barrel lug correctly which will cause that type of lockup. Great channel & always look forward to your posts.
But, imagine being killed because, instead of getting something you can afford now, and then saving up for something better, you put a higher-end gun on lay-a-way leaving you empty handed until it's payed off...Like Barry from moss pawn said..."it's better to have a Hi-point in hand than a Glock on lay-a-way".
You’re not alone in that mindset. If you have to save or layaway on a firearm that you’ll majority of the time use only at a gun range and very very rarely use in a self defense situation, then you may not really need a gun. I’m not saying that someone shouldn’t get any firearm at all, but we don’t live in the world of Active Self Protection, where the people in the majority of the videos either live in dangerous places, have dangerous jobs, and or have businesses that have value where people come to rob.
My first gun was a Taurus G2C. I’ve got 600 rds through it with no issues. Upgraded the trigger, sights, and Spring&guide rod to SS. It’s been a great gun. But I’m ready to upgrade to a Sig or Glock-maybe a Shield-so I can have something higher end with a better “track record” as you put it.
I have owned 5 Taurus G2C's...all of them worked 100% perfect...except 1...and the one I had not work had the exact same problem yours did...luckily for me the place I bought had a 14 days return policy and I got my money back, but like you, mine was unfired and new. After I purchase I took it home and cleaned it, after putting it back together I racked the slide, and wham...gun wouldn't go into battery and my slide was jammed shut.
The wife has a G3 and G3c, and we definitely got hers from the good side of the batch. They spin like tops, may after mag. They're the first 2 taurus automatics in the family, and the way taurus upped their game with the G2c is the only reason we went with those over Ruger security-9. Taurus revolvers, on the other hand, are absolute tanks that my family had trusted our lives to for years. We've packed taurus wheel-guns from .22WMR for EDC, to .44mag in near country.
My stepmom carried a Taurus .380 revolver for awhile. Was her first gun and it ended up being a lemon. Was at the range and the cylinder completely fell off as she was shooting
I agree with you that the Taurus G3 is a great gun I also own the Ruger Security 9. In my opinion they have both worked flawlessly and I'm glad I have both of them. That being said they are my secondary weapons my everyday carry is my glock 30s 45
APX was developed for the military it was tested past 20K . Good enough quality for me. Love the trigger purchased full set of extra parts and lower all for 500.00 when I got it 2 years ago. Love the pistol.
Yes sir, they tested the heck out of it! Dunno about the compact versions, but my full size is well over 2000 rds in, with all kinds of ammo, including steel. Had one fail to eject, but quick rack back and ran the rest of the mag!
Its kind of funny, it took me 10 years to decide on a handgun of my own. I was lucky enough to know some great people with A LOT of handguns I could share at the range. I also got to try literally a 50 range guns over the years. The first time I held my Fullsize APX FDE, I knew it was the one! I haven't bought any other handguns since, it just works, and I love the big fat trigger!
Its kind of funny, it took me 10 years to decide on a handgun of my own. I was lucky enough to know some great people with A LOT of handguns I could share at the range. I also got to try literally a 50 range guns over the years. The first time I held my Fullsize APX FDE, I knew it was the one! I haven't bought any other handguns since, it just works, and I love the big fat trigger!
@@Albertalorian That was me the first time I picked it up and dry fired it I told my friend wow, impressed. APX maybe budget priced but it is up there with any Sig, Glock ( i own 4 ) S&W or CZ. That price I got it for also included a extended threaded barrel and RMR cut all that for just a little over 350.00. That allowed me to buy full set of extra parts a extra lower and a competition parts kit. That is very hard to beat with any of the top manufactures, of course when I got all that stuff the sales of the APX were lack luster to say the least.
I already had a 92 FS Inox. When the Apx came out it was not even a second thought. Some of my buddies are die hard Glock users. I tried many models at the range. The grip just doesn’t work for me. In my rotation I have a HK 45 two tone and a P30L. Fantastic guns and never any issues and are accurate. The APX FS is a great gun even my buddy who has FN and Springfield handguns and rifles was more than impressed with the way the Beretta shots and feels in the hand. He picked up a PX4 in .40 and loves the rotating barrel.
Not sure why he even put the Beretta APX in this video. Yes, the price is lower, but they are as well built as any of the higher end guns he mentioned. I shoot thousands of rounds each month (before ammo shortage), have been a range officer for decades and know most of these guns. Break down the Beretta Part for Part and you will see nothing but high end quality. And they are superb shooters. I understand he has his opinion, I will for example put a Beretta up to my Glocks any day. The APX Beretta is NOT a budgen gun in any thing but Price only. It is one of the best deals in the firearms world.
I have a taurus g2c with over 3k rounds thru it, clean it on a regular basis, use good ammo, never had a problem with it. I did upgrade the guiderod to the steel one, no other mods
Whenever I’m purchasing any new gun, I make sure the clerk brings out the specific one I’m taking home so that I can visually check it, manipulate it for function, and feel the specific trigger. I’ll even field strip it right at the counter to look at the internals. Once you get duped with a bad gun you take all the precautions.
Good insight. I've never regretted the purchase of a quality firearm, while I have always had some level of regret with budget guns. One of the best pieces of advice that I got, and while it wasn't aimed directly at firearms it can certainly be applied. When I began reloading and was asking for advice from others I kept hearing "don't worry" about this detail or that process, "everything will be fine" . When I asked a friend who had been reloading for 40 years about some of the advice I was getting he said:" you know, I am always amazed at how cavalier people can be about reloading. How serious do you think you should be about creating a small explosive that you will detonate in your hands while your eyes are looking at it?" I've never looked at firearms or ammunition the same since.
When I saw the Beretta APX in the thumbnail I thought you were going to have something bad to say about it but I'm glad you only spoke highly of it. The Beretta APX is one of the best guns I've ever bought. It's more of a high end budget gun and I think that's due to supply and demand. This gun is truly a sleeper pistol that more folks should know about. It wouldn't have been considered in the military trials if they didnt have something to bring to the table. I own 2 glocks, a S&W and a Sig and the APX is my favorite out of all of them.
@kyle lambert i just ordered the full size apx...& the str9c stoger only cause it was 270 to replace my ec9s...but going to keep the ec9s and sold the g3 to get the apx...keeping my sd9ve..... Didn't think i would ever here somebody say they like the apx better than a glock and sig
My first ever gun was an apx and I just didn't know what I had. It wasn't until I continued to shoot other guns and gain more experience that I realized what a treasure(for the price and category). Decent ergonomics, grippy texture, SURPRISINGLY good trigger, good size for carry and in my opinion better than the p320. Amazing gun
HK has treated me very well in the couple years I've been shooting. I've tried a couple of M&P shields and a few Taurus models; had nothing but jamming and feeding issues the entire time I was on the range. My VP9 has had zero issues in the 1000+ rounds that I've put through it, and while I'm not super crazy about the trigger it is still proving to be a reliable, trustworthy firearm. I've experienced one misfire in my MK23 due to faulty ammo. Both of these are pure workhorses and take everything I can throw at them. I can also heartily recommend glock. I actually hate to shoot them personally but they're incredibly reliable right out of the box and I can recognize quality even if I don't like their aesthetics or handling.
Mine was Nighthawk custom with their gun and as a company. Ordered a double stack trooper, all blacked out, flat trigger, gold bead front sight, IOS cut for Rmr. It came to me with a trigger being loose, slide to frame rattled like an old Colt. Barrel overthroated (not safe with +p ammo). Barrel was missing a chamfer cut on the top. Waited 9 months and spent near $5k. When I contacted NHC, their COO insulted me. He said “are you wanting to cancel because you are having financial issues” despite the fact I paid for this in full and half for another build. Eventually i got my money back after weeks of emails and phone calls. They built a shitty firearm and have an even worse customer service. Just because a company’s calls themselves a premium brand, doesn’t mean they are.
@Ben Dover yup, that is why I went with Staccato. Their firearms get evaluated and if there is an issue, they will lose more than just a customer. More incentive for them to build quality firearms.
@@Catgat37 the C2 DPO has been great for me. I bet you will like it!. I picked up one used, and I had some concerns. I called staccato and they taken the gun back almost immediately. Inspected it and find the DLC was flaking at a spot (I didn’t notice it). They gave me a brand new C2 to exchange for my used one. I am very pleased and surprised, that they went above and beyond for me. For their warranty is for the original owner. Yet they still took care of me.
I agree that you have more of a chance of getting a lemon with a low cost gun, but, as you said, it can happen with any of them. I bought a CZ75 Phantom and the trigger return spring broke when I was testing it with snap caps. The pistol hadn't even been shot. I love the CZ, but they all can break. BTW, I trust your opinion on guns more than any other channel.
The Phantom TRS does double duty cause you also tension the decocker. They passed military trials with ease and czech paratroopers carry them. TRS is definitely a replacement part in the 75 series but usually goes down at a high round count (Usually 12k-20k, but I know of one with 3.6k) There is always a margin for error, but above the lower budget approach there is usually better customer service.
I had a little smile when Outlaw used H&K as a example of quality. A couple years ago MAC reviewed one of their guns and it was defective. Even Glock let out a lemon like their .22 pistol, that was way worse than a competing Taurus, go figure.
My Phantom is my beside gun. Imo it's one of the best polymer tactical guns.. (imo a true tactical gun must have double action and a light rail.) Its also my fave shooting pistol. And for the price it's very tough to beat
Now that prices are softening a little I remembered this video and came back to it. I have many guns. I rarely sell. I do enjoy bargain hunting. The APX has come back on my radar, and also, the S&W SD9 VE. When sticking with good quality makers there are bargains to be had that are dead reliable. My current nightstand pistol is actually a Walther Creed. Definitely a bargain pistol, definitely a good pistol. It's in the nightstand because I like the trigger, I shoot it well, and I trust it. To me, most bargain pistols are range toys, but I think many new buyers don't understand that. Thanks for the great videos.
It’s a general truism, I find, that paying that extra 100/200 dollars for a firearm is the “insurance” that you have customer service that will most likely take care of the problem. You have the probability on your side when an MP goes, S/W will fix it. So with Ruger. So with Beretta. Market sense to me 🤷🏻♂️
Bought a Walter PK380 about 10 years ago. Extractor broke soon after purchase. Waited 6 months but no replacement extractor. Eventually traded the broken gun. Couple of years later bought another PK 380 (I know). Got it home, removed the slide, inside covered with rust. Returned to FFL. No more Walters for us, though we love the grips.
That's why when I purchased my first gun I went with the Beretta APX. Partly because the APX was one of the guns considered in the new military trials. They didnt get the contract, but the US military wouldnt give them a chance if they didnt have something to offer. Secondly, because Beretta is the oldest manufacturer of firearms so I'm pretty sure theyve mastered how to make a pistol, even if it's a "budget" pistol. The only way the APX is a budget pistol is if you know what you're looking for and know the websites to check. The average joe that just walks into their local gun shop probably will pay closer to $450 for it and that's close to some glock models. I just think the Beretta APX surpasses all of these budget guns by far, but thats just my opinion.
My Dad had a S&W Sigma 40F, and he was having trouble getting it to cycle. He sent it back to S&W 3 or 4 times and they told him there was nothing wrong. My Dad got frustrated with it and sent it to me. I took it to the range and fired it with practice ammo and a box of Gold Dots. It fired fine. Not a single jam all day. I asked my Brother and found out Dad was making ridiculously low powered reloads, but refused to believe that was the problem. For a
@@pkdude5334 Verify the actual model you are getting before you buy any gun. Ask to see it disassembled and reassembled before you buy it. For instance a Ruger I owned and later sold was like a Chinese puzzle box to disassemble / reassemble for cleaning. To disassemble it you had insert and remove an empty magazine at certain steps, hold the pistol at a certain angle to release an internal pin, and it took several minutes just to open the gun up. Ruger has since redesigned the newer version of the same model pistol (it was given a new nomenclature) and it is now much less of a headache. The pistol in question shot as well as any that I have ever fired, but because of the ridiculous manual of arms for service of the pistol I rarely ever fired it.
I fired round 500 thru my GC3 last weekend with no failures. 115 gr, 124 gr, defensive rounds, 10 year old rounds, cheap and expensive 9mm and could not be happier.
I have a Taurus g3c also, it does not cycle the rounds fast enough and is very inaccurate. In short out of all my guns this one is the worst of them all and I will never buy another Taurus again of any type.
