“Chiappa’s Little Badger is a single-shot rifle with a wire stock and hardly anything but a small barrel, receiver, and wire stock. It weighs 2.9 pounds and comes with four short rails to attach accessories to. It’s very easy to operate — all you have to do is load the gun, close it up, cock the hammer, and pull the trigger. The gun folds in half to be only roughly 17 inches long. It’s super thin and fits in a backpack with hardly any room taken up.” — Travis Pike
The Taurus TX22 is a great choice for target shooting, plinking, small game hunting, and sometimes even self-defense. Most .22 LR pistols hold 10 rounds due to concerns about rimlocking. However, Taurus seems to have figured this problem out and created an ergonomic, great-shooting rimfire pistol with a capacity of 16 rounds. The TX22 features a polymer frame with an ergonomic grip design and match-grade threaded bull barrel. Overall, the Taurus TX22 is a reliable and accurate 22LR pistol that’s ideal for a variety of uses. As with most Taurus products, it comes in at an attractive price point, and its features have put it ahead of many of the guns in its class.
The Ruger 10/22 remains America’s most popular rimfire rifle, with millions having been sold since its inception. Utilizing a simple blowback design and a 10-round rotary magazine, the standard 10/22 is a reliable and accurate rifle that is cheap to operate and easy to maintain. With the ability to easily mount optics, along with a massive aftermarket, the 10/22 is possibly the most accessible plinking rifle on the market.
The Beretta APX A1 was created by taking feedback from various professional and recreational shooters and applying it to their already successful APX platform. Improved ergonomics, aggressive slide serrations, and an upgraded trigger provide a better hand feel and shooting experience than its predecessor. The low bore axis helps reduce muzzle flip and recoil, improving accuracy. Additionally, it features a blacked-out rear sight and tritium front sight combo and is also optics-ready out of the box. Ambidextrous capable controls and interchangeable backstraps round out the feature set and ensure that the APX A1 is a fit for any hand.
When it comes to value, the Hi-Point 995TS Carbine is hard to beat. Despite their modest price, they are 100% American-made and come with a full lifetime transferrable no-questions-asked warranty. These direct blowback carbines are simple, fun, and effective. Additionally, all Hi-Point carbines are rated for +P ammunition.
The Mossberg Maverick 88 is the true everyman’s shotgun. It is affordable, reliable, durable, and is built on the design of one of the most proven shotguns in the world. This is the ultimate bang for your buck in the shotgun world and possibly one of the best deals in the firearms world as a whole.
The Ruger LCP is a .380 chambered semi-auto pistol that offers a convenient concealed carry gun to those looking for a slim pistol. Perfect for pocket carry, this tiny pistol also works well as a backup gun. It can hold 6+1 rounds in a standard mag and 7+1 in the extended mag.
“This is a great CCW pistol for the price point. It’s incredibly reliable and has very few flaws. Taurus has been around for a while, and its reputation is…spotty. But the G2C is designed from the ground up to be a highly affordable compact CCW pistol – and it nails it.”
If you’re looking for an easy-to-shoot plinker that’s great for all skill levels, the Heritage Barkeep ticks all those boxes. This single-action army inspired revolver is designed to be light and portable in a fun-to-shoot package. The Barkeep features a 2-inch barrel, a 6-shot .22 LR cylinder (.22 Magnum cylinders are available), and classic-style western grips. The frame uses a simulated case-hardened finish that helps give this gun its distinctive look.
