Monday, January 12, 2015

Cheaper Than Dirt’s Top Selling Guns of 2014


Cheaper Than Dirt’s Top Selling Guns of 2014

By CTD Suzanne published on in Firearms
When examining Cheaper Than Dirt’s! top-selling guns in 2014, there is one thing they all have in common—price. With the exception of the Hi-Point—all 10 of these firearms offer incredible value for the price. However, just because all but one of these firearms is cheap in price, in no way means the quality suffers. Smith & Wesson’s reliability, fit and finish are top notch, as well as Colt Competition’s match-target rifle.
No stranger to budget constraints and as one who takes advantage of deals, I understand why many customers jumped on special prices throughout the year. Discounted pricing helped boost sales of certain firearms on this list, such as the Mossberg MMR and the exclusive Ruger SR22 TALO. However, the regular price and features on those two guns stand on its own.
The only gun on the list not chosen directly due to price is the GLOCK 42. This much-anticipated .380 ACP might win the popularity contest for 2014.
The intent of this list is not that these following 10 firearms were the best of 2014—there is way too much subjectivity for me to attempt an article on the “best” firearms of 2014. Instead, you chose by purchasing these 10 firearms the most. So, without further ado, I present to you, Cheaper Than Dirt’s! top 10 selling firearms in 2014.
Black synthetic pump-action shotgun called the H&R Pardner Protector
Based on the Remington 870 action and built for home-defense is the H&R Pardner pump.

H&R Pardner Pump Protector Shotgun



H&R Pardner Pump Protector owners say it is:
  • A beast
  • Built like a tank
  • A great beater
  • Solid
  • Rugged
  • For home defense or truck gun, this affordable pump shotty won’t let you down
The H&R Pardner Protector pump-action shotgun is one of the cheapest pump-action shotguns on the market, so there is no question as to why it sells out so fast. Based on the Remington 870 action and built for home-defense, the H&R Pardner pump has an 18.5-inch barrel and cylinder bore—meaning no choke tube. It fits either 2.75- or 3-inch shells and holds five rounds in the tube and one in the chamber. A simple bead front sight is all the Pardner Protector has in the way of sights, and the receiver is drilled and tapped so you can add a shotgun scope if you feel it necessary. However, the H&R Pardner Protector fires point of aim. When you handle the shotgun like you mean it, it will feed and function all types of shotgun shells reliably from cheap bird shot to home defense slugs, but might need a break-in period for the extractor to spit out used hulls consistently and get the forend operating smoothly. The black synthetic stock has a built-in hard rubber buttpad that doesn’t do much for the kick of this 12-gauge pump-action workhorse, however, for the price, spending a bit extra upgrading the stock to a Hogue or Magpul won’t break the bank. With the exception of barrels, The Pardner Pump Protector accepts most Remington 870 aftermarket accessories including stocks, forends and rails.

Mossberg MMR AR-15 .223

Mossberg MMR Tactical AR-15 Rifle
Looking to a name you know you can trust ensures support in the future as well as a better resale value.
Mossberg MMR owners say it:
  • Exceeds expectations
  • Is well-made
  • Is possibly the best entry level AR on the market
  • Looks and feels amazing
  • Is quite accurate
Mossberg’s entry into the black rifle market does not offer many surprises. Like most ARs, the Mossberg Modular Rifle or MMR operates from a direct gas impingement system, has a single-stage trigger, a six-position stock, 16-inch carbon steel free-floating barrel and a railed handguard. Nope. Nothing new to see here. However, take a closer look.
Unlike many of its competitors, the MMR AR-15s free-float rails mount to the receiver and not the barrel. This system, combined with the free-floating barrel, makes the Mossberg AR slightly more accurate. Further, the Stark SE-1 grip is slightly different from your traditional pistol grip. The Stark SE-1 grip allows a  larger trigger guard and places your grip lower. This grip design makes reaching the trigger guard easier, especially when wearing gloves. The Mossberg MMR rifle is a little rough around the edges and the trigger isn’t great—no worse compared to other budget AR-15 factory triggers. Built for function, not aesthetics, this rifle is one of Cheaper Than Dirt’s top sellers because of its good value.
For more on the Mossberg MMR, click here.
Black AR-15 lower receiver built by Anderson Manufacturing
Anderson Manufacturing builds an excellent 7075 T6 aluminum AR-15 receiver in-house without a high price tag.

