Resources for 1st time Gun owner

[jagga]

Hi guys.
I am looking into buying a handgun. It is going to be my 1st firearm of any sort. I am looking for some online resources that would be beneficial for a 1st time handgun owner. Specifically I am looking for places to buy, what to look for in a 1st handgun, and any general tips you can give me.

Thanks!

 

[jagga]

*bump*

 

[DainBramaged]

You could PM Nebor as he knows quite a bit.

In my own experience, I would just read reviews in magazines/online, once you narrow it down, do some more indepth research, then buy one on gunbroker and arrange to have it sent to a local gun shop that will accept them.

 

[JonTheBaller]

www.thehighroad.org and www.glocktalk.com are two excellent messageboards

 

[MrBond]

Places to buy, you're going to be slightly limited. You can shop online somewhat, but anything you buy from out ot state will have to be transfered to an FFL dealer in your state first. This usually costs around $20-50 (I've heard even higher in California). Check out local gun shops and see what they're like - you can always price compare online to see if you're getting ripped off or not. Some gun shops are way overpriced, others are reasonable.

The most important thing you should do is check out local ranges that rent handguns and see if they have any sort of "first time shooter" programs. Rent a few guns and try them out to see what you like. I wouldn't buy anything without shooting it first.

As far as caliber, I'm a .45ACP fan myself, but it's not always an ideal caliber for a first time shooter. It's expensive to shoot (~$250-350 per 1000 rounds), so you might be detered from shooting by the cost of ammo. The recoil isn't bad, despite what a lot of people say. Last week in our Monday night league, we had a scenario where we had to put 2 shots on three targets, reload, then put two more shots on three targets. The guy who shot it the fastest did it in 12.22 seconds - with four seconds of penalties, which means he did 12 shots, including a reload and the draw time from his holster, in 8.22 seconds. He was shooting .45ACP, so even with the recoil he was able to pull off fast second shots.

9mm is quite a bit cheaper to shoot at around $160-200 for 1000 rounds. Of course, .45ACP gets cheaper to shoot if you reload, but you've got to buy all that equipment first. I wouldn't reccomend reloading right away, once you start shooting 10,000 rounds a year or more like my Dad and I, then it's time to look into a Dillon progressive press.

For a first gun, check out the Springfield Armory XD line. They have a variety of pistols and they're universally well-liked (except by Glock owners ). You really should try whatever you're thinking about buying before you shoot it though.

 

[mugs]

What do you want the gun for? That's a deciding factor in what kind of gun you should get.

 

[zimu]

i think he's getting it to get rid of that tyrranical ruler you guys have going there

 

[jagga]

No, its just been a wish of mine to have one. The first thing I need to fix is the fact that I have never even shot a firearm.. time to find a range that lets you rent guns..

 

[amddude]

glock ftw. Easy to use, easy to clean, easy to assemble/reassemble. Tons of aftermarket accessories and has legendary reliability. For a bit more cost, hk's and sig's aren't bad either. But like they said yeah, depends what it is for

 

[marvdmartian]

Depending on where you live, check out some local gun shows, if you have any. Occasionally there's a real deal to be had there, if you're willing to dicker. Might want to find a friend that knows a bit more than you to take along tho!

 

[PrinceofWands]

You should be able to find a local (or close by) gun safety course. You can then go further into defensive gun use classes and so on if you wish (a good idea imo). If you plan on carrying concealed you should arrange a class for that as well. You try local ranges and see if they rent guns. Some do, some don't. A lot of ranges have terrible selection though, so don't limit yourself. Find a gun that fits you well, don't rush the decision. If you want to plink at the range get a .22 or 9mm (cheap ammo). If you want a defensive weapon get a .40 or .45. I don't recommend revolvers for first time owners.

 

[Kyanzes]

Here's a good reference: link.

 

[sao123]

glock.com

 

[shortylickens]

Originally posted by: mugs
What do you want the gun for? That's a deciding factor in what kind of gun you should get.

