Getting my first gun (outside the US)

Yeah, it's interesting to me. I think I'll add that one to my list when I have to find more guns to buy!
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I meant the process :-) if it is interesting to you to know the different process and strugle to get a firearm and a carry permit outside the us
 
I'm still trying to get my mind around an adult buying a gun with no prior experience and taking a test with it.

I am NOT criticizing you. You're in a unique situation where you are.
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I hear you man... as I said it is easier to be a legal gun owner in here than to be a responsible gun owner.

We never had any firearms in the house... My dad didnt ever criticized guns per se, but he was always critis of abusive gun use... which sadly is pretty commmon in here.

I am tryin to expose my kids to guns early on.
 
Get a copy of Guatamalan gun laws, read them, keep a copy at home, at work, and in your car. If a cop hassles you, give them a copy of the laws and ask him to cite the one he thinks you are violating.
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Thank you for all your help... that is exactly what I have done. :-)

You have to pass an exam about the laws also. Curiously many people fear the exam about the laws more than the shooting test... I guess something is wrong in my head.
 
The Berettas are pretty much natural shooters. Should be pretty easy to be as accurate as you would need to be for that kind of test. I'm sure they don't expect great marksmanship. If you aren't required to shoot double action take your first shot single action. If they make you shoot double action take your time and don't jerk the trigger.
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To tell you the truth I wanted a beretta knowing that no matter what it is a pistol that I will like to keep forever. Its the only brand with direct representation in my country, they are even authorized to give you another gun if it has issues even if you buy it in another store. But as I said I am pretty sure that I wont be carrying it for too long... a little too heavy when concealment is my main concern.

yeah, they dont expect much.... maybe I am over confident but from a marksmanship stand point I am pretty sure I can pass the test. I has been so many years since a shoot a gun that I just dont want my "first shots" to be at the test.
 
This is interesting. . . Where are you from?

Your country seems to have some real "common sense gun laws."
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Fortunately it is a constitutional law... if not I am pretty sure they would have taken it away already...I am from Guatemala, always an example of what happens when goverments dissarm people. It was proihibithed to own a gun in 1945 i think... from 1960 to 1996 more than 300,000 Guatemalans were murdered either by the army or by the guerrillas.

There is only one place in all Guatemala were you can take the test... so imagine that. One facility for 14 million people. and also depending where you live it can be up to 12 hours from you.

You dont need a test to buy... so even if I failed the laws, the psicological and the firing test I can keep my gun "but only at home". It would make a lot more sense to ask you to pass an 8 hour class or something to even let you buy a gun, and then have constitutional carry... if you can buy it, it means you passed the test, it means you can carry.
 
The pistol you have picked, gets heavy after a while, all steel and all.

A Glock 19 is cheaper, lighter. Will last for ever, 9mm ball ammo goes right through (a human, most of the time) two holes? can't be bad.
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Thanks for your suggestion... I am pretty sure this gun will get heavy quickly and I am gonna "need" another one. I explained in my other posts that due to the situation in my country I dont want to be in the private selling and buying thing... So for my first gun I wanted something that I was sure I will want to keep forever.

The biggest problem with glock here is that it is even more expensive than beretta... An amazing deal for a glock here is $1500 :eek:
 
My best suggestion is you tube videos on shooting the Beretta 92, since you can't do any actual firing before your test. Watch every thing closely and study it's characteristics. It is an easy gun to master. Best of luck and keep us informed.
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Thanks... Ill do that and keep you guys informed. Right now we are at "holly week" here in Guatemala we puts me back another whole week. Nobody works from wendsday to sunday... :(
 
There's a huge premium for some reason...we don't know if it's popular demand or a tariff, or some other reason
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I am pretty sure it is because of popular demand... you know, "the pistol that shoots underwater" and all that crap :p

I asked a guy in a gunshop about it and he told me about Glock austria being so expensive because glock austria wont sell directly to Guatemala, so they need to pass through a USA dealer... but, when you find glock USA is as expensive as glock austria, so it doesnt make any sense really.
 
so if they give a little bit of instruction (and maybe allow a bit of practice?) before the test, I would go ahead and go for it and get all your permits as soon as possible. You will get better with practice, but you are likely to pass right away and be able to practice at your leisure.
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It seems that apart from one full day and like $150 dollars I wouldnt loose much more if I fail :-)

I feel I have been overthinking it really...
 
You definitely don't want your test or your first live fire experience to be uncomfortable. Having some degree of familiarity will do great things for you even if you haven't fired it before.
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And that is exactly the issue... even if I take the gun home I need to get an sporadic permit to get it to the range. And that permit I have to get at the only facility that is 160 miles from me. So I would travel 320 miles to get the gun home. Then 320 to get the sporadic permit. Then go to a local range.... the travel 320 miles again to get the carry permit. All of that risking a police stopping me that doesnt know sporadic permits exist and he could arrest me for ilegal carry that is punished with 8 years in prison here... I would easily demostrate that I was legally carrying... after spending several thousand dollars in lawyers, several nights in jail (probably loosing my dignity), and having my gun confiscated and go through the hassle of getting it back. :eek:
 
So... fiiiiiinally went to the range...

I know this has taken forever but as I said I am trying to be a responsible gun owner, not just a legal one....

The guy took a couple of us new shooters and he had 6 or 7 different pistols. I tried the beretta m9a1 and the hk vp9.

I put my first 5 shots with the Beretta on a 4 inch group at 27 feet. Taking aaaaall the time in the world and in single action... just wow... as everyone says the gun feels awesome.

For some reason I was all over the place with the HK. I felt it has a less predictable braking point and rounds kept flying down range before I intended too.

So I am taking the CCW test the other week... Had I done this test before I would have bought the Beretta m9a1 as my first pistol and then buy another one for carry. I went with the M9 compact trying to have one gun for everything... while it is a jewel, it is a lot more expensive in here than the m9a1... so that is my only regret... we´ll see what happens.

Thanks for everything guys!
 
Congratulations on the range trip! I've been following the thread, but haven't commented until now.

Does this mean we get to help you pick a second gun? :D
 
The Beretta 92 is one of my favorite pistols to shoot. I just love the feel of the grip and trigger.

It sounds like with the HK you were starting your trigger press before you had sight alignment established. That is something to work on.

Glad it is going well and you are happy with your purchase. It has been fun for me to keep track of your progress and to read about the differences in the regulations, gun availability and prices, and so on. Thanks for contributing here.
 
It has been fun for me to keep track of your progress and to read about the differences in the regulations, gun availability and prices, and so on. Thanks for contributing here.
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Its been a pleasure... And you guys have been so helpful.

Is it "normal" for people to like/shoot better hammer action guns?

Even in double action I shot better with the beretta... I will try to carry it, and see how I feel.
 
Bacha, I've put several hundred rounds through my Shield and it just takes practice. Before it, I was used to shooting a SA/DA revolver; I was no where near as good with the Shield at first. They're just different guns and it takes getting used to. Pick up some snap caps and practice firing. Pull the trigger slowly and feel for the breaking point.

Congrats on the range trip!
 
Pick up some snap caps and practice firing. Pull the trigger slowly and feel for the breaking point.

Congrats on the range trip!
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Thanks... now that I contacted these guys and that I will have my own gun I will be able to go to range and try different guns.

This guy has just started his retail bussiness, but he has been importing guns for police, private security and gunshops for 25 years. So he starts his retail bussines by taking new shooters to the range... for free... How cool is that!

I even told the guy that I had already bought a gun in another store and treated me just like the other guys that are buying guns from him... :eek:
 
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