Looking for that first gun, but.........

Status
Not open for further replies.
xenophon: I just can't keep a shotgun in my apartment."

"why not?"


Well, because if I ever have to leave for a while and lock stuff up, I don't have a big lockable place for it. I feel handguns are a little easier to secure up with a nice safe for going away (I just can't shell out for a nice big long safe yet)

mattd, you mentioned in that link a ruger for $200 less. That link you posted retail for $425, is that the one you meant, or did you mean a .22? I was looking at a glock 19 http://www.topglock.com/glock specific/19.htm retailing for $462, just $40 more bucks, is that a decent price?

x
 
There are devices that you can lock up the trigger, breach etc. I assume you are concerned about preventing someone from firing it rather than stealing it? Most any gun safe could be carried off unless you bolt it down, which can be problematic in an apartment. Most shotguns are designed to be taken down to two parts then the two can be locked up in a deck drawer etc.

For under $100 you could get the SG for HD, and then you wont feel rushed into getting a pistol without having completely researched/trained etc.

On the other hand, a Glock is a fine weapon and if that’s what you want then get it.
 
There is a trainer I know in WI named Jeff Williams. His website is www.criticalreactiontraining.com. I'm not sure where he is in the state, but check out the website and see if he is near you. Even if he isn't, you may want to contact him anyway as he might know someone near you.

As far as a first gun goes, if you are trying to decide between 9mm and .40 S&W, I'd go with the 9mm for a couple of reasons. The first is that the 9mm is one of the easiest to shoot centerfire cartridges around. The second is that 9mm ammo is usually MUCH cheaper than .40 S&W ammo. If you are a new shooter, you'll want to practice ALOT and cheaper ammo will allow you to do that. Go to Wal Mart and buy the 100 round value pack of "Winchester White Box" FMJ for about $10.97 per 100. That's great practice ammo and the best deal going for centerfire ammo.

At this point, don't get too wrapped up in the "what caliber is best?" question. All handgun rounds are more alike than they are different and accurate shot placement is more important than what round you use.

I also have a specific first gun reccomendation. Check out the CZ-75B in 9mm. This is a all steel, traditional double-action (DA first shot, then SA), high-capacity semi-automatic pistol. The gun is accurate, reliable and remarkably easy to shoot. It is also one of the better handgun values going right now and you can get a new one for about $350 or so if you shop around.

Another nice thing about the CZ 75 is that there is a factory .22 Kadet conversion kit available that replaces the barrel and slide on your CZ with a .22 caliber upper end to allow you to practice with cheaper .22 ammo. The .22 Kadet kit is well designed and well built and very accurate. It runs about $250, so you can get the base gun and the kit for about what you'd pay for many other semi-auto's. In effect you get two guns in one.

Go to the CZ forum at www.czforum.com for more info on the CZ 75.

The reason so many people suggested a .22 for a good first gun is that a good .22 is an excellent handgun to use to learn how to shoot. It has very little recoil, which allows you to concentrate on the basics, and the ammo is so extremely cheap that you can practice alot for very little money. If you did buy the CZ-75/.22 Kadet kit combo, one nice thing is that you'd be practicing with the same gun as a .22 that you'd use a 9mm.


A .38 or .357 revolver can also be a good choice for a first gun, but it does have it's drawbacks. A double-action revolver is probably the easiest handgun for a newbie to operate and the easiest to safely load and unload, but the double-action trigger pull takes some work to master.

Glocks are good guns, but personally I hesitate to reccomend them to newbies. They have a relatively simple and straightforward manual of arms (method of operation) that is often compared to a double-action revolver in that there are no safties to manipulate before you can fire. But, the trigger pull is much lighter than a DA revolver and the chance of a AD is, IMHO, higher for a newbie than if that person had a DA revolver.

No matter what gun you pick, check it out to see how it "fits" you first. Some guns will work better for you than others depending on how your hand size/finger length, etc, interacts with the specific grip size and design of any specific pistol. As an example, the Browning High Power and CZ-75 both fit my hands like a glove (one of the reasons I like the CZ so much), but Glocks tend to feel like I'm holding a brick. A well-fitted gun will soon become an extenstion of your arm, and than an extension of your being, and will help you learn to shoot better.
 