That would be my first question.

If he doesnt know that I can only assume its for plinking. 22's make excellent plinkers.
I have had many over the years. This is my current:
http://berettausa.com/product/product_pistols_main.htm
Crap, link uses popups.
OK, if you look on the left you will see a link to the U22 Neos. I have the black 6.0.

EDIT:
Forgot about the Walther.
http://www.waltheramerica.com/firearms/g22.cfm
I have the black.

(P.S. Its legal in CA. )

 

[adairusmc]

ar15.com's forums is an exellent resource for information (no, they are not ALL about the AR15). The best bet is like you said - to find a range that rents them and decide what you like for yourself.

If you have never shot a handgun before, you will probably want to start out with something light, like a 9mm. But, since no thread should be without bias, just remember -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v392/adairtd/45acp.jpg

 

[BlancoNino]

I own a Springfield XD. They are a new series, and they are very much like Glock's. You can try them both out at a local store and see which is more comfortable. HK's stuff, as I've been told by direct dealers (nice to see some truth out of them), are pretty overpriced.

With Glock's history, durability, and ease of use, I can't see anything going wrong.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: mugs
What do you want the gun for? That's a deciding factor in what kind of gun you should get.

thats a major deciding factor.

if you just want to target shoot, get a .22
probably the least expensive ammo available.

 

[Mr N8]

Search, man, there are tons of threads here about it.

I love my CZ 75 Compact, but every time I post that I get flamed. Interesting that tech geeks tell me my gun's a POS and unreliable when it's been 100% reliable and very accurate.

If you really just want to target shoot, I'd recommend you pick up a .22 or 9mm for the most inexpensive ammo possible. If you want the best reliability, then you want a revolver.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'd recommend a quality .357 magnum revolver. Smith & Wesson is one of my favorites but Taurus also makes a good quality revolver at a lower price than S&W. Ruger also makes fine revolvers.

The great thing about a .357 magnum is that you have a reliable almost foolproof gun chambered in a formidable caliber but for learning and practicing you can shoot cheaper .38 Special rounds through it. I think the revolver is the best choice for a gun n00b. I don't think you'd ever regret buying a .357 magnum revolver, it's a gun you can own for many years and always enjoy shooting even after you've purchased other guns in different calibers.

Just remember, never point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot and always treat every gun as if it were loaded.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
I own a Springfield XD. They are a new series, and they are very much like Glock's. You can try them both out at a local store and see which is more comfortable. HK's stuff, as I've been told by direct dealers (nice to see some truth out of them), are pretty overpriced.

With Glock's history, durability, and ease of use, I can't see anything going wrong.

Having recently purchased an HK after a lifetime of owning Sigs, I think I'm in agreement that HKs are overpriced (in comparison to Sigs.) They're just as easy to shoot, accurate, and reliable as a Sig but they're priced much higher.

I wouldn't compare an HK or a Sig to a Glock, because they're simply a different class of gun. I've NEVER had a failure to fire or failure to load in a Sig or HK (More than 20,000 rounds through Sigs, almost 1000 through my HK.) Glocks, on the other hand, have nowhere near that level of reliability. So an HK is worth the price premium over a Glock, but not over a Sig, IMO.

Anyway, back to the OP. For a first gun of any sort, I would recommend a .22 rifle. With a rifle you can learn the basics of shooting and gun safety without the inherent risks of handling a handgun without being properly educated. Take a safety course at your local gun range. A .22 pistol could also be considered. Once you've mastered the .22, you can move on to a more powerful, complicated defensive pistol.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

You should really find a local store that gives safety classes to get a basic familiarity with the safe operation of a gun and the principles of marksmanship. Start by looking in the Yellow Pages for local shops with firing ranges. Most likely you'll find that if you visit some local gun stores you will get a better vibe from some than others.