Anderson Manufacturing Company AR-15 Stripped Lower Receiver

Customers who built ARs on the Anderson Manufacturing stripped lower say the lower is:
  • Flawless
  • Excellent quality
  • 100% reliable
  • Amazing
  • Well finished
  • Precisely machined
Anderson Manufacturing builds an excellent 7075 T6 aluminum AR-15 receiver in-house without a high price tag. In fact, the less than $50 lower receiver makes you feel like you’re getting a steal for the good quality you receive from the “no-lube” AR company. The Anderson Manufacturing lower is nothing fancy. It meets MIL-SPEC with a hard-anodized finish and has safe, fire, and AM-15 CAL .223/5.56mm markings. Any lower parts kit and upper assemblies fit just fine in the Anderson lower without problems.
Click here to learn how to build your own AR-15 rifle.
Mosin Nagant bolt-action rifle with wood stock
Introduced in 1892, the Mosin Nagant is one of the first military rifles to use smokeless powder.

Century Arms M91/30 Mosin Nagant

Mosin Nagant owners say:
  • The headspace was perfect
  • It shot like a dream
  • It is very accurate
  • It is fun to shoot
  • The bolt cycles perfectly
  • It is in great condition
Besides the historical value, military surplus firearms are highly desirable because of the generally low price they fetch. Not only are military surplus firearms usually over-built and demand quite a presence, they are also excellent for hunting and long-distance shooting. Many choose a military surplus rifle not only because of the price, but also because of the availability of cheap surplus ammo. Introduced in 1892, the Mosin Nagant is one of the first military rifles to use smokeless powder. The Mosin Nagant is the cheapest military surplus rifles you can buy due to how many were produced during World War II. Many believe the Mosin Nagant is an essential piece to any gun collector’s arsenal. Century International Arms refinishes the M91/30 7.62x54R bolt-action rifle to bring the laminated wood stock back to good condition. With a 26-inch barrel and 48-inch overall length, the Mosin Nagant M91/30 is a beast weighing in at 8.2 pounds.
For more about the Mosin Nagant, click here.

Ruger TALO Exclusive SR22

Black polymer frame, blued steel barrel TALO Exclusive Ruger SR22 semiautomatic pistol
The Ruger SR22 TALO exclusive ships with three magazines and has a 6.40-inch blued barrel.
Ruger SR22 Talo Exclusive owners say:
  • It is the most dependable .22 I’ve purchased
  • This is my favorite .22
  • No misfires, jammed rounds or other issues
  • It is well balanced and accurate
  • The ergonomics are impressive
  • It is so easy to handle
Since 1965, TALO Distributors, Inc. have commissioned customized special edition firearms from many of the top name gun manufacturers in the business, including Colt, Smith & Wesson, GLOCK, Remington, SIG Sauer, Mossberg and Ruger—just to name a few. The company’s relationship with Ruger started in 1999. Since then TALO has designed hundreds of limited edition Ruger firearms. When the Ruger TALO exclusive SR22 semiautomatic pistol was released, it entered the full-sized rimfire handgun class at a much better value than its competitors—the Walther P22, Smith & Wesson M&P22 and the SIG Sauer Mosquito. The Ruger SR22 TALO exclusive ships with three magazines and has a 6.40-inch blued barrel. With an easy-to-rack slide and simple takedown, the SR22 pistol is a great affordable gun for shooting leagues, training and teaching new and young shooters. It has ambidextrous controls and upgraded, adjustable target-style sights. What makes the SR22 stand out from other full-sized rimfires is the different grip sleeve sizes and magazine extension that ships with the gun, making it more customizable for different shooters.
Black Hi-Point 9mm pistol
Cheaper Than Dirt’s! top selling Hi-Point is the 9mm model.

