Never shot a gun - where do I start?

duns & nerd-with-a-gun

Welcome, remember, there aint any dumb question, when in doubt ask.

and like a fella said on another forum...."keep yer booger hook off the bang switch"!!!

Definitely rent a gun and, with the cost of ammo, make it a 22. Start with a revolver and get someone to instruct you re safe gun handling. When you've fired a few hundred rounds of 22 (are they still a buck a box?), move up to a 38 revolver. By the time you've fired a few hundred 38s you'll know a little about what you want.

Seeing as how you've never fired a gun I'd stay away from semiautos just starting out. But that's just me.

I have to disagree with Cosmoline. Saturday I taugh a gal to shoot. The first gun she ever shot. My old 22 lr pistol. Her first group was 2 inched.(5 shots) 2nd group 3/4" ( 7 rounds) at 10 feet.
A good teacher makes a world of differnces.

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In good hands I'm sure it's fine, but not all teachers are equally experienced or attentive. A .22 bolt action allows the novice to see every step of the process, from loading to feeding and firing. The long barrel of the rifle also makes it far easier to train against sweeping the muzzle as well as making it easier to aim. When someone who has literally *no* experience with firearms picks up a handgun for the first time, Hollywood often kicks in and they treat it as a toy.

You just need to pick out a gun and buy one and get to know it. All the talk in the world won't help you.

You're approaching it like you're looking for a wife. Wrong approach. Approach it like you're buying your first power drill and first learning how to use one. The only way to learn is to throw yourself in and have fun.

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You should probably shoot a gun then.

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I'm rolling my eyes at this HORRIBLE advice.

Buying a gun is NOT like buying a power drill. It's not something to go out and just pick up. A gun can kill. There are a million considerations to becoming a first-time firearms owner, the foremost of which is SAFETY. This means safe handling, use, and storage of the firearm. It's not a toy, High Roaders, and to imply that purchasing a gun or firing one for the first time is a casual experience is completely irresponsible.

It may come as a shock to some of you that not everyone's blood runs with gunpowder, and that not everyone has even a basic concept of firearms safety. The shooting world can be intimidating, especially for a city boy like me. Walking into a gun shop for the first time isn't a comfortable thing for some people. Responding that the OP should "just go get one" is nuts. Safety is step 1, not buying a gun.

NOW, back to the point...

I bought my first gun in February of this year, and I was in the same situation as you, OP - never fired a gun before, didn't know where to go, what to do, etc. It can be kind of paralyzing when the first steps aren't clear.

In a perfect world, you'll have a friend or family member who is experienced and can take you shooting. A co-worker was my "in" to shooting.

Whether or not you have somebody to go with you, do research on the 4 rules of safe gun handling (Google) and firearms safety in general. This forum and the internet in general are good sources.

Once you feel like you can keep from shooting yourself or someone else, go to a range that rents guns, rent something in 9mm or smaller (I started with a 9mm, but .22 is probably best because as others have correctly indicated, recoil is minimized).

Shoot, starting at short range, with only one round in the magazine for the first couple of shots. Once you feel comfortable controlling the gun, load it with more. It's like riding a bike in terms of technique - the more you do it, the more agile and confident you'll be. Follow all of the range's rules, and have fun! But first, foremost, and always - BE SAFE!

Dun,

By a revolver. If you want to later, buy or trade it for other guns. But a snub nosed revolver has a place in any collection and it is a GOOD / SOLID / RELIABLE piece to start with.

Classes are fine if you have the extra cash. I always recommend that people buy a .38 snub and then learn the 4 rules. Join the NRA, then ask about their members classes. From there, you are rockin' and rollin'.

Take what they say at the gun counter with a grain of salt. Some of those folks are loony.

EDIT:

Suppose you can't or don't take classes.

Focus on Grip first. Shooting stance second. Front sight third. A lot of people develop awful habits because they put shooting stance or front sight in front of learning the grip.

Loading and unloading for revolvers is a snap, loaded chamber checks are a snap.


This guy has generally good advice for a beginner. I would get the revolver mentioned FIRST, then shoot, learn, get comfortable, either in classes or not and then worry about shooting other guns and renting and deciding on something you like. As a beginner, you are not going to know what you like. First you have to get the flavor, mature slightly as a shooter and then you will have a better basis to understand what your preferences are.

http://www.youtube.com/user/shootingcoach

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHD6JJFQ2WM

Rules to remember for first timers.
#1. Hold any and all handguns sideways.
#2. Turn your body away from the direction you are shooting and stand on one foot.
#3. Refer to all auto loader handguns simply as "my nine"
#4. Never use the term "magazine" it is always "clip".
#5. It is about quantity, not quality. More shots down range is better than precise shots down range.
#6. Make sure your pants are below your butt cheeks...it looks tougher to shoot while your drawers are piling up by your ankles.
#7. Strangers love it when you try to shoot the target they are using.
#8. Always ask what people are shooting such as "what kinda nine is dat?" and no matter what the response, tell them yours is better.
#9. Paper targets are for sissies...bring an old TV to shoot.
#10. When the range goes hot, just before you start to unload evey round into your television as fast as you can from one foot while turning your body away and holding your "nine" sideways, yell "Whos your daddy now!"