@@analizad9409 the G2C is wonderful with little to no issues. The G3C was produced fast with less quality control. Every brand is going to have bad guns, thankfully Taurus is getting much better at customer service. He even says in the video that 99% of the time you'll get a good gun from Taurus. Budget doesn't always mean bad
I’ve been really happy with my m&p9c, sent about 8-10k rounds through it. I have more expensive polymer striker fired pistols and carry the M&p. I want to switch to optics so it will get replaced by something soon.
@@pastorofmuppets1968 My wife is actually looking at getting the .380 EZ. The EZ line looks very appealing. She has the .380 Bodyguard but wants something more range friendly.
@@MrDmthomp32 I have a first gen M&P9 Fullsize and it was my first pistol purchase. I held a few but as soon as I held the M&P I knew it was the one. Extremely ergonomic handling. A great shooter to boot!
I have two Beretta Nano's and a APX carry. I have to say one of the best deals going. Presently have 15,000 rounds through my range Nano and running like a Sewing machine. Build quality is almost over built and a MILD shooting gun. Got rid of my Smith a few years back. Nice gun, no complaints just did not shoot as well for me, and I like the DAO striker fired trigger of the APX Carry and Nano.
In Finland if you buy a new gun it has a two year warranty, that's why they don't sell cheap guns in Finland, a gun store here isn't going to run the risk of giving a Stoeger or Taurus a two year warranty. I think the cheapest polymer guns I've seen here are Ruger, Canik and S&W (M&P series) CZ (P07, P09, P10) but all of those pistols are hitting the €500 /€600 mark, Glocks, H&K, Walther, are all over €600. They won't sell anything that isn't going to last two years. And only gun manufacturers with a good track record of reliability and customer service.
Great video. I will add one point, buying from a top notch local gun dealer can make a big difference. I bought a new TX 22 when they first came out. Several sites raved about what a great gun it was so I bought one. It started “key holing” the target at 10 yards at around 100 rounds. I broke it down to inspect it, looked down the barrel and it was heavily leaded. Showed it to the dealer and they filled out the paperwork and gave me another new TX 22 for my leaded one. Went it the next day ran another box through the new TX22 and it had the same problem. Turns out their gunsmith identified that the rifling about half way down the barrel had some machining defects. They were out of TX 22s so I traded for a super clean Browning Buckmark which shot flawlessly. The dealer lost a few bucks but created a life time customer. Dewey’s Gun and Pawn in Greenville SC will always be my first stop when looking for a firearm.
My best experiences by far have been Colt and Surefire. Colt repaired my new Cobra for free after I knowingly voided my warranty by requesting a free replacement part (instead of their RMA service). It was for a hammer spring after the original one snapped. Apparently the new Colts still require more hand fitting than people give them credit for and they tried to warn me that the chances of the replacement dropping right in were very slim. Well it just dropped right in but about an hour later I heard a loud pop from my gun while it was sitting on the table next to me. The new hammer spring put too much tension on the hammer where it hooks on and broke the piece right off. I sent it in for a paid RMA and waited weeks for them to mail my invoice. I finally called about two months later to ask when I was gonna get it. They were like “your gun is actually out on range testing right now…we just went ahead fixed it as a warranty repair”. I was always super appreciative of that. Surefire sent me a free replacement tail cap for an X300 that I told them I got used (also for free) after buying a used TRR8 at a pawn shop for $951 and the previous owner left it on the gun.
True. I am an engineer and I was amazed by the quality of the construction. You can take it apart to a last bit without a hammer, a punch or any kind of special tool. Also, unlike in case of CZs, this gun does not use a single roll pin, which in my personal opinion are a sign of a lazy design. I think however that the APX has one flaw that should be corrected - the trigger return spring is too weak causing the trigger to stick when it gets dirty. Thankfully it is a 10 min job - just pop out the chassis, remove the 2 pins that hold the trigger shoe and bend the rectangular part of the spring that hooks into the chassis a little bit more. Done that long time ago and since then it works much better.
Thanks for sharing. That balance between budget and quality is a hard line to find sometimes (I'm very budget oriented), but as you've proven its hard to go wrong with proven manufacturers. Just started testing the Arex Delta gen 2 and it failed to feed on its 4th round ever fired. We expected a break-in period but imagine a new gun owner using this in home defense; they may never shoot it until they need to, and that 4th round would be a stark discovery.
Learned all about Taurus from my dad. He had one of their compact pistols that couldn't get through a mag without a FTF. Sent it back twice to be worked on and couldn't tell anything had been done to it. They sent a note with it the 2nd time telling him not to return it again. How do you like that customer service. Someone suggested he buy some aftermarket mags for it. After he died I sold it cheap.
I own two S&W's...a M&P 9mm Shield 2.0...and a M&P 9mm 2.0 Compact...I have beat the hell out of both guns and they just keep running...zero problems. They have been just as reliable as my Glocks or my VP9.
Mine has gone through several pistol classes 1000 rounds in two days each in rain/ mud / dirt and not a single issue ran like a champ same with my ruger American both are tanks
The first gun I bought for daily carry, back in 2004, was an XD-40 for just over $400. I carried it daily until a few years ago when I started pocket carrying my P365. I trust my life with it and it has never even had a jam. It seems extremely reliable.
I went in to Scheels with the intention of buying a G3 for $250.. after looking at several other hand guns I checked out the APX. Not completely out of my range but costing more than a G3. I paused my purchase to see if I could find a review of the APX. The I found your review of the APX, not a rave review but an "Honest" one. The next day my new APX and I were on the range. Today, I am about 500 rounds into it and I couldn't be happier. If I am looking at a new firearm, you the first guy I look up.
I did the exact same thing as you man, I saw an APX, went home and did a little research (watching reviews, reading the history and learning what all this gun has been through, with the whole military trials thing) and now I own an APX and after putting about 3,000 rounds through it with not a single malfunction, I couldn't be happier. As a fellow APX owner, I would suggest you get the 22lb. stainless steel guide rod and the stainless steel striker guide kit, both $32 and $21 respectively. The guide rod reduces recoil and has made my groupings within a 3 inch diameter and the striker guide kit takes a couple pounds off the trigger pull for a more smooth and easy trigger pull which reduced my flinching/slapping of the trigger that I once had a problem with. I mean for $53 total these 2 parts make a world of difference and Galloway Precision offers free shipping so you're literally only paying $53...that's it. It's been a great investment and upgrade to an already awesome gun. I'm glad you enjoy your APX as much as I do! Keep shooting straight and safe brother! Cheers!
Customer service is the key when buying anything. I had a problem with a Drop in trigger that was not working properly. When I called they sent me a new trigger within a week. That why I’m very happy working with Timney Triggers. I’ve bought and sold around 35 fire arms in the past 20 years or so and the only one that wasn’t functional was a Kel Tec that was the only one I had to cut my losses on.
@@fredflintstone5860 Ahaha, not the lefty I was talking about but that's awesome. My Dad is mostly right handed but he prefers to shoot left-handed too.
Do you buy into that conspiracy of "Systemic Rac ism" that the data clearly shows is not correct? Do you think we live in a Patriarchy that doesnt exist? Do you think people who are not fascists are fascists? Do you think the left is liberal when they couldnt be further from it with their closed minded anti-reality bigotry?
@@seane4955 I'd be perfectly willing to have an open and honest conversation with you if you like. I'm not feed into your biases. I'm totally willing to talk, but not If your going to approach this from a front-loaded point of view.
I own 3 Taurus'.... 22, 25 9mm....had issue only with the 22....Taurus customer service was outstanding! I use the 9mm in classes....hundreds of round....weapon performed perfectly.
I highly recommend contacting Stoeger via a phone call rather than email. I too tried email and haven't received a response after 2 weeks. But calling them twice went right through to a person and both times the issue was resolved. The first time, my STR-9MC came with a 10 round magazine with a extended pinky sleeve rather than the 11 round flush mount it should have come with. The second instance was trying to use an STR-9 full size magazine in the STR-9MC (which is supposed to work, but didn't). The first instance resulted in them mailing me a 11 round magazine that showed up 2 or 3 days later. The second instance required me to send in the 15 round mags and they'll replace them with an 11 round and 13 round magazine (the resolution I requested).
Excellent video! I feel that the most important thing to consider in buying an inexpensive/cheap gun is what is the primary use of the gun going to be. If the gun is going to be for self defense or conceal carry then you definitely want to purchase the most reliable gun available which usually comes at a higher price. Cheap guns are for target shooting or plinking!
Definitely not true I paid 289 for my canik tp9sf elite one series and no issues eats everything including steel ammo. Not all budget guns are made cheap and canik is a prime example. The only reason their guns are cheap is because they are trying to make themselves known in the United States. They not only nickel plate the internal parts the slide stop release is machined steel and not stamped steel like most polymer handguns hell even the mag release is machined steel. I put over 3000 rounds through it so far and zero issues with all kinds of ammo. Can't say I had the same experience with my Glocks or s&w m&p. Four people I know have also been very very happy with the performance of their Caniks as well.
I agree. When people ask for my opinion and I explain this. They don’t listen. There is a reason why cheaper products have a “ lifetime warranty “. You will get frustrated and nowhere. Buying it twice is the key words in this video.
Great video! I don't care if Taurus hired a new CEO with new quality control goals, I still won't buy any more of their guns. To Outlaw's point I stopped buying Ruger handguns thirty years ago because I got a bad P series automatic and have sworn them off ever since. The manufacturers don't realize we gun owners have VERY long memory's!
Never had problems with my Taurus Gc3 had to send my Beretta apx back after one trip to the range because the mag would not engage enough to chamber all can have problems
I’ve purchased two Taurus budget guns and both had issues… light primer strikes, not going into battery etc, what I’ve learned is they are throw away guns. I have a bunch of $1300 pistols that never fail me. Below $500 and you’re asking for trouble.
Oddly enough, the only gun I own that I’ve ever had a problem with is the most expensive ($1300) gun I own. Go figure. The internals on the G2C and G3C are interchangeable. Try switching barrels, slides, etc to determine the exact cause of the problem. Maybe Taurus will let you just swap out the bad part. It might speed things up and save you on shipping.
Too bad on the Taurus - my G2C and TX22 were bought on your recommendations and have been flawless. And they are by FAR the cheapest pistols I own (pre-covid less than $200 ea). But I also do not carry either one.. my daily is a 43x or Shield plus.
I absolutely LOVE my TX22. I bought a Walter P22 to do training with during the ammo shortage (as if it is over) but it was so finicky that I had to shop around for ammo just to shoot the damned thing, it wouldn't run on anything less than 1200fps ammo. A guy at my local store asked if I had ever thought of a Taurus. I said no and he said I should. Since I bought it the P22 hasn't seen daylight and the TX22 has had more rounds through it than anything else I own.
@@kevinallies1014 I had a similar experience with my old P22. Only ran on particular ammo and that was infuriating. Now I’ve got the kel tec cp33 and it’s shoots anything that I feed it. Plus I got the mag extension so it’s now a 50 round standard capacity 😁
Same here brother carry the g48 . But I do swap out my carry with a Taurus gx4, original sheild, and even my old ass pt709... the 709 is oldest gun I've got luckily it's always worked. Doesnt see much action these days tho. Usually g48 or gx4 daily
After watching this, I am so glad that I purchased and for the most part used Glocks along with Revolvers for most of my shooting life! I recently purchased a Kel-Tec P17 with their 16 round magazines, I shot 1000 rounds right out of the box with No Malfunctions and then I Purchased another one and I have not had any malfunctions at all on either one! at $225 for each gun, I think I have two great Budget Guns and I'm saving a ton of Money at the Range! I love my two Glocks but now I also Love my Two Kel-Tec .22 guns!
Something was terribly wrong with my Taurus G2S and I sold it so that I could spend the money towards an old Remington 870 from the late 80s. Best choice I've made related to firearms.
The only time l had to use S&W's CS was to see if l could get a backstrap for an old SW99 that I'd picked up... they sent me two, no charge. I'd say that's pretty freaking stellar CS.
@@ivanrodriguez8966 I hate those stupid locks as well. The only S&W I have with one is a 340PD. The lock is fairly easy to remove (use a gunsmith screwdriver to avoid marring the finish) and there are even aftermarket plugs to fit the keyhole. Removing it has absolutely no effect on the operation of the gun. I keep the lock in the original box the gun came in in the event I need it for resale.
