Questions about guns from a 21 year old

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fbilly71

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Hello! I am indeed only 21 and I have to confess that my fascination with guns is very limited to what I have : a) seen in the movies & b) what I have used in a number of first-person shooters.

With that being said, I obviously know absolutely nothing about guns!

I turned 21 a number of months ago and ever since then I have considered purchasing a handgun. I have been out to the shooting range a number of times with my father's friends so I have shot before and the only real reason I want to buy a gun is to take it out to the range. I don't particularly see myself carrying them around and although I am still very young, I expect that I'll have children someday.

So after that extended introduction here are my actual questions:
1. Where is a good website that I can read about the basics of handguns and the actual mechanisms that make them work?
2. If I do decide to buy a gun for leisure what would be my best option as far as relative price and the ease with which to use it? For pistols I've only shot a 9 mm and a .40 cal glock and I enjoyed both of them. The 9 mm was obviously much easier to shoot but the kick from the glock didn't upset me too much.

And that's about it. Thanks for your time!
 
I don't know much to tell you about the how's and workings of things- Brownells sells AGI Gunsmith disks and videos- plus other interesting books.

What to get? I do know that one is all in your ballpark. Whatever you get should fit your hand, be simple (if you wanna get into the teardown business), and it might not hurt if it and the ammo is well suited to your financial situation. As far as ammo- the only thing cheaper than 9mm will be .22lr. Something easy to tear down... well, 1911's, Berettas, Stars, EEA's, and a ton of others (I don't know your mechanical aptitude).

Best advise I can give is... Jump on in and become a fellow gun nut. Just start getting and trading- pretty soon you'll be adicted and one hobby will likely turn into several others (reloading, tinkering, rebuilding, IDPA, Bullseye, Lord knows what) Good luck. Stay safe, and good shooting.
 
Learning to safely handle a gun is paramount, even before you buy one. Go to the the NRA website and learn this. Look for firearms classes offered by them and go to one. You'll have questions and get answers to things you haven't yet thought of.

Consider a .22 caliber pistol for learning to shoot safely & accurately. When your funds allow, move up to 9mm calibre for a semi-automatic "pistol" or .38 special if you are a "revolver" fan. The words pistol and revolver are not interchangeable although the mistake is made frequently. Guns that shoot .357 magnum also shoot the milder .38 special calibre so if you think you might like to have a revolver that can shoot both, consider one in .357 magnum calibre.

Don't be like most newscasters and refer to a semi-automatic handgun as an "automatic" - they are "semi-automatics" - meaning one pull of the trigger for one fired round.

There are double action and single action revolvers (pistols too, but that will keep for now). A single action revolver is one that the hammer must be cocked manually with your thumb before it can be fired. Single action revolvers are most commonly found in western or cowboy styles.

A double action can be fired by pulling the trigger only, which will cock the hammer for you and release it to fire. Double action revolvers may be fired as a single action if you want to. Just pull back the hammer manually, it will fire with less pressure on the trigger in single action mode and be easier to fire accurately.

There is much more that can be said, but that's a pretty good start.
Owning a gun is a responsibility, safety is always 1st.

Welcome and good shooting! :)
 
I will admit openly that I am giving advice that I did not take myself, but mainly because I do intend to carry eventually and decided to train with what I'd be shooting and because I had good experience and habits already from experience with a .38 Spl revolver I used to shoot with my dad. (I am also out of college for quite a while now so the additional cost of .38 and .40 ammo isn't as much of an issue for me.)

That said, here's the advice: Start with a .22. It's not sexy, and uneducated people _will_ make jokes like "A .22 won't so much hurt a man as just piss him off a little", but it's an incredibly economical way to go through a lot of rounds and develop good habits. If you decide that you really enjoy shooting, then it's only a matter of time before you buy another gun, so there's no need to worry about the .22 being a small caliber.

If you are absolutely set against a .22, look into a .38 Spl revolver with a 4" or 6" barrel (this was my own route). It will have light recoil and it will be easy to maintain and clean. The downside is that the ammo costs much more.

Finally, look here. Lots and lots of good advice from people who know a lot more than I do.

*Disclaimer: Advice given in this post may well not have been followed by the person giving the advice. Advice given in this post is an opinion only and is not in any way authoritative.
 
As far as where to read info, this and many other gun boards can answer most any question and provide almost every thing you need to know. I doubt any information exists that cannot either be found here or found via here.

As for the first gun to buy, that is all up to you. You say you have already shot so you should know more than we do what you like.

Some people will say start with a revolver, some people will say start with a .22, some people say all kinds of things. In the end you have to make the decision.

You need to make a list of what you want a gun to be when it comes down to it.

What do you want it to look like? Stainless? Blued? revolver? Semi-auto?

