Never shot a gun - where do I start?

[duns]

I live in Houston. Never shot or held a gun. Would like to buy a gun (or a few guns - e.g. home, car, concealed carry) for self defense.

Should I buy a gun first or are there classes where I can shoot different guns and decide what I like?

Recommendations on classes in the Houston area?

 

[danprkr]

Don't know your area, but many ranges allow you to rent and try before you buy. Many also offer training which I'd take. Or, you can just do like I did, and hang out at the gun store of your choice and find a grizzled old fart who takes pity on you and mentors you into it.

One way is more efficient. The other much more rewarding. Your call.

 

[Nate1778]

Look in the phone book for the closest indoor firing range. Give them a shout and they should have some classes including conceal carry classes for you. They should also rent you several different firearms to shoot and get a feel for. I would not try to shoot one without some basic instruction, don't get me wrong it ain't brain surgery. Most of all enjoy your time with it and you'll become an addict for the pure sport of it. I would also not be ashamed to tell them your new to firearms, it will inform them of your knowledge and they should give you a bit more attention.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Some of the best teachers are right here on this forum. One or more of them who are local to you will undoubtedly step forward to help you out.

 

[Isher]

Duns -

Don't live in Houston, or Texas for that matter.

So here are a couple very general tips.

Classes, classes, classes.

Range time, range time, range time.

Find yourself a good gunshop - not a big box -

But a smaller one. Shop around until

You find one you like. If they are top of the line

They will know local ranges and classes.

A good range will rent more than a few flavors of firearms.

After going through this form of "Firearms 101"

You will most likely have the knowledge to make your

First choice, and purchase.

Houstonites, help out here!


isher

 

[Jed Carter]

I would first check with any and all clubs or ranges in your area for training, most are very willing to start someone out on the right track. Looking back I would have started with a different pistol than a 9mm, I would have first gotten a .22 target pistol. By starting with one of these you gain the fundamentals of gun usage and marksmanship at the least expense and without all that pesky recoil. Just a couple of suggestions for your first firearm (assuming you want a handgun), Ruger MK II or III .22lr pistol, Browning Buckmark .22lr pistol, both are 10 shot semi-auto pistols. In a revolver the Ruger Single Six .22lr / .22 magnum (new models come with both cylinders) is a great place to start your collection. I would seek instruction first the decide on a firearm, and as always welcome to the High Road.

 

[Cosmoline]

Never shot or held a gun.

In light of this, I would suggest avoiding the handguns to start. To be more specific, I would suggest you get your initial training and experience with a bolt action .22 long rifle. This is the traditional approach and works very well. You can learn the fundamentals without recoil issues and you'll see positive results *very* quickly. The handguns can prove much more difficult to master and should be tackled only after a foundation of understanding with rimfire rifles. It's also much easier to teach and learn the safety fundamentals with a rifle than a handgun. I've ducked and dived enough at the public handgun range to testify to this fact, but I've *never* had to do that on the rifle range.

 

[Bearhands]

In light of this, I would suggest avoiding the handguns to start. To be more specific, I would suggest you get your initial training and experience with a bolt action .22 long rifle. This is the traditional approach and works very well. You can learn the fundamentals without recoil issues and you'll see positive results *very* quickly. The handguns can prove much more difficult to master and should be tackled only after a foundation of understanding with rimfire rifles.

Better advice won't be found. I can only suggest finding an accomplished mentor to further you along.

 

[btg3]

duns -- welcome to shooting! I know their are other folks from Houston that post here and hopefully one of them will extend an invitation to you to help you get started. In the meantime, take in the good (for the most part) advice and learn what you can. I am a proponent of coaching in any endeavor, but the key is GOOD coaching, and I wish you well in finding a good coach.

 

[Suwannee Tim]

Airguns are good for practice at home, both rifle and pistol.

 

[nerd-with-a-gun]

Hey duns. I am a newbie also and I did a lot of online research, trolling my local gun shops and asking questions on forums. Tomorrow I am going to meet with a forum member from another forum, who lives in my area. He has agreed to give me a little coaching at the range. Hopefully you will meet up with someone else like I did who is willing to take you under his wing. These forums are great!

 

[Blackbeard]

Best place to start is to take an NRA safety course. The one I took they had different guns to use for the live fire portion of the class. After that, as others have mentioned there are many ranges that have rental guns you can try out to see what you like.

 

[BHP FAN]

Gun folk are some of the friendliest most helpful folks you'll ever meet anywhere.

 

[glock36]

First off duns and nerd-with-a-gun, welcome to the high road, here you will most definatly find the answers you seek. Good luck and God speed

 

[84B20]

I was in Houston a couple of months ago and took a concealed carry class at Shiloh Shooting Range. Lots of good people there and I'm sure they can help. They also have a website http://www.shilohshooting.com that you might want to check out.