Thats just the msrp you can get the ruger for 300-350 with a 40 dollar rebate. http://www.impactguns.com/store/ruger_p95d.html after shipping and rebate its about 290 and then you got the ffl hangling fee I don't know how much that cost. But your local gun stores might have it for 350+40 dollar rebate or so. But for what I seen 462 isn't a bad price at all for the Glock.
 
Don't feel embarrassed...

To go to a local range and ask them to show you how to operate the gun you want to rent. Just go in and say "Hey, I'm thinking about getting a 9mm pistol but I have never fired a gun before. I'd like to rent one, can you give me some advise?"

That is pretty much what we did and the guy was real quick to show us a Sig 239. He showed us the basic functions of the gun and made sure we understood how to operate it before sending us into the range. I would almost consider it part of their job.

Trust me, its not that big of a deal. Im sure that they get beginners all of the time.

P.S.- If you are liking the glocks, also take a look into the Walther P99. It has the simplicity and feel of a glock but has the long first trigger pull for increased safety. Mine is a real gem, well over 2k (maybe even approaching 3k) rounds without a single problem.
 
Trebor: That website you listed didn't come up, I think the right link is:
http://www.criticalreaction.com Btw, thanks for the cool links and info

I'm quite pleased with the info about the various gun/caliber recommendations so far...now on to range questions. I've always been one who likes to know ahead of time about something before I dive in, so can someone explain step by step what happens on a normal trip to a range? Like, what is the normal procedure of things, i.e go take a bench, load up, setup target, shoot, cease fire, load up, etc etc. How do you setup targets, etc. I've only seen ranges on tv and I have pictures in my mind from scenes in movies where people are shooting up targets and are then pressing some electronic button to automatically bring in the target to check their work (movie Lethal Weapon perhaps??) I think there are two indoor ranges by me so how does the procedure usually go at indoor ranges?

I also have a question about what gun accessories are needed when one purchaes a gun..so far i have
1) holster (hrrmm, kydex or leather though??)
2) gun safe (keypad entry?)
3) cleaning stuff (read something about breakfree CLP, good stuff?? is wal-mart or target gonna have stuff I need or do I have to visit mr. gunshop?
4) ammo (practice and carry (which I assume JHP is the thing
5) night sights?? hrrm, maybe later after I learn to shoot the gun well
6) more magazines..how many do you usually load up and take with to range?
7) saf-t-lok (I'm eyeing the glock so I think that could help safety)

Anything I'm missing, or recommendations?

Goodness gracious, the more I research into this stuff, the more options there are..I never realized owning a gun had anything more to it and "just the gun and the ammo" ;)

x
 
How do things go at the range? My range might be different from others, so take this with a grain of salt. Arrive, get member tags. Get anything I want like rests, etc(The range does not rent them to members, they lend them), You buy some targets and attach them to a cardboard and wood frame(with tape, people kept stealing the stapler, hehe). You can either ask for a cease-fire(on member only range, there is no "hot" or "cold") and put the target into position. Get back to the shooting position(a little table made of concrete blocks on which your stuff rests), lock and load. Shoot targets to pieces, repeat. If you want to check your shots, call cease-fire. On the non-member range, it's "hot" for twenty minutes. That is, firing may take place. Normally it is considered polite to wait till "Cold" to set your target up. When the range is "cold"(for ten minutes) everyone must unload and open the actions if possible. Then you can set stuff up, look at the target and so on. And of course the beer/Coke drinking, shooting the bull, playing with other people's toys and such.

I would advise you to go to a range and rent a few pistols or ask around if you could try some. Make friends with a pistol nut, something. It's a huge disappointment when you get that firearm you thought you'd like and then find one that fits and shoots better.

Nothing for you on holsters, I'm not a pistol guy(because that would be illegal).

Gun safe? Let me be frank. If you wake up at two AM, in the dark with odd noises here and there, you aren't likely to be much better than a body that happens to move and breath. Then that safe, no matter what type, is going to look rather daunting. Doubly so if the noises happen to be Bob "Big Muscles" Robber with a cheap .38 fumbling through your apartment. I'd recommend locking the pistol up if you have children in the apartment but otherwise, no.

