[etAutomatic]

Hi everyone...I hope I've posted this in the right forum.

My dad and I are on the way to convincing my mom to let us purchase a handgun (I'll be 18 this April)...I guess this also gives you an idea of who's the boss in my house...;)

I know that I will need to take safety classes and actual shooting instruction, but I always like to start my reseach early.

So my question is: Which handgun? I'm thinking that it would be better to start with something .40 or smaller, right? Are smaller caliber guns (like 9mm) generally more accurate (provided a person knows how to shoot)?

I've already looked at the Sig Pro and some Walther, Glock, and H&K pistols online. But I don't really know where to go, so any suggestions for a certain gun or tips for choosing a [first] gun would be greatly appreciated. We've set a budget at definetly no more than $1000.

Just out of curiosity...I've read lots of good things about the Sig P210, and I've also read that it's expensive. What makes this gun so good and how much does it cost brand new?

Also, are there any good gun magazines out there you subscribe to? If so, which ones?

Again, I appreciate any and all help, suggestions, input, etc.

[Peetmoss]

Well the general consesus is a 22 is the best to start out with. Something like a Ruger Single Six or a Mark II if you want a semi. The reason being that they are extremly cheap to shoot and have hardly any recoil. They are also pretty darn accurate.

If you have a place near you that rents guns that would be the best bet. That way you get to try out a whole bunch before you make a decision. Trying out a bunch helps keep you from ending up with a gun you just can't stand.

But I would say that you probably already have an Idea of what you want. I know I did when I was in your shoes not to long ago. I wanted a Glock. I researched and tried talking my selfout of it but I ended up with a Glock anyway. And I couldn't be happier with it.

As for Gun Rags they are just that. I take what I read in them with a grain of salt. They are strickly entertianment for me.

I wish you good luck in your search for your first handgun and this is a one of the best places to do some research.

[Tropical Z]

If you don't want a .22lr,go with a quality 9mm Luger such as a CZ-75 or FEG hi-power clone.

[ojibweindian]

The Sig P210 is at the top of the heap of 9mm, but youwill pay for it. List price is in the neighborhood of $2,500. I suppose you could find a used one, but they're not cheap either.

I assume you and your father want a semi-auto because of the list of guns you have mentioned; all of them, aside from the P210, are well within your budget and are of high quality.

Which gun and in what cartridge will be answered when you and your father decide what role/roles this gun will fulfill. Will it be for home defense, carry, plinking, hunting, or all/some of the above? You and your father need to assess its intended role before selecting a specific make and model.

There are many very knowledgeable folks here that will happily chime in, and you will get much better advice once you let everyone here know what roles you want the gun to fulfill.

[New_comer]

Got any handgun shooting experience?

May sound odd, but you've already indicated your preference for auto pistols with the calibers you've mentioned. My advise is not to discount the wheelguns. And for true beginners, a revolver is probably the best choice.

Remember that with an semi-auto, you can't really check loaded condition as simply and as safely as in a revolver. And you've got detachable magazines to consider. If you lost the mags, what you've got is simply a very expensive throwing implement. While a revolver is complete unto itself.

I suggest a 4" 357Magnum stainless steel, and shoot 38spl thru it for practice. Ruger's GP100, SW686, or heck even a Taurus 65/66 would be a good starter gun.

And when you've inculcated safety into heart, it's then time to proceed to, IMO, the more dynamic world of the semi-auto. :D

I look forward to seeing you involved in the debates by then. ;)

[jar]

Congratulations and you're starting right. Ask lots of questions and shoot as many different handguns as you can before you buy anything.

First, let me try to answer "Why is the SiG 210 so expensive?"

The SiG 210 is one of the best made pistols in the world. It uses some pretty nifty design features. For example, it has an inverted rail so the slide rides inside the fram instead of over the frame. A few other handguns also use this type construction, notably the CZs and the STARs. The advantage is that it allows the barrel to sit lower in the frame and lowers the Bore Axis for greater shot to shot control. In addition slide to frame fit on a P-210 is near perfect and the trigger pull in better than anything I've ever shot including some heavily customized 1911s.

