Hey guys, I've been thinking pretty hard lately about exercising my 2nd amendment right. I've always been into firearms and shooting but mom never let me have guns growing up, altho I did eventually get a paintball gun from a friend in my late teen years, I really enjoyed shooting it at targets and have been thinking about getting my first firearm for shooting at the range on weekends..... my problem is I have NO CLUE where to start, i'm not really looking for a daily carry. just something to start off with and take to the range every once in a while, any suggestions?

 

Glock 19, it's the perfect size and you think it's a 15+1 mag size meaning you can fit 16 rounds, or something like that. Your looking at about $500 and it's a 9mm so the ammo is cheaper compared to higher caliber guns. Great started gun.

 

Colt 1911 or the 1911A1.

Of the two issued sidearms (Colt 1911 (.45 Cal) and Beretta M9 (9mm)) I had while in the service, I would take the .45 over the 9mm anyday.

 

My suggestion is to find an indoor range that rents handguns...try as many as you can..find one you like and go w/that...if you are looking for just a range gun 9mm is a good caliber (cheap to shoot)...or even a .22 if you just want to put holes in paper (even cheaper to shoot)...manufactures vary w/taste..

My advice; try it before you buy it.

R/
Craig

 

Because you are a novice at handguns, I would suggest a 22LR single action revolver like a Ruger, Colt, etc. The ammo is cheap, no recoil, you can shoot all day for the cost of a box of larger caliber cartridges, and they're just plain fun. Once you have decided that you like shooting, then move up to something like a 9mm and then on to the larger cartridges. But be fore warned, it's a very addictive habit.

 

If you are on a budget and only want to put holes in paper, like was said, get a .22

They are great starter guns, the ammo is inexpensive, and for the most part they are very easy to maintain. You can usually find great deals on .22s at local shops. Honestly, i wouldn't waste your time with .45 and up in your situation (unless you are an all or nothing kind of guy).

I think a 9mm is a great choice. That is what I have. The ammo is still fairly inexpensive and if the situation ever arises, god forbid, you wouldn't have to second guess its stopping power.

 

I'm not so sure about it. I've got a few friends in the PD that doubt the 9 mil's stopping power too. For me, maybe I was swayed by the crappy M9.

I like the idea of try before you buy. Right now I've got a .38 Service Revolver that belong to my Grandfather. It's a nice weapon. Don't have any issues with it. But, again, of all the sidearms I've shot, the .45 was my favorite.

 

good info guys, I do have a indoor range close to home that rents guns, they had a few .22s I could try before I buy, I know everyone always recomends a .45 over 9mm for protection, but I'd rather start small and work up to something more powerful. starting with a .50 or even .45 would be stupid..... I mean I'm an all or nothing guy but I didn't start out on a 125hp 1000cc sport bike... nah i'm stuck with the 32hp 492cc single cylinder buell blast.... I can out corner my buddy and his R1 tho.... besides all the power in the world doesn't mean squat if you can't control it right?..... *back to watching .50 cal vids on youtube*

 

If you are only going to have one you may as well get one that will do it all.

This will do it all plus whatever happens to be behind it all....

 

right, and i guess that's what i was getting at when i mentioned the 9mm's stopping power. If you are ever in a situation with an attacker, a single shot is not gonna faze someone driven towards harming you. But if you are an accurate shot and level headed in that situation then you would have no problem being comfortable knowing the 9mm could handle it.

 

I agree, once I'm comfortable with the .22 I'll probably get a 9mm for daily duty, I'm not looking to blow heads off, save that for the video games, god forbid I ever need to use a gun but I would like the peace of mind having an accurate reliable weapon that could help defuse a life threatening situation

 

yep, and like was said it is an addicting hobby. I've locked my gun away and haven't looked at it since I caught the bug to put in a new sound system in my F150. I should have never scrolled down to this part of the forum

my wish list is way too long already.

 

This is the best advice so far in this thread.

Firearms are a very personal thing...what works for me may not work for you, or vice versa. Shoot as many as you can before committing to one specific blaster, then buy lots of ammo and shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.

 

My brother has a bad *** Sig 40, and I just found a sweet deal on a S&W 40 at a gun shop near me. $273 with a case and 2 clips. I think I'm going to buy it if it's still there now that I got the go ahead from the fiance. Next on the list is getting my concealed weapons permit. I already took the class.

 

If that's for an S&W Sigma, I'd pass.