Hello all

[XDn00b101]

Hello everyone. Glad I could join this great community, as this will be my first time owning a Pistol. I recently bought an XD-40 "gun store owner reccomended it over Glock" and I'm excited about it, but still have to wait 7 more days before I can pick it up. The last time I shot a weapon was 8 years ago, so hopefully I'll be able to go to the range and learn how to shoot again. As a newbie I'd like to ask the experts here some questions. Answers would be greatly appreciated.

1. I have 0% knowledge of how to clean/strip my new gun, or any gun at all for that matter. Should I learn, or should I just take it to a professional to clean?

2. I have basic common sense when it comes to gun safety, but should I still take a gun safety class, since I'm new to the scene?

3. How often should I clean my gun? From reading several forums, I've learned the XD has finish issues and is prone to rusting issues.

4. Is it ok to buy cheap ammo from places like WalMart? I'd love to save money for range shooting. Is cheap ammo ok to use?

5. I kinda wanted a Glock, but the Store owner said the XD-40 is better for the money and good for a newbie. Did he sell me a decent first time weapon?

Thanks in advance all...

 

[Working Man]

Welcome to THR!

1. I have 0% knowledge of how to clean/strip my new gun, or any gun at all for that matter. Should I learn, or should I just take it to a professional to clean?

Always learn... you want to be able to clean and maintain "your" gun at any
given time. Basic maintenance is rather easy and gives you a chance to view
the main components of your gun, looking for wear or damage.

2. I have basic common sense when it comes to gun safety, but should I still take a gun safety class, since I'm new to the scene?

You said it had been 8 years since the last time you were shooting and to be
honest, you can always learn something from a gun safety class. It would be a
wise investment of time and money.

3. How often should I clean my gun? From reading several forums, I've learned the XD has finish issues and is prone to rusting issues.

There are different frames of thought on that one. I clean mine after every
shoot and use light oil, then if they have been sitting for awhile I clean them
before I shoot again also adding light oil. This works well for me as I shoot a
few hundred rounds each time.

4. Is it ok to buy cheap ammo from places like Wal-Mart? I'd love to save money for range shooting. Is cheap ammo ok to use?

Depends on what you mean by cheap ammo. Wal-Mart is fine to buy ammo at
but for semi-autos I use brass cased not aluminum... but thats just me.

5. I kinda wanted a Glock, but the Store owner said the XD-40 is better for the money and good for a newbie. Did he sell me a decent first time weapon?

That is better answered by some of the other fine folks you will find here as I
am biased and do not care for Glocks.

Hope this helps.

Oh yah... new guy buys the beer and ammo.

MGD and a box of .45-70 please.

 

[XDn00b101]

Thanks for the advice. One MGD and a box of .45 coming right up!

 

[SwampWolf]

(1) You need to be able to field-strip and clean your own weapon.The XD 40 is not especially difficult to disassemble/reassemble. Pay close attention to the owner's manual.

(2) If you are unfamiliar with firearm safety practices (which includes but is more than common sense), I would strongly recommend that you attend a reputable gun safety course. Everybody could benefit from a refresher course.
Always keep your finger off the trigger until the moment you decide to shoot and always keep your gun pointed downrange (that is, in a safe direction). Never rely solely on any "safety".

There's lots more but these are some of the more basic rules. Don't ever allow yourself to become complacent and don't ever be afraid to ask questions.

(3) Cleaning time intervals can vary widely with no hard and fast rules. Always clean and wipe down with rust-preventatve cloth before storing for any long period of time.
On any centerfire semi-auto pistol, I generally field-strip and clean/lubricate it after a "day on the range" or certainly after firing 500 rounds or so.
I always wipe down any firearm I've handled (using a silicon or its ilk rust preventative cloth) before putting it away.

(4) Department store stuff is fine but you are going to have to experiment with various brands and types of ammunition to determine what your pistol likes best. Your XD 40 will no doubt prefer one brand or two and one type or two over all else in terms of accuracy, function and, especially in the case of pistols having non-adjustable sights, point of impact with respect to point of aim. You will never know what's best for your individual pistol until you try. Unfortunately, the typical department store is not going to carry enough of a variety of a given caliber for you to make that determination so you will probably have to shop at a "gun" store- a good place to spend your money and maybe get some good advice as well.

(5) Both the Glock and the Springfield are good choices, as are many other brands. So much comes down to personal preference and, of course, affordability. For a relatively new shooter, the Springfield might be a better choice due to the grip safety.

Finally,practice, practice, practice! And the very first thing to do is to JOIN THE NRA. Good shooting.

 

[trickyasafox]

you'll find everyone here is more then happy to help. welcome to the sport! i dont own any springers, so i cant really help you with your piece, but the owners manual should give a detailed description of how to field strip. if its not clear, just post here and someone can probably walk you through it.

another thing i would recomend is going to one of the monthly meetings at a rod and gun club by you. You might want to consider joining so you have a safe place to shoot your new firearm and have another source of info to tap

many have reasonable fees, i know my club is 25 dollars a year with as much range time as you want, though they do ask you donate 3-4 hours of your time per year to help the club out. many are this way. they also offer classes and leagues that might help you get your feet wet. sometimes entering the shooting world can be a little intimidating, and getting to meet a few fellow shooters makes it a touch easier to take the plunge

again welcome!

 

[Working Man]

No problem XDn00b101 , happy shooting.