Fellas, you all have anything else to add?

#11. Always keep trigger finger inside trigger guard. It's more dramatic that way. Youz gotta be perpared.
#12. Keep your hand constantly on "da slide" as you "rack" it and hold the "gat" close to you while doin it
#13. Continuiously cock and re cock the hammer no matter where you're pointing it. Again, it's more dramatic and exciting to cock it. It gets your point across.

I would definetly push the NRA Basic Handgun class. It'll give you a broad overview of firearms types and safety and would be a great place to start. It provides standardized information that has bee npooled together through years of training. I would tend to avoid the "hang out and the range and pick things up" approach. There are a lot of people out there who learned on their own or were taught things that are exactly correct and in some cases are dangerous. They just don't know any better and bad habits are hard to break.

Learn it right the first time and you'll be much better off. If your planning on doing the CCW license, they usually cover a lot of basic firearms knowledge and safe handling. At least in KS anyway (it's part of the required training). Most instructors also teach other classes as well and may agree to work with you one-on-one to help bring you up to speed and to help you select a good first defensive firearm. And then, keep taking classes. Basic Combat Pistol, Adv Pistol, Force on Force, Fighting from Vehicle, etc. to help build your skills.

#14. Every so often when shooting, shout the B word
#15. Sunglasses cut down on the muzzle flash so you don't ruin your night vision.
#16. Holsters are for losers
#17. Safety! We ain't talkn' bout football...
#18. Bullets?? Oh you mean caps!

I definitely agree that you need to have someone show you the ropes, whether it be via a class or something more informal. I would strongly recommend against just trying to figure it out yourself with advice from the internetz. Remember, the relative safety of a firearm depends almost solely on the user, just like most powerful tools.

Memorial Shooting Center rents out firearms, not sure about other local ranges here in Houston. You should go there first see what they have, go get ammo (if they sell some it will be overpriced), return, rent, and have fun shooting (with someone who knows what their doing.

Shiloh or the Impact Zone would be a good place to start. NRA Basic handgun, then TRAINING. Get some range lessons (I think both ranges offer them) and rent/borrow the handgun. Then consider training in defensive handgun, if that is any part of your desire to learn to shoot. Brian Hoffner is in Houston and offers what I think are excellent defensive handgun courses. http://www.hoffners.com/

I do not believe you have to start with a rifle, although that IS a good way to burn in good gun handling habits. You actually have some real advantages over self-trained more experienced shooters; you have no bad habits. It has been my experience that newcomers often do very well as they have nothing to un-learn. But one-on-one coaching while learning the basics would be advisable, in my opinion.

Welcome to the shooting fraternity.

Steve

Looks like the butt cheek showing requirement scared off the OP.

Hey, OP, what part of Houston are you in?

You've received a good list on page 1 of relevant ranges.

Top Gun - Galleria area
Shiloh - 1960 & 249 (NW)
Memorial - Spring Branch
American Shooting - west Houston
Hot Wells - 290 (NW)
Creekwood - Conroe
Shooters Station - Conroe
59 N - there's an indoor range up that way too


Get instruction. Go shoot.

Sorry about the irreverant post, but I just laid out some of the things I hate the most about people, who unlike the OP, just start shooting based on what they see in popular culture. I like that the OP has come asking for advice from experienced shooters, and I hope he caught my humor and did not think I was mocking him. Quite the contrary, I appreciate people like him looking for advice before they enter into what I consider a lifestyle.

First welcome to the High Road. Safety is the first order of business. Learn how to be safe with firearms and then move on to what you want for a first firearm. One local guy bought his first one on impulse and was handling it in his second floor apt and discharged it (Taurus Judge) through the floor and missed a toddler by inches. His firearm was confiscated and he has a date in court, all before his first safety course was to start.:banghead:

Ask questions and learn. Those that make fun of one for asking a questions need to listen and learn more than you do!
Follow the four rules of firearms safety and shoot well.

#19. Close your eyes when shooting - keeps GSR out!

welcome to the high road, you've started well - asking questions is the best thing to do if uncertain.
as stated safety first. a rental at a range that provides may be a good idea also and ask for safety instruction with that pistol.
IMO a good first pistol would be a decent .22LR revolver this will allow lots of cheap practice and generally safer than a semi-auto. if you decide later on to move up to a larger gun if you keep the .22 in good condition likely you can sell it there is always a demand for these or maybe a friend would like to learn to shoot also and you can provide the .22.
I taught 5 sisters and 2 nephew's wives to shoot pistols starting them out with my Taurus .22 revolver they all moved up to large pistols after I trained them with a .380acp as the next step up.
they all have .380's now except one that preferred a .32acp Beretta.

This is a leading question, please resist answering it

Welcome

You've taken an important first step. Good advice here. Make sure your BS and sarcasm filters are ON +1 on the 22lr