Buying My First Gun; Suggestions?

[firsttimer]

Hello, I'd like to purchase my first gun and I thought I would turn to the internet for a few suggestions.

My only reason for purchasing a gun is that I would feel safer having one by my nightstand. I don't live in a dangerous area, but if anything were to danger my family, it would be best to have protection around.

I don't know much about guns, and this would be my first one. I would rarely shoot it, but would want to depend on it if I had to.

Thanks for the tips!

[flopshot]

welcome to The Firearms Forum.
you should probably shoot a few different types to see what you like and are comfortable with, but i ususally recomend a revolver to a new owner. relitively safe to keep in a loaded state with the hammer on an empty chamber and not much to remember. about your statement,
"I would rarely shoot it, but would want to depend on it if I had to."
you need to re-think that logic. you should shoot on a regular basis.
take your time choosing your new weapon and learn to use it properly and you may find you have a new hobby. whatever you choose, be safe and enjoy.

[Pistolenschutze]

First of all, welcome to TFF First! :D

Simply buying a gun and putting in your nightstand is by no means ever enough, First. GET PROPER TRAINING in the safe and proper use of the weapon before you rely on it for self-protection. A firearm is just like any other tool, you must learn to use it properly and safely before you can use it effectively.

For a beginner and and only occasional user, and assuming proper training is obtained, I would suggest you look at a good .38 or .357 mag revolver such as the Smith and Wesson Model 60, for example.

[22WRF]

I would rarely shoot it

Hand guns require practice.
You would be better off with a shotgun for home defense put it under the bed instead of the nightstand

[rosierita]

Hand guns require practice.
You would be better off with a shotgun for home defense put it under the bed instead of the nightstand

a shot gun would be an EXCELLENT choice for home defense. i'd prefer that to a handgun, if i only owned 1 gun....

if you go w/ a handgun, definately get a revolver (double action only, is what i'd recommend). they are VERY user friendly for someone not used to guns. having said that, IA that you need to practice shooting regularly!!

welcome to the board btw!:)

[SouthernMoss]

Welcome aboard, firsttimer! I'll echo what the others have said.

Do you have friends that own firearms? If so, invite them to the local range and offer to buy the ammo in exchange for letting you shoot their guns. Be sure to offer to help clean the guns afterward, since that's an important part of firearm ownership, too.

Another alternative is to find a range that rents firearms and try out several models.

Go to your local gun shops and handle as many different guns as possible. You will begin to get an idea of what feels "right" in your hand.

After you've had a chance to handle and shoot as many different firearms as possible, you will have a better idea of what you want. Once you have begun narrowing down your choices, ask here at TFF about particular models. Chances are, we have members who own, or have owned, those models and can give you their take on them.

[southernshooter]

Welcome Firsttimmer
ditto to everything everyone else said
If I have anything to add a .357/.38 would be a great caliber for defense
but as a home defense gun a shotgun is king

[kalash]

having a gun by your bed does not mean saftey.

imagine this, its 3 in the morning and your awaken by someone just down the hall. your tired/semi asleep but fear and idrelean hits you instantly. what do you do?

the average gun owner who buys one gun for self/faimly defence will freeze in situations like this totally forgetting about there firearms. that gun might set in your bed side table for YEARS if not decades before you would ever need to use it if ever BUT if you do that delay, no matter if its a split second or a total blonde moment could possably get you killed.

once you gain what little composure you can get will you be able to operate your guns action and saftey? will you be accurate? can you clear a jam if need be? will you be sure that the intruder aint a faimly member getting a snack from the kitchen?

training is just a start, you HAVE to hit the range atleast once a month to practice and thats pushing it. any one in your house needs to go through training along side with you also. you cant just take one course and let it go. you have to KNOW your gun inside and out. you need to be able to clear jams quickly if needed for example. a gun will fail you in the worst moment possable especially if its a gun thats been collecting dust for years.

the mossberg 500 and 590 is a nice choice for a home defence shot gun, the 590 holds 8 rounds and can be weilded quite easily around corners with a youth stock or a pistol grip. besides the sound of a 12 gauge racking is a pretty unnearving to most criminals, they KNOW what that sound means.
there are other great choices for 12 pumps but the mossbergs are reliable and cheap. i own a nice 590 but if not for very personal and painful reasions i dont use it.
http://www.supercars.net/servlets/PW/garagePics/dont_matr/13car0.jpg
http://www.2jfk.com/pictures3/mosberg.jpg

if theres kids in the house you might want to think about something thats magizine fed. you dont want to keep any guns loaded if kids are around. alot of people will argue with this but for houses with kids i perfer the m1 carbine. its a light, nimble gun that can take high capacity magizines. it can be loaded and ready for action in a split second but also stored by your bedside safley unloaded with your mag elsewhere. you have to think about penetration power of guns also. ive had a m1 carbine for self protection for years but recently retired it for more firepower.
http://avecox.free.fr/blog2/images/carbine%20M1.jpg
http://www.secondworldwarhistory.com/imgs/m1_carbine.jpg

i personally have 2 guns that are my main self defence weapons, both guns stay with me at all times, im one of the few people that you will see carrying a rifle openly. my personal views on rifles vs pistols is that a pistol is only a way to fight back to your rifle that you should have never layed down in the first place. i carry a colt .45 1911 and a H@R m1 garand with fragmentory ammo. the 45 will has alot of stoping power, the slug is more likely to expand and in the body rather than over penetrate like higher velocity rounds will. the garands fragmentory ammo is made of compressed lead and plastic, it will break apart on impact with a hard surface reducing the chance of killing people 3 houses down like regular m2 ball can.
http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/11/32200320187.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=4024979)

what ever you go for make sure its got stoping power, dont settle with a 22 revolver.

[Ursus]

First, wellcome First!! (That was complicated). I'll go with the shotgun too, specially if you don't plan to carry. But whatever you choose, you should practice and if possible, get coaching not only to be proefficient but to be SAFE. After all, you woul'd never become a good and safe driver if you buy a car to keep it in your garage. You have to drive it!

[southernshooter]

you should practice and if possible, get coaching not only to be proefficient but to be SAFE. After all, you woul'd never become a good and safe driver if you buy a car to keep it in your garage. You have to drive it!
That is a great way to explain it

[Nortranman]

Welcome Firsttimer;
I gotta go with the shotgun idea if it is going to be a home defense weapon.
Spraying lead even in the general direction of a break-in is a good way to go through walls and injure innocent neighbors. A shot load will not have the kind of penitration that a pistol or rifle will. By all means; get proper training in the care and feeding of any new weapon. You don't want to have your protection wind up being and assailant's.

[Pat Hurley]

Dittos to all the good advice you've received here and the warm welcome.

I agree about your first gun being a revolver - lot less to worry about and a lot less to go wrong. Get a lock box or a locking drawer if you have kids. If you do have kids, make sure they go through a gun safety course too.

Practice often.

Pat Hurley