some advice for a newbie

[Chuck Norris]

hey everybody, i've been looking to buy my first gun and thought this would be a good place to start. i'm looking for a handgun, since i live in the city and shotguns and rifles are a little impractical for my situation. i would also be pretty much learning how to shoot with this gun, since i've only fired a gun a handful of times in my life, so i'm definitely looking for something a little user friendly with not a whole lot of recoil.

however, i also want something that i'm not going to get bored with and want to upgrade immediately in the next few months. meaning, i don't want a peashooter that couldn't dent a beer can. i'm a young, starving college student with a low budget and as much as i'd like to, i wouldn't be able to afford to be a gun collector/enthusiast at this stage of my life.

so to sum it up, i want a versatile "starter" gun with a little more power that i could be proud to take to the range and not have it be considered a "chick" gun. also, the cheaper the gun/ammunition, the better.

thanks in advance!

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

Well, if you're not thinking about carrying the gun concealed, you should look into a 12 gauge shotgun.

They come fairly cheap, and they are good defense tools.

Do not, however, buy anything with huge muzzle breaks, pistol grips, or "tactical" in the name

 

[collector rob]

If you are looking for a first gun, with an eye towards self defense. I would recommend a 4" .38 special revolver. Something along the line of a S&W 10, or 64. Or if you can afford a little more you should be able to find a GP100 in .357 fairly reasonable.
Loads are available from mild to wild depending on the need.

http://www.jgsales.com/product_info...d-condition/cPath/16_211_431/products_id/3806

 

[MICHAEL T]

38 spl with at least a 4in barrel Like the man said a S&W 10, or 64. Their plenty of used ones out their at a good price Most people will never wear a pistol out in their life time. I have bought several used revolvers .

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

Wait, this is going to be your first gun?

Maybe invest in a cheap .22 that you can really learn the basics with.

It sucks to develop bad habits with a .45 acp only to go back and learn you were doing a lot wrong.

 

[jad0110]

I agree with DAVIDSDIVAD. If you are on a budget, a gun in .22 Long Rifle is by far the cheapest to feed.

You could get something like a used Harrington & Richardson (H&R) .22 LR revolver for around $150 - just check out your local gun shows and pawn shops. This gun would make for a lot of cheap practice.

Granted, 22s aren't the best for protection as rimfire cartridges like the 22 LR do experience misfires from time to time, penetration can be iffy, and the tiny lightweight bullets are more susceptable to being deflected by bone.

Therefore, for protection you could get something like my blued 4" Ruger Police Service Six in .357 Magnum. Mine shows plenty of holster wear, but you know, it looks meaner with some honest wear. Most importantly, it is mechanically solid. You'd have the ability to shoot everything from wax bullets and shot shells to the excellent .38 Special cartridge all the way up to .357 loudenboomers that can bring down any game in North American with careful ammo selection. The S&W Model 10 and 64 are also excellent choices in .38 Special. They can be found for under $250 if you keep your eyes open.

The Police Service Six cost me $275 a little over a month ago:









I know you were asking about a handgun, but for strictly home protection, a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun really is tough to beat. Used Maverick 88s with 18.5" barrels can still be found for $175 or less, and even loaded with 00 buckshot, each pellet will penetrate fewer walls than a slower moving, denser .38 or .45 slug. It'll still penetrate many walls, mind you, just not as many people think.

 

[PMJR]

This is just a suggestion, mind you, but I wouldn't worry about self protection right off the bat, after all what do you have now. If I knew you personally I'd start you out with a 22lr-22mag revolver. Very simple workings and you don't have to worry about any jamming such as an automatic might give you. This is a perfect tool to learn all the basics of firearm safety and you can shoot all day very cheaply. I know you didn't want something too small but you can't get cheaper and you have to give it all the reverance, and care of the larger caliber gun, it is still deadly. When you get very comfortable with that then move up to a larger caliber, still a revolver for your budget. If you have a shooting range near where you live by all means stop by and talk to them, many have NRA instructors, they will help with any questions. Hope I was of some help...Join the NRA.