Next, caliber. Remember, this is your first handgun but certainly not your last one. Many people suggest starting with a 22 and that is certainly an inexpensive way to get started. But the 22 rimfire is so different from any other caliber that you may want to move directly to a centerfire round to start with. Handguns chambered for the 9mm or 38 Special will cost less to shoot than almost any other caliber. The lower cost for ammo means you can buy more of it, practice more, have some money left for lessons (always a good idea) than if you started with 40S&W, 357Mag or SiG or 45acp.

You also should consider whether you want a semi-automatic or revolver as your first gun. The revolver has some significant advantages. It has a very simply manual of arms. Shooting a revolver double action will serve you well in the future, the gun and trigger control you will learn shooting a revolver will make you a better shooter when you go to semi-automatics.

Finally, how much do you want to spend? There's nothing that says you can't start with a P-210 or a Les Baer Custom 1911 except that after them, all your future handguns will seem like junk. Look at what's available in the various price ranges. One good way to get an idea of what's out there is to haunt the auction boards and sites like Guns America.

Good luck and keep us posted on what you end up with.

[9x19]

With your stated budget, two pistols come to mind immediately, each with a .22 LR conversion kit. The conversion kit consistss of a complete slide and barrel assembly, plus a magazine for the .22 round and makes practice cheap. It won't simulate the recoil of the 9mm but it will let you practice trigger control with live ammo.

My first choice would be the Glock 17 in 9mm, available for $500 most places and relialbe as well as durable. Along with that, a .22LR conversion kit from Advantage Arms, www.advantagearms.com about $250 more.

My second choice would be the CZ75 in 9mm, available for $400 most places and alos reliable and durable. Along with that get the CZ Cadet .22 LR conversion kit made by CZ. Also about $250 more. CZ used to offer a 75 with the Cadet kit included as a complete kit, not sure if that's still the case.

Good luck.

[etAutomatic]

I want to thank everybody for their help thus far.

We will be using the gun primarily for target shooting and, God forbid, home defense. I guess you could say just general-purpose (not really into hunting, though).

We want something that's well made, good quality, and has a generally good reputation for durability and reliability. I'm also sort of a gadget freak, so the cooler looking the gun, the better. :D

Oh, can anybody post a link to a site that has a gun "glossary" with general terms and definitions about handguns and the way they work?

Thanks again!

[1badmagnum]

bought my wife her first pistol,taurus pt 92 9mm.
very nice pistol for $400.
hardly any recoil,accurate,cheap aammo.
after you get experienced you can move up.
go to the range and rent a few pistols and see what you like.
9mm would be my smallest caliber I would consider,22's in my opinion are useless.
small calibers are accurate to about 10-15 yds,unless your an excellent shooter,you'll need more firepower to be accurate 25 yds and beyond.

[MLH]

Handgun reviews.com. Not every gun is there but it covers many and will give you as idea about quailty of the gun and the manufacturer. Good luck and welcome to THR.

The 9mm would cover both target and home defense as ammo is cheap. But for a $1000 you should be able to get both a .22 and a quailty 9mm.

Then practice, practice, practice. It's fun!:D

[WESHOOT2]

I always recommend as a first gun the Ruger KGP-141.

[Blackhawk]

Welcome, etAutomatic! :D

You've come to the right place for advice, and some of it will be useful, and all of it will be sincere!

I suggest you do some market research as well as gun research. You know that if you buy a new car, you lose a significant percentage of what you paid just by taking possession since its resale value took a significant hit. It's actual value didn't, just it's market value.

Same way with guns. If you pay $1,000 for a new gun, how much can you turn around and sell it for?

That's significant because you are, in all liklihood, going to want a "different" gun from the first one in a short while. Maybe instead of, and maybe in addition to, the first one.

