Greets and where should I start?

[Outsider]

Hello to everyone. Thanks to the administrators for a great forum and to the sponsors for making it work.

I'm a veteran of internet forums but an absolute beginner with firearms. I know I should use the "search" function but I'm not even sure what to search for. I don't even know what I don't know. Any kind advice is appreciated.

In a nutshell, I'm seriously considering my first handgun, but my hobbies are motorcycles and electric guitars. I really don't know a thing about handguns, as you'll soon read:

I have been to the range a few times. Mostly I have rented weapons but I have also fired a friend's snub nose .357. The gun that impressed me the most was a Glock 9mm, but that's compared to all the other rented equipment. Am I likely to have a crazy opinion of these guns because they're rentals?

I can't list what I've used other than the .357 and the Glock. I've fired some other .45 and some other .38. I liked the Glock because it was the least challenging to aim, squeeze, and hit what I thought I was aiming at. Compared to myself with the other guns, I was far more accurate. Is that a common reaction to the Glock? Maybe the other guns needed maintenance/adjustment/sighting? (Of course, I'm a complete beginner and totally suck at marksmanship, but it wasn't like I did something different with the Glock - yet I had a tighter, on target grouping.)

Where can I get a ballpark estimate for street prices? I don't want to be a complete rube when I go shopping. (It costs $3k? Huh, alright... hehe)

My interest is about 75% sport / 25% home security. How much consideration should I put into maintenance hassle or cost? I expect to go to the range about once a month.

I'm a Virginia resident. Anything I should know about the state laws? As a former Virginia Tech student, it's fine with me if we don't talk about VT.

Lastly - any suggestions for further reading are appreciated. I don't even know what to search for to educate myself. Maybe I should just start with a Glock and if I hate it, do like I do with guitars and buy 15 more? Ah, America, how wonderful...

Thanks for putting up with my severe newness.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Captain Crunch]

Welcome from Montana.

[TX-JB]

Howdy from Texas!

[PatrioticRick]

[Pikachu711]

Welcome from Las Vegas, Nevada!

[CopperKnight]

Welcome from Washington State.

Sounds like this is just the forum for you. Here are some good threads to dig through to start browsing:
Pictoral on different carry methods
Various handgun safety threads
Reference forum, lots of good information
Post with links to various state laws

Happy reading.

[TN_Mike]

[SIGP250]

Hello to everyone. Thanks to the administrators for a great forum and to the sponsors for making it work.

I'm a veteran of internet forums but an absolute beginner with firearms. I know I should use the "search" function but I'm not even sure what to search for. I don't even know what I don't know. Any kind advice is appreciated.

In a nutshell, I'm seriously considering my first handgun, but my hobbies are motorcycles and electric guitars. I really don't know a thing about handguns, as you'll soon read:

I have been to the range a few times. Mostly I have rented weapons but I have also fired a friend's snub nose .357. The gun that impressed me the most was a Glock 9mm, but that's compared to all the other rented equipment. Am I likely to have a crazy opinion of these guns because they're rentals?

I can't list what I've used other than the .357 and the Glock. I've fired some other .45 and some other .38. I liked the Glock because it was the least challenging to aim, squeeze, and hit what I thought I was aiming at. Compared to myself with the other guns, I was far more accurate. Is that a common reaction to the Glock? Maybe the other guns needed maintenance/adjustment/sighting? (Of course, I'm a complete beginner and totally suck at marksmanship, but it wasn't like I did something different with the Glock - yet I had a tighter, on target grouping.)

Where can I get a ballpark estimate for street prices? I don't want to be a complete rube when I go shopping. (It costs $3k? Huh, alright... hehe)

My interest is about 75% sport / 25% home security. How much consideration should I put into maintenance hassle or cost? I expect to go to the range about once a month.

I'm a Virginia resident. Anything I should know about the state laws? As a former Virginia Tech student, it's fine with me if we don't talk about VT.

Lastly - any suggestions for further reading are appreciated. I don't even know what to search for to educate myself. Maybe I should just start with a Glock and if I hate it, do like I do with guitars and buy 15 more? Ah, America, how wonderful...

Thanks for putting up with my severe newness.

Welcome.

Firearms and shooting is a fascinating sport and hobby that can also save your life.

I would highly recommend that you get some certified NRA training.

Try before you buy. Rent from a range if possible. Understandably that may not be possible.

It would be advisable for you to try several pistols or revolvers before you buy a weapon that might not be right for you.

Many instructors advise that you begin training with a revolver.

That may be good advice for some but I believe you should train with what you are going to shoot.

There are several considerations you will need to evaluate be for buying your first handgun.

Should it be a revolver or a semi-automatic pistol?

What is the intended use? Target or defensive carry?

What is your budget? Good guns are expensive.

I prefer to buy quality. A gun that will not jamb, is easy to clean and of sufficient caliber to have stopping power under extreme conditions.

Many feel that that they must have a 1911 type .45 model. Several manufactures make .45's

Others look for pocket guns chambered in .380

I won't go in to revolvers. There are so many. Visit Smith and Wesson.

For a pistol, I buy the best I can afford.

Glocks are Dutch made and very popular but not my preference.

I own mainly Sig Sauer and Walther pistols. I do own others.

Pistols basically come in three sizes, Full 5" barrel. compact, and sub compact. Barrel length range from 4" to under 3" for compacts and sub compacts.

depending on the caliber, some semi-auto pistols have double stack magazines up to 19 + one in the chamber.

This would be for probably the most popular 9mm.

Larger calibers will have small capacity magazines. Rounds are also more expensive.

I think you need to experiment some. Find out what feels comfortable to you. and than buy the best you can afford.

I would personally look at Sig Sauer. It is Swiss designed but manufactured in the US.

The Sig P250 is relatively new technology and not often advertised but is a very fine pistol at a reasonable price. It can be chambered in
9mm .40 .357sig or .45acp.

Slides are actually interchangeable should you wish to change calibers.

I also recommend some Walther's. P-22, P99 and the new PPS sub compact.

I can probably tell you more what I don't like than what I really like.

Only my opinion.

[bigo5552000]

welcome!!

[deadeye72]

Welcome from central Mississippi.

[Ram Rod]

[Dal1Celt]

Greetings and Welcome from Fayetteville, NC!!!

[JonInNY]

Hi! I would consider joining a local gun club/range. You will be able to meet and make new friends, and people at the clubs usually appreciate questions and would be more than happy to answer and share knowledge.

Most people at clubs will also let you try their guns, and this is the best way to see what feels good and comfortable to you.

Stay with this forum also! There are many people on this forum that can give sage advice, based on lots of experience. If you have a question, or want to know more about a gun you've tried at the club, post it here! You are sure to get plenty of responses.

[mag44laf]

Mag44Laf

[randy7601]

Hi and welcome from Fort Worth TX!

For suggested reading, start here:

The Concealed Handgun Manual: How to Choose, Carry, and Shoot a Gun in Self Defense by Chris Bird

It's over 500 pages of easy reading and good advice. It's also a bargain at $15.61 at Amazon.com.