uncle_el

recently, for a variety of reasons, i've given some serious consideration to owning a gun. i've never owned a gun, and i've never fired one. hell, i've never even held one!

i understand that i should take a class, so that i can become educated and trained about handguns/issues/etc, but what's the step beyond the first few classes? straight to the range, more classes, or both?

as far as the type of gun, i'm interested in a small to medium sized pistol. are there good guns for beginners? i suppose this all may be information to be gathered in a class, but i thank you in advance.

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An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of inprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

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2sheds

a class is a very good idea. most shooting ranges will offer classes for beginners. also check www.nra.org for a list of instructors.

there are classes at all levels, from newbie to advanced tactical classes targeted at law enforcement.

another avenue to improve defensive shooting skills is through IDPA (international defensive pistol association, i think www.idpa.com) and/or USPSA (united states practical shooting assoc www.uspsa.org). either of those groups will help you learn to draw from a holster, shoot multiple targets quickly, reload quickly, shoot on the move, use cover, etc. plus it's a lot of fun.

a new shooter will usually do better with a larger handgun because they are heavier and easier to handle. revolvers are typically easier learn with because they are less complicated than semi-automatics.

call the shooting ranges in your area. many of them will let you rent guns for a fee and you can try out some different types to see what feels the best.

if you have a friend that shoots, ask them to take you with them. i have found that most shooters are eager to introduce somebody new to the hobby.

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MrTuffPaws

What 2sheds said, and for your gun, I would tell you to 9mm or smaller.

Unleashed

I agree with MrTuffPaws, 9mm is ideal it doesn't hurt the wrist, but will set up for further endeavours with larger calibres in the future.

uncle_el

thanks for the replies!

if there is any other advice from anyone, please let me know.

__________________
An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of inprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses. - Malcolm X

cavu

if you have no prior experience I would recommend going with a Revolver style pistol. It is much safer and easier than many of todays semi-autos. Get maybe a .38 special, or .41 caliber to try out first. Go to an indoor pistol range that lets you test out guns. That is how I picked out mine. Because you can't just follow what other people say, because everyone has their own opinions, you have to try them out and figure out which one suits you best.

Scorpion23

I second what everyone has said. I was lucky enough to have a friend with an extensive pistol collection, which allowed me to find one perfect for me. If you don't have that option, a range that lets you try different models is ideal.

I also second the recommedation of a 9mm. They're small enough to keep control of it you're not used to firing, but pack enough of a punch to be useful. It also comes down to why you want to get a pistol. My latest purchase was a 9mm Glock 19, with a conversion kit to shoot 22LR ammo. Good for defense with the option for plinking for fun (22LR rounds are much cheaper than 9mm).

uncle_el

considering it primarily for personal protection, maybe have some fun at the range (i used to go to a range when i was younger... but it was archery!).

__________________
An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of inprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses. - Malcolm X

Scorpion23

I'm sure somebody has said this before, but I'll say it again. Smaller pistols are more concealable for self-defense, but sacrifice accuracy at the range.

I'm going to be partial to glocks since I've got one, but they're a great weapon for self-defense. And with the conversion kit for 22LR I can have fun for a lot less money than 9mm rounds.

What type of price range were you looking at?

uncle_el

good advice.
as far as price range, idk... i assumed a decent handgun would be around $500 or so. but again, i don't know much. i'm not sure if that's too low, just right, or too high.

__________________
An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of inprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses. - Malcolm X

Scorpion23

That's about right. I picked mine up for $450, and you can save even more if you don't mind getting a used one. The accessories are where you're going to spend most of your money though. Cleaning kits, range gear, add-ons, ammo, and other things add up quick. Just be sure to shop around, prices can fluctuate quite a bit from one retailer to the next.

I would also recommend purchasing from an online retailer. You come out cheaper in the long run and still get great service.

cuervo

Prices will vary widely depending on what you're looking for.

A .22 plinker will be in the $250-350 range.

A pocket-pistol can go as low as $75 for a Bryco or Jennings or comparable crap to $250-$300 or so for a kel-tec to $500 for a Sig 232 or small Beretta. These will usually be .380 or smaller in caliber.