S&W has to compete for LE contracts too. Taurus is the the default in Brazil as they have no other manufacturers of note. Lack of competition leads to lazy QC
Beretta's QC makes their CS not very necessary. APX was designed for the Army M9 replacement. Lots of testing before it made it to the civilian market.
I've seen a friend buy a $1,5000 S&W 9mm 1911 that was a never ending FTF/FTE headache, and a CZ Shadow for over a grand that had front sight fall off and springs break. I've heard plenty of complaints about Kimber's quality control. Know a guy who bought a Sig Sauer subcompact that wouldn't hit anywhere near point of aim out of the box and didn't have enough rear sight adjustment to fix it. Conversely I've had a S&W SD9VE that I got for sub $300 and it's run flawless. Also have a Beretta 92FS that's been perfect. What I can say is that if I had problems with a $300 - $400 gun I'd be a lot less pissed off about it than if I'd paid $1500 for it and had problems.
My brother was mounting a brand new Swarovski scope on a rifle for a customer. Could not get everything leveled as it should. Finally figured out the internal parts had not been installed properly. For a $2,500 scope with that golden name I expect better. On a bottom end Chy-na counterfeit yeh, but not Swarovski.
Best budget 9mm pistol is the Mossberg MC1 sc. About 350 bucks. Had a little break in period but after 50 rounds it never jammed and i have fired over 1000. Decent accuracy too. Definitely my favorite concealer. Mossberg is always a great brand, but nobody thought they had a cheap pistol :)
Taurus was a great entry point to firearms for me and still to this day their 1911 is my favorite handgun. I love my Smith, Springfields, and Glock but I have had a lot of fun with my Taurus firearms over the years.
I have 4 different Taurus handguns. I have put thousands of rounds down range with ZERO issues. Replaced my Walther EDC with a GC2 and feel 100% confident with it
Feeling glad I went with an APX Centurion instead of one of the other cheaper options for my 1rst gun. Reasonably priced, reliable, from a reputable manufacturer. Say what you want about it's looks. All I know is it goes bang when I want it to.
I like my APX so much that I'm heavily considering picking up an APX carry just to check it out. I doubt it will replace the Glock 19, but I don't love the grip on that, so the APX has a chance.
I can only speak for myself but my APX carry was just horrific. Would have had better luck buying a Taurus or well, anything. Perhaps my experience was a one off deal but I figured I’d let you know.
Smith & Wesson is amazing. I carry a Shield .45 as my EDC. I know this sounds odd and brown nose-ish, but I was blown away when SW responded to my email in less than 24 hours.
Recently made my first gun purchase (ever) and it was a M&P 2.0 Compact. I've only fired a couple hundred .22 rounds through it so far so I don't have a whole lot to go on yet but so far I don't see any indication of any problems happening anytime soon. And the handgun only ran me about $600. Definitely very happy with the purchase so far.
I recently purchased one of those. Have only put a mag or so through it but I like it a lot. Based on what I have read and viewed I am expecting it to be a quality gun. I guess I will find out if ammo ever gets affordable enough to shoot it. People buy guns and ammo at the start of a pandemic and as far as I know neither with protect you from the virus. The shot will but the same nuts won't consider that, so us vaccinated people who are trying to avoid them are stuck at home with no ammo. Lol
You will never regret buying an TP9 Elite. I had an Elite SC and gave it to my daughter because she shot it well and didn't own a gun. I missed it so much I went out and bought another even though the only one I could find at the time was the poopy colored one they sell at Academy Sports. I own 7 Caniks and I would not give them up for anything less than a $600 gun (unless it was to one of my kids obviously) because they shoot that well and are accurate and comfortable shooters.
I had heard good things about Canik initially and was very interested, then I read and heard that some of them might need a "break-in" period so I got a VP9 instead. I later saw some of Chris's videos and found I would have been alright with the SC or the FX for sure.
I picked up one a year ago and it runs great . Few hundred rounds no issue . I recently picked up a canik elite combat . They replaced my glock 19 and glock 17
Great video and solid advice. I recently purchased a new SD9VE for a little over 400 OTD, so far out several hundred rounds through her and no issues yet. For anyone looking for a sub 500 dollar handgun, I recommend that smith and Wesson or perhaps a walther ppq.
Thank you for the content, I love the fact that you are honest in your opinions and tests. I have also shot many many rounds in many types of weapon systems while I was in the army and still today. This is a great channel to get accurate information from.
I have three recommendations. I have a Canik SFX (my home defense) Taurus GX4 (my conceal carry) and a Taurus TX22 (Practice/range/wife and kids can shoot) All three are awesome guns that shouldn’t break the bank.
I feel you on the tp9sfx. Not a fan of taurus' tho, probably wouldnt trust it to carry. Sig 365 is the new carry, replacing the beretta apx which was also a great cheap gun outa the box that requires nothing but ammo and practice
@@MonstaFreak13 I think me being fairly new to guns is why I don’t have the negative feeling toward Taurus. But trust me, I did plenty of research and talking to lifelong gun owners. All brands just like cars have lemons. I never owned a Taurus until the GX4. I already put almost 500 rounds through it, and it had been great. I do very much like the p365. I was looking at the X or XL because I’m a taller guy. I like the p365 over the other compact guns until the GX4 came along. But again, being fairly new to guns, I couldn’t see paying twice as much. To me it’s like Lexus versus a Toyota, both get the job done, but one is just nicer. Oh and Love the Canik, it’s awesome.
@Ben Dover Not solely putting a price on it. It’s not like I said I have a Hi-point. There are people that swear by many different brands. Just like trucks. There are some that like Ford, or Chevy or Dodge.
You don’t have a lot to worry about I’m not proud of Ruger but as far as anybody’s concerned the Security 9 is not a bad gun by any means just don’t torture them
Thanks for the reassurance fellas. I used to own/carry Sigs, Glocks, Daniel Defense and BCM. Then I got married and had kids. Now I own Ruger and PSA Premium but train just as hard. I really don’t notice any more malfs - just more expensive ammo these days.
I’ve been having very good experience with my Taurus G3C and TX22. It’s unfortunate that this one came out of the box not functioning. It is a lesson that typically you do get what you pay for. It comes down to what do you find value in.
I have the same two and they've been nothing but reliable. Have over 400 rounds through the TX and had 1 FTE on the 1st mag but since then it's been 100%. Only have about 200 through the G3C with zero failures (even with some budget ammo) Have ordered some mags and the TORO slide directly from Taurus & they both shipped and arrived quickly. Being a new shooter, I didn't know about their history, but I've had nothing but positive experiences with their service & products.
I work for an FFL and we've gotten a ton of Beretta APX Carrys in. Every Single One will not go into battery if you release the slide slowly, or press the slide back slightly after its in battery. They are god awful. Next time you see one on a shelf, ask to see it and push the slide back 1/4'' and see if it goes back into battery, they wont.
My M17 is on my nightstand for home defense, but I carry a G2C with a Holosun red dot and I've never had an issue at the range. I'll replace it this fall with an HK P30SK, but overall Taurus makes a fine firearm. Any company can make a lemon here or there. Look at the P320 drop fire scandal. Point is, don't rule them out too quickly.
I purchased a G2C last year because it was all I could afford and felt like I needed one to protect my family. While it’s been flawless, I’m preparing to buy a Glock soon for the same reasons you discussed. I’m grateful Taurus gave me an affordable way to enter the hobby, but I definitely want something more known for quality.
Good way to go about it. See if you can sell or trade the Taurus so you can afford a nice Streamlight for the Glock, and even a quality kydex holster and gun belt
Taurus G2C is every bit as reliable as a Glock. My friends' glocks jam far more often than my Taurus. Don't give into the brand name, they are not a better gun. If there was a Glock logo on the Taurus G2C, Glock fanboys would exalt it as the best gun in the world.
I did the same thing with my Canik pistols- Lock the slide back for few weeks when not in use. Works every single time, just that the slide became easier to rack. Canik definitely knows what they're doing.
As far as my wife knows every gun i have is a High Point.
I have never had a problem with mine
We won't tell.
Smart move sir.
You sir, are doing it right
😂😂😂💯👌🏾
The value of watching guys like this is that they shoot and own a lot more guns than most of us. If there’s a problem with something they’re likely going to experience it first, so we don’t have to. Good advise.
While I agree mostly, that doesn't take the place of actually testing your gun. I've had issues with guns some didn't have any problems with.
@Ben Morris I'm "guessing" the market for budget guns is directed at people that don't spend $100+ in ammo and range fees every month. Budget buyers are people looking for a home defense gun and 2 boxes of ammo that never gets shot. "Gun people" just tend to pick up these as range toys or boat guns. I'm willing to bet on "average", a person that buys a P229 will probably shoot more than a person that buys a G3c.
@Ben Morris Unkown if they get a special version but some have stated receiving prototypes and those can be buggy. Even if they get special versions, it's nice to know this usually won't mask a design flaw. To many people have had problems with specific guns in the same way to cover it up with a bandaid. I've stopped watching certain channels where life is so good that nothing is ever found wrong with a gun. There are shills out there and they are becoming easier to find.
@@FoulPet my first handgun was an XDS 9... my second gun was a P226. After years of shooting, my everyday carry is now a glock 19 lol
@@FoulPet "range fees?" Shit man. Go out in the woods and use the money you save on ammo. Most ranges don't let you "run" guns.
Thr hilarious thing is Hi-Point has the best customer service. They basically give you half of a gun for free.
Nah sent those mfers 2 mags to fix and it took them 6 months because they lost them in their own facility
There mags are a real problem
legend storm . I own two hi point pistols. 9 mm and 45 acp . I called hi point and talked to a technician about my 45 super reloads I was shooting in there 45 acp which I also shoot in my Taurus pt845 45 acp with both guns rated plus p. I was concerned about prematurely eating out the hi point. we talked about the extra chamber pressure and ware and tear . he said it would handle the chamber pressure no problem. but concerned as I was wearing out gun to soon. he said hi point normally don’t recommend shooting 45 super but if you do only a couple boxes when out shooting. I took that as 20 round boxes. I use star line brass , Hornady .452 xtp 185 grain, long shot and power pistol powder at estimated 1265 FPS and around 640 fpe by the 450 smc triton reloading data . no pressure signs, a few lightly flattened primers. shoot good at least deer heart accuracy 20-25 yards. I did load them 1350 FPS by the barrel length triton ballistic information. best to use supported barrel. triton sold out to Underwood ammunition. the under wood 450 smc brass is the strongest between it and 45 super. the 450 smc uses 308 small rifle primer brass . much thicker at back. only Underwood sells factory ammunition. so much for all these people who say don’t by hi point they blow up . wishing they would quit lieing they’ll go to hell for it . Nana and papa the hunter wishing you well
@@channelchannelchannelchannel Those are the mags. My brother got sent a whole half a gun. I won't buy a Hi-Point because I want something I can trust out of the box, but....
and if they managed their business better, they could produce a quality item that doesnt need constant service.
I’ve tried to explain to my husband why I need a bigger gun budget. It’s to defend myself so I want a reliable gun. I don’t think $500-$800 is too much for a 9mm gun for me.
*Update: went to the range. Paid $20 for their rental program. I was able to try limitless amounts of guns in the same caliber. I tried 6 and chose the S&W Shield Plus. With tax and shipping it was $499.67 then the $20 transfer fee from the FFL dealer. My husband paid $300 and I covered the rest.*
I completely understand where you're coming from. But I will also say this. Just because something cost more, it doesn't mean it's more reliable all the time. I have an hkvp9sk that prices for 700 (got it for 5 with in store and military doscounts). It's been really reliable. I just recently picked up a grand power q100 for 399 brand new. Comes with 3 15 round mags, rotating barrel, 4 changeable back straps. And 2 extra front sights. My best advice is to do research on guns you're interested in. Watch videos and read reviews on the good and bad and make an informed decision. And be sure to properly maintain your gun. If you take care of your gear, it'll take care of you.
Lol I just told my wife shes picking something out and she gets at least 500...more than Ive spent for my S&w, cz, or canik.
@@2ataylor90 all of what you have are great choices. I'm grabbing myself a canik in the near future. I would've picked one up instead, but I found me a grand power which is very hard to find in my location.