 

[jenrob]

If it's just a learning gun and not for carry 22LR Ruger MK2 would be good. if your plan is to carry. Then I would agree with all the 38spl but would make it a 357mag as you can shoot 38spl in a 357mag for practice and lighter recoil. ammo for 38spl isn't the cheapest but still within reason.

 

[jackslayer]

.22 lr

Let me just say that you will not get bored target shooting with a good .22 LR because you will certainly hit what you are aiming at a lot more often than you would with more powerful handgun. Not to mention the fact that every gun enthusiast in the world either owns or wants to own a .22 handgun. You won't regret it because you'll never think of parting with it. I wish my first handgun had been a Ruger MK III. Reliable, accurate as hell, and best of all cheap to shoot. Thats what I would get if I were you. And i don't think you'll be disappointed if you do.

They can be had in the mid $200 to mid $400 range

 

[jfdavis58]

Personally, I started my boys with 22lr rifles (Ruger 10-22); this meets all your criteria except for being a rifle. If 'handgun' is an absolute then either a Ruger MkIII Standard or a Browning Buckmark (Camper is reasonable). I'm not fond of used guns-far too many variables and pitfalls(---it's personal so take it with a grain of salt). New 22lr revolvers are probably in short supply most places and most will be out of your price range.

Learning gun safety, range manners and basic marksmanship never goes out of style and is never something to laugh at.

 

[notbubba]

+1 for jad0110
A good used 4 inch .357

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=1430
This sticky from the revolver page will help you when looking at used guns.

 

[Sixguncowboy]

Internet gun forums are not the place to learn about what gun to buy for a first gun as you will get as many opinions as there are members. The best advice I can give you is to find a local shooting range and let them know about your situation and take some shooting lessons if they offer them. You'll get the opportunity to try several different guns and decide what is best for you. Since you don't list your location it's impossible to advise you of a local club or range.

 

[jad0110]

I often forget to state it: I do agree with Sixguncowboy. All of the above are merely to be taken as suggestion / examples, as you of course need to handle (or better, shoot) the guns you are interested in to find what feels right to you.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

Either a full-size and steel .38 Special revolver, or a 9mm semiautomatic, probably a Glock 19 or something similar.

 

[fireside44]

i'm looking for a handgun, since i live in the city and shotguns and rifles are a little impractical for my situation. i would also be pretty much learning how to shoot with this gun, since i've only fired a gun a handful of times in my life, so i'm definitely looking for something a little user friendly with not a whole lot of recoil.

I'd still say a shotgun.

Mossberg Persuader. 8 shots. About $300 bucks. Cheap, powerful, effective.

An excellent way to start off a firearms collection. Great for home defense. Low recoil with birdshot and low recoil buckshot rounds. Pick up some clays and learn to shoot cheap.

After I had a shotgun, then I'd look into a pistol of some sort. Just can't go wrong with a 12 gauge mossberg. Just can't.

 

[luigi]

Chuck Norris doesn't need a gun, he just stares at things until they die

 

[frankiestoys]

A .22lr is a good start but i would recomend something with a little more kick.
I own a couple of .22's and i can honestly say i don't get any joy in shooting them. With that said , they are a great learning tools and cheap to shoot.
What i would suggest is a 38 revolver, light recoil ,easy maintenece and there's many to choose from. Since you are new to firearms a 38 is a good start & not something you will grow out of quickly.
JUST MY 2 CENTS

 

[Fremmer]

Get a .357 magnum revolver. You can start with .38's in it, then graduate to blastin' .357 mags. Every new gun owner should own a .357 magnum revolver.

 

[tkdkracker007]

Get a .357 magnum revolver. You can start with .38's in it, then graduate to blastin' .357 mags. Every new gun owner should own a .357 magnum revolver.