A compact to full-size auto will be $200 to $500+, depending on model and caliber.

A good reference will be some of the auction boards such as gunbroker or auctionarms. Another reference source is cdnninvestments.com. Download their catalog (big--12MB) but it contains a lot of guns, new and used.

kel

I will chime in because it CANNOT be stressed enough. Take the NRA basic pistol course. If you are not planning on owning many pistols and this is a case of "the one pistol" I would recommend a 9MM glock (Model 17) or Sig 226. I personally would get a sig. They can be had used for 450 dollars or less, and don't be afraid to purchase used. CDNN handpick is a good thing.

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uncle_el

thanks, there is a basic pistol course in my area next month.

as i'm a gun noob, what is a cdnn handpick. sorry if that's a dumb question, but on the other hand "the only stupid question is the one not asked."

cuervo, i have persued gunbroker.com, but since i have no experience, much of what is said about the guns is lost on me... i defnitely need to do much more research.

__________________
An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of inprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

The media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses. - Malcolm X

Charger01

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cavu

also, for a first time buyer. Don't buy off of gunbroker.com.... go to a range and try them out, you have to find what fits best. I recently bought a Glock 23 .40 caliber that i am going to use for packing. It is midsize with tactical grips (fit your fingers perfectly) a rail mount... so you can mount a laser or light, and glow in the dark sights. I bought the gun, 2 boxes of shells, my holster, and with tax it was 650$. Not a bad deal.

scout

What he said..... Go buy a cheap .22 to learn with. They are fairly cheap to purchase and better yet cheap to shoot. You will need lots of practice for awhile to hone your skills and get comfortable shooting. During the time you are honing your skills at the range or wherever you will undoubtedly meet lots of people with almost every sidearm imaginable. This will allow you to investigate further before you make the big purchase. If you buy something you don't like and decide to trade it for something different you will lose your ass, every single time!

A great gun to start out with would be a Ruger .22 revolver. Can't remember what model it is [got one in the safe but it's to early and I'm to lazy to go look right now] but they make one with a interchangeable cylinder that interchanges between a .22 and a .22 magnum and they are extremely accurate, easy to use and very affordable. You can pick up a used one for couple hundred bucks or less if you shop around. New you can expect to pay somewhere in the $300 range. I would shop around for a used one in good condition that way if you decide to trade it off for something bigger later you won't take such a hit on your pocketbook.

You can use the .22 to practice and to plink around with all day for a few bucks and change the cylinder to the .22 mag and you have an instant personal protection weapon. The .22 mag for personal protection is quite effective. They won't move a large man backwards like the .45 will but it will definitely put the hurts to anyone wishing you harm.

flstf

I am certainly no expert with handguns, but a few years ago I was evaluating 9mm semi-autos for myself. It came down to Glock or Baretta. I found I could hit the target more consistantly with the Baretta, the Glock just felt lighter and not as smooth and solid as the Baretta. I imagine everyone is different when it comes to this.

Suave

I found the same thing with the Beretta, and it makes sense because the Berettas are heavier and at least a bit larger than your average Glock.

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gonad

This is exactly what I've found, so I own both of them. The Glock 26 is a much more concealable gun, especially during the summer. However, I have had more experience with the Beretta and am more consistently accurate with it. That's why it is my primary home defense gun. It has a higher capacity and I don't really need it to be concealed at home, though I do carry it occasionally in the winter and on long car trips.

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squirrelyburt

stay with the KISS principle, ''keep it simple, stupid''... for new a newby to guns, revolvers are easier and consistantly reliable. Glocks come in a strong second as far as ease of use. Charger01 gave you a good list, find a gun shop and shoot a few, find what fits you. A .22 will kill a person as fast as a .45, just practice, practice, practice!!

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maninsoca

How many of you carry a firearm as a part of your everyday job?

Plan9

Why do we all carry .45s, again?

OP: A 9mm semi-auto or .357 revolver are excellent starting tools.