What do you want it to feel like? Heavy? Light? Big? Small?

What do you want it to perform like? Big booming SA shots? Smaller rapid fire shooter? Lots of kick? Easy to shoot and control? Do you want to eat the center out of targets or blow up milk jugs?

Also, as much as some people like do poo-poo on it, the gun you choose is often an extension of your own personality. What gun would best fit your personality?
 
As the owner of some of the prettiest guns I've ever seen, I would take PBP's advice in a heartbeat. I agree that we all settle on guns that fit us and our personality. Rent as many guns as you can at your local range to really get the feel for how they handle and shoot.

Every thread like this gets a ton of short responses like "get Glock" or "get XD", both are fine guns but make your own mind up (I have close to a dozen pistols, no Glocks or XDs)...
 
I'm going to give you tired old advice but it's still darn good advice. The first bit of advice that almost nobody wants to take involves getting some professional training. Why learn bad habits from friends? You'll just be paying to break them later. It's not expensive (~$100-150) and it's fun.

Second, since you don't have self defense on your radar why spend a bunch of money. You can pick up a darned fine .22 pistol for under $300 brand new. A nice Ruger Mark III or Ruger 22/45, or a Beretta U22 NEOS. Let's face it $11 for 550 rounds of .22lr is a lot cheaper than $8 (and rising) for 50 9mm.

If you have your heart set on something bigger then I suggest reading this thread. It has a lot of good advice. For a first pistol a 9mm can be an excellent choice. It's a lot cheaper to shoot than a .40 or a .45. I suggest staying with the major brands and doing a ton of research before opening your wallet.
 
To expand on what sholling said, ammo cost needs to be a consideration for sure as we only get good with lots of practice. Also, be careful with .22 autos as some are ammo sensitive. While the wallymart bulk .22s shoot well in my revolvers, my Walther P22 doesn't like them so I shoot CCI mini-mags in that. As far as centerfire, a 9mm is cheapest to shoot among the popular calibers...
 
You can pick up a darned fine .22 pistol for under $300 brand new. A nice Ruger Mark III or Ruger 22/45, or a Beretta U22 NEOS.
Click to expand...

+1. Two other good inexpensive .22 target pistols are the Smith & Wesson 22A and the Browning Buckmark. There are numerous other threads about the relative virtues and vices of these pistols, so I won't rehash any of it here. ;)

If you are willing to shop used, other good choices are the SIG Trailside and Ruger MkII and 22/45 MkII. FWIW the differences between the Ruger MkII and MkIII lines are a bunch of added safety features, none of which enhance accuracy or reliability. :rolleyes: (BTW the primary difference between the 22/45 and non-22/45 is that the 22/45 has a more upright-angled plastic grip and is slightly cheaper. However, the 22/45's side grip panels cannot be replaced, unlike the non-22/45. Both versions function basically the same.)

Although I haven't personally used either one, most 'Net advice recommends against the Walther P22 and SIG Mosquito (the replacement for the Trailside). Both function like "real pistols" with a full-length slide rather than a rear-mounted bolt, but neither are particularly accurate according to most folks, and the SIG is expensive (isn't that obvious?) and has been plagued by reliability problems.
 
All righty!

I was pleasantly surprised to discover all these responses from just one night!

Thank you for all the information you have already given me and I'll definitely start trolling the forums and visiting those links to look some things up. I may even stop by the library!

Keep the information coming and I'm sure I'll be asking more questions. :)
 
Welcome

Glad you found this forum, you can get a lot of good info here. Also some not so well suited to your particular situation, so consider carefully. All you have to waste is your money and your time.;)

Since you freely admit knowing nothing about handguns (and guns in general, I suspect), beware of information overload. Like any other sport involving machinery there is a huge amount of technical minutiae which can boggle the beginner, even to the point of giving up, for a time. Don't sweat it, we all started out knowing knothing, and learning, usually by reading and doing.

One thing against you is that your gun knowledge comes from movies and vides games. One huge point in your favor is that you admit this, and recognize that what you see in movies and games is not real life, and usually not even close.

I cannot recommend strongly enough that you take a gun (or hunter) safety course. These will cover the basics of proper gun handling, and the operation of the more common types. The NRA website is another good place to visit. Joining the NRA is never a bad idea, and can get you access to a lot of info, products, and even insurance.

As to the first handgun, for nearly 40 years my advice has always been the same. Get a .22 LR. (.22 rimfire rounds are .22 short, .22 long, .22 Long Rifle, and .22 Magnum-aka .22WMR. The most common is the .22LR, and it can fire the short and long cartridges as well, at least in a revolver. Autoloaders made for the .22LR usually will not feed or cycle with the shorter cartridges. The .22 Magnum is longer and has a case slightly "fatter" than the .22LR, so the shorter rounds will not work in the magnum chamber.)