Consequently, you may have an interest in preserving your $1,000 buying power by getting a used gun that you can always trade or sell and get pretty close to what you paid for it on the deal. Meanwhile, you'll learn things about guns and shooting you never dreamed possible.

9mm Luger centerfire ammo is about the cheapest you can buy at nominally 10 cents per round. .22 is by far the cheapest. You probably want to keep that in mind because you NEED to shoot a lot just starting out, so make sure you can afford ammo. You also REALLY NEED good hearing protection, so make sure that's in your budget too.

As for revolver versus autoloaders, that doesn't really matter. So what if your first 100 rounds are all over the target? You've got to learn MANY skills to shoot accurately, and the way to do that is by shooting.

THR members have millenia of experience shooting all kinds of guns, so if there's something vexing about hitting where you want, just ask for more sincere, and maybe useful, advice.

Once you learn the skills to hit the target where you want with a particular handgun, you'll find you can do the same with essentiallly any other handgun with just a little familiarization. Liken it to riding a bicycle. If you can ride one, you can ride them all even if you're a bit clumsly with a strange one at first.

So my advice is to find a used gun in an affordable caliber that fits you and that you like the looks of. (Just like girls, liking the looks of the package makes a lot of difference to the enjoyability of spending time together.) Fitting you is very important initially. If it doesn't, you might become frustrated in trying to develop the shooting skills. Learn to shoot with it. Learn to clean it. Learn to detail strip and reassemble it. Learn its history. Learn everything you can about it.

Then step back, and take another look at the whole picture.

It sounds like your father is going to be very involved in this, so do it together. Your mom may end up in it too. A family project! That would be really neat! :neener:

[10-Ring]

Depending on your level of experience, I would recommend a S&W revolver in 357 magnum, specifically a 66 or 686. There are alot to be found in the used market for ALOT less than $1000 and would leave plenty of money left for practice ammo, defensive ammo, range time and maybe a class or two to get really familiar with your gun, its operation and proper use.
The nice thing about 357mag is that you can use inexpensive 38 special for practice & plinking and use P+'s or 357 magnum for defense.

If that doesn't do it for you, rent ALOT of the guns you've got your eyes on and actually shoot them. Pick the one that feels & works best for you!

Good luck, have fun!

[HS/LD]

With a budget of $1000 you can easily purchase a Sig, Glock, S&W etc.

However you can also purchase one of the absolutely best guns right out of the bow...

a Heckler & Koch USP.

in 9mm .357 .40 or .45.

All calibers are accurate and are adequate for self defense.

HS/LD

[NewShooter78]

I have recently become part of the shooting world myself. My first handgun was a SigPro in .40 caliber. I like the gun very much, and while I'm not as accurate with it yet as I probably should be, I found it easy to shoot and to control. That said, it is probably wise to go about it the way other's have suggested with a revolver or semi auto in .22lr, especially with a gun that can have a drop in conversion from a higher caliber to that of .22lr. You have the added advantage of being two guns in one, but you will probably see quicker results with a .22 and the satisfaction of better target shooting at first. But the one thing I have learned from other's here is to ulitimately find what you like the most and buy that gun. Make sure it fits your hand well and that you like the way it looks, and practice as much as possible. And with a budget of $1000 you have a lot of room to work with.

Oh, and one other thing. Make sure you have really good hearing and eye protection. Buy your own, and don't use what the range gives you.

[Boats]

Though I see it took less than a half hour from your first post to the initial "Get a Glock" recommendation, and though I am a 1911 man myself, I concur with the advice to get a CZ-75 and a .22 lr conversion. In my mind this is the perfect beginner's combo for not a lot of cash. The learning curve from .22lr to 9mm is not that steep and you'll have a cheap to shoot handgun that you can learn to shoot well. Taken care of a CZ will outlive you.

[Jason Demond]

I would have to say any revolver in atleast .357magnum. If you are going to spend $1000.00, you could buy a couple gun including a good .22.
A semiauto is not a very good gun for a newbie, IMHO.