Springfield, Glock, Sig, S&W, H&K... semi-autos are endless. A Springfield XD or S&W M&P are good cheap starting guns because they're safe and well-tested. Any major gun company you pick is fine... they don't stay in business by producing crap. Used is fine and often preferred. No such thing as a broken gun at a worthy gun shop, just guns that might need some cheap replacement parts down the pike. All part of the experience.

S&W and Taurus make the majority of revolvers you'll encounter. Anything in .357 with a 4" will be reliable and easy to use, albeit not as generally concealable as a semi-auto. I find .357s extremely easy to fire and confident in carry for outdoor activities such as hiking and mountain biking.

Consider getting yourself an AK47 variant. Handguns are what you use to get to your rifle anyway.

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Fire

a revolver is often easier for a novice to learn on- and a lot of good revolvers can be had used in good condition on the cheap- look for colt, smith and wesson, and ruger- a lot of old police revolvers hit the market not too long ago, and they mostly lived in holsters and were shot when qualifying a few times a year- so other than carry wear they are mostly ok- Read up on how to evaluate the condition of a firearm before you buy anything, especially used..... if you live in california, you have some of the harshest and frankly stupidist gun laws in the country, and will find a lot of cheaper rifles unavailable to you as they are "evil" - also you have a 10 round limit on magazines- which eliminates a lot of the advantage of higher capacity pistols-
remember when buying that you bought it to shoot it, cause shooting is fun and practice is the only thing that will save your life if you ever have to defend yourself with a firearm- and remember that some ammo is not cheap- for example, .380, though smaller than 9mm, is often much more expensive- be sure to buy something that you can afford to shoot, and that is enjoyable to fire a lot- an airweight snubnose pistol is great, to carry, but a bitch to fire 50 rounds at a stretch through (no weight = more recoil)- some people will tend to dislike one calibur or another for any number of reasons- As to the above suggestion on the .357, it will also safely use cheaper and less recoil heavy .38 special rounds, which allows for more practice and overall better mastery of the weapon...... also +1 to all the go to the range suggestions...... shoot whatever before you buy it, as there is a lot out there.....

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Munku

I realize this was said over 2 years ago, but I dont understand how anyone can possibly believe that. Look at the simple physics behind kinetic energy. Two projectiles moving the same velocities with differing masses will have differing energies behind each of them. Dumping 500 j of energy from a .45 round will have a much more devestating effect vs 150 j from a .22 round.

Take a look at any of the ballistics gel comparisons between various ammunition rounds, and it's clearly apparent as to what's a better stopper.

Fire

I believe they were touting shot placement and the value of practice- and both are equally deadly if you are shot in the eye at close range...... not so much across a parking lot though....

__________________
Thought the harder, Heart the bolder,
Mood the more as our might lessens

desal75

They are so overlooked but I absolutely love mine....a Kahr 9mm. Try it.

A good gun to start with would also be a Taurus revolver in .38

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Munku

Oh trust me I understand that shot placement is of the utmost important, but the primary aimpoint is center mass, and it's gonna take much more 22's on average than a .45.

Plan9

Buy yourself a big manly .500 S&W and show it to all your friends.

...

So they can laugh at you.

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Whatever you can carry.

"You should not drink... and bake."

Kpax

I would guess that the most common gun owned is the .38 revolver.

I was like you. I thought I would be that way for the rest of my life. I also thought that guns were super-common.

I finally bought one, very powerful. I accidentally fired it into the ceiling.

Munku

Hah, was that to me Crompsin?

Plan9

No.

This is to the genius-types that buy such items as cherry gun owners.

Or the guy who's first gun is a H&K Mark 23. Or a Desert Eagle.

__________________
Whatever you can carry.

"You should not drink... and bake."

DuneHunter

I'd have to agree with Munku. You can't compare a .22 and a .45 on the same plain when it comes to self-defense. Shot placement is going to be tough when you're faced with the adreniline and fear associated with someone threatening your life. You wake up in the night to some dude in your bedroom touting a knife and threatening to kill you you're not going to ask him to hold still while you turn the lights on and aim for his eye.
Just my two cents. You want point and shoot and not have to repeat.

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