I'm going to a gun show to pick my first gun...

[whatever]

I'm probably going to buy a handgun in a couple of weeks at the Houston Gun show. I want it to be smallish and easy to shoot. I want it mainly for home protection. This will be my first handgun and need some help.

Based on some searches I'm looking at buying a Bersa Thunder .380 (open to suggestions) or something similar. It looks like a new one will cost me about $250 ish or so. So a couple of questions:

Will there be a Bersa at the gun show (i.e. are they pretty common)?

If so, will there be used and new ones, and what are the prices/pros and cons of buying used vs. new?

Are there other models that I should look into in this price range (LESS than $300)?

What kinid of documentation, if any, do I need to purchase a handgun?

If I buy used, what are some general things I should look for?

I'm sure these things get asked a lot, so forgive me if it's reptitive.

Thanks for the help!

 

[MP5]

I'm very far from an expert, but I'd suggest going to a local range and renting various guns to find what works for you. Remember to get safety training first if you're not already familiar with shooting.

Useful links:

http://www.craigcentral.com/handguns.asp
http://www.tincher.to/hgfaq.htm

Btw, from what I understand, the best weapon for home protection (after prevention and deterrence) is supposedly a shotgun. Food for thought.

 

[Majic]

As home defence is your primary concern you don't have to have a small handgun. Small, short barreled handguns are harder to shoot accurately than a service size model. Take a look at the larger handguns as concealing will not be a concern for your purpose.

 

[Waitone]

I'm a contrarian so humor me.

You're a newbie, it shows. So be well aware of the inbuilt radar that gun show vendors have to newbies. I'm flat out warning you to be careful of purchasing guns at a gunshow particularly if you are completely new to the sport.

My suggestion is to use the gunshow to SHOP but not buy. Leave your money and permit at home. Investigate at the range a variety of guns by shooting. Then go to the show to get a view of the prevailing pricing. You will most like get an idea of local storefronts that exhibit at the show.

Now you can go to the storefronts and actually purchase a handgun. It is my experience that rarely do you find a good buy on a gun at a show. You might get a good price on a POS which leaves you with the problem.

Support your local storefront and don't try to screw 'em down to the final penny. They put up with a lot of BS to give you the chance to buy a handgun.

 

[GigaBuist]

The Bersa Thunder is considered more of a pocket carry (bit too large for that I suppose) or deep concealment gun. A house gun it is not -- it's a mouse gun.

Since you're at home I'd go with a higher caliber round than .380. Something in the 9mm - .45ACP range. Although really a shotgun is great for HD.

If somebody tries to sell you a Jennings, Bryco, Davis, or Lorcin gun at the gunshow point, laugh, and call them names. You don't want one of them. They're trash.

A Hi-Point? Maybe. I've never tried one out personally.

Whatever you do don't rush. Think about it and do plenty of research. Asking questions here never hurt either.

 

[Black Snowman]

Shop around. My favorite way to shop is to find a range that rents and try them out. It's a lot cheaper to spend the money renting and then getting something you know works for you than trying to trade or collect until you find out what you want.

 

[FPrice]

whatever...

I heartily second Waitone's advice. A gunshow is a good place to go, look around, touch, handle, compare, but for a brand new person, the chances of buying the wrong item are far too great.

Do you know other experienced gun owners? I would ask them for recommendations of shops which are "newbie" friendly. One of the best things you can do is find a good gun shop and develop a good business relationship with the owner. YOu may pay a little more initially but what you can gain in the long run is priceless.

 

[9x19]

In Texas, you'll need your Texas Drivers License to show proof of residency, and then, if buying from a dealer, you'll have to fill out a 4473 form (Yellow sheet), and then wait while the dealer calls your identifying info into the Natioanl Instant Check System... A "proceed" may be given instantly or you may be "delayed" for a myriad of reasons.

David (Doc) Avery goes to alot of the Houston shows, so look for his set-up under the big red, white, and black "Doc's Walthers" banner. He is good people with excellent prices. Even if you decide to just price shop, his prices are usually rock bottom.

As far as the Bersa goes, it is a solid little handgun, and will probably serve you well as a first gun, but I second the notion that you should get some training in safe handling... most indoor gun ranges offer such training.

Good luck...

 

[Waitone]

One other piece of contrarian advice.

Make sure you have a good fix on the price of ammo before the purchase a particular handgun.

--.22LR is about as cheap as it gets.

--9mm and .38 spl is the second tier. These two and .22LR are heavily discounted at big box stores like Walley World and even gun shops.

--.380 (for your Bersa) is what I'd consider to be third tier. Not as heavily discounted unless you purchase in quantity. Gun shows are a good place to price and buy third tier ammo.