My personal opinion is that in an ideal world every beginning shooter would start out with a .22 Ruger to learn the principles of marksmanship, then move to a more powerful gun that is actually good for self defense. If you want to start with a more versatile gun, though, I think 9mm is clearly the caliber to go with, as it is relatively inexpensive to shoot (though much more expensive than .22) and is a perfectly adequate self-defense caliber with jacketed hollowpoint ammo.

Once you have gotten some basic training, go to a range and rent some guns. Normally they will let you rent a lane, then try out a wide variety of guns for one fixed price. I own a Glock 17, which I bought after shooting Beretta, Heckler & Koch, Sig, CZ, Para Ordnance, and Springfield XD. Everyone has different tastes and priorities, though. IMO the Springfield XD and CZ are the best inexpensive 9mm pistols, and Sigs are likely the nicest to shoot if cost is no object. I like Glocks because they are really really simple to maintain, extraordinarily durable and reliable, and reasonably priced, plus they have one consistent trigger pull (though it is admittedly a trigger not everyone loves).

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I'd recommend a quality .357 magnum revolver. Smith & Wesson is one of my favorites but Taurus also makes a good quality revolver at a lower price than S&W. Ruger also makes fine revolvers.

The great thing about a .357 magnum is that you have a reliable almost foolproof gun chambered in a formidable caliber but for learning and practicing you can shoot cheaper .38 Special rounds through it. I think the revolver is the best choice for a gun n00b. I don't think you'd ever regret buying a .357 magnum revolver, it's a gun you can own for many years and always enjoy shooting even after you've purchased other guns in different calibers.

Just remember, never point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot and always treat every gun as if it were loaded.

I have a Colt Python that I don't have fun shooting. I hate revolvers. They're so crude.

 

[Nebor]

Oh yeah, in addition to my earlier big post, the double action trigger on my $800 HK USP Compact is UTTER GARBAGE. Sig double action pull is much shorter, smoother and better.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
I'd recommend a quality .357 magnum revolver. Smith & Wesson is one of my favorites but Taurus also makes a good quality revolver at a lower price than S&W. Ruger also makes fine revolvers.

The great thing about a .357 magnum is that you have a reliable almost foolproof gun chambered in a formidable caliber but for learning and practicing you can shoot cheaper .38 Special rounds through it. I think the revolver is the best choice for a gun n00b. I don't think you'd ever regret buying a .357 magnum revolver, it's a gun you can own for many years and always enjoy shooting even after you've purchased other guns in different calibers.

Just remember, never point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot and always treat every gun as if it were loaded.

I have a Colt Python that I don't have fun shooting. I hate revolvers. They're so crude.

I don't like Colt revolvers. The trigger pull is a two staged pull and that really annoys the crap out of me. Give me a silky smooth double action pull anyday.

I own various revolvers and automatics. I like them all and shoot them all. I'd say I prefer my S&W model 629 to my Glock 17. It's a hell of a lot more accurate at longer distances and it makes an impressive boom at the firing range. :laugh:

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Nebor

I wouldn't compare an HK or a Sig to a Glock, because they're simply a different class of gun. I've NEVER had a failure to fire or failure to load in a Sig or HK (More than 20,000 rounds through Sigs, almost 1000 through my HK.) Glocks, on the other hand, have nowhere near that level of reliability. So an HK is worth the price premium over a Glock, but not over a Sig, IMO.

That's interesting, because it certainly hasn't been my experience. I have experienced FTFs with a friend's Sig 228, and have found some well-maintained HK USPs have awfully gritty triggers. Glocks are an acquired taste in terms of their aesthetics and trigger operation, but I've never experienced any functional problems at all.

Chuck Taylor's legendary Glock 17 didn't experience its first failure to feed until it had fired 33,000 rounds, after being cleaned only once every 10,000 rounds. It has now fired more than 168,000 rounds and been frozen in a block of ice, buried in manure, and been chained to a buoy in the ocean for months, and still works perfectly. I don't think there has ever been a more reliable weapon made than a Glock.