What do you consider essential to gun ownership?

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An understanding wife with an open mind:D


......unless you're single, that is.

Woops...Uh....nevermind. See that you have girlfriend.


Russ
 
I do have a set of the Radian custom molded ears. I'm also considered getting a set of muffs. Eyes will also be one of the first items
 
It all matters where you are as a shooter, what you shoot and how far you want to go.

When I started shooting I had one shotgun that would get the long barrel for skeet and short barrel for home defense. I had an orange hand held skeet thrower, a can of 3-1 cleaner and lube, old rag and a boresnake. We would get packages of ear plugs when we picked up shells and skeets at Sport Authority on our way to the range. I did not even have a range bag, I would wrap the shotgun in a towel to take it to my car. Needed no more and had no desire to for it.

When I moved out to PA I get into rifles and handguns. I bought a safe, a container to hold all my cleaning supplies, range bag, rifle bags and other goodies. Looking to set up a gun work area/ reloading section in my garage as a summer project.

I went from having one gun as a defensive tool and occasional weekend fun to it being a real passion. I always had the desire for what I have know and think a lot had to do with my move to a much less restrictive state than NY to really bring me around.
 
A place to shoot it.

If you don't have a range but have a big back yard, sense t let theneighbors know so they don't think your having a shootout. (obviously, if you live in the country and not a city)

Enough ammo to have fun.

Availability of Ammo (10MM Auto is not only expensive, but is literally impossible to find, trust me. You try having a day of shooting ruined by every store within a 100 mile radius having zero stock :) )
 
As your involvement in the sport grows and your firearms collection grows you'll find additional "needs".
Click to expand...

+1 on that. Start with the basics, beginning with safety, and go from there.
get to know your weapons, and ALWAYS clear them before handling.
Enough ammo to have fun.
Click to expand...
May I recommend reloading? A great way to get deeper into the sport, and very safe and satisfying if you do it right.

It's a very individual passion–some folks want to shoot bullseyes with a pistol at 50 yds., some folks just like the way they sound. Either is fine, as long as you're safe, respectful and have fun doing it. Happy shooting!
 
After "the basics" that everyone has mentioned, I'd suggest a good reloading setup. If you're going to shoot very much, and your pockets have bottoms, then you'll be wanting to reload for economy. If you get into bolt rifles at all, then you'll be wanting to reload for economy AND precision.

KR
 
What is ESSENTIAL:

- Strict adherence to the Four Rules of Safety
- Strict adherence to and extensive knowledge of laws
- Proper hearing and eye protection
- Proper cleaning supplies, even if it's just an old toothbrush, some rags, a bottle oh Hoppe's, and a quart of Mobil 1
- Proper training and frequent practice, even if it's just with snap caps
- Common sense

In my opinion, the most important:
- Proper mindset: A gun is not an excuse to act cocky, belligerent, or lazy.

All else is secondary. Doesn't matter what fancy carbon-fiber accessories you have. Doesn't matter what kind of gun you have (although some are of course better than others), nor what caliber (as long as you can find ammo for it). Doesn't matter if you have a safe (I have never owned one).
 
I am new to owning guns and am wondering what you consider to be essential equipment/accessories. Things I'm thinking about are gun lock, sling, snap caps, bipod, cleaning kit, vise, range bags. Anything else you think are necessities?
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What is a gun lock, bipod and vise used for?!
 
A good set of cleaning tools is important. 1-piece rods are good, although they are significantly more expensive than one of those Hoppe's sectioned rods. If you're looking to get through with the least amount spent, buy one cleaning rod that is long enough for your longest gun barrel. Dewey rods are probably the best. They make coated rods with smooth bearings in the handle so that they spin nicely when the brush grips the rifling. Make sure your solvent is good quality. Pro-Shot is what I prefer, because it removes copper fouling from the jacketed bullets as well as any powder residue. A cleaning brush (looks like a toothbrush, but dont use it that way) and a set of cleaning picks (like toothpicks for guns) are nice for hard-to-reach places. Keep everything organized, it's lots of little pieces.


Another big thing is understanding that your guns have the potential to be more than range toys. They're a big responsibility and could one day save your life or someone else's. Don't try to push it out of your mind. This is my opinion and you don't have to adhere to it, but it irks me when people seem to think it's only a fun weekend hobby to sit at the bench and fire a few shots. The 2nd amendment is about MUCH MORE than giving us a hobby. Take it seriously. Use it or lose it.
 
The essentials to gun ownership....

A gun.
Ammo.
Cleaning materials.
The knowledge of how to "properly operate the weapon" (aka: to safely: load, unload, shoot, disassemble, clean, and maintain).

Everything else is just icing on the cake.
 
Essential:
ear protection
eye protection
ammo
targets
cleaning kit
gun case/holster
scope (if no iron sites are provided)

Useful:
shooting bag
rest or bipod
scope (in place of iron sites)
NRA
gun rack/safe

Extra:
reloading components/manual
shooting jacket or vest/hat
spotting scope
chronograph
gun club membership

HAVE FUN!
 
A name-brand bandaid over your right eyebrow BEFORE you shoot that new scoped high-power rifle.
Al
 
+1 on the cleaning rod. I broke 3 Hoppes sectional cleaning rods in the last week alone.
 
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