The .22LR is the most common round in the country, and perhaps the world. Ammo is a s cheap as it gets for ordinary stuff, premium target loads do cost significantly more. As others have said, the .22LR is the best to learn on, cost is lowest, report (muzzle blast) and recoil are the least, compared to centerfire cartridges, and this makes it ideal for the beginner.

Do not be upset if someone who doesn't know what they are talking about makes fun of the "little" .22. The .22 is both a beginner's and an expert'e gun, and serves pretty well for those of us inbetween as well.

Do not start out with a "pocket" pistol, choose something with decent sights (adjustable is best, but fixed sights you can see are good too), a 4 to 6 inch barrel (my preference), and hopefully a decent trigger pull. A good revolver in .22 costs a bit (but you can get back most of your investment later if you choose), and good .22 autoloaders abound, from relatively inexpensive to costly, the choice is up to you.

Take some time and look at the different styles. Single action revolver (Ruger makes a fine one) have a grip completely different than other handguns. Double action revolvers have a different "feel" from SA revolvers, something which becomes more important when you move up to centerfire calibers. Autoloaders tend to feel more similar in the hand, but you can easily have a preference for one brand or model over another.

Like learning to drive, once you have the basics down you can adapt your experience to what you are in, the basics don't change much. Handguns are similar, to a point. It is the details that get tricksy. Just as the beginning driver doesn't get into a Formula 1 racer and head down the track, the beginning shooter should start slow and work up. You may get impatient, but you will be a better shooter if you follow the old timer's advice.

Good luck, have fun, and remember that above all, SAFETY is the most important thing. Everything else follows from that.
 
First, this is a good site for learning and exchanging information.

If I were you, I'd buy a .22LR, like a Ruger Mark III. It's fun , cheap to shoot and will give you the experience/practice you need.

Have fun.
 
Yes, some people will say a .22 won't hurt anyone, just make them mad.

Avoid those people. They think of guns only in the context of killing people, a bad attitude to begin with, and they are also idiots and fools. Run, do not walk, away from them.

You are interested in a target pistol and in learning to shoot. One of the best guns for that is probably the K-22 S&W (Model 617) revolver, but they are pricey. A Ruger auto is a good choice, as is a Browning Buckmark. Do not let price turn you toward a cheap .22 that will not last long and not let you progress as you learn. If necessary, save pennies for a while until a good quality gun comes in your price range. (Good used guns should be OK, too. Guns like those mentioned rarely wear out or have problems unless they are caused by the owner.)

Jim
 
All I can add is when you move from rimfire to centerfire, consider a revolver. They aren't "Hollywood" cool, but they are a LOT less apt to fail, and are simpler to use and maintain. You won't have to worry about feed jams, failures to extract/eject, bad magazines, etc.
If you're willing to put in the time to run the failure drills, then an autoloader is a good choice too. They just require a larger set of skills to use effectively, and therefore have a bigger learning curve.
Also, since revolvers are "out of fashion" (at least among the "average impressed by Hollywood BS person") you can probably pick up a used one for cheap. Just make sure you go with an experienced shooter when you buy- and buy quality. No matter how "cool" it looks, if it doesn't shoot well it is a paperweight not a firearm.
 
Most certainly not me. I LOVE my Vaquero and my Webley. But Hollywood seems to have forgotten wheelguns. Ofcourse, they also forgot about reloading, the laws of physics, common sense, etc, etc, ad nausem... :D
 
"Of course, they also forgot about reloading, the laws of physics, common sense, etc, etc, ad nausem..."

Wait, you mean I can't fire 35 rounds from my Model 19 without reloading?! That's it, I'm done with this hobby. ;) :D
 
It's been said already, but IMHO it is so important that it bears repeating: take a good class from an NRA certified instructor. That will give you a good foundation.

Welcome to the Forum and to shooting.
 
Reading and asking questions on the forums is great but only as fluff compared to real hands-on learning. A for advice, I can only relate to you how I got involved with shooting and gun collecting. I inherited my grandfather's S&W .38 snubnose and I kept it many years without firing it. I finally decided I wanted to know how to shoot so I made friends with a deputy sheriff and asked him to take me to the range and teach me about guns. I talked to people in gun shops and made a couple of friends who showed me about the workings of handguns. My circle of "gun buddies" widened. They gave me good instructions about safe handling and safe shooting as well as cleaning and care of firearms. I bought a Ruger .22 pistol and learned how to take it apart and put it back together then I took it to the range many times, cleaning it after each trip. From there my collection grew as did my shooting skills and my understanding of safety. One careless mistake with a firearm and my life and my family could be ruined. That is a sobering fact. The people who have suggested that you enroll in a class were right-on in my opinion.
 
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