For cleaning stuff, you need a bore brush of the chosen caliber, some patches(people will tell you to buy certain caliber patches but I say you can always just cut the durn things up), bore cleaner, lubricant and a rod of the correct caliber(as long as it's smaller than the bore I don't really thing it matters).

For carry ammo I recommend JHPs, assuming they can penetrate at least twelve inches. Don't buy into this Glaser ammo hype and such. For practice, FMJ is cheap. I would not use odd-ball stuff for carry, get a name-brand you can trust. Like Winchester or Remington. I'd use it for practice too if you can afford it, clean up is a pain with some of the cheap stuff.

Night sights? Can't tell you much.

For magazines I'd get about three, nice number. The Chinese are not invading tomorrow and if they are all the pistol magazines in the world won't help, they have rifles. You can always buy more later if you find you want some more.

As for a saf-t-lok, remember my comments on the safe. That trigger lock is going to look like a bad idea when you are stabbed while fumbling with it.
 
Get a safe if you want to lock it up when going some where far away In less the thing is small and they can just carry it away. If you worried about kids I'd use a safe or field strip the gun of 1 part. For cleaning I would use something called the patch worm, its cheap (5 bucks)and works good and won't damage your barrel as much if any as a wire one would, cleaning the barrel to much will wear it down faster than the bullets(pun not intended). http://20-20.8m.com/ and use a teflon lube like remington teflon lube. As for magazines, depends how much they cost and how long you want to shoot before you have to reload, you can never have to many. And for ammo you can get the cheapest stuff , but if you use all lead bullets you should clean the barrel with the patch worm every 500 rounds. The night sights are a good choice because its easier to aim day or night, the fiber optic night sights are the best type because they collect the light and display it at the end. A bag to carry all the stuff to the range couldn't hurt.

I only been to the range 1 time, I just read the rules, signed my name in, bought some targets, shot for a hour, paid and left. This was at a indoor one so you just use a switch to bring the target in and out like on lethal weapon(the most anti gun hollywood movie on the planet) And wash your hands really good before eatting when coming from the range or handling some ammo because of the lead.
 
$0.02 Worth

My advice is worth about what your going to pay for it.
That said,here goes 20/12 ga single barrel for home defense.Cheap easy to use you get your money back if you ever want to get rid of it.Next in line,look around for a 870 pump not hard to find in the less than $200 range.
But I Want a Pistol!
Ok but first we had to make sure your safe.
Spend your money on a good Ruger,S&W,Hi-Standard,Colt ect .22cal
Learn to use it
The fact that A is will be easier to learn with this weapon and you will have more more to spend on ammo will help your to get better faster.
By the way Hi-Speed hollow points are not a bad defensive round lots of shock.
6 kmonths from now.You are at a point where you can shoot and more inportantly hit what your shooting at.
You still have your shotgun for home defense and your fun .22 and you still want to go to center fire,have at it you will be,more at ease with firearms and more informed about firearms and better able to make a intelegent choice.
Welcome to the Wonderful "Gun Culture"
:)
 
As far as handguns go, I would definitely start with a 9 mm. A Ruger would probably be the best deal for the money, otherwise, I second looking at Walther P99.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Sheslinger

P.S. Oh, yes, and before others jump in, good job on convincing your girlfriend to at least try shooting with you!! Since both of you are reasonably new to this, I would definitely hook up with someone from THR who lives near you guys so that the first time you go, someone is there to help with advice and teach range "stuff" (we don't want her to dive under a bench the first time someone next to her shoots).

Invite your girlfriend to come over and browse and/or post here. Check out http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27373.

Later. I am sure I will think of more stuff as soon as I post.

Yep, here it is. Practice with the cheap stuff (Walmart has 100-round packs of 9 mm for $10.96, .40 for $14.95), and once in a blue moon bring your carry/home defense ammo in to shoot, this way you don't spend a whole lot of money on range ammo and still know that you are ok with defensive loads.
 
No one's mentioned this yet, so here goes.

Glocks are fine guns, but there are two major criticisms:

1. The trigger is a little funky. I am very biased because I am used to 1911s and rifles. The Glock trigger kind of goes "clunk" when it breaks. Most triggers break crisply -- often described as breaking a glass rod. Perhaps others here could share their experience learning on a Glock and moving to other triggers.

