Newbie To The Gun World

R

rrhodes

Inactive
All,

I am new to the wide world of guns I am looking first, for a good handgun that will double as home defense and just for fun. Can any one recommend a good choice that will serve well for defense, fun, and cheaper ammo cost but also want stopping power! The only gun I have ever owned was a rugger 9mm. I had to sell it due to financial problems but now am in the market for a new hand gun. I am looking for the things mentioned above as well as a good starter gun, I will eventually go for a carry permit as well. Need a good newbie gun that I can grow with. Please send suggestions and reasons for a particular brand caliber. Also does any one know where a beginner can lean tactics and information on guns and gun use? Thanks in advance for your guidance.

Ryan
 
There are 100's of options to what gun and dozens of answers to what caliber. I suggest you do some research, see if you can go shooting with some friends and try holding lots of different handguns and asking lots of specific questions. If you can narrow down your field a little bit then you might be able to get a little more help here. Some that I would suggest include but are not limited to. Glock, M&P, Springfield XD, many different 1911's would be excellent as well as several revolvers. Of course you could and many will tell you that you should start with a .22 and if your going to do that I would take a look at the sig 226 or 229 classic .22s because you can get an exchange kit for the 9mm or .40. If you are looking for a carry gun you might want to consider a kahr or ruger lcp or lcr. Of course you can ignore all of these suggestions and find the gun that you really like.
 
Ruger 9mm...

Ruger P95 or 89 will do or the new SR9.

9mm because it is the cheaper ammo for practice and will do the job.

ruger because they are made in America and are still made well and if there is a problem the company will take care of it... and they are not over priced.
 
I seem to remember someone on here saying they went to a shooting range out where your located. Call the range and ask what types of guns they rent, if any. That would be a good place to start.

Buy a quality gun, not one of the cheapos that seem to be so prevalent. You mentioned you had a 9mm before, if you liked it, get another one.

Tactics and training are hard to learn by yourself. See if you can get a recommendation from the police department, your local gun range or gun club. (You could always join the military, but that is only if you want a long term course in tactics. :D)

Hope you find what you like, like what you find, shoot straight and often.
 
I think you've stumbled across a terrific resource in this site that can help you quite a bit if you've got the time, care and energy to separate the wheat from the chaff. That is to say... ask questions, read the responses and then be able to pick from those responses and act on them, trying carefully to avoid the unhelpful ones.

Picking the first handgun-- or, in your case, the "re-entry" handgun-- Well, I think a full size 9mm semi-automatic would be a fine place to start. With the 9mm, you've got a highly capable caliber for defensive use, a relatively easy platform for skill building, and perhaps the single most affordable center fire handgun ammo on the planet for regular practice and recreational shooting.

And yep, I would also highly suggest a solid .22LR chambered semi-auto pistol for extended practice and recreation shooting. Not too expensive to buy, incredibly cheap to shoot, and regular use of it will make you a better shooter and much more skilled and confident gun handler.

Specific manufacturer and model recommendations? Why not visit a gun store and take a look at some price tags and see what's in your price range, then get back to us with your ideas.
 
1. Set your price range. You can look back it later and laugh.

2. Decide what you want to spend on ammo to determine what caliber to buy.
In about two months you can ask yourself, "What was I thinking?"

3. Hold the gun you're thinking of buying to make sure it is comfortable in your
hand. (A trip to a gun shop or gun show is required.)

4. If possible, rent that gun at a range to fire it to see if it is right for you. If
it not, go to plan B.

5. Research the reviews for the gun you are interested in. Make sure you are
complete and don't just get one "expert" opinion. Pay attention to such things as reliability and quality.



6. Remember, what other people like may not be right for you and vice versa.

7. Good luck and have a great time. This is all part of the process of enjoying
the world of guns.
 
all good info here
and this group of people is a GREAT resource too
dont be afraid to ask questions

welcome to the group!

my nugget: find some one experienced who you can trust to
take you out a few times...maybe join a range/club and
find a mentor...take some courses...learn the four rules and
abide by them like it is your second religion (or first)

and....hopefully you have deep pockets...this thing tends
to grow on you (hopefully your wife is on board too...always
good to have her along too.....she can help watch your six)

good luck!
 