[Forseti]

Go straight to the best...my first gun was a P7M13 (you can't get it now, only the P7M8 is available...same thing, only 8 rounds instead of 13). Its spoiled me forever.

Most amazing gun in terms of accuracy and fun. Expensive however. Friends of mine that can barely keep other 9mm's on the paper target suddenly become competent shooters with the P7.

http://www.hecklerkoch-usa.com/pages/civilian/p7frameset.html

[ENC]

My advice would be to take that grand and buy a 686 and any 22 revolver.

You would have enough change leftover to buy plenty of ammo and join the NRA which would give you a subscription to American Rifleman and some political support at the same time

[Mastrogiacomo]

Berettas tend to be a very under rated gun. However they have excellent qualities:

1. Easy to take apart for cleaning.
2. Accurate.
3. Reliable.
4. Reasonably priced.
5. Concealable (depending on model).
6. Beautiful guns overall.
7. Flawless.
8. *Safe* -- all Berettas come with a manual saftey. A big plus in my book.
9. Parts readily available.
10. Plenty of great Beretta gunsmiths if you want to do custom work on the gun.
11. Very mild recoil. (The jolting senation when you fire the gun).

I'm a female shooter with two Beretta compacts and I highly recommend them for a first time shooter. In my opinion, it's best not to buy a BMW until you've spent time learning the ropes with your Dad's Ford. Again, my opinion. You'll appreciate the higher priced guns when you've gotten time to practice. Personally, I know people love Glocks but I just don't trust a gun without a manual saftey. As for the Sigs, very expensive and can't figure what these guns can do that my Beretta can't equal or exceed in performance. The H&K, I've got to say, I'm jealous if you can get this gun and aside from my Berettas, it's the only other model I'd consider.

*A couple of points to bear in mind, if you can find the model you want to buy at a gun club or shooting range, rent it first to get a feel of how it fires. What people say about a gun over the internet and how it actually feels in your hands, and in your joints, when it fires are two very different things. Don't take people's word over actually using the gun yourself. Lastly, I'd consider something in a 9mm as it tends to be very mild recoil type of firearm or the .45. Both these calibers are less expensive than the .40 which can really run up a tab if you practice a lot as they cost more than the 9 or 40. Food for thought. Good luck with your research and your gun choice.
:D

[etAutomatic]

Thanks again everybody. I guess my dad and I will have to start visiting our local gun shops soon and try out some pistols. In the meantime, keep those insights and suggestions coming!

EDIT: All other things being equal, which guns are more accurate as a general rule, smaller caliber or larger caliber?

[WESHOOT2]

There are only accurate guns.

Which means "is the one in my hand accurate?"

[Mastrogiacomo]

Neither the caliber nor the gun has anything to do with accuracy. It's the owner and how he/she practices with the firearm. If you don't practice, kind of sums it all up, doesn't it? Again, I recommend the 9mm or .45 if you want to practice without going broke paying for the ammo. Look to Beretta for an inexpensive handgun choice that's not going to be complicated to figure out how to use and clean it. But don't take my word for it, be sure to rent one at the range and judge for yourself. :D

You can collect all the info online people can post but we have no idea of your skill, your size and how your hands will react to firing the weapon. These are all things you'll have to discover on your own. Make sure the grip is comfortable, the firing experience is gentle and that you know how to take the gun apart to clean it on your own. ALWAYS CLEAN A GUN AFTER USING IT. This is the golden rule for taking care of an expensive piece. If you have trouble taking the pistol apart for maintance, it's a bad choice since you won't take care of it. Be leary of buying too small a gun as recoil is quite painful as you go for the smaller and smaller frames. I wish I had known this prior to buying my revolver. Fortunately, my Berettas were a Hell of a lot of fun to use so I consider the whole mess as having learned my lesson cheaply. Above all, don't rush to buy anything until you've taken the time to learn all you can about the gun. It doesn't have to be a perfect, award winning, expensive as Hell firearm. But it does need to be reliable and perfect for you. :)

[WESHOOT2]

There are differences in the accuracy of guns.
Sometimes huge differences.
What matters is the accuracy of YOUR SPECIFIC EXAMPLE.
Caliber is not relevant.