2. The other (problem?) with Glocks is the fact that the only safety is the trigger. The ingenious trigger design is meant to mimic the inherently safe operation of a revolver, but the standard Glock trigger has a lower trigger weight than a standard revolver's double-action trigger pull. Most accidental discharges of Glocks seem to occur when the owner reaches for the gun and accidently grabs the trigger. The Glock does not offer the lighter trigger pull of a revolver's single action -- which greatly improves accuracy. 1911s and other autoloaders typically have more than one safety which requires that the gun be held in a firing position and a safety be in the "off" position to operate. Again, Glocks are great (especially in 11.43x23 ;) ), but those are the criticisms. Also -- Glocks are popular, so you may be able to find a less trendy, less expensive option.

As far as "why a .22?", shooting a .22 involves minimal recoil, .22 ammo is cheap and .22s are almost all inherently accurate. You learn aiming, trigger control, breath control, etc. without flinching and can send 500 rounds downrange for $6. You will always shoot your .22 as much or more than your bigger guns.

I certainly understand the interest in ONE gun (at least for now :) ). A 9mm Glock, CZ, Ruger, Beretta, etc. will serve you very well. Just be sure to avoid some of the cheaper guns mentioned above.

A S&W or Ruger wheelgun in .357 offers the option of .38 special ammo (about the same power and price as 9mm) for practice and .357 mag (more power -- you can even legally hunt deer in WI at close range with it) for a more powerful load. Used revolvers are usually pretty inexpensive and extremely classy (just take a look at some of Tamara's picture posts in the revolver forum). A wheelgun does not afford you the option of separating your magazine from your gun or keeping the chamber empty for increased safety (unless you keep it hammer down on an empty cylinder and an empty cylinder behind it -- which leave you only 4 shots. This is a good option which I personally use when handgun hunting in heavy brush. I just click to the next cylinder when I set up to wait for deer).

For safe storage, I recommend a combination trigger lock (~$10) for transporting and a small safe for storage at home. These will both keep it safe from inexperienced hands and foil the casual robber. The safest storage is on your person, but you can't do that in WI -- YET.

You can find excellent small handguns in both 9mm and .357 if CCW is in your future.

One final point -- sharing your new interest is great, but please stress the 4 rules if you ever show off your new toy to friends. Guns are merely tools, but a lot of people act very stupidly w/ guns. You are stepping up to a new responsibility.

Welcome to a fun new sport!
 
Personally, I subscribe to the "first gun should be a .22" club. IMHO they let the shooter focus completely on stance/grip/trigger pull and other issues, without having to worry about recoil and "flash&bang effect" (although thats fun too :) ). You will have a lot to think about during your first 1k+ shots without developing bad habits like flinching.

Like others have said go check out the local shops and ranges. Ask questions...lots of them. Ask saleman1 his opinion on something, then go ask salesman2. You've got a ton of routes you can go as far as what type of gun to purchase, as you can see by all the recomendations. When you talk to the saleman be watchful if he wants to steer you toward one single gun. He should be lining up around half a dozen (or more) for you to see. If he only shows you one and tells you its the perfect thing for you...well he's being a salesman. Seek help elsewere.

Good luck, be safe, and welcome to a wonderful sport.
 
Xenophon, you're getting some really good advice here. Advice I wish I'd had before I started down this path. The first time I squeezed the trigger on anything it was a snubby .357. Of course I had picked up a box of full-house .357 magnum rounds to go in it. One box later I had a horrible flinch. I'm still not sure I've gotten rid of it - I'm a self admitted "mediocre at best" shot.