So I took my grand power q100 to the range finally. It shoots better, and feels better than my more expensive hk. Hitting the bullseye in the head, and torso of my targets at around 20 yards. The trigger pull is smooth like butter, and the ergonomics fit my hand like a glove. Out of the 200 rounds I've fired, I had only 2 casings fail to fully eject. And that was because I was using crappy aluminum ammo. Cleared them both and fired again in less than a second. I guess what I'm trying to get at is this. Don't let higher prices determine quality. Branch out and see what suits you best. That 399 9mm might be better and more reliable than that 800 dollar one. A lot of times you're paying for the brand's name anyway.
@@usnfindley Seems like a nice gun. The aftermarket community seems non existent for it though. I do not own a Q100 (golden state) but the reviews for it seem promising as a consistant, accurate, light recoil, and cheap striker fire gun. What I know about HK USP is it's nearly indestructible with lighter recoil, 90k round life expectancy, and a really bad trigger. Upgrading the trigger (on a 900 dollar gun btw...) makes the USP a really well rounded pistol. The P30L has adjustable back and side straps but its also much more expensive. Maybe GP will start making headway in the US and give cz and glock some trouble :D
It’s so nice to hear displeasure without totally bashing the company that makes the firearm... you are a class act (and the Mrs. too..!)
It is. And more then one company can make good firearms, but have a "problem child" of one that doesn't quite fit the bill. It may be that manufacture hasn't always produced subpar product, but with an inferior weapon it can happen.
I totally agree...except when it comes to Hipoints lol
@@PoppaCap69 have you owned a high point..?
@@jeffbeaird747 never wanted to, my buddy had one and he had to send it in to get fixed within the 1st two weeks. Not sure the cause. Then it seemed like every time we went to the range, his gun had a malfunction. Whether it be a feeding issue, his gun jamming, or some unknown cause. It just didnt seem reliable enough to trust my life with so I never even bothered. I also just didnt like the feel of it in my hand which is a personal preference.
@@PoppaCap69 I hear you my brothers sisters uncles cousin had one and I heard it wasn’t good so I bash the shit out of them online when I get a chance because I’ve never owned one or any other gun but I’m an expert reviewer of weapons cause my Mom said so.... so there 🤪
HK customer service is no joke. I bought a compensator from them for my P30. The thing wouldn't lock in right, and it nearly melted. I emailed them, and three days later they sent a nice compensator that was at least 100$ more than my original. They didn't charge me anything, AND gave me a 20% off cupon for my next purchase. Absolutely excellent company.
What did you do to prove you bought the comp?
@@clayramsey019 just showed my purchase on their website.
And that’s why it’s a $700 gun
Sig or HK......Just save up a little more money..... absolutely worth it.
you get Real Service with premium brands, and people don't understand that, because they're Too busy being a cheap fuck.....and they Get what comes to them.
Taurus customer service/warranty department. About four months ago, I contacted them about one of their 1911s that I purchased new in 2007. After many, many years of hard use, including a prolonged period where I was silly for ass kicker hard cast swc handloads that pushed the margins of safety (I was young-those days are long behind me), my trigger bow cracked. I spent about five minutes on the phone with taurus, and was issued a return number. I dropped it in the mail the next day-priority, nothing speedy. Exactly seven days later, they emailed me a tracking number. Seven days from putting it in the mail. I received it a few days later in good working order.
I'm not a taurus (or 1911) fanboy by any means. I bought this when I was younger, and it's what I could afford at the time. Not only has it served me very well for a very long time, but I was floored by how quickly taurus resolved the issue on a fourteen year old gun. This, in the second year of covid, full of labor shortages and one hour hold times. I'm very pleased with my experience, and I thought I'd share. Hopefully you'll have a pleasant story to share soon too.
👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿. Thank you. Too many Taurus bashing in the gun community. Lord forbid if a Taurus G2C had a failure to feed, then they’d say it’s trash. But if a Gucci Glock 19 with a ghost spring had a catastrophic failure they’d just smile and tell Glock they still love their products. Bunch of spoiled hypocrites in the gun community. Sorry for that rant.
Taurus makes a great doorstop.
@@rickfulton8349 🙄 So does your simple mind.
@@CMDR.Gonzo.von.Richthofen when Your logic is weak make your attack personal.
@@rickfulton8349 you came here to troll in the first place so you can’t claim innocence in that argument……so yeah.
I'm pretty sure there's at least one person with a bad experience with any kind of firearm regardless of the price right out of the box, it doesn't mean the firearm is unreliable as a whole, expensive isn't always better, do your research and decide what you want
I had a CZ-97B that wouldn’t feed anything but FMJ reliably. Not a top-tier pistol, but solid guns by a solid manufacturer… probably the mag spring, but I just got a USP cause - totally valid *reasons* or cause I wanted one and had justification (and a bit over a grand to plunk down…)
I had 7 tuarus guns fail on me withen 350 rounds.. inculding revolvers .. there good guns u can find for 350. Id never risk my life on those guns
@@paulpolito2001 That CZ97B is a dog. Mine was nothing but trouble. Immediately upon receipt, it randomly dropped the magazine (known issue to their customer support). Returned and the problem was fixed. Then I had the same issue as you with feed reliability. 230 round nose only would feed reliably. Then the barrel bushing broke. Then the barrel lug broke (which they replaced with a new barrel design with a longer feed ramp to solve the round nose only feed issue). I sold it and bought an M&P .45 and have had zero problems.
@@toddprickett6376 yeah... in hindsight, the only good trait I really remember about that piece is that they're fairly good-looking. That kinda unreliability is just sad, glad I got rid of the thing, tbh
I miss 2019 when these guns were actually budget guns.
Now we live in a world where people are reliably selling gen 3 Glocks for $1000
@@Motoboo_Marine where can I get a good affordable Glock?
APX is frequently available for $380. Don't know how you can complain about that.
@@KonaLife on a budget ... can I find good used glocks for $250 - $400 or should I just save up for Glock?????
@@sterlingmack5394 if you can give a good used Glock 17, 19, etc. for $400 then do it. But you'll never regret buying a factory Glock for MSRP or under
I have had three G series Taurus pistols: the Pt111 Millennium Pro (a "G2" which I inherited and personally shot 1,000+ rounds through), G2c (2,750+ rounds), and, recently, a G3c (500+ rounds since April, 2021). All have functioned without any mechanical failures. After a 15 minute hold, I spoke to a service agent, sent the G3c in for a cosmetic issue on a Friday, and recieved it back the next Friday, an 8 day turn around. I have bought parts and accessories directly from Taurus and have recieved them in under a week. I have had excellent experiences with Taurus, but, I know some others have not. They are not comparable quality to my 1911's and HK's, but, their performance has been as good, so far. Thank you for your excellent videos.
I also own both Taurus and H/K. My Mill Pro in .45 with 10 round magazine has been flawless so far. Yes there have been teething problems with the budget guns but they usually work them out in time. I was told Olympic Arms made crap ARs too, when I bought a pair. They also have been flawless. DPMS had some ftf and stoves, but that was solved with a trip to the smith, the chamber was a tad tight from the factory. I've tried a hi-point 995 and semi-auto replica of a suomi m31 and both performed well, no jams. Oddly the H/K will ftf unless its freshly lubricated. A trip to the factory for that one yielded a "whatchoo talkin bout willis" from the smith. Oh well.
The main thing is to practice and put some rounds thru the gun so you can feel comfortable with it on a regular basis.
@@georgelugenalt200 lol what model HK? I had a USP 45 and the magazine was loose brand new from the factory I will never buy another hk ever so over rated imho paying for the name .my Glocks run flawless, my Walther PPQ runs great so far (not a lot of rounds in it).
@@blackticalmayhem8461 USP full-size .45acp
@@georgelugenalt200 My 1st HK was a USP compact I bought in 2000 and it is my all time favorite to shoot. I have put thousands of rounds through it with no problems and quit carrying my 1911's after I got it. (I've typically carried smaller/lighter for the past several years.) Everyone has said what a reliable PCC the Hi-Point 995 is, but, some complain about the take down procedure. If they come back down to near the old price, I may get one and see for my self.
@@brianshuler6951 sure I love the H/K, perfectly balanced, smooth, and accurate. Mine just needs lube prior to shooting, or it will ftf. In addition to the strip/clean/lube they all get after coming home from the range.
I bought a FNS-9 on sale at my LGS when it was becoming discontinued in favor of the FN-509. Took me about 6 months before I even attempted to shoot the gun. Took it out, tried to fire, click. Waited 15 seconds in case of slow burn issue, rack, pull, click. NOTHING. Disassembled and discovered that the firing pin had broken off of the end of the striker. I e-mailed FN, explained it had 0 rounds through it and identified a broken firing pin from manufacturing. They sent me a shipping label within 2 business days and had it back in my hands within a week.
I'm probably 500 rounds in on it at this point and it's shooting perfectly. Gun wasn't *cheap*, but purchasing from a reputable manufacturer is a win and a must in my opinion. They'll take care of you. PSA, Taurus, Stoeger, etc. are all good folks and they make 2A accessible and you usually get better than you paid for, but it can be a hassle when you get what you pay for from time to time.
I always recommend Canik to anyone looking for a less expensive handgun that fires every time. I've had my TP9 V2 for 5 years with thousands of rounds through it without a single malfunction. I only paid 350 for it from the store.
I have a hkvp9. Love that gun. Zero malfunctions. I'm looking at getting a canik tp9da for a secondary. Heard many great things about canik.
@@usnfindley They just came out with the Mete about a week ago and it looks fantastic. Outlaw did a review on that one as well a few days ago.
My relationship with canik is about the same as the glock fan boys lol I recommend them to everyone I talk to. Out the box trigger is AMAZING, super smooth action!
Well thanks to this comment Caniks have now gone up.
Just like the Taurus TX22, damn it
@@very7962 I'm sure the economy has nothing to do with it 😂
Hopefully prices return to normal soon lol
The wife wanted a shotgun to beat up and learn on, got her a Stoeger home defense model with tube extension. Out of the box, lifter and mag tube stop were non-functional. Took 3 days to get a return email from them. Then it was off to Benelli USA in the mail for repair. 8 week turnaround. Shotgun functions fine now, but I wish I would have just spent a little more and got her a Mossberg.
Go with Maverick if you are wanting to be conservative with money. I have a Maverick along with 590s, and the former is fun to shoot. Not as adaptable as the 500 series with mods (you can still do that to some extent), but reliable, no question.
@@christopherrobin361 I have a 590, but she wanted her own. I was in the shop picking up a couple vz 24's and the stoeger was sitting there for nothing. Impulse buy.
interesting, I have heard great things about stoeger shotguns, sorry about your experience.
@@jtlegionnaire6310 it works fine now. Just some CC issues.
@@christopherrobin361 k
My mom always told me: "She buys the best she can afford, because she's not rich enough to buy it twice." If you can't afford something, then save for it. It's not that hard to do.
Some people don’t have the luxury to wait and save for a gun. If the methodology is wait and save, then the question can come up, do you really need a gun? That’s what comes down in the end. Need or want.
@@totalnewb123 Yea but I think the point is that it's better to spend a little extra and get something that's reliable than get a "good deal" and end up with an unreliable piece of crap. New Taurus vs used Beretta/Sig/Glock/HK.... I know which one I'm buying
@@kairu_aname I got the HK P30SK and it’s 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@@sterlingmack5394
I wish I could get one. Nobody in my area can get an HK for any reason
Still wish I would have gotten a couple cases of SKS' back in the 90s.
I worked the Gun counter for years and my advice was always buy what the Professionals use. Either FBI,ATF,DEA,DHS etc or Elite Military units. Those firearms have gone thru extensive testing to meet the requirements of each Dept. before being approved for duty use.Then once you have decided on one or two models go rent them at a range and shoot them to make sure they meet your requirements before buying one.
I always make note of what the large local police dept uses.
Not always, but in general yes. Sometimes more a little corruption money has been used to get things to "pass" those tests in the past.
@@bobwallace9814 That was my entire reasoning for buying my Glock. If almost every major police force in the US uses a Glock, then it must be doing something right.
@@nicolasflores3632 I carry a Glock myself by the same reasoning.
A lot of the times it’s more likely whoever had the cheapest contract cost
I started out with a budget gun, Taurus g2c and has worked fine. I intermittently have close to 1K rounds through and no problems. It was my first and only budget gun purchase. My intentions were always to learn more about firearms and upgrade within my own finances.
