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First Gun Purchase

4K views 47 replies 11 participants last post by  raven818 
#1 ·
Hello all! I am turning 21 this weekend and am wanting to buy my first handgun. The gun I picked was the Gen 4 Glock 19. I am starting the police academy later this year and want some experience prior to joining. I have called my local gun shops and have gotten prices from all. The lowest is $530. My first question is if this is a good price. Others i have called are from $540-$580. Also, what things do I need to bring in order to purchase my gun? Such as license, birth certificate, etc. I live in Missouri. Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Hi, and welcome from Sitka, Alaska! Just a thought from someone who was in the retail firearms sales and repair business for an awful lot of years back in NY - price isn't always everything. We had competitors (Mart-mart operations for the most part) who could undercut our prices by 10% or so, sometimes just a bit more, but their sales staff were generally about as firearms savvy as my cat, and good luck if you had a mechanical problem with your recent purchase. I'm not saying to pay top dollar - I certainly wouldn't, but get a feel for the guys who aren't necessarily the least expensive deal in town, talk to some of their customers, then make the same comparisons with the outfit that's offering the lowest price. If they don't seem to have a solid grasp of the subject, and answer your questions about service/repairs by giving you the address of Glock's service center, a bargain may end up costing you $$ in the long term. As I said, it's just a thought. All the very best with your career with the PD, and once again welcome to TFF.
 
#3 ·
Not a bad price. Dealer cost on them is 475.00.
 
#4 ·
If I were just starting out, I'd find out what caliber the PD was using, and buy it. All academies have extensive range days. If you know a little, you'll know enough to be comfortable when you graduate.
Many of the larger PD's have a range to themselves that allow officers and recruits to use them when off duty. The academy want's their officers to be proficient, so ask as many questions as you feel like, nobody will tun you down, or embarrass you. There will be gun folks there ( recruits ) who think they know all there is to know. Be nice, but avoid them. Picking up a bad habit or two, will work against you. Best of luck, and stay safe. Recruits can be targets too.
 
#5 ·
Yeah I've talked to my local officers and most of them carry a Glock 22 .40 cal. But also say they started with a 19. The other question I had is what do I need to bring in order to purchase a firearm. I come from a family where no one owns guns so i'm trying to figure this out on my own. I appreciate all of the responses so far!
 
#11 ·
Effortless is a relative term :) If you were buying basically anything else, you hand over the money (anonymously) and they hand you the item. To buy the firearm, you'll fill out a fairly lengthy form and then the seller will do a NICS check on you...basically ask the government if it's ok to sell you the gun. Imagine having to do that to buy a bat or golf ball or a potato.....
 
#15 ·
In Ohio all I need is a drivers license. Time wise it is pretty quick unless you have a waiting period included. You just fill out the form. The dealer will call in the info, you're done. The hardest part is parting with the cash. Probably don't have mush choice on the allowed service revolver.
 
#18 ·
Back up to the what do I need question. I don't know what the laws are in Missouri, but as CCholder said, it should be as simple as providing proof of your age. On the How long question, it might take half an hour is they have to call in to get the ATF/FBI (whatever they use) approval for the purchase after you complete the 4473 form..

I am getting a rifle tomorrow, I suspect that it will take me about 10 minutes, if I were in a hurry. In Georgia if you have a Weapons Carry License, the dealer does not have to make that call.
 
#25 ·
It is the same thing as a CCW but Georgia had to be different, they changed the name of it two years ago from CCW to the Georgia Weapons Carry License. In Georgia you DO have to have the license to carry whether it be open or concealed. You can legally have a gun in your car without a license but once you step out in public you need the GWCL!
 
#31 ·
Like Jake says it will only take minutes if MO is like OH. Good luck in your law enforcement career. You are going to love the Glock 19. The one I had was the easiest to shoot well hand gun right out the box of any handgun I ever shot and that covers a lot of handguns.
Gun Firearm Airsoft gun Gun accessory Starting pistol
 
#33 ·
Because this is your first handgun I would buy the cheapest ammo that will cycle in your gun and get lots of trigger time just to get the feel, trigger control, and muscle memory developed. When you go through 1000 rounds then practice with the same ammo you intend to carry. Different manufacturers ammo will have different points of impact so you may need slight sight adjustments. Even the same ammo from different lots can have different POI. Buy ammo in bulk to save money and avoid this problem.
 