As for cleaning your gun after each use, the previous poster stated an opinion, although one held by many.
Not quite fitting with my experience.
And I have some...............

ps I would not consider owning an aluminum gun.

[branrot]

The three guns that keep popping up when people as the question you've asked are a .22, a .357 revolver, and a 9mm auto. I'm of the 9mm auto camp.

My first gun was a Beretta 92. 9mm, 15 rounds in the clip. Great gun, still have it. Also have a .22 pistol, a few .357 revolvers, and a few others. While the .22 is great to get the feel of firing a gun, has very low recoil, and while ammo is extremely cheap, my reasoning for the 9mm is that it's more powerful than the .22, and much more fun to shoot. Remember, shooting and shooting a lot is the key. While I enjoy shooting my .22 and find it very accurate because of the low recoil, it doesn't put a grin on my face like when I'm shooting a 9mm or a .357.

The .357 is a great gun too, but I like the higher capacity of the 9mm (some have up to 17 rounds in the clip with pre-ban mags), as well as the way it automatically cocks the hammer each time (on most guns except double action only), and the ease of reloading (putting bullets in the cylinder either manually or with a speedloader, versus popping in a new clip).

While I like the higher capacity of the 9mm, I'd feel perfectly well protected with either a 9mm or a .357. Both are fun, but the 9mm wins out in the coolness factor (though the revolver has that retro thing going for it).

[sonoranjack]

For a new shooter that has no shooting experence the first handgun should be a revolver .38 cal w/ 4" barrel. Find 1 used under $300. S&W M10 heavy barrel is a good choice. Or any other 4" barrel that's rated for +P ammo. Since your just 18 your dad will have to own it. Now you have spent $300 out of $1,000 on a learning revolver you have $700 left. Your next task is to get training. I'm not shure if an 18 yr old can take training classes but your dad should take a training class. If you both can even better. I would look for local training say at your local range. Take an entry level training class that teaches safety rules & marksmanship. Bank any money left over. While your learning to practice safety rules & marksmanship w/ your revolver, start doing research on a pistol. Also add to the money you've banked from your original fund. so after a year you'll have a nice money stash & you'll know what kind of pistol you exactly want. So go w/ a plan, a learning revolver to begin w/. Then latter the pistol you exactly want.

[22luvr]

First things first: If you can, check around and take a good NRA class on shooting safety, legal aspects, and self-defense.

Next, if you have a gun range that rents guns, rent the ones you're interested and check them out.

For semi-autos I'm definitely a fan of the 9mm. Ammo is dirt-cheap and the 9mm is an excellent all-purpose round.

For Revolver, get a .357 magnum. For me, this is my favorite handgun and favorite caliber. Nothing approaches the enjoyment I get out of shooting a fine .357 revolver. Again, ammo is dirt-cheap and you can shoot either .38spcl or .357 mags through it.


Plinking and practice? A good .22LR, either in semi-auto or revolver is the trick.

If you buy wisely, there is a good possibility of buying 2 of the 3 and possibly ALL of them.

Best wishes, the shooting arts are invaluable to know and you'll soon become pleasantly addicted.

[Augustwest]

Regarding your question about how guns work, for a decent discussion about revolvers, check out:

www.howstuffworks.com/revolver.htm



My first handgun was a Taurus 92 (9mm Berretta clone). I still have it, and shoot it occasionally. But I highly recommend a .357 Magnum revolver loaded with .38 spl to start out with - I've learned more with that combination than with any autoloader.

[MJRW]

I can't stress enough how much I think a Ruger Mark II would server your interests best. Let me list the reasons why:

1. You get a solid introduction to shooting on an excellent platform which you will find yourself using for years to come.

