• Mossberg Owners is in the process of upgrading the software. Please bear with us while we transition to the new look and new upgraded software.

Off brand sidearms...

vwfye

.270 WIN
These are mine, and I trust my life with them! IO Inc Hellcat, Daewoo DP-51, Llama MiniMax

What are your 'off brand' sidearms?

2yxrayv.jpg
2qdwwia.jpg
2zxy139.jpg


Holsters are Galco, Milt Sparks and Galco
 
Not sure if these are considered off-brand, but they have served me well...


Taurus 905 SS2 9mm



Rock Island Armory MS 1911-A1



Bersa Thunder 380 CC
 
I've not heard of IO Inc. But the others all seem pretty mainstream to me. I love my Taurus and I have been kicking myself for years on passing up an opportunity to pick up a nice Daewoo because at the time I had no idea what it was.

I'm on kind of a buying freeze right now but if I stumble upon the right opportunity for something small like the Bersa I'd jump on it. I love my G19 but it is a bit hard to CC in the summer, esp. since I've been loosing weight (Though I'm not complaining about this!! ;) )


I had a small Kel-Tec P-11 that I sold a few years ago. It did not have a great finish and a horrible trigger but it was reliable for me and was easy to hide.

This is the only pic I still have of it.

KelTecP11.jpg
 
I have 4 Bersa's in my collection.
Since I know MANY people that also own them, I would not consider them off-brand.
 
MMMMMMmmmm - nothing too far from center over here: Browning, Century Arms, DPMS, Glock, Kahr, Mossberg, Smith & Wesson, Taurus...
 
the IO Inc. is a great gun it is everything that the Ruger wishes it were much better trigger much better fit and finish. my father has the Ruger and we have shot them together and he hates his now because of the trigger on my.
 
I guess I'll throw my new Regent (Turkish made) 1911 into the mix here. Imported by Umarex. Turns out the included mag(s) are utter sheeeit but once we slapped in an old USGI issue problem solved. Gun fed, ate, and spit out everything we threw in it through a good mag. I still have a long way to go call it good and verify reliability. I need to source some quality mags, put about 500 more flawless rounds through it including some quality hollow points before considering trusting it for 24/7 defense duty. So far its been a great waste of 400 bucks.

Time will tell I suppose.

 
Daewoo as in the issue sidearm for the South Korean officer corps. The same Daewoo that makes a fantastic mil spec rifle!
 
I agree with Oli. Definition of off brand probably a good idea.

Technically if something is a clone of something else then its off brand. Saying a Ed Brown custom 1911 for example is an off branded one simply because its not a Colt would be a prime example. We all now that Ed Brown is primo merchandise and considered by most as high end name brand. Not considered off branded and cheap.

Honestly, I think vwfye's intention here was to list cheap inexpensive firearms. Either surplus military or true value minded product inspired by more expensive similarly configured options. YMMV.
 
So by that definition, high performance 1911's are all off-brand because they're not Colt?

I would certainly consider Ed Brown a high-end brand name, not an off-brand. I was thinking this thread was going more the way of Cheerios vs. Tasty'os or Dr. Pepper vs. Dr. Thunder...
 
Thats just it. What is off brand? You are saying national brand vs store brand with the whole Cheerio's thing.

Well a custom shop is going to put their name on something. So that is their "store" branded weapon. Sitting next to a colt in the same case I see that as comparing the national brand to the store brand cereal like you suggested.

Each to his or her own. There are gun snobs out there. Lets just get that out of the way ok. I know folks that would sneer their nose at something without the prancing pony rollmark even if it was heads and tails better in value and function. Hey those in the know can save a bundle. Leave the costlier rollmarks for the next guy if hes willing to part his hard earned coin for it. Nothing wrong with that at all.
 
I get what you're saying, but my point is that just because something is a clone of something else doesn't make it an off-brand.

Kimber is a 1911 clone, but is a reputable brand name. Taurus revolvers are S&W clones, but have made a name for themselves on a national level in the past several years. Noveske isn't Armalite, but they make one hell of an AR that is sought after by name. What I'm getting at is that as the term off-brand implies and based on the three examples given in the OP, this should be based on the strength of the brand name and not the operating platform...
 
Interesting how every one views it a bit differently.

If someone clones something and brands it as the real deal, fake trademarks etc........ and advertised it as such thats a knock off. Also quite illegal. If its similar but named differently and not marketed as the exact thing its mimicking, to me that is an off brand. Doesn't mean its any better or different than the original. The original however is the official brand if they started something. Everything else is an imitation by default. Some imitations are simply better quality and value even if the original company doesn't want to admit it. A frisbee is simply a flying disc. Everyone usually calls any flying disc a Frisbee even though it might not be made by Whamo whom owns the name and copyrights to the term Frisbee. Some other flying discs put official frisbees to shame.

That is how I see it but each to his or her own. The beauty of this great nation is that we can have this argument and the capitalism that it inspires. We are not stuck with what the gov't produces/dictates/provides us only. Nothing wrong with former combloc weapons either but they didn't have much choice in that matter. Fortunately we do and theres plenty of cheap surplus to consider still out there in the marketplace alongside all the commerical stuff.
 
I think oli hit it on the nose.

I was under the impression we were discussing brand names not platform clones/knock-offs?
 
I was referring to lesser known brands that are great quality. Most folks know of Ed Brown. But, when was the last time someone brought up a daewoo in casual discussion with you about sidearms you would stake your life on?

Didn't mean to be vague... Sorry
 
Back
Top