Take a trip down I-15 to Springville and visit Rangemasters. They have a really good indoor range and a wide selection of guns for rent. Their prices are just okay. They are good on some things (their gun prices aren't bad), but try not to buy too many accessories there. I just bought a 25 dollar holster for my Kahr for 40 dollars there. Also try Impact's West Valley store. I don't know for sure if they have a range there or not; if they don't, you could travel up to the Ogden store. They have a ton of guns for rent and their prices are really good. Best of luck. FWIW, try the Springfield XDs, any Glock is probably adequate, CZ 75s are IMO the best shooting pistols out there. They are a good bargain as well for around 600 bucks.
Best of luck

Greg
 
If you're getting just one gun, and you are realitively a new shooter, I'd go with a 9mm. There are tons of good 9mm's out there - here are some that I'd consider:

CZ-75 or EAA 9mm
Glock 17, 19
Sig P226
Older Smith 5906, or 659
Browning Hi-Power

This isn't an exclusive list by any means, but it contains some of my favorite guns from a rugged durability and reasonable accuracy standpoint.

All are good, reliable guns that can take a licking and keep on kicking. Depending your your budget and personal tastes, the rest is up to you.
 
You mentioned a future in CPL and self defense stopping power. As well as, a caliber for affordable range time.

All these specifications are putting you in the 9mm range. Its about the most affordable range ammo, yet has plenty the stopping power you'll need. But all we've done is address the caliber issue. There are several fine handguns listed above, at a variety of prices. PRICES.... are your next issue to address.

And I would not recommend purchasing a .22 unless you have no intention of following up with the CPL. Your carry piece should always be your most familiar weapon. There is way, way too much of a difference in a variety of scenarios between a .22 and a 9mm.

Try asking about these at your local ranges for rentals.

SIG Pro 2022 - $500
XD9 - $500
S&W M&P - $550

approx. pricing, maybe on the high side... but its a general idea. You can't go wrong with any of these. The trigger on the M&P may not be real noobie friendly though. Give'em a shot (pun intended).

Keep us posted!
 
Find a gun range that rents handguns. Try as many as you can. At the same time sign up for a basic pistol course.
You might consider getting a .22 until you find a centerfire you want.
Take as many pistol classes as you can and practice.

It is a good idea to start with a full sized gun. But whatever you pick it should fit your hand very well.

At this point don't worry about stopping power, a 9mm is fine. Work on being consistently accurate.

There are more good semi-auto hand guns than you can shake a stick at. My personal 9mm preference is a Browning Hi Power. I would also be happy with one of the fine products from Sig, Colt, or S&W, just to name three.
 
My first

was Ruger Security six 357 stainless, Shot 38's , even reloads when $$ tight. Always thought what a fine choice i made , even today. :D that was 30 some years back, and its still " not for sale " :p
 
My first gun.

My wife came to me and said I put a gun on layaway today. I said why? She said we need a gun in our house. I said why? She said blah blah blah. I said ok. What did you buy? She said a 40 cal S&W. I said are you kiddin me? Do you have any idea how that cal will feel when you shoot it? Of course she said no. I said to her if you want a gun in our house let me do some research and see what I come up with. After the research I ended up with a 38 spcl +p. Why? Good enough,easy, very basic. Ended up with S&W Model 64 (I like ss). The gun we bought first is the most favorite of all we own among all of us. They like the 9mms the shotguns are wild and the 22's are fun but the S&W is dead on! For a first gun a revolver IMHO is the best way to go.
 
rrhodes

Newbie To The Gun World
Can any one recommend a good choice that will serve well for defense, fun, and cheaper ammo cost but also want stopping power!
Click to expand...

The NRA has some basic pistol courses you might be interested in taking.
NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course
NRA Basic Personal Protection In The Home Course (PPIH)
NRA Basics of Personal Protection Outside The Home Course (PPOH)

The second course (PPIH) builds upon your knowledge and skills gained in the first course. The third (PPOH) builds upon the second.

The basic pistol course introduces students to the knowledge, skills, and mental attitude necessary for owning and using a pistol safely.

http://www.nrainstructors.org/searchcourse.aspx
You may be able to find a course that suits you at the above link.
 
rrhodes,

First off, welcome to TFL, we're glad you joined our little group. Don't feel embarassed about asking even basic questions. We all started out new at one time.