Anyway, the shotgun / .22 pistol combo as a starter is definitely something I'd consider.
 
a suggestion,

Buy the Boy Scout Merit Badge book on marksmanship, read it committing key points to memory.

go to local range with that limited knowledge, explain to counter staff your desire to learn handguns, rifles and shotguns (whichever) and that you'd like to start with small bore handguns and 30 minutes instruction time. fill out paperwork and rent 1 revolver and 1 semi-auto .22 at first. get a coupla three boxes of ammo, targets, glasses and earmuffs. go into range w/ instructor; listen, then do. repeat. wipe smile off face.

start close (5 yds. max - 3 better), going for longer distances later.

return .22's to counter (after shooting 150 rds min... should take anywhere from 5 - 25 minutes) for 1 .38/.357 revolver and 1 9mm (your choice), more ammo & targets. you may or may not need the instructor if you got the grip/sight picture, follow through, etc. down with the small bores.

report back here your musings on the subject.

develop a plan for acquiring certain "home defensive tools/devices" including accessories.

prioritize.

shop.

fondle.

read.

buy the first.

of many.

report back in.

shoot it.

report back in.

Any firearm at home is better than no firearm at home if you need one.

A .22lr handgun or longun will repel borders as will a single shot 20 ga. and will double duty as target shooting devices. If you've ever watched a woman bust her first clays...over and over and consequently clean your clock...musta been beginners luck...her smile and bragging was awful to bear that weekend :D Anyway, I guarantee you you'll never want to get rid of that cheap single shot 20 ga. if that woman is your S.O., wife or daughter.

Bigger is better and a louder boom means more power and everyone needs either a 9mm or a .45 (juries still out on the .40) or a .38/.357.

new or used, blue or stainless, small to large.

Warning: You are entering an addictive world where things aren't always cheap and one thing leads to another and pretty soon, it'll be holsters, belts, knives, swords, long guns, old guns, new guns, revolvers, semi-auto's, safes, ammunition out the wazoo, gun shows...

But ya gotta take that first step xeno

Savor the moment.

Adios
 
Xenophon,

Yes, you found the right website. I typed the URL from memory and remembered it wrong.

Here are some comments/suggestions on some of your items.

1) holster (hrrmm, kydex or leather though??)

For informal range use, you won't need a holster. For the NRA Basic Pistol or Personal Protection in the Home classes you won't need a holster. If you take any other sort of advanced training such as Massad Ayoob's LFI 1 or a class at Gunsite, etc, you will need a good holster. Other than that, if you aren't going to get a CCW permit, you really don't need a holster for having the gun in the house or for trips to the range.

You WILL need a lockable gun case to take the gun to and from the range though. I reccomend the cheap ($5 to $10) plastic cases with the egg crate foam inserts by Docksil (sp?). These do not come with a lock, but you can either put a small luggage lock through the padlock hole in the case, or just put a larger padlock through the handles to lock the case closed. Legally, if you don't have a CCW, you'll need to transport your pistol unloaded, in a locked case in your trunk, with the ammo in a separate container.

If you do buy a holster, buy a good quality holster and a good gun belt to go with it. Avoid the cheapie Nylon holsters by "Uncle Mikes" and others. I really like the Milt Sparks Versa Max II IWB holster, but it's a bit of overkill if you can't carry concealed. Other than that, I've used both leather and Kydex and find leather to be more comfortable. If you go with Kydex, I had EXCELLENT service from Blade Tech when I ordered a holster from them. They shipped it next day air at no extra charge when I needed it for a firearms training class after missing an earlier shipping deadline to get it out to me on time.

2) gun safe (keypad entry?)

I don't have any real opinion here as I'm beyond having a small safe for a single pistol and don't know much about the current options.

3) cleaning stuff (read something about breakfree CLP, good stuff?? is wal-mart or target gonna have stuff I need or do I have to visit mr. gunshop?

I reccomend Hoppe's #9 Powder Solvent and Breakfree CLP for cleaning. You can get these at any gunshop, sporting goods store and at many large chain department stores such as Wal Mart, Meijer or K-Mart. For lubrication I like Tetra Gun Oil and Tetra Gun Grease. I don't want to get into the oil vs. grease Holy Wars, but I'd say to try both and see what works better on your gun. Buy a cheap toothbrush to use on your gun as well. M Pro7 is also a good cleaner that doesn't have the odor associated with Hoppes, but MPro7 is NOT a lubricant so you would still need to lube your gun up after cleaning.

4) ammo (practice and carry (which I assume JHP is the thing

Cheap FMJ ammo is fine for practice. Win White Box is good, cheap and readily available. Any major manufacturer JHP would work for a defensive load. Before you buy a lot of ammo though, buy one box and make sure it runs through your pistol OK. If it works, buy more and try to put 100-200 rounds through you gun without malfunctions before you bet your life on it.

