New handgun owner

F

ff8221

Inactive
Hey folks,
My name is Dustin, Im 30 yrs old, live in md and I recently inherited my uncles Colt 357 trooper mk III. This site has given me alot of good info so I decided to join. Im new to the whole concept of owning a handgun and like I said, im very excited and interested in getting good info on my gun, learning the in and outs and getting into this sport/hobby as much as possible. I mainly got the gun for home protection and just practicing. I have a cabin in wv I built and I can shoot as much as I want. Im looking forward to insight and learning tricks of the trade to better myself, make my house a little safer for my family, and having fun and from what I've seen this site has alot of knowledgeable people, thanks for your time.
 
First, if you are in Maryland, educate yourself quickly on the legal ways to transport a weapon. MD is not very gun-friendly.

Next, you mentioned family. Ensure you have a child-safe storage system, if applicable.

Then, training is a good idea. See if there are instructors and ranges in your area.

As far as shooting at the cabin goes, make sure you know what your backstop will be. Given the uneven terrain in most of WV, it should not be too hard to find a spot where you can shoot into a reasonably steep bank. Dirt is good; rocks can cause ricochets, and are not so good.

Good luck, and enjoy.
 
Thanks MLeake, I've already did the paperwork for the transfer at the local msp barricks, got it in my name now, I've shot it once so far at a local range and it fired very nicely, spent alot of time there getting the right feel for it. I've also signed up for the basic handgun class through NRA. I've definately taken the steps to keep my children from getting anywhere close to my gun, that was my first priority. As for my cabin its on top a moutain, very secluded so there is plenty of places to set up a good place to shoot. Thanks for your input
 
Sounds like you are off to a good start.

I normally recommend a lot of dry fire, to get used to a new gun; a recommendation to get some .38 or .357 snap caps goes hand in hand with that, to protect your firing pin.

Also, it's a good idea to check out http://corneredcat.com, which is run by Pax, one of the TFL moderators. It's a very good site for new shooters in general, even if it is specifically targeted at women.
 
Welcome to the sport. MLeake covered all the bases. I want to reinforce the training part. Get training early and you'll save yourself a lot of time learning how to shoot and you'll be a lot safer for both yourself and your family.

The Trooper is a fine gun, with minimal maintenance it will be a good gun for your great grandkids as well.
 
To reinforce and amplify what Buzzcook said, if your wife is willing, get her some training, too. Same for your kids, depending on age and responsibility / maturity levels.

A new shooter trying to train other shooters is not optimal.

Some spouses and kids learn better from detached professionals than they do from spouses and parents, too, even when the spouses and parents aren't novices.
 
You inherited a nice handgun,,,

I own a 4" Trooper Mk-III as well,,,
The frame is a wee bit large for my hands,,,
But never-the-less it's a very fine performing revolver.

Aarond
 
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