There are 1,001 questions to ask about how you want to proceed. Such things as how well financed you are to buy guns, how much time you plan to spend shooting and becoming proficient with your handgun. And will your wife or "significant other" use it too?

Overall, I generally recommend a revolver for entry-level defensive work. Even though you owned a Ruger 9mm, the revolver is simple, reliable and always at the ready. And they are accurate. For recreational shooting, the revolver is pure fun too. A .38 Special +P is the workhorse defensive load and modern JHP ammo makes this 110 year old cartridge even more formidible.
M67_0293.jpg

S&W Model 67, .38 Special

Revolvers also teach trigger control, aiming basics, ammo management and fire discipline. Six shots is usually enough for most civilian encounters. You also learn accurate shooting at a slower pace which can be quickened once you have the basics.

If you can afford a 2nd gun for practice, a .22LR revolver is a great way to hone your shooting technique at low cost. Plus it is a great way to enjoy shooting in the woods at smaller targets to test one's accuracy.
M617M_1180.jpg

S&W 617, .22LR, 10-shot cylinder.

A medium K-Frame .38 revolver can also be carried most of the year for CCW. It's not tiny or as flat as an auto and presents a few challenges, but it'll work fine.

If you'd rather have a semi-auto pistol, the question will be whether you want one easily concealable right away or not. For a full sized 9mm pistol, I think the Beretta 92FS is an excellent choice. Excellent sights, it sits low and balanced in the hand and is easy to use. The CZ P-01 pistol is another very good bargain and small enough to carry when you're ready.
CZP01.jpg

CZ P-01, 9mm

Concealable pistols are all the rage now. Baby Glocks, XD's, small 1911's, even an scaled down 1911 for 9mm. For maximum concealment, a single-stack magazine allows a t-shirt to cover it without being too loose. Even a relatively large pistol, like a Colt Commander can be hidden from view.

An Officer's Model 1911 (like the Stainless Kimber below) is not much smaller than a Commander (blued gun below). But it carries a bit more comfortably.
KIMCMDR9S_1126.jpg

Kimber .45 Officer's Model (L), Colt 9mm Combat Commander (R).
 
I would recommend taking a close look at the Sig P229. It's a versatile firearm as far as caliber is concerned (9mm, .40sw, .357). Probably not the absolute best for concealed carry, BUT with the right setup it can make a very good CC gun. The quality IMHO is right up there with the best. Also a great weapon for home defense.

Mine is chambered in .40sw and carries 12+1 rounds. I picked it up used not too long ago for $500 shipped which included 6 mags, 3 sets of grips, and 300rds of ammo. You may have to look pretty hard for a deal like that...but they're out there! Just a great all around gun :)
 
Glock 19. Small enough for CC, 15+1 9mm rounds, tough as anything out there, reasonably priced, easy to disassemble/clean/maintain, accurate. It's my CCW and home defense gun and I doubt you'll find many or even any G19 owners who've regretted buying it.
 
Welcome ...

many good ideas and great advice..

I agree with many here .. look at 9mm cheaper to shoot and yet will hold up well for home defense..

I own and Springfield XDm 9, Ruger B.H. .357 and just purchased a CZ P07 Duty 9mm for my CCW...

The Springfields and CZ's are a great option for fun and defense.. but so are Glocks, Ruger, S&W ect..

If i were going to buy just one gun, I prefer a Semi over a revolver due to the lower cost per feature, and fun factor, but that is a personal opinion..

find a good shop ... hold different brands / types.. go to range and rent different models and pick the one that feels best..

but be warned.. they are like peanuts.. you can't have just one.. better warn the wife!
 
I'd say go with a Kel-Tec P11. I am also going to apply for a CCW soon, and have a SCCY CPX-1 (basically a P11, but with stainless slide/barrel, and safeties). The recoil is a bit aggressive but it's accurate and inexpensive (more cash for ammo to practice with).

The reason I reccomended the P11 over the CPX-1 is the CPX-1 has some kinks to work out...namely the safety digs into the hand, and sometimes switches on. It can be filed down to prevent both situations, but some folks simply do not want to mess with that kind of stuff. They are basically the same pistol besides those differences though (and they use different magazines, same shape, different release locations). SCCY also has some quality issues to iron out...so go with Kel-Tec for a first pistol between the two if you like the feel of them.

Both are very concealable, and both have generous ammo capacity for being such tiny pistols.
 
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