I also had a g2c wish I still did just as a car gun or tackle box gun something I could trust using if needed but no so expensive id be heartbroken if it got damaged or God forbid stolen
I'm really glad you do 1000 rounds reviews for this very reason. So many influencers hop on YT and shoot 50 rounds through whatever gun they were sent and (potentially) paid to review and tell people to go buy them. You actually take the time to make sure that whatever you review is reliable and give an honest, objective review on the product and you're honest enough to admit when something comes up after your first shots videos.
"I'm too poor to buy cheap shit"....one of the g.o.a.t. sayings. "Buy once,cry once" would be another. Words to LIVE by.
The sour taste of low quality lingers on long after the sweet taste of low price has faded.
until your expensive shit breaks...then having to deal with HK customer service.
F'n A, describes my to a T.
@@StrainXv Good thing you won't have to call Hk customer service. Companies with a reputation of having great warranties should make you think twice about buying that item. Why are so many people sending their guns back to the manufacturer?
@@mynameisjeff6988Good thing I already dealt with them. Weird flex thinking even "Well" made shit doesn't break when it wasn't even a firing induced problem but rather a faulty recoil spring from the factory.
I had an issue with a Taurus revolver a few years back. Sending it in was a hassle, having it sent back was a bigger hassle, but they fixed it and it has been fine since. In the early eighties, I bought a new, model 29 Smith & Wesson. The second time at the range the hammer locked back over a live round. I couldn't lower the hammer or unload the gun. S&W offered no assistance, was willing to repair my new gun for a deposit sent ahead of the gun to cover costs. I took it to a local gunsmith who showed me the filings and poor machining of the internals. After paying for repairs, I traded the gun and have never bought a new S&W since. Even expensive, big-name guns and companies can give lousy service and manufacture junk. At least Taurus stood behind their gun.
Interesting, you buy second hand S&W or you just don’t like em based on your bad experience 30 years ago?
@@notworthit1096 Sell me a lemon, refuse to stand behind your product, leave me with a dangerously defective gun...Yup, I'm not interested in supporting your company with my money. Smith & Wesson had a number of opportunities to do the right thing but passed them up and were flat out rude to me.
I sent Smith & Wesson an old 1076 I bought from a pawn shop that was stove piping. They brought it back up to factory specs at no charge. I called them about a magazine floor plate cracking. They sent me a new one at no charge. I sent them a CS-40 that the frame was cracking on. They said they didn't have parts for it and sent me a new M&P Shield for free. Maybe you called them on a bad day.
I started with surplus pistols, then a keltec p11, then a taurus spectrum, now a glock 22. Nothing wrong with working your way up, so if you're on a budget and considering getting that hipoint go ahead. It's better to have something than nothing when it comes down to it
The one time I had to call Taurus service it was no less than excellent, the turn around time was great as well. I had great service from them,
I am a contractor that as a hobby work at a local gun range in Palm Beach Florida,I would never own a Taurus they are absolutely not a good firearm to put it nicely they are junk.
I had a great experience with Taurus customer service!
Best to ya',,,,!
@@relicpathfinder2800 You most certainly DID NOT carry a Taurus while working special ops or hostage rescue. I owned a gunshop for a decade, after the first six months I was all set with the constant problems customers had with Taurus and refused to carry them in my shop. They USED to be decent guns, not great, but decent. Now they make nothing but dangerous hot garbage.
Taurus is iffy. I'm saying this as someone who has owned several since the late 80's. If it's a copy, like the 92 (A Beretta copy), they seem to be okay. If it's something developed in house problems pop up more often.
I think it depends with Taurus. The G series is like any other polymer 9mm. I wanted to be sure of mine before I put it in my car so I abused it as much as I could. I shot garbage ammo and would dump 300 rounds an hour through it until I got to about 3k rounds through it. I never had any problems. I've heard of people having problems with guns that are from decades ago but every "gun guy" that I know will tell you Taurus makes completely fine firearms today. Now would I take that over a Glock? No. But I don't have any real world reason to say that. I just *feel* like the Glock would do better long term but I don't really have a concrete reason other than the brand name.
I just bought my first HK and after a few budget guns, I'm absolutely saving up for quality from now on. It's so much less of a headache to go to the range without a bunch of tools in my bag.
HK is definitely the be of the best. They use the top of the line materials and have very very good QC. For a budget gun I personally like the S&W M&P 2.0s. Before all this crazy shit happened I could find em for just under $400!
I love my USP, but ffs… good thing they never break, cause the parts are just as exorbitantly prices. Including mags, lol
@@paulpolito2001 What did you have to replace in your USP? The internals aren't too bad. I've got five of them. The recoil spring assemblies are a little spendy, somewhere around $50, but all the little things seem to be $10 and under from the HK web store.
Allegedly, CCI just sent in one of their 9mm test guns for maintenance/repair from the HK techs, a full-sized USP. They claimed 200,892 rounds on the books, all original parts.
Federal also sent one in about a decade ago, a full-size USP 45. Theirs was about 297,000. They did replace the recoil spring assembly, though.
Both guns were sent back to their respective owners after a cleaning and new springs.
@@SuperVeeZee oh, nothing. I’ve had to replace the sight and get a spare mag; sights aren’t so bad (standard)… but mags are $60. Love the gun, shoots great (had it over a decade) and it’s only got surface wear… cons only being size and costs, imho.
Reloaders can take advantage of the generous redundancy built into the guns; but unless you’re one of the 16 people on the planet with access to, say .45 Super or one of the overpressure 9mm/.35 & .40S&W rounds that somehow also *doesn’t* load their own.
I’d believe one ate over 200k rounds w/o major failures, there’s a reason I have it versus 3 or 4 Glocks, lol
Thanks for the honest reviews of all these firearms. It really does make a difference for people like me who can’t buy a lot of guns.
My G2C did that exact same thing when chambering a round, I would have to bump the slide on the back for it to chamber. It would do this maybe every other magazine. Once you began shooting it, it would cycle just fine. Did this for about the first 200 rounds, now it is working perfectly.
Smith and Wesson's customer service has been outstanding, in my experience.
Good enough to fix your gun when it breaks in the middle of a gunfight? Oh.
Yes it's phenomenal. No I don't work for them.
I’ll 2nd that and add Ruger. I had an early model LCP with a extractor that was out of spec and they replaced it for free with no questions asked.
@@Goldenwithaleash seems like every Ruger they make has to go back to be fixed. Mine sure have had to haha
How’s that thing work?
Ruger is the most budget type gun i will use for self defense. They dont break very much and when they do, they fixit fast.
I had a striker break on Sunday, talked to customer service monday morning, sent it out Monday afternoon. Had the gun back by Saturday.
DAMN!
Ruger has been nothing but stellar. Lost a magazine while hunting and they sent me a new one for free-they know their rotary magazines have a tendency to come out and changed the design for later iterations of the same firearm. Phenomenal customer service.
My ruger american is amazing. Ive never had a single problem. Bought it 2 years ago. Only thing thats been replaced was the barrel because of the safety bulletin. And even that went super smooth. Not everyone can afford mall ninja tier firearms. I like what i have. I use it as my edc.
almost every Ruger that I’ve owned had go back to the factory to function correctly. They usually have a 1-3 day turnaround, which is great, but it would be nice to have a handgun that works out of the box
@@Sam1628 mine worked great from the day i bought it. Only reason i sent it in was for the safety bulletin.
@@rubreh6638 then it doesn’t sounds too great to me if it had to have safety issues addressed haha
The first carry gun I had was an m&p 9 shield. Have a few more now, and still use the shield for my daily. GREAT gun.
However had a g2c that would only cycle certain rounds. It left quickly. All that to say,
Any time you get a new gun, try out several different types of bullets. Your gun may or may not even cycle with certain rounds.
Ok my good deed is done. Have a great and safe day
Good tip. Many guns prefer certain bullets, i prefer my guns to eat everything but reality has other plans sometimes.
Facts
My little g2c is a bottomless pit that definitely doesn't care what's on the menu. It eats everything I have ever fed it. Bought a Tisas px9 a few weeks ago that has the same appetite. Both guns new sold for less than $300. Can't say every one of them will be as reliable, just glad mine are.
I had an issue with my Taurus G3 TORO mag release and the customer service was great. 9 days from my talking to them my gun was back in my hands. I love this thing,just wanted to put my experience with them out there. I watched a lot of videos including the one the Honset Outlaw did before I bought it. I am no expert but it is a great first time purchase. Thank you for your information in these times we are living I really appreciate the knowledge since there is so much BS out there. God bless everyone in the community.
Agree with “you get what you pay for”. My Taurus G2C has been a good reliable firearm but I don’t expect it to have the life of a Glock/Sig/ S&W. A tip on your problem is that your recoil spring is not setting on the barrel lug correctly which will cause that type of lockup.
Great channel & always look forward to your posts.
But, imagine being killed because, instead of getting something you can afford now, and then saving up for something better, you put a higher-end gun on lay-a-way leaving you empty handed until it's payed off...Like Barry from moss pawn said..."it's better to have a Hi-point in hand than a Glock on lay-a-way".
You’re not alone in that mindset. If you have to save or layaway on a firearm that you’ll majority of the time use only at a gun range and very very rarely use in a self defense situation, then you may not really need a gun. I’m not saying that someone shouldn’t get any firearm at all, but we don’t live in the world of Active Self Protection, where the people in the majority of the videos either live in dangerous places, have dangerous jobs, and or have businesses that have value where people come to rob.
There are lots of uses for inexpensive dependable guns, like mounted under the dash.
Imagine being killed because you are on your phone when you shouldn't be and it has nothing to do with the price of your handgun.
I don’t care if it bankrupts me I’ll get a gun that works before I get something that doesn’t work when i need it
Everything I've seen indicates that the Hipoints are extremely reliable.
(I don't have one)
My first gun was a Taurus G2C. I’ve got 600 rds through it with no issues. Upgraded the trigger, sights, and Spring&guide rod to SS. It’s been a great gun. But I’m ready to upgrade to a Sig or Glock-maybe a Shield-so I can have something higher end with a better “track record” as you put it.
I have owned 5 Taurus G2C's...all of them worked 100% perfect...except 1...and the one I had not work had the exact same problem yours did...luckily for me the place I bought had a 14 days return policy and I got my money back, but like you, mine was unfired and new. After I purchase I took it home and cleaned it, after putting it back together I racked the slide, and wham...gun wouldn't go into battery and my slide was jammed shut.
The wife has a G3 and G3c, and we definitely got hers from the good side of the batch. They spin like tops, may after mag.
They're the first 2 taurus automatics in the family, and the way taurus upped their game with the G2c is the only reason we went with those over Ruger security-9.
Taurus revolvers, on the other hand, are absolute tanks that my family had trusted our lives to for years. We've packed taurus wheel-guns from .22WMR for EDC, to .44mag in near country.
Fact the Public defender poly is my favorite EDC .. I love there Relvolvers
My stepmom carried a Taurus .380 revolver for awhile. Was her first gun and it ended up being a lemon. Was at the range and the cylinder completely fell off as she was shooting
I plan on getting their light 22 mag 8 shot soon. That with the CCI Segmented hollow points will be plenty deadly for self defence.
I agree with you that the Taurus G3 is a great gun I also own the Ruger Security 9. In my opinion they have both worked flawlessly and I'm glad I have both of them. That being said they are my secondary weapons my everyday carry is my glock 30s 45
APX was developed for the military it was tested past 20K . Good enough quality for me. Love the trigger purchased full set of extra parts and lower all for 500.00 when I got it 2 years ago. Love the pistol.
Yes sir, they tested the heck out of it! Dunno about the compact versions, but my full size is well over 2000 rds in, with all kinds of ammo, including steel. Had one fail to eject, but quick rack back and ran the rest of the mag!
Its kind of funny, it took me 10 years to decide on a handgun of my own. I was lucky enough to know some great people with A LOT of handguns I could share at the range. I also got to try literally a 50 range guns over the years. The first time I held my Fullsize APX FDE, I knew it was the one! I haven't bought any other handguns since, it just works, and I love the big fat trigger!
Its kind of funny, it took me 10 years to decide on a handgun of my own. I was lucky enough to know some great people with A LOT of handguns I could share at the range. I also got to try literally a 50 range guns over the years. The first time I held my Fullsize APX FDE, I knew it was the one! I haven't bought any other handguns since, it just works, and I love the big fat trigger!