2. You learn good habits in shooting.

3. It gets you to the range. This affords many opportunities to say to the folk at the ranges (most of whom are very friendly) "hey, nice gun." You will often get to shoot it. From there you can develop opinions of what you like and don't like. This lets you base your next purchase off of experience with different types of guns. In my opinion, this is the best way to determine what gun to choose.

[Skunkabilly]

[whisper]P7M8[/whistle]

Milk it while your folks are paying for stuff and you don't have car payments, auto insurance, groceries, rent, etc. to pay for yourself yet!!

[etAutomatic]

Even though I won't be able to legally purchase/possess a handgun until I'm 21 (:(), will I still be able to take shooting lessons and other courses related to handguns?

[benEzra]

SC law allows for "the temporary loan of pistols for instructions under the immediate supervision of a parent or adult
instructor." Be sure to follow this to the letter; see scary thread at <http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?threadid=4734>.

bE

[Chris Pinkleton]

I'm hardly as experienced as many of the other members here, but I may have a few points to add.....

1) While many folks have many great suggestions here, all great guns, I wouldn't get too focussed on any one gun until you've handled it for yourself. The Ruger Mk.II, which many have mentioned, for instance, is an excellent pistol for some folks, but I'll never buy one -- it just doesn't fit my hands at all. The K-frames are awesome, but a GP-100 fits my hands so much better that I'm far more accurate with it than the pricer Ks. While I like autos for self-defence, I've recently discovered that I shoot better with the GP than anything else -- don't discount the classic six-guns.

2) As far as ammo goes, .22, 9X19mm, and .38 Special are definately the cheapest options if you don't handload. You might want to set aside some of that budget for reloading equipment, even if you go with the 9 or 38. The less you spend on each round the more you can go shoot! A $800 pistol that you can't afford to shoot could be a real pain.

3) Where are you planning to shoot? I would think about saving some of that budget for a range membership, for the same reasons as I stated under #2. If you have access to a free location in the great outdoors, I envy you greatly. Around here, the outdoor option is much cheaper than indoors, but outdoor shooting is only fun when the weather cooperates.

Hope this helps. If I were in your position I'd probably pick up a Browning BuckMark .22 Auto and a Ruger GP-100 and some reloading equipment, and a 1911-type (probably a surplus Star 9mm) if I could fit it in.

But Glocks are real cool. :) Glock and 1911s fit my hand the best out of the centerfire autos I've tried. Many folks would disagree with that last statement vigorously--or at least part of it. :)

Sorry none of these are high on the "cool looks factor." I'd wait on that requirement until you have some pistols you love as pure shooters first.

Chris

[Tim Schlosser]

While I'm no genius, and I don't play one on TV. :) My two cents is that you should purchase a Ruger MKII and a Ruger 4" GP100 to begin with. I'll back them up individually below.

Ruger MKII: The best reasons are that it is a .22 so there's no recoil to fool with. It's a semi auto to break you in on them. It's a single action mechanism so you only have to learn one trigger pull. It's dead reliable and is backed up by a no nonsense warranty from an American company. The ammo is dirt cheap and highly accurate so you can afford to practice and not get frustrated with "Swiss Cheese" targets. I'd go stainless as it's less maintenance.

Ruger GP100: Takes .38spl or .357mags. Teaches you the art of the revolver. Dead reliable and is backed up with the same no nonsense warranty from the same American company. More accurate than you can possibly shoot. Gives you the ultimate self defense round and the ability to work up to it in baby steps. I'd go with stainless here as well.


I'd personally only steer you towards new pistols for starters because you will at least get factory quality instead of someone elses experimental trigger job. With your thousand dollar budget you can afford both of these weapons brand new and have enough money left to buy a bunch of ammo to train with.


Just my opinion, and worth every penny you paid fort it.

[Waitone]

Start off with an NRA basic shooting course. It'll pay dividends down the road.

If you're dead set on spending money, spend it on the best hearing and eye protection available. Do not go cheap here.