^This was my plan. I didn't adhere to it however, bought a Stoeger Cougar 9mm. Four guns later, I still want a stainless .357 Mag. Someday...

 

[Ryder]

Maybe a nice 22 auto. I sure wouldn't call this a girlie gun -



(google image)

 

[easyg]

I'm going to go against the herd on this one...

First, forget about a revolver.
Yes, I like revolvers and my daily carry is a Taurus 905 snub-nose 9mm.
But for a young guy just starting out revolvers are downright boring.
You'll go to the range and watch other guys blazing away with their 1911's, Glocks, HK's, XD's, and Sig's, and within mere months you'll be trading the revolver for an autoloader.

Second, forget about a shotgun or rifle.
Yes, they are the more practical most of the time, but it's just not the same as owning a handgun.
There's just something so much more personal about a handgun.
Owning, carrying, and using a weapon that was designed solely for taking human lives is something special ideed....much like a Knight's sword or a Samurai's katana.
You can own thousands of rifles and shotguns, but there's nothing quite like owning a handgun.

Third, forget about the .22 caliber.
Yes, it is the cheapest and most practical path to great marksmanship.
But even inexperienced newbies are not immune from personal attacks from the predators in our society.
And when the wolf is at the door, you don't want your only gun to be a .22 pistol.
Yeah, it's certainly better than nothing, but a 9mm is easily managed by even little old ladies like my grandmother.
A young college kid should have no problems whatsoever controlling a 9mm handgun....the recoil is virtually insignificant in a full-sized pistol.


So, with all of that in mind, here are my recommnedations:

A full-sized 9mm autoloader.

There are plenty of good ones out there available from Glock, Sig, Springfield Armory, S&W, Ruger, CZ, and many other makers.
Rent and shoot as many as you can and then make your choice.

My personal pick for you would be a Glock 17.
Or a Glock 19 if you prefer something slightly smaller.

Good luck,
Easy.

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

Owning, carrying, and using a weapon that was designed solely for taking human lives is something special ideed....much like a Knight's sword or a Samurai's katana.
You can own thousands of rifles and shotguns, but there's nothing quite like owning a handgun.

 

[easyg]

DAVIDSDIVAD,
Just being honest.
Long-guns, outside of the military, are used much more often to harvest animals rather than to kill humans.
The hunter's rifle and the farmer's shotgun are not traditionally looked upon as weapons designed to kill humans.

But the handgun is different altogether.
From the very beginning handguns were designed to take human lives.

Sure, you can use a handgun for hunting and target practice....but when people see a handgun they don't immediately associate it with hunting or plinking.
When a cop sees a rifle hanging on a rack in the cab of pick-up truck, he probably thinks "hunter".
But when he sees a Glock 17 on the dash he probably doesn't think "hunter" at all.

 

[frankiestoys]

easyg
I an agree with most of your thoughts maybe an auto would be nice, i own a 9mm its a good choice, all except the line were you through in GLOCK. Sorry as much as people like them, there not priced for this young man. I just bought a p95 (RUGER) for just over $300 Its my second p series and for the money its a great firearm. I'll take it anyday over a glock .

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

DAVIDSDIVAD,
Just being honest.
Long-guns, outside of the military, are used much more often to harvest animals rather than to kill humans.
The hunter's rifle and the farmer's shotgun are not traditionally looked upon as weapons designed to kill humans.

But the handgun is different altogether.
From the very beginning handguns were designed to take human lives.

Sure, you can use a handgun for hunting and target practice....but when people see a handgun they don't immediately associate it with hunting or plinking.
When a cop sees a rifle hanging on a rack in the cab of pick-up truck, he probably thinks "hunter".
But when he sees a Glock 17 on the dash he probably doesn't think "hunter" at all.

Sorry, but I'll skip the romanticism when it comes to tools.

I'm the weapon, not the hunk of metal.