@@Albertalorian That was me the first time I picked it up and dry fired it I told my friend wow, impressed. APX maybe budget priced but it is up there with any Sig, Glock ( i own 4 ) S&W or CZ. That price I got it for also included a extended threaded barrel and RMR cut all that for just a little over 350.00. That allowed me to buy full set of extra parts a extra lower and a competition parts kit. That is very hard to beat with any of the top manufactures, of course when I got all that stuff the sales of the APX were lack luster to say the least.
I already had a 92 FS Inox. When the Apx came out it was not even a second thought. Some of my buddies are die hard Glock users. I tried many models at the range. The grip just doesn’t work for me. In my rotation I have a HK 45 two tone and a P30L. Fantastic guns and never any issues and are accurate. The APX FS is a great gun even my buddy who has FN and Springfield handguns and rifles was more than impressed with the way the Beretta shots and feels in the hand. He picked up a PX4 in .40 and loves the rotating barrel.
I picked up an APX about a month ago. I’ve put 500 rounds through it. It’s awesome, no problems. I’ve seen them still going for $330-$370.
Not sure why he even put the Beretta APX in this video. Yes, the price is lower, but they are as well built as any of the higher end guns he mentioned. I shoot thousands of rounds each month (before ammo shortage), have been a range officer for decades and know most of these guns. Break down the Beretta Part for Part and you will see nothing but high end quality. And they are superb shooters. I understand he has his opinion, I will for example put a Beretta up to my Glocks any day. The APX Beretta is NOT a budgen gun in any thing but Price only. It is one of the best deals in the firearms world.
I have a taurus g2c with over 3k rounds thru it, clean it on a regular basis, use good ammo, never had a problem with it. I did upgrade the guiderod to the steel one, no other mods
Whenever I’m purchasing any new gun, I make sure the clerk brings out the specific one I’m taking home so that I can visually check it, manipulate it for function, and feel the specific trigger. I’ll even field strip it right at the counter to look at the internals. Once you get duped with a bad gun you take all the precautions.
I do the same. I also fire at least 300-500 rounds through the gun before i carry it.
I buy online and yes you do get a lot of junk sent your way. Unfortunately all of my local gun stores are pretty bad.
I have been told they aren't supposed to let you strip the gun. I don't know if that makes it used or what.
@@chrissinclair4442 That's a bunch on bullshit! If you go to a store that says you can't inspect it. Take your money else where.
@@hardtarget2359 I was looking at a used ak. When I asked to field strip it I was told I could after I bought it. Ha ha. They didn't get my money.
Good insight. I've never regretted the purchase of a quality firearm, while I have always had some level of regret with budget guns. One of the best pieces of advice that I got, and while it wasn't aimed directly at firearms it can certainly be applied. When I began reloading and was asking for advice from others I kept hearing "don't worry" about this detail or that process, "everything will be fine" . When I asked a friend who had been reloading for 40 years about some of the advice I was getting he said:" you know, I am always amazed at how cavalier people can be about reloading. How serious do you think you should be about creating a small explosive that you will detonate in your hands while your eyes are looking at it?" I've never looked at firearms or ammunition the same since.
When I saw the Beretta APX in the thumbnail I thought you were going to have something bad to say about it but I'm glad you only spoke highly of it. The Beretta APX is one of the best guns I've ever bought. It's more of a high end budget gun and I think that's due to supply and demand. This gun is truly a sleeper pistol that more folks should know about. It wouldn't have been considered in the military trials if they didnt have something to bring to the table. I own 2 glocks, a S&W and a Sig and the APX is my favorite out of all of them.
@kyle lambert i just ordered the full size apx...& the str9c stoger only cause it was 270 to replace my ec9s...but going to keep the ec9s and sold the g3 to get the apx...keeping my sd9ve..... Didn't think i would ever here somebody say they like the apx better than a glock and sig
My first ever gun was an apx and I just didn't know what I had. It wasn't until I continued to shoot other guns and gain more experience that I realized what a treasure(for the price and category). Decent ergonomics, grippy texture, SURPRISINGLY good trigger, good size for carry and in my opinion better than the p320. Amazing gun
I just ordered the fullsized apx. I think Im gonna enjoy it.
@@vanillaj8883 picking mine up Thursday already ordered the 20lb guide rod from gallaway persison
HK has treated me very well in the couple years I've been shooting. I've tried a couple of M&P shields and a few Taurus models; had nothing but jamming and feeding issues the entire time I was on the range. My VP9 has had zero issues in the 1000+ rounds that I've put through it, and while I'm not super crazy about the trigger it is still proving to be a reliable, trustworthy firearm. I've experienced one misfire in my MK23 due to faulty ammo. Both of these are pure workhorses and take everything I can throw at them.
I can also heartily recommend glock. I actually hate to shoot them personally but they're incredibly reliable right out of the box and I can recognize quality even if I don't like their aesthetics or handling.
You hit the nail on the head that so many others miss. You dont have to personally like a gun to acknowledge that it is reliable & good.
Mine was Nighthawk custom with their gun and as a company.
Ordered a double stack trooper, all blacked out, flat trigger, gold bead front sight, IOS cut for Rmr. It came to me with a trigger being loose, slide to frame rattled like an old Colt. Barrel overthroated (not safe with +p ammo). Barrel was missing a chamfer cut on the top. Waited 9 months and spent near $5k.
When I contacted NHC, their COO insulted me. He said “are you wanting to cancel because you are having financial issues” despite the fact I paid for this in full and half for another build. Eventually i got my money back after weeks of emails and phone calls.
They built a shitty firearm and have an even worse customer service. Just because a company’s calls themselves a premium brand, doesn’t mean they are.
@Ben Dover yup, that is why I went with Staccato. Their firearms get evaluated and if there is an issue, they will lose more than just a customer. More incentive for them to build quality firearms.
This is like the 3rd time I've read you make this comment cut & paste. You're starting to come off like a scalded cat. I feel you though.
You get what you pay for! Oh, wait...
@@ACGBLR I will be getting a C2 soon and I am glad to hear good things.
@@Catgat37 the C2 DPO has been great for me. I bet you will like it!.
I picked up one used, and I had some concerns. I called staccato and they taken the gun back almost immediately. Inspected it and find the DLC was flaking at a spot (I didn’t notice it). They gave me a brand new C2 to exchange for my used one. I am very pleased and surprised, that they went above and beyond for me. For their warranty is for the original owner. Yet they still took care of me.
I agree that you have more of a chance of getting a lemon with a low cost gun, but, as you said, it can happen with any of them. I bought a CZ75 Phantom and the trigger return spring broke when I was testing it with snap caps. The pistol hadn't even been shot. I love the CZ, but they all can break. BTW, I trust your opinion on guns more than any other channel.
The Phantom TRS does double duty cause you also tension the decocker. They passed military trials with ease and czech paratroopers carry them. TRS is definitely a replacement part in the 75 series but usually goes down at a high round count (Usually 12k-20k, but I know of one with 3.6k) There is always a margin for error, but above the lower budget approach there is usually better customer service.
I had a little smile when Outlaw used H&K as a example of quality. A couple years ago MAC reviewed one of their guns and it was defective.
Even Glock let out a lemon like their .22 pistol, that was way worse than a competing Taurus, go figure.
Just swap it with a cajun trigger return spring, same thing happened to me when dry firing, havent had an issue since.
My Phantom is my beside gun. Imo it's one of the best polymer tactical guns.. (imo a true tactical gun must have double action and a light rail.) Its also my fave shooting pistol. And for the price it's very tough to beat
@@hughgrection3052 Who makes it?
Now that prices are softening a little I remembered this video and came back to it. I have many guns. I rarely sell. I do enjoy bargain hunting. The APX has come back on my radar, and also, the S&W SD9 VE. When sticking with good quality makers there are bargains to be had that are dead reliable. My current nightstand pistol is actually a Walther Creed. Definitely a bargain pistol, definitely a good pistol. It's in the nightstand because I like the trigger, I shoot it well, and I trust it. To me, most bargain pistols are range toys, but I think many new buyers don't understand that. Thanks for the great videos.
SD9 is pure garbage, just get the M&P.
I had stellar help from Taurus when I had some problems with a new G2C. Courteous, helpful, and timely.
It’s a general truism, I find, that paying that extra 100/200 dollars for a firearm is the “insurance” that you have customer service that will most likely take care of the problem. You have the probability on your side when an MP goes, S/W will fix it. So with Ruger. So with Beretta. Market sense to me 🤷🏻♂️
Iv had experience with both ruger an s&w customer service and both are amazing they went above and beyond to fix my revolvers
Bought a Walter PK380 about 10 years ago. Extractor broke soon after purchase. Waited 6 months but no replacement extractor. Eventually traded the broken gun.
Couple of years later bought another PK 380 (I know). Got it home, removed the slide, inside covered with rust. Returned to FFL.
No more Walters for us, though we love the grips.
That's why when I purchased my first gun I went with the Beretta APX. Partly because the APX was one of the guns considered in the new military trials. They didnt get the contract, but the US military wouldnt give them a chance if they didnt have something to offer. Secondly, because Beretta is the oldest manufacturer of firearms so I'm pretty sure theyve mastered how to make a pistol, even if it's a "budget" pistol. The only way the APX is a budget pistol is if you know what you're looking for and know the websites to check. The average joe that just walks into their local gun shop probably will pay closer to $450 for it and that's close to some glock models.
I just think the Beretta APX surpasses all of these budget guns by far, but thats just my opinion.
My Dad had a S&W Sigma 40F, and he was having trouble getting it to cycle. He sent it back to S&W 3 or 4 times and they told him there was nothing wrong. My Dad got frustrated with it and sent it to me. I took it to the range and fired it with practice ammo and a box of Gold Dots. It fired fine. Not a single jam all day. I asked my Brother and found out Dad was making ridiculously low powered reloads, but refused to believe that was the problem. For a
@@pkdude5334 Verify the actual model you are getting before you buy any gun. Ask to see it disassembled and reassembled before you buy it. For instance a Ruger I owned and later sold was like a Chinese puzzle box to disassemble / reassemble for cleaning. To disassemble it you had insert and remove an empty magazine at certain steps, hold the pistol at a certain angle to release an internal pin, and it took several minutes just to open the gun up. Ruger has since redesigned the newer version of the same model pistol (it was given a new nomenclature) and it is now much less of a headache. The pistol in question shot as well as any that I have ever fired, but because of the ridiculous manual of arms for service of the pistol I rarely ever fired it.
I fired round 500 thru my GC3 last weekend with no failures. 115 gr, 124 gr, defensive rounds, 10 year old rounds, cheap and expensive 9mm and could not be happier.
@5:40 is why you put more rounds through it before you decide to carry it. Or, just get a Glock, CZ, HK, S&W, etc
The Taurus G3C is as good a Gun as he showed!!! That is the first one I have ever heard of with ANY KIND OF PROBLEM
My G2c works great can’t complain for a cheep $ 224 worth it I would say. FYI.
I have a Taurus g3c also, it does not cycle the rounds fast enough and is very inaccurate. In short out of all my guns this one is the worst of them all and I will never buy another Taurus again of any type.
@@analizad9409 the G2C is wonderful with little to no issues. The G3C was produced fast with less quality control. Every brand is going to have bad guns, thankfully Taurus is getting much better at customer service. He even says in the video that 99% of the time you'll get a good gun from Taurus. Budget doesn't always mean bad
I’ll back the M&P line any day. Excellent value for a pistol that’s hard to fault.
Girlfriend and I both have the m&p 9mm ez. We've never had a problem with either.
I’m slowly coming around to the M&P lineup! The folding trigger I’m not a fan of but the grip shape and performance is solid
I’ve been really happy with my m&p9c, sent about 8-10k rounds through it. I have more expensive polymer striker fired pistols and carry the M&p. I want to switch to optics so it will get replaced by something soon.
@@pastorofmuppets1968
My wife is actually looking at getting the .380 EZ. The EZ line looks very appealing. She has the .380 Bodyguard but wants something more range friendly.
@@MrDmthomp32
I have a first gen M&P9 Fullsize and it was my first pistol purchase. I held a few but as soon as I held the M&P I knew it was the one. Extremely ergonomic handling. A great shooter to boot!
I have two Beretta Nano's and a APX carry. I have to say one of the best deals going. Presently have 15,000 rounds through my range Nano and running like a Sewing machine. Build quality is almost over built and a MILD shooting gun. Got rid of my Smith a few years back. Nice gun, no complaints just did not shoot as well for me, and I like the DAO striker fired trigger of the APX Carry and Nano.