Hi-Point Firearms Model C-9

Hi-Point firearm owners defend their choices by saying:
  • It was money well spent
  • It’s worth at least twice this price
  • A fun gun to shoot
  • It is very reliable
  • Shoots great for me
  • It handles great and never misfires
I can’t think of another handgun so hotly debated as the Hi-Point. Called many names—top-quality is not one of them—we can all agree on one description. Cheap. At under $130, I dare you to find me a cheaper new pistol. The Hi-Point is a blowback operated, single-action only semiautomatic handgun chambered in .380 ACP, 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. There is even a carbine model. The most expensive Hi-Point is chambered in .45 ACP, includes a laser and sells for only $199.35. Cheaper Than Dirt’s! top selling Hi-Point is the 9mm model. Its 29-ounce weight helps absorb the recoil of 9mm +P ammo. And yes, it is +P rated. The Hi-Point 9mm has a 3.5-inch barrel; adjustable sights, thumb and magazine disconnect safeties and holds eight rounds. Both Hi-Point and independent torture tests prove these things work. There is no shortage of Hi-Point owners to tell you this cheap 9mm is reliable. For $129.88, you can afford to find out for yourself.
Read how one hunter killed a bear with a Hi-Point here.

S&W M&P15 Sport AR-15

Black AR-15 rifle by Smith and Wesson, the M&P 15 Sport model with Magpul folding rear and A2 front sight post
The 7075 T6 aluminum upper and lower on the M&P 15 Sport are build in-house by Smith & Wesson.
Those who bought the M&P 15 Sport say:
  • It is deadly accurate right out of the box
  • The workmanship is excellent
  • It is a very good AR
  • It works flawlessly
  • It shoots beautiful, sights dead on
  • I highly recommend
It is no wonder why the Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport is one of the top-10 selling firearms at Cheaper Than Dirt! Number one—the M&P 15 is a highly desirable AR. Smith & Wesson really got this one right. It is accurate and reliable. And number two? It has a competitive price to boot. Especially the “Sport” model that retails for a very affordable $611.60. The next M&P 15 is $852.50 and has no sights! How Smith & Wesson saved over $200 by just eliminating the dust cover and forward assist on the Sport model is beyond me. But hey! You won’t hear me complain. Smith & Wesson did not skimp on any other part on the M&P Sport. It has a 16-inch 4140 steel barrel and chromed gas key and bolt carrier. Smith & Wesson builds the 7075 T6 aluminum upper and lower in-house. It has a six-position adjustable stock, adjustable A2 front sight post and upgraded Magpul MBUS folding rear sight.

GLOCK 42

GLOCK 42 profile view
Small enough to carry comfortably, but large enough for proper hand purchase.
GLOCK 42 owners spread the love with comments like:
  • I liked this pistol so much, I came back and bought another
  • The easiest shooting pocket .380 I have ever put in my hand
  • Sweet firearm!
  • Perfect pocket pistol
  • I had high hopes for this gun and it met them all
  • Shot dead on with no problems
I haven’t met anyone yet—especially women—who have shot the GLOCK 42 and don’t love it. In fact, it is the only handgun I have heard people saying that they liked their first one so much, they rushed out to buy a second. Many men who chose GLOCK as their daily concealed carry have made the switch as well. The GLOCK 42 operates like all GLOCK pistols with few variations in its design. The takedown lever springs and slide stop are different. The integrated trigger safety—that GLOCK calls “Safe Action”—means GLOCK pistols have no external safeties. The GLOCK 42 has a 3.25-barrel, holds six rounds of .380 ACP and is easy and comfortable to conceal with a 0.94-inch width and a light 13.76-ounce overall weight. The advantage the GLOCK 42 has over other .380 ACP pocket pistols is its locked-breech operation. Many of the .380s are blowback. The locked-breech design helps the GLOCK 42 handle recoil better, making it more comfortable to shoot than many of the blowback-operated .380 ACP pistols. The GLOCK 42 shoots closer to point of aim than other .380s we tested and our particular test gun experienced no malfunctions or failures to feed or eject. We can’t deny it—we are big fans.
Click here for an extended review on the GLOCK 42.
Serbian Zastava M92 PAP semiautomatic pistol with black metal receiver and wood handguard
Shooting the PAP M92 makes the purchase worth it. It produces a huge fireball and large concussion.