 

[chuwee81]

*** Top GUn ( Fountain View and Richmond - Galleria area) - offers rental but have to use their ammo - really pricy but you can try out different guns. 10 to rent one gun, 13 entry fee + ammo. They offer classes as well i think.
EDIT: their shooting lanes got burned down and have only 5 shooting lanes, so there may be a wait. It's close to my workplace so i go there from time to time.
*** Memorial Shooting center (somehwere by I-10 and Memorial) - not really familiar but is also indoor and If i remember correctly offers rentals and classes too.

outdoor:
*** American Shooting center (Highway 6 and Westheimer Pkwy). Best if you have your own gun. No restriction to use magnums, steel cased ammo, etc but no rapid fire. Handguns, rifles and shotgun. Ranges up to 400 yds - maybe more. no rentals i think.

*** Hot Wells. Charge per gun so your whole village can come and shoot and only pay for 1 gun. northwest Houston (290 and Barker Cypress). Anything you wanna bring - rifles up to 100 yds i think. I don't know if they offer rentals.

I have been to all those except the Memorial shooting center. Feel free to Pm me. I can probably show you a thing or 2.

 

[Kimber45acp]

This sounds counter intuitive but it's true. 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. I would start with a .22 handgun.

 

[sheepdog]

Basic truths...

1) ALL guns are loaded until you've proved for yourself that they're unloaded...

2)Never point the barrel at anything or anyone that you are not willing to destroy...

...those are two blocks to build a happy, no-regrets shooting career upon...welcome and have fun!!!

 

[MarkDozier]

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.
But hands down 22LR either pistol or rifle is a super first gun. and most likely will be yourd for life.

 

[Extremely Pro Gun]

You should probably shoot a gun then.

 

[ClayInTX]

Duns and Nerd,

Everyone has given good advice and I second it.

One thing I would like to impress though is always treat a gun as if it’s loaded. If someone hands you a gun to inspect always check if it’s loaded, even if they just did it their self. Unless you are in the stall on the range and an instructor has loaded it for you and told you to shoot it. Actually he should have already shown you how to check out the gun.

I’ve had many persons say, “It’s not loaded. I just checked it.” Doesn’t matter, I check again. If they get upset about it then I know they aren’t very gun savvy. I had this happen recently on the part of someone who had just recounted gun story after gun story. Experienced gunner? Yeah, right.

After I’ve checked that it’s truly empty I still treat it as if it’s loaded.

I’m sort of new to the forum also and have picked up a lot of good info. By the way, don’t refer to a magazine as a clip on here, you’ll get flamed.

And bear in mind that a 9mm Glock is the most fantastic handgun ever made; it takes out anything from a field mouse to a raging elephant. I don’t own one but I live every day of my life wondering why not. I don't intend to buy one but I live every day of my life wondering why not. <big grin>

 

[mustang_steve]

I'd say a .22lr revolver or pistol. You'll have to get basic technique down before moving to something more potent.

The army pistol marksmanship guide is a popular freely available download you should look at....it covers many details that a novice shooter simply wouldn't have thought of when trying to improve technique.

 

[rondog]

In light of this, I would suggest avoiding the handguns to start. To be more specific, I would suggest you get your initial training and experience with a bolt action .22 long rifle. This is the traditional approach and works very well. You can learn the fundamentals without recoil issues and you'll see positive results *very* quickly. The handguns can prove much more difficult to master and should be tackled only after a foundation of understanding with rimfire rifles. It's also much easier to teach and learn the safety fundamentals with a rifle than a handgun. I've ducked and dived enough at the public handgun range to testify to this fact, but I've *never* had to do that on the rifle range.

Winner!

I agree, for a total newbie without even BB gun experience, the best thing would be training with a .22 s/s bolt rifle and iron sights. Learn the basics of safety, how ammo works, safety, how guns work, safety, sight picture, safety, breathing, etc....oh, and safety.

My parents enrolled me in a Police Athletic League basic beginners shooting class when I was a wee lad, best thing that could have ever happened! I can still smell all that .22 smoke.....

 

[Frank Ettin]

Check around the local ranges and look for an instructor offering an NRA Basic Handgun class. For most such classes the instructor supplies several guns and the ammunition. You learn about safety, the different types of handguns, how they work and the basics of marksmanship.. It will give you a good foundation and start you in the right direction.

Good luck and enjoy shooting.

 

[-eaux-]

there are 4 rules, y'all:
1 treat very gun as if it were loaded.
2 be sure of your target AND what lies beyond it
3 never point any gun at anything you are not willing to destroy
4 keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire
(keep your booger-hook off that bang switch) lmao

drill these rules in word until they are wrote memory. in the meantime, seek out someone willing and qualified to drill them with you in deed.

*personal experience disclaimer*: start with a single-shot bolt action .22lr.

by the time you've you've worked your way up to a sense of confidence and compitence with a handgun, your "what should i go get" question will have answered itself.

best of luck to you, and welcome to the fold!

p.s. look into ways to contribute to the preservation of your 2nd amendment rights.