My old shop mentor use to say all the time " you get what you pay for " that's a truth that applies to a lot in life
In Finland if you buy a new gun it has a two year warranty, that's why they don't sell cheap guns in Finland, a gun store here isn't going to run the risk of giving a Stoeger or Taurus a two year warranty. I think the cheapest polymer guns I've seen here are Ruger, Canik and S&W (M&P series) CZ (P07, P09, P10) but all of those pistols are hitting the €500 /€600 mark, Glocks, H&K, Walther, are all over €600. They won't sell anything that isn't going to last two years. And only gun manufacturers with a good track record of reliability and customer service.
Great video. I will add one point, buying from a top notch local gun dealer can make a big difference. I bought a new TX 22 when they first came out. Several sites raved about what a great gun it was so I bought one. It started “key holing” the target at 10 yards at around 100 rounds. I broke it down to inspect it, looked down the barrel and it was heavily leaded. Showed it to the dealer and they filled out the paperwork and gave me another new TX 22 for my leaded one. Went it the next day ran another box through the new TX22 and it had the same problem. Turns out their gunsmith identified that the rifling about half way down the barrel had some machining defects. They were out of TX 22s so I traded for a super clean Browning Buckmark which shot flawlessly. The dealer lost a few bucks but created a life time customer. Dewey’s Gun and Pawn in Greenville SC will always be my first stop when looking for a firearm.
My best experiences by far have been Colt and Surefire. Colt repaired my new Cobra for free after I knowingly voided my warranty by requesting a free replacement part (instead of their RMA service). It was for a hammer spring after the original one snapped. Apparently the new Colts still require more hand fitting than people give them credit for and they tried to warn me that the chances of the replacement dropping right in were very slim. Well it just dropped right in but about an hour later I heard a loud pop from my gun while it was sitting on the table next to me. The new hammer spring put too much tension on the hammer where it hooks on and broke the piece right off. I sent it in for a paid RMA and waited weeks for them to mail my invoice. I finally called about two months later to ask when I was gonna get it. They were like “your gun is actually out on range testing right now…we just went ahead fixed it as a warranty repair”. I was always super appreciative of that. Surefire sent me a free replacement tail cap for an X300 that I told them I got used (also for free) after buying a used TRR8 at a pawn shop for $951 and the previous owner left it on the gun.
I cannot say enough good things about the apx. It’s such an amazing gun! I have all four of them. FS, Centurion, Compact and Carry.
True. I am an engineer and I was amazed by the quality of the construction. You can take it apart to a last bit without a hammer, a punch or any kind of special tool. Also, unlike in case of CZs, this gun does not use a single roll pin, which in my personal opinion are a sign of a lazy design. I think however that the APX has one flaw that should be corrected - the trigger return spring is too weak causing the trigger to stick when it gets dirty. Thankfully it is a 10 min job - just pop out the chassis, remove the 2 pins that hold the trigger shoe and bend the rectangular part of the spring that hooks into the chassis a little bit more. Done that long time ago and since then it works much better.
Thanks for sharing. That balance between budget and quality is a hard line to find sometimes (I'm very budget oriented), but as you've proven its hard to go wrong with proven manufacturers. Just started testing the Arex Delta gen 2 and it failed to feed on its 4th round ever fired. We expected a break-in period but imagine a new gun owner using this in home defense; they may never shoot it until they need to, and that 4th round would be a stark discovery.
Wow that delta is not cheap for it to malfunction so soon...
Learned all about Taurus from my dad. He had one of their compact pistols that couldn't get through a mag without a FTF. Sent it back twice to be worked on and couldn't tell anything had been done to it. They sent a note with it the 2nd time telling him not to return it again. How do you like that customer service. Someone suggested he buy some aftermarket mags for it. After he died I sold it cheap.
For a cheap gun with a proven track record and great warranty go with S&W any day. Their customer service is outstanding.
I own two S&W's...a M&P 9mm Shield 2.0...and a M&P 9mm 2.0 Compact...I have beat the hell out of both guns and they just keep running...zero problems. They have been just as reliable as my Glocks or my VP9.
I'll take canik over s&w every day ..cheaper and imo better all around
The apx is a tank, runs like a dream.
Mine has gone through several pistol classes 1000 rounds in two days each in rain/ mud / dirt and not a single issue ran like a champ same with my ruger American both are tanks
Not to mention it has a superb trigger. Might be nicer in my opinion than my shadow systems MR920
Looks like one too
In most cases the old adage “you get what you pay for” applies.
1000% true in the gun world and it's something I tell all new shooters. Price is very closely correlated with quality in the gun market.
100% applies to women as well.... you get what you pay for...... I'll pass on the $5 corner hugger
The first gun I bought for daily carry, back in 2004, was an XD-40 for just over $400. I carried it daily until a few years ago when I started pocket carrying my P365. I trust my life with it and it has never even had a jam. It seems extremely reliable.
Regardless of the brand, if there is one that don’t work I will be the one to get it!!!
Murphy’s law. What can go wrong, will go Wrong
My best friend is the exact opposite. He’s the guy that can fall into a bucket of crap and hop out smelling like roses. Jackwagon.
@@rolltide1912 lol I hate people like that!
I feel the same way!! It starts with picking a line at the grocery store (or anywhere) ... I am always in the slowest lane..... even if I swtch.
I thought I was the only one lol
I went in to Scheels with the intention of buying a G3 for $250.. after looking at several other hand guns I checked out the APX. Not completely out of my range but costing more than a G3. I paused my purchase to see if I could find a review of the APX. The I found your review of the APX, not a rave review but an "Honest" one. The next day my new APX and I were on the range. Today, I am about 500 rounds into it and I couldn't be happier. If I am looking at a new firearm, you the first guy I look up.
I did the exact same thing as you man, I saw an APX, went home and did a little research (watching reviews, reading the history and learning what all this gun has been through, with the whole military trials thing) and now I own an APX and after putting about 3,000 rounds through it with not a single malfunction, I couldn't be happier. As a fellow APX owner, I would suggest you get the 22lb. stainless steel guide rod and the stainless steel striker guide kit, both $32 and $21 respectively. The guide rod reduces recoil and has made my groupings within a 3 inch diameter and the striker guide kit takes a couple pounds off the trigger pull for a more smooth and easy trigger pull which reduced my flinching/slapping of the trigger that I once had a problem with. I mean for $53 total these 2 parts make a world of difference and Galloway Precision offers free shipping so you're literally only paying $53...that's it. It's been a great investment and upgrade to an already awesome gun. I'm glad you enjoy your APX as much as I do! Keep shooting straight and safe brother! Cheers!
@@PoppaCap69 Thanks for the info! Checked out their site and will most deffinately get these upgrades.
Love how honest you are about all different brand of guns. Brother wants a Beretta 9mm and I'm not knocking it what so ever.
Customer service is the key when buying anything. I had a problem with a Drop in trigger that was not working properly. When I called they sent me a new trigger within a week. That why I’m very happy working with Timney Triggers. I’ve bought and sold around 35 fire arms in the past 20 years or so and the only one that wasn’t functional was a Kel Tec that was the only one I had to cut my losses on.
Just want to say, I'm a lefty, but I love your channel, you're honest and informative. Keep up the good work my man.
I am a righty but shoot lefty and play hockey lefty.
@@fredflintstone5860 Ahaha, not the lefty I was talking about but that's awesome. My Dad is mostly right handed but he prefers to shoot left-handed too.
Word up. *shows secret lefty gun owner hand sign*
Do you buy into that conspiracy of "Systemic Rac ism" that the data clearly shows is not correct?
Do you think we live in a Patriarchy that doesnt exist?
Do you think people who are not fascists are fascists?
Do you think the left is liberal when they couldnt be further from it with their closed minded anti-reality bigotry?
@@seane4955 I'd be perfectly willing to have an open and honest conversation with you if you like.
I'm not feed into your biases. I'm totally willing to talk, but not If your going to approach this from a front-loaded point of view.
This is by far my favorite gun channel. Why? The name says it all. HONEST.
I own 3 Taurus'.... 22, 25 9mm....had issue only with the 22....Taurus customer service was outstanding! I use the 9mm in classes....hundreds of round....weapon performed perfectly.
I highly recommend contacting Stoeger via a phone call rather than email. I too tried email and haven't received a response after 2 weeks. But calling them twice went right through to a person and both times the issue was resolved. The first time, my STR-9MC came with a 10 round magazine with a extended pinky sleeve rather than the 11 round flush mount it should have come with. The second instance was trying to use an STR-9 full size magazine in the STR-9MC (which is supposed to work, but didn't). The first instance resulted in them mailing me a 11 round magazine that showed up 2 or 3 days later. The second instance required me to send in the 15 round mags and they'll replace them with an 11 round and 13 round magazine (the resolution I requested).
I have always been a S&W guy. Never had an issue with any of them. I did pick up a G2C about 2 years ago. It has run flawlessly.
Excellent video! I feel that the most important thing to consider in buying an inexpensive/cheap gun is what is the primary use of the gun going to be. If the gun is going to be for self defense or conceal carry then you definitely want to purchase the most reliable gun available which usually comes at a higher price. Cheap guns are for target shooting or plinking!
exactly, and it's SAD seeing people carry a $200 gun.........well if your life is ONLY worth $200, then sucks to be you.
Definitely not true I paid 289 for my canik tp9sf elite one series and no issues eats everything including steel ammo. Not all budget guns are made cheap and canik is a prime example. The only reason their guns are cheap is because they are trying to make themselves known in the United States. They not only nickel plate the internal parts the slide stop release is machined steel and not stamped steel like most polymer handguns hell even the mag release is machined steel. I put over 3000 rounds through it so far and zero issues with all kinds of ammo. Can't say I had the same experience with my Glocks or s&w m&p. Four people I know have also been very very happy with the performance of their Caniks as well.
I agree. When people ask for my opinion and I explain this. They don’t listen. There is a reason why cheaper products have a “ lifetime warranty “. You will get frustrated and nowhere. Buying it twice is the key words in this video.
Great video! I don't care if Taurus hired a new CEO with new quality control goals, I still won't buy any more of their guns. To Outlaw's point I stopped buying Ruger handguns thirty years ago because I got a bad P series automatic and have sworn them off ever since. The manufacturers don't realize we gun owners have VERY long memory's!
Stoger feverishly looking through emails on pistol warranty issues.
Let us know about your experience with Taurus?
The Taurus experience is already well known... send it in and they send it back fixed-- it happens often.
Never had problems with my Taurus Gc3 had to send my Beretta apx back after one trip to the range because the mag would not engage enough to chamber all can have problems
Facts! I have all of the new taurus firearms, and I am impressed by their performances, and I also I have not had any issues with them whatsoever, 👍🏾
I have G3C and have had zero issue. Looks like he just got a bad one. It can happen with any gun company.
@@12MRJERSEY - Absolutely, I use the G3C as my e.d.c., compact, great concealment, and comfortable.
@@abovebeyondandforever6571 Couldn't agree more.
@@abovebeyondandforever6571 I have had two Taurus pistols and they were absolute junk. Never again!
There is the Rruger security 9, the Canick tp9sf, an older S&W Shield, maybe older Glocks… etc…all these gun are great and the companies care…
I’ve purchased two Taurus budget guns and both had issues… light primer strikes, not going into battery etc, what I’ve learned is they are throw away guns. I have a bunch of $1300 pistols that never fail me. Below $500 and you’re asking for trouble.
Oddly enough, the only gun I own that I’ve ever had a problem with is the most expensive ($1300) gun I own. Go figure. The internals on the G2C and G3C are interchangeable. Try switching barrels, slides, etc to determine the exact cause of the problem. Maybe Taurus will let you just swap out the bad part. It might speed things up and save you on shipping.
The G3C issue might be in the recoil spring assemply, loose/unwinded recoil spring catching the slide.
Same, I had two high end springfields fail within 2 months of purchase.
Was it a 1911?
@@KG370 yep
@@KG370 yes
Too bad on the Taurus - my G2C and TX22 were bought on your recommendations and have been flawless. And they are by FAR the cheapest pistols I own (pre-covid less than $200 ea). But I also do not carry either one.. my daily is a 43x or Shield plus.