5) night sights?? hrrm, maybe later after I learn to shoot the gun well

It is usually cheaper and more effective to buy the gun with night sights already installed than to add them later. Of course, you may not want to spend the money on night sights until you know that this is "the pistol" for you. Remember, they do have a limited life span before they go dim.

6) more magazines..how many do you usually load up and take with to range?

You'll really only need one or two mags for the range. I reccomend a minimum of three factory mags for any defensive use gun because mags can go bad after time or be damaged. More than that is nice, but does take cash to obtain that could be used for other things, like training.

7) saf-t-lok (I'm eyeing the glock so I think that could help safety)

Ok, I don't know how to say this politely, so I'll just be blunt. If you think you need the Saf-T-Lok to be safe with the Glock, I REALLY think you should consider a different pistol for a first gun. I don't have anything against Glocks, but personally I think they are better suited to a more experienced shooter than they are a newbie. Others will disagree with me on this, so take my opinion for what it is worth.

(BTW, I'd have the same kind of problem of you wanted a 1911 but weren't comfortable with "cocked and locked" and wanted to carry it hammer down on an empty chamber. If you have a lack of confidence on your ability to handle a particular firearm the way it is designed to be carried, take that as a sign that it might not be the right gun for you at this time.)


Anything I'm missing, or recommendations?

Yes, buy a range bag to cart all your gear to and from the range. You'll want earplugs, ear muffs (WEAR BOTH), eye protection, cleaning patches, solvents and lube, cleaning rods, jags and brushes, masking tape, a staplegun to tack up targets, Zip Loc baggies for your empty brass, bug spray and sunscreen for outdoor ranges, and room for at least a couple boxes of ammo. If you are going to take alot of ammo on any one trip, keep it in a separate box to keep from tearing the handle off your range bag (been there, done that).

I like the small canvas range bags with the six pockets on the outside. The pockets are designed for extra mags, but I stick my cleaning supplies and earplug in the pockets.
 
Gun Safe

I forgot to mention -- Get the TWO gun Gunsafe vault with the finger-impression keypad. You will quickly or eventually get another gun and the two gun version fits two guns plus magazines, speedloaders and maybe even a third gun. $169 vs. $149 for the single gun version at my local Galyan's.
 
UPDATE

Ok, so after reading all this good advise, I finally got the nerve to go down the the local gun shop, just 15 minutes away.

I drive up, walk in, and look at all the cases with nice shiny guns. Having glocks in mind, I walk up to that case. A few minutes later, the assistant (wearing a NRA member shirt) comes over and asks if I needed help. So I go on to explain that I'm looking for a first gun, I've never handled one in my life, or ever fired one. He asks what I'm looking to use the gun for (self defense, target shooting, etc) so of course self defense is my goal. I also asked about .22's, but he said that while those are good to learn on, they aren't good self defense guns. I bring up the glock 19 so he shows it to me, and explains all the features of it, lets me hold it, etc. Now I came to the store with glock in mind just because I've done so much research and reading about it, it's just what I want. He didn't try to sell me anything else, he just listened to my questions and answered them as they came.

So after he shows me how easy it is to field strip (which I was amazed at just how simple it was) I asked if he had a g19 for me to try out. He only had the g17, but he said he owns a G19 himself, and went to the back and came out with it. I told him I never have been to a range before and that I was flat out clueless as far as how to load a magazine, so he showed me at the desk how to put the cartridges in, and of course he went over all the safety procedures. He even waived the range fee and even the gun rental fee since I was using his own!!! I just had to purchase some safety glasses and some ammo and ear plugs and a couple targets. It was pretty funny when he asked me what kind of targets I wanted. I was like, "uuuhhh, ummm, well, what you got???" so he gave me one that resembles a person, or otherwise known as the "politically incorrect targets" :)

So off I go downstairs to the range. It was an indoor range, 5 spots, and it had a nice electronic targeting system. Just clip target on, and press the away button to desired range. Ok, easy enough. Now I take my magazine and take a few minutes trying to figure out how to get those cartridges in there again (he showed me but of course I forgot) but it wasn't too hard, 2 mintutes later I got the hang of it. Had trouble keeping track of how many I had in the mag, then I looked at the ammo box and saw it had 5 to each column, so 2 columns makes the mag full (10)! (yes, the simple things amuse me) Ok, mag full so I put in into the gun, pull the slide back as the salesman showed me, and the slide goes forward and gun is ready to go.