Century Zastava PAP M92 Semiauto Handgun

Zastava PAP M92 handguns owners say:
  • Awesome mini AK
  • The features list doesn’t do the M92 justice
  • This little gun is my new favorite
  • Well built and solid
  • Well worth the money
  • The action on it is really nice
Some guns you purchase for function. Some guns you purchase for fun. Such is the case in the super cool Zastava M92 PAP semiautomatic pistol. These pistols are straight from the Zastava factory in Serbia. Handguns aren’t required to meet 922r compliance, so you get an imported AK variant with very little modifications, all for around $500. Back in the day, M92 parts kits fetched upwards of $1,000; needless to say, these Century International PAP M92 pistols are quite a steal. Based on the Kalashnikov AK family of rifles, the Zastava PAP is gas-operated with rotating bolt. It shoots 7.62x39mm and has a 10-inch barrel. It has a heavy stamped receiver and a white dot sight system. The rear sight is marked for 200 and 400 meters, while the front sight is a traditional AK post. Shooting the PAP M92 makes the purchase worth it. It produces a huge fireball and large concussion. Add a SIG pistol brace or a full-length stock and SPR-it and then try not giggling every time you shoot it.
Click here to learn how to build a short-barreled rifle.

Colt Competition CSR-1516

Picture shows the Colt Competition CSR-1616 AR-15 rifle.
Hand-built in Texas by Bold Ideas, Colt Competition’s sporting CSR-1516 5.56mm NATO rifle is a high-end AR-15 without the high-end price tag.
One owner sums up the entire review—“It is perfect!”
Considered a “budget” rifle, the Colt Competition CSR-1516 sporting AR-15 is anything but. Assembled by Bold Ideas Texas, $750 is an amazing price for this hand-built Colt AR-15 with custom features. There are only a few areas where Colt cut costs building this rifle. First, there is no dust cover or forward assist—for some, this is of no consequence. For others, it has prevented them from looking further into the Colt CSR-1516. However, this rifle is not designed for battle duty in the desert and even in competitions, you will never miss the lack of a dust cover or forward assist—features that come in handy when working in heavily dusty environments. Second, it has no sights. HOwever, it does include a sleek, long handguard with Picatinny rails and plenty of holes to add more. Third, the barrel is not chrome-lined, just simply chrome-moly instead. Either way, the Colt Competition CSR-1516 is accurate as all get out and has the capability of shooting Sub-MOA. It has a nickel boron-plated trigger and hammer as well as a nitrided bolt carrier group. The trigger and barrel are both match grade. Chambered for 5.56mm NATO and .223 Remington both, the 16-barrel has a 1:8-inch twist. Generally not found on “budget,” entry level or other value-priced AR-15s, the 1:8-inch twist stabilizes more of a variety of bullets than the more-common 1:9-inch twist AR barrel.

Did you buy any of these firearms in 2014? If so, tell us which ones and what you think about them in the comment section.

SLRule

Introduced to shooting at young age by her older brother, Suzanne Wiley took to the shooting sports and developed a deep love for it over the years. Today, she enjoys plinking with her S&W M&P 15-22, loves revolvers, the 1911, short-barreled AR-15s, and shooting full auto when she gets the chance. Suzanne specializes in writing for the female shooter, beginner shooter, and the modern-day prepper. Suzanne is a staff writer for Cheaper Than Dirt!

View all articles by CTD Suzanne

Product pricing and availability are as of time of publication and subject to change without notice at any time.
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The mission of Cheaper Than Dirt!'s blog, "The Shooter's Log," is to provide information-not opinions-to our customers and the shooting community. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt!

Comments (14)

  • Mr Jeff

    |
    Purchased the Colt CSR 1516. Contrary to what CTD says, it is not a Colt Competition Rifle CCR, it is a Colt Sporting Rifle CRS. Cannot figure why CTD advertises it as a higher class weapon than what it is. Nonetheless, the rifle is fantastic weapon and worth the price. I too went with the Nikon P223 scope and am very pleased with the combination of the two.
    Reply

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