#34 ·
For practice I shoot mostly my own hand loads of 124gr. RN bullets and Hodgdon HP-38 powder but there are some pretty good prices on various brands of 9mm in the $12-15.00 a box of 50 that make good practice ammo. I have shot a lot of CCI Blaser Brass in 115gr and 124gr.

For carry ammo I used Federal Premium 147gr. HST jacketed hollow point. It is a good performance vs. price ammo. I paid $30.00 for 50 that last time I bought. But there are a number of great high performance 9mm cartridges on the market.

Check out "tnoutdoors9" on Youtube. He has done extensive testing of the various cartridges.

https://www.youtube.com/user/tnoutdoors9
 
#39 · (Edited)
Looks like you got most of your answers, but I'll try and paraphrase them;
How long does it take?
The physical process is to first fill out the form. Most are on paper, but if you go to a place like Cabela's it'll be on a computer which will slow it down some (lot's of "next screen")
It's just your detailed personal info and about a dozen legalese questions. 5-10 minutes depending on how fast you read/write.
Then the seller will call in your NICS check. It's maybe 5 minutes on the phone. Small places will take the form from you when you finish and go call it in. Big places might have a line waiting so that can be a factor. Basically it's really only about a 10-15 minute process if you're the only one being dealt with at the time. In about 30 retail purchases I've never had anyplace do my NICS check via computer so I cannot speak to that.
What I have said refers to states without any kind of waiting period. You'll have to check with your state for that info.

As far as carry and concealed carry goes that's two different things and each state has it's own deal. Generally speaking it's just as it sounds, "open carry" is carrying a firearm not concealed. CCW is carrying concealed. There are so called "open carry" states (like mine, Maine) where you can carry a gun openly with no permit, though to conceal the weapon, you need a permit. Sounds silly and it's even sillier as if I open carry without a permit and I, even accidentally, conceal the weapon, I might be afoul of the law. Same in reverse, if I have a CCW and my weapon, even accidentally, becomes revealed, I can run afoul the law for "brandishing".
Most states will also have rules as to where/when you can open carry or CCW.
Be absolutely sure of your states rules before you head out.
Of course, as I understand it, soon you will be a LEO and many of the rules might change for you.
 
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#41 ·
I really appreciate this! After reading around, I read that in order to open carry in Missouri, you need a ccw. I do have one question though, do you think I would need a ccw to fire at a firing range? In Missouri, we are allowed to purchase and own guns without a license, but need one to carry.
 
#40 ·
Once you get your CCW, many states you may travel thru will honor it.
This site is USA Carry.

Just click on your state, and it will show states that it's OK for you carry concealed. I don't know when the site was last updated, so a phone call to a state police post where you're going, and the states you're traveling thru, would be a good idea.
 
#43 ·
Back up to the what do I need question. I don't know what the laws are in Missouri, but as CCholder said, it should be as simple as providing proof of your age. On the How long question, it might take half an hour is they have to call in to get the ATF/FBI (whatever they use) approval for the purchase after you complete the 4473 form..

I am getting a rifle tomorrow, I suspect that it will take me about 10 minutes, if I were in a hurry. In Georgia if you have a Weapons Carry License, the dealer does not have to make that call.
That makes incredible sense. To get my CCW, I didn't have to just get a NICS check, I had to get the full rectal. How could I be able to carry a gun, but not be able to buy one? I wish my state did this!
 
#44 ·
BTW, if you do need to make those calls about traveling...it wouldn't hurt you cause to say your a recruit ( after you're accepted ), and you don't want to mess up your chances of graduating by doing something stupid. :)
Whenever I traveled, I occasionally got stopped for a heavy foot. The very first thing I did was to put both hands out of the window, say..I'm a police officer, and I'm armed. W/O fail, they'd walk up and ask to see my ID. A relaxed cop, is a happy cop.
 
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