I absolutely LOVE my TX22. I bought a Walter P22 to do training with during the ammo shortage (as if it is over) but it was so finicky that I had to shop around for ammo just to shoot the damned thing, it wouldn't run on anything less than 1200fps ammo. A guy at my local store asked if I had ever thought of a Taurus. I said no and he said I should. Since I bought it the P22 hasn't seen daylight and the TX22 has had more rounds through it than anything else I own.
I saw a couple G2cs go for $220 now
@@kevinallies1014 I love my TX22 too but it’s a fun gun mostly, so I don’t think HO would have any problem with it.
@@kevinallies1014 I had a similar experience with my old P22. Only ran on particular ammo and that was infuriating. Now I’ve got the kel tec cp33 and it’s shoots anything that I feed it. Plus I got the mag extension so it’s now a 50 round standard capacity 😁
Same here brother carry the g48 . But I do swap out my carry with a Taurus gx4, original sheild, and even my old ass pt709... the 709 is oldest gun I've got luckily it's always worked. Doesnt see much action these days tho. Usually g48 or gx4 daily
After watching this, I am so glad that I purchased and for the most part used Glocks along with Revolvers for most of my shooting life! I recently purchased a Kel-Tec P17 with their 16 round magazines, I shot 1000 rounds right out of the box with No Malfunctions and then I Purchased another one and I have not had any malfunctions at all on either one! at $225 for each gun, I think I have two great Budget Guns and I'm saving a ton of Money at the Range! I love my two Glocks but now I also Love my Two Kel-Tec .22 guns!
Something was terribly wrong with my Taurus G2S and I sold it so that I could spend the money towards an old Remington 870 from the late 80s. Best choice I've made related to firearms.
Like he said: Smith and Wesson, Beretta are hands down reliable and s&w cares about the customers
The only time l had to use S&W's CS was to see if l could get a backstrap for an old SW99 that I'd picked up... they sent me two, no charge.
I'd say that's pretty freaking stellar CS.
Not enough to take that stupid frame lock off their revolvers. I have a collection of old S&W revolvers that are still all amazing shooters.
@@ivanrodriguez8966 I hate those stupid locks as well. The only S&W I have with one is a 340PD. The lock is fairly easy to remove (use a gunsmith screwdriver to avoid marring the finish) and there are even aftermarket plugs to fit the keyhole. Removing it has absolutely no effect on the operation of the gun. I keep the lock in the original box the gun came in in the event I need it for resale.
S&W has to compete for LE contracts too.
Taurus is the the default in Brazil as they have no other manufacturers of note. Lack of competition leads to lazy QC
Beretta's QC makes their CS not very necessary. APX was designed for the Army M9 replacement. Lots of testing before it made it to the civilian market.
I've seen a friend buy a $1,5000 S&W 9mm 1911 that was a never ending FTF/FTE headache, and a CZ Shadow for over a grand that had front sight fall off and springs break. I've heard plenty of complaints about Kimber's quality control. Know a guy who bought a Sig Sauer subcompact that wouldn't hit anywhere near point of aim out of the box and didn't have enough rear sight adjustment to fix it. Conversely I've had a S&W SD9VE that I got for sub $300 and it's run flawless. Also have a Beretta 92FS that's been perfect. What I can say is that if I had problems with a $300 - $400 gun I'd be a lot less pissed off about it than if I'd paid $1500 for it and had problems.
I’d be the same pissed to be honest
My brother was mounting a brand new Swarovski scope on a rifle for a customer. Could not get everything leveled as it should. Finally figured out the internal parts had not been installed properly. For a $2,500 scope with that golden name I expect better. On a bottom end Chy-na counterfeit yeh, but not Swarovski.
Best budget 9mm pistol is the Mossberg MC1 sc. About 350 bucks. Had a little break in period but after 50 rounds it never jammed and i have fired over 1000. Decent accuracy too. Definitely my favorite concealer. Mossberg is always a great brand, but nobody thought they had a cheap pistol :)
Taurus was a great entry point to firearms for me and still to this day their 1911 is my favorite handgun. I love my Smith, Springfields, and Glock but I have had a lot of fun with my Taurus firearms over the years.
I have 4 different Taurus handguns. I have put thousands of rounds down range with ZERO issues. Replaced my Walther EDC with a GC2 and feel 100% confident with it
Feeling glad I went with an APX Centurion instead of one of the other cheaper options for my 1rst gun. Reasonably priced, reliable, from a reputable manufacturer. Say what you want about it's looks. All I know is it goes bang when I want it to.
I like my APX so much that I'm heavily considering picking up an APX carry just to check it out. I doubt it will replace the Glock 19, but I don't love the grip on that, so the APX has a chance.
@@DeplorableBitterClinger The APX carry is a Beretta Nano with a new frame and a slide lock. I would avoid it.
I can only speak for myself but my APX carry was just horrific. Would have had better luck buying a Taurus or well, anything. Perhaps my experience was a one off deal but I figured I’d let you know.
@@DeplorableBitterClinger I have a Carry sweet little Gun! I say go for it.
@@johnshepherd9676 avoid because of a slide lock?
Love the APX!!! Got the full for home and centurion for EDC.
Smith & Wesson is amazing. I carry a Shield .45 as my EDC. I know this sounds odd and brown nose-ish, but I was blown away when SW responded to my email in less than 24 hours.
Recently made my first gun purchase (ever) and it was a M&P 2.0 Compact. I've only fired a couple hundred .22 rounds through it so far so I don't have a whole lot to go on yet but so far I don't see any indication of any problems happening anytime soon. And the handgun only ran me about $600. Definitely very happy with the purchase so far.
I love my Taurus G3, but I intend to replace it with a Glock 45 by the end of the year.
Same here my first and only gun she has had her problems when I first started shooting but she has improved
Over the weekend I bought the Canik TP9 Elite Subcompact for $380.
I recently purchased one of those. Have only put a mag or so through it but I like it a lot. Based on what I have read and viewed I am expecting it to be a quality gun. I guess I will find out if ammo ever gets affordable enough to shoot it. People buy guns and ammo at the start of a pandemic and as far as I know neither with protect you from the virus. The shot will but the same nuts won't consider that, so us vaccinated people who are trying to avoid them are stuck at home with no ammo. Lol
Excellent weapon
You will never regret buying an TP9 Elite. I had an Elite SC and gave it to my daughter because she shot it well and didn't own a gun. I missed it so much I went out and bought another even though the only one I could find at the time was the poopy colored one they sell at Academy Sports. I own 7 Caniks and I would not give them up for anything less than a $600 gun (unless it was to one of my kids obviously) because they shoot that well and are accurate and comfortable shooters.
I had heard good things about Canik initially and was very interested, then I read and heard that some of them might need a "break-in" period so I got a VP9 instead. I later saw some of Chris's videos and found I would have been alright with the SC or the FX for sure.
I picked up one a year ago and it runs great . Few hundred rounds no issue . I recently picked up a canik elite combat . They replaced my glock 19 and glock 17
Great video and solid advice. I recently purchased a new SD9VE for a little over 400 OTD, so far out several hundred rounds through her and no issues yet. For anyone looking for a sub 500 dollar handgun, I recommend that smith and Wesson or perhaps a walther ppq.
Thank you for the content, I love the fact that you are honest in your opinions and tests. I have also shot many many rounds in many types of weapon systems while I was in the army and still today. This is a great channel to get accurate information from.
I have three recommendations. I have a Canik SFX (my home defense) Taurus GX4 (my conceal carry) and a Taurus TX22 (Practice/range/wife and kids can shoot) All three are awesome guns that shouldn’t break the bank.
Taurus gx4 is amazing. Love how taurus is evolving and bringing out new products to the market
I feel you on the tp9sfx. Not a fan of taurus' tho, probably wouldnt trust it to carry. Sig 365 is the new carry, replacing the beretta apx which was also a great cheap gun outa the box that requires nothing but ammo and practice
@@MonstaFreak13 I think me being fairly new to guns is why I don’t have the negative feeling toward Taurus. But trust me, I did plenty of research and talking to lifelong gun owners. All brands just like cars have lemons. I never owned a Taurus until the GX4. I already put almost 500 rounds through it, and it had been great. I do very much like the p365. I was looking at the X or XL because I’m a taller guy. I like the p365 over the other compact guns until the GX4 came along. But again, being fairly new to guns, I couldn’t see paying twice as much. To me it’s like Lexus versus a Toyota, both get the job done, but one is just nicer. Oh and Love the Canik, it’s awesome.
@Ben Dover Not solely putting a price on it. It’s not like I said I have a Hi-point. There are people that swear by many different brands. Just like trucks. There are some that like Ford, or Chevy or Dodge.
@@corvoattano4777 I 100% agree. I can’t personally speak for any other 9mm Taurus but the GX4 they got right.
Gives my Security 9 the “side-eye” - clicks on video…
You don’t have a lot to worry about I’m not proud of Ruger but as far as anybody’s concerned the Security 9 is not a bad gun by any means just don’t torture them
It's a Ruger..you're good to go.
Thanks for the reassurance fellas. I used to own/carry Sigs, Glocks, Daniel Defense and BCM. Then I got married and had kids. Now I own Ruger and PSA Premium but train just as hard. I really don’t notice any more malfs - just more expensive ammo these days.
@@johnqpublic2718 The Security 9 is an excellent firearm. Not as sexy as some, but life-saving reliable.
@@johnqpublic2718 why does your kids and being married make a difference on the fire arms you own exactly?
I’ve been having very good experience with my Taurus G3C and TX22. It’s unfortunate that this one came out of the box not functioning. It is a lesson that typically you do get what you pay for. It comes down to what do you find value in.
I have the same two and they've been nothing but reliable. Have over 400 rounds through the TX and had 1 FTE on the 1st mag but since then it's been 100%. Only have about 200 through the G3C with zero failures (even with some budget ammo) Have ordered some mags and the TORO slide directly from Taurus & they both shipped and arrived quickly. Being a new shooter, I didn't know about their history, but I've had nothing but positive experiences with their service & products.
I own 2 revolvers and 2 semiautomatics,..92, G2, 44 and 605. Never had a problem.
I have a G2C. I love it! It had a few issues when it was new, but after about 100 rounds it smoothed out and is now completely reliable.
@Kirsty Van Wegen I have a Taurus revolver too. Good firearm! My first .38 Special.
I work for an FFL and we've gotten a ton of Beretta APX Carrys in. Every Single One will not go into battery if you release the slide slowly, or press the slide back slightly after its in battery. They are god awful. Next time you see one on a shelf, ask to see it and push the slide back 1/4'' and see if it goes back into battery, they wont.
Damn shame, I almost bought a Stoeger or a Taurus. Glad I opted to spend the extra to get a P30.
Excellent decision
My M17 is on my nightstand for home defense, but I carry a G2C with a Holosun red dot and I've never had an issue at the range. I'll replace it this fall with an HK P30SK, but overall Taurus makes a fine firearm. Any company can make a lemon here or there. Look at the P320 drop fire scandal. Point is, don't rule them out too quickly.
You didn't get just a better gun with that decision, you got an exponentially better gun lol
@@applied.precision Not bashing the company. I own a couple of Taurus revolvers.
that shouldnt have even been a tough decision.. if you have the money for HK you buy HK lol..
I purchased a G2C last year because it was all I could afford and felt like I needed one to protect my family. While it’s been flawless, I’m preparing to buy a Glock soon for the same reasons you discussed. I’m grateful Taurus gave me an affordable way to enter the hobby, but I definitely want something more known for quality.
Glad to hear you've had good luck. A used Glock for the same price as a new Taurus is still a smart buy.👍👍
Good way to go about it. See if you can sell or trade the Taurus so you can afford a nice Streamlight for the Glock, and even a quality kydex holster and gun belt
@@robc5082 I don’t ever see a Glock for 250$ that isn’t a destroyed parts gun.
Glock 19
Taurus G2C is every bit as reliable as a Glock. My friends' glocks jam far more often than my Taurus. Don't give into the brand name, they are not a better gun. If there was a Glock logo on the Taurus G2C, Glock fanboys would exalt it as the best gun in the world.
Got a Taurus g2c for my first gun and have put 700 rounds through it. Brass and steel zero issues
I did the same thing with my Canik pistols- Lock the slide back for few weeks when not in use. Works every single time, just that the slide became easier to rack. Canik definitely knows what they're doing.
1911 guy here and the ones I have run. But damn those HKs are are as close to Industructable as I've seen.