Spend time browsing your local ammo dealers shelves. There are two costs to firearm ownership. Cost of purchase and the cost of ownership. In the long run the care and feeding of a firearm will outstrip the purchase price amazingly fast. Hint: ammo pricing has 3 different plateaus.

#1 .22lr $10.00 / 500 rounds,

#2 .38 spl or 9mm at about $8.00 / 50 rounds,

#3 .40 cal up at $10.00+ / 50 rounds.

Your learning sequence will be aim, squeeze, bang, grin.
Repeat until exhausted.

Until you gain experience the quality and price of your firearm will not be a factor.

Me? I'd go cheap on a purchase and care and feeding and at the same time I'd shoot my way through a rental rack.

www.packing.org has state laws. Learn 'em because you can hurt yourself by virtue of ignorance.

Regarding accuracy. most modern handguns are plenty accurate. There are two components to accuracy: the guns mechanical accuracy and your accuracy. As a newbie, it will be quite sometime before your accuracy pushes the envelope on your firearm's accuracy. Learn the cockpit basics first, avoid obsession over the hardware.

Shoot 'til your happy.

[Keith]

Let me jump on the .22 bandwagon as well!

Handgun shooting is a difficult task to learn. The more you shoot, the better you get and owning a .22 means you can shoot a LOT.

1000 rounds of .22 will cost you $20. 1000 rounds of 9mm/.40/.45 will cost you $200, or more. Think about that. For the price of 20 boxes of ammo ($200) you could buy a quality .22 handgun!

So, at least consider buying a .22 along with the centerfire pistol you decide on - the savings in ammo will pay for the extra gun! The Browning Buckmark and the Ruger Mark II are excellent choices that can be picked up for about $200 or a little more.

A CZ with a conversion unit (as mentioned earlier) would be an excellent choice. You can also buy conversion units for Glocks and 1911's.

I have a .22 conversion mounted on a 1911 frame. My usual routine is to shoot several hundred .22 rounds, then follow that up with perhaps 50 rounds of .45.

Keith

[Keith]

Hey,

One more thing. As several people have suggested - get some training! It is MUCH easier to learn to shoot the right way from the beginning, than to have to unlearn bad habits that you'll commit to musle memory trying to do it on your own. Same with all the basic safety rules that you need to absorb and practice.

Good shooters generally started with good training.

Keith

[Mastrogiacomo]

Your age would only prohibit you from owning a handgun but if you want lessons, there's nothing stopping you. There's a place I go to for example where you can rent guns to shoot and get lessons from NRA teachers if you like. Also, there's plenty of gun clubs that offer youth programs you may want to look into and ask about. You're age won't be a problem except of course you can't even get into a gun shop as they won't let you in until your old enough.

[Mastrogiacomo]

If you take any gun courses: shooting, safety, etc. hold on to the certificates so when you go to get the pistol application, you can show them (the police) everything you've accomplished and how seriously you regard owning a firearm. Makes a great impression.:D

[45auto]

You don't need any more advice from the good responses you have already, but here goes!

I would buy a 22 auto to begin with, perhaps a Ruger or Browning and don't discount a good used one. Regardless of the order that you buy handguns , you will end up owning some type of 22 handgun, at some point. They are easy to learn on, cheap to buy and shoot and way to much fun to go "plinking" with not to own one, so you might as well start off with it!

As you shoot and meet other shooters you will probably have the chance to shoot other types of centerfire handguns and then decide. You will have plenty left over of your $1000 to buy most any high quality revolver or auto and some ammo.

Good luck and have fun.

[Selfdfenz]

For a grand you can get a Ruger 22/45 or MKII AND a CZ 75 or PCR AND a case of ammo for each if you shop right.

All centerfire pistols are great and have their place but for starters go 22 LR.

If you have a basement you can set up a bullet trap and shoot down there on "rainy"days. Can't do that with too many centerfires I can think of.

Also with 2 guns both you and your Dad can shoot at the range at the same time. Can't do that with a conversion.

S-