I'm the only one down there in the range which made me more relaxed and I felt like I could take my time. I got my grip (I'm left handed), aimed the dots together, put finger on trigger, pulled, and BAM! Holy #%@% was that awesome, I even hit really close to where I was aiming. I would say target was about 8 yards out. I finished the mag, noticing the slide stayed open when the last shot was fired. I had always wondered when I would know when the mag was empty....I figured you either had to keep mental count, or if you pulled the trigger and it just went click, then it was empty. But that's cool the slide stays open. So I pulled out he ammo, loaded the mag again, and went back at it. Never having shot before, I didn't think the recoil of the 9mm was bad at all, but i could sure feel the power though :) I was hitting pretty close to center on my target I moved target further out to like 15/20 yards and I still was hitting pretty consistent in the middle, not bad!! So after a few more rounds and a big smile on my face, I take the mag out, quadruple check that the chamber is empty, and put everything back into the case, and walk upstairs. First words outta my mouth were "I'll take one!".

Filled out the paper work for my Glock 19, paid up, and I was all set. Picked up some cleaning supplies and they even showed me how to clean the gun, what parts need what on them and how much, and how often. I also asked about basic firearms classes, and they said they do have those every month. Then I was on my way out the door, feeling energized about my accomplishment. I gotta say, you've people on this board were a great help, and I gotta hand it to the guy who helped me at the gun store, he made my first visit a good one so chaulk one up for the gun owners side.

x
 
Where are you in Wisconsin? Anywhere near Delavan/Lake Geneva? Dam Road Gun Shop is great shop, great folks, great selection. I moved to PA year ago, and still have not found as good a shop locally.

If you ever get into 1911s, the Border Pistol League has several clubs along the WI/IL border. Friendly group of pretty good Bullseye shooters. Those guys showed me a lot about shooting, aiming, reloading, etc.

For HD, you can't beat a shotgun. Get a "cuff" lock and mount it in a closet for when you're out of town.
 
45Badger: Im in Milwaukee. I'm gonna consider a shotgun as my next purchase..maybe in a few months :) I supposed I couldn't shoot one of those at a regular pistol range though eh? hrrrm. But I agree that a shotgun could only help for SD.

x
 
It really depends on the range. The ranges in TN let you shoot shotguns in pistol ranges, no problem. In MD, however, certain ranges would not let you shoot shotguns.

I would just call the specific range you have in mind and ask them. Shotguns are the best home defense guns and my favorite guns ever. Period.

Congratulations on the first one - now remember that they are related to rabbits.

Sheslinger
 
"Congratulations on the first one - now remember that they are related to rabbits."

Sheslinger: Yeah, that's what I've heard. I'm glad I'm not married yet so I can let my "rabbits" multiply while I've got a chance :D

x
 
Wow...

I am glad that you took it upon yourself to do what you did. Like I said, most ranges/gunshops are decent to new guys (as long as you are over 21, lol). Seems like that guy went well over and beyond the call of duty though.

Although the trigger and I dont agree, the glock 19 is a great first gun and you wont regret the purchase! Congrats and hopefully it will be only one of many to come!

By the way, do you have waiting periods in your state or did you get to take it home right away?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

S
  • Locked
first trip to a gun show, any advice?
2 3
Replies
73
Views
3K
WeThePeople
W
M
  • Locked
Going to my first gun show, hoping to buy my first gun
2
Replies
45
Views
2K
Meesh
M
L
  • Locked
Odd question about firing range rules
2
Replies
28
Views
2K
Bart Noir
B
Z
  • Locked
Hulk Hogan appears very pro gun
Replies
19
Views
1K
middy
M
P
  • Locked
Rent a gun...need to fill out a 4473?
Replies
14
Views
828
Hkmp5sd
H
Back
Top