Get the platform you need. But keep firmly in mind the cost of ownership of a firearm is significantly higher than the cost of acquisition. A firearm that is too expensive to shoot is an expensive paperweight. Get one you can afford to shoot.

 

[CZ52GUY]

Consider a Makarov

Hi,

I'm guessing the factors that draw you to the Bersa would similarly cause you to take interest in a Makarov.

Like the Bersa, it's small, and affordable (prices range from $100-$200) depending on condition of the piece, and amount of profit margin any given dealer is looking to get.

For all things Makarov, visit www.makarov.com.

Ammo is readily available and competitively priced. I favor Barnaul in my Mak's.

Others have offered good advice to consider alternatives, but if you are intent on getting a small affordable HG, I'd recommend the Mak'.

Good luck!

CZ52'

 

[Penforhire]

You really should get out to a range and rent some guns first. Playing with them in a store or reading reviews are not great ways to tell if you'll like it.

 

[9x19]

One caveat to the Makarov recommendation... it will likely require a detailed disassembly and vigourous cleaning as most of those on the market today are Bulgarian surplus and come caked with cosmoline-type preservative grease, and it is usallly in every nook and cranny.

Maks are great little pistols, just want you to be aware of the above, in case you find "strip it down to its smallest parts" a bit daunting.

 

[BlkHawk73]

First handgun huh? I'd also reccommend heading to a range that has rentals so that you can see what really fits you. Also, ignore the sales pitches. remember, they want the sale with the most profit. Not sure about shows down your way, but up here one of the worst places to buy a new gun is at a gun show. Prices seem to infalte a bunch as soon as they pass through the show's doors. Hoping to time a visit to Houston (well, Pearland actually) to a show whne I head that way later this year.

 

[MP5]

And even more contrarian advice: you may wish to consider one of the various non-lethal means/weapons of self defense to avoid the potential ethical, psychological, and--particularly--legal consequences of killing someone. Just food for thought. You should certainly learn about the laws and relevant court decisions in your state regarding what is and isn't considered justifiable homicide.

 

[whatever]

I'm not too worries about knowing the laws in my state, I'm in law school and we just spent about a month on this a couple of months ago.

 

[CAS700850]

I think WAITONE had a good point. Don't go to teh gunshow planning to buy, for several reasons.

1. If you act like a new gunner, you will be treated like one, and likely end up paying more than you want for a gun you really might not want in the first place. God knows how someone might try to sell you accessories as necessities.

2. If you have a problem with the gun, good luck trying to go to the dealer for assistance. Wait until the next show and hope to find the guy again? NOt my first choice.

3. Gunshows, in my experience, are very hit or miss, in terms of dealers. I've met incredibly honest dealers who conduct business in an honorable way. And, I've met dealers who weren't worth a damn. At one show, I picked up a Colt All-American 2000 (remember those?) just to look at. The dealer told me how this pistol was the future of combat handguns, how it made the 1911 an antique, and that the Pentagon bought thousands for issue to the special ops community, because the trigger pull was so good. He let me dry-fire it (once), and when I remarked about the weight of the pull, he told me with a straight face that it was lighter when the gun was loaded.

As for the choice of guns, good luck. THat advice would take me hours.

 

[standingbear]

CAS700850...I couldnt agree more.trying to return a gun bought at a show cause it doesnt work..well,good luck.dont buy a gun at the show..just look at them and compare them varietywise as to how they fit your grip,sights,weight of the gun..anything else that you would consider important in YOUR gun.

after you have made a decision as to what you must have and what is extra in YOUR gun..price them and go get the one you like-locally.

keep in mind,the people at gunshows are there to make money,some will do it in any dishonest way possable and some just need to sell a gun to pay the bills.dont fall for any story that someone may tell you about buying it now cause tomorrow itll be gone.dont fall for any stories..do your research and get the one you specifically want for the price you are willing to pay.

 

[Iggy]

I heartily second waitone's statements.

Look a lot, Learn as much as you can, and Leave your money home.

Gun shows are getting to be more like carnivals every day.

 

[Spot77]

The Bersa's a good choice for new shooters because it's a simple gun to shoot and disassemble. The Mak would be a great choice if it were not your FIRST handgun.....no need to torture yourself with cosmoline and the like YET (although once you're hooked, you'll welcome the smell of cleaners and preservatives as much as a good breakfast)

Actually, a nice .38 revolver would be ideal. MANY nice revolvers can be had for way less than $300.


Happy shopping, and welcome to The High Road.

 

[joab]

I'm going to a gun show to pick my first gun...

NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gunshows are good for pieces parts and C&R unless you know what you are doing you stand a good chance of being taken.
I don't know if Texas has wait periods on handguns but that is something to consider, if you have to go back and pick it up in the next county or 3 over.
I use them as a 4D catalog cause I have rarely seen a better deal at a gun show than at a local shop.

 

[9x19]

Man I feel for all you folks with lousy gun shows... here in Texas, at least at the Dallas Market Hall and Houston Astrohall shows, it is far different and each is a much better opportunity for gun purchases than what you describe.

Doc has been doing gun shows in Texas and Oklahoma for at least 12-14 years. He is a practicing Dentist and his original goal was to sell a handgun to every person in America, and his prices have always reflected it.

In Dallas, Bachman Gun is another good dealer that makes all the Market Hall shows, neither are hard to find as they both have prominent banners over their tables and good folks behind them.

No state waiting periods in Texas, no paperwork if buying from another resident, and if buying from a dealer, you don't even have to wait for the National Instant Check if you have a Texas CHL... just pay your money, fill out the yellow sheet, and walk away happy!

 

[StrikeEagle]

Hello, Whatever!

You asked for suggestions so here is mine...

Don't buy an autoloader as your first handgun. They can be finicky, and difficult for a new shooter to troubleshoot. I'm also convinced that they are not as SAFE for a new shooter as a revolver. Home defense? Don't worry about size. Hopefully you'll be shooting this gun a lot... so you'll want a caliber that doesn't kill you on ammo prices, yet can sit a felon down with some reliability. Sooooo... with all this in mind...

Buy a 4-inch .38 Special. You COULD get a .357 and treat it as a .38 (.357 revolvers accept the slightly shorter .38 Spl cartridges) but that will be more expensive than a .38.

New shooter? The revolver has a LOT going for it. It's either cocked or uncocked, loaded or unloaded. Nothing tricky... no 'Condition 1, 2 and 3.'

Be careful of friends who keep suggesting the right gun for THEM; you want the right gun for YOU. And IMHO, that's it.

4 inch .38 Special. Nothing else is even close.

best,
StrikeEagle

 

[Model520Fan]

4 inch .38 Special. Nothing else is even close.

Agreed. And just about the cheapest, too, in a good used gun from a friendly nearby dealer.

A lot of good advice above. The guy that says he's contrarian obviously isn't. Sorry 'bout that.

 

[OEF_VET]

I want it to be smallish and easy to shoot.

If you're smallish yourself, then this is good. If you're not too small, consider something slightly larger.

I would also recommend a revolver for a first gun, particularly if it's for home defence. (Although, a shotgun does make a better HD weapon in my opinion. It's more versatile.)

If you really need a small one due to your physical stature, you may want to consider a Taurus Model 85. They usually sell for just under $300. Range ammo isn't expensive and you can find a myriad of good self-defence ammo.

If size isn't that important, a good 4" gun, like a used S&W Mdl 66 or 19 would be good, Taurus also makes copies of both.

Yeah, a small revolver carries a few rounds less than most autoloaders, but you can always buy speedloaders. Besides, you most likely won't be needing too many rounds to defend house and home. The trade-off will come in dependability and a much simpler manual-of-arms. If you have a failure to fire with a revolver, just pull the trigger again, the cylinder will just spin, putting a new round in front of the firing pin. Loading and unloading are very simple, especially with a speedloader; no need to remember to rack the slide or depress a slide release.

Just my thoughts. I just hope you find a gun that works best for you. Oh, and I'm not recommending what works best for me, my HD battery consists of a Remington 870 and a Para-Ordnance C7-45 LDA.

Frank

P.S. - One more thing, when you do decide which gun to buy, do a couple things. First, get some good training in its' use. Second, BA/UU/R (buy ammo/use up/repeat), that is, get some training ammo and some range time with your new weapon, your life could depend on it.

 

[Red_SC]

I bought my first handgun, and autoloader, at a gun show. I got a new Ruger P90 in .45 for $325, which is an excellent price in this area. I didn't know much about handguns, but I found a model that I liked, was made by a name I trusted, and was common. I searched every table, and there were enough of them that I could get a good idea what was a fair price for one. It could just have easily gone bad, though, so get a good idea before you go, or take someone with you that has a good knowledge of guns. Also, make sure it's made by a manufacturer that you can return it to directly for repairs if it doesn't work correctly, 'cause you aren't going to be able to return it to the seller.

A revolver is a good choice for a first gun, but don't immediately rule out an auto. Had I gotten a revolver first, I might not have developed it interest I have in handguns nearly as quickly. I like a good revolver, but it takes an auto to really get me excited.