ADvice for a Rookie? - The Firearms Forum

egozi · 02-11-2006, 11:52 AM

Wusup yall,

I'm new to this gun thing but for some reason they seem to fascinate me...

Any advice on what i should get for my first?
I was thinking for some reason a Glock g17 9mm would be nice, but theres so many different options with .45's and all that that i know NOTHING about...

I Definitly want a semi-auto pistol...

Any advice yall can give??

Mainly house protection is what im looking for.
I was looking for lightweight and pretty easy to fire, so i heard the glocks are pretty light and the recoil is not so bad?

I would be using it to take the range every once in a while and stuff but mostly house protection...

Finances is a big thing too... i don't want to spend too much.

Also, do any of yall by any chance know of a website or forum thats got a good little introductory reading on the basics... differences between calibers, ammo, barrel size, all that stuff? i've been looking for a good (free) resource to gain some basic knowledge and havn't found one yet.

Thanks,
Ego

Country101 · 02-11-2006, 12:18 PM

For your situation, I would recomend a basic Springfield 1911. It will be heavier than a glock(I'm assuming here), but the field stripping process is very easy, fires easily, and is safer than a glock(my reason for saying this is it actually has a safety. Both a grip safety and thumb safety.). A .45 will give you better stopping power. The Springfield will also be on the more inexpensive side and still give you a quality weapon. Go to a gun store and hold one and see how it feels. I think you'll like it. Look on the NRA website to see if they have the inof you are looking for.

rosierita · 02-11-2006, 12:39 PM

welcome to the board egozi!

before buying anything, go to a local range & rent a gun to shoot.

since you are new to it, i'd also recommend you start w/ a 22, 25 or 32. (no recoil!) recoil is relative. what i call recoil may not bother you & what i consider to be no recoil, you may find to be too much.... make sense? start w/ something that you know there is virtually no recoil at all & build yourself up. practice proper handling, stance, etc w/ 1 of those smaller calibers (& find out how much you're gonna flinch when firing). also, shooting a 22 is MUCH cheaper than shooting a 38 or a 357 or a 40 or a 45... (see where this is going?? you'll most likely end up w/ more than 1 gun

.) good luck & HAVE FUN!! there is probably someone else here more qualified to answer all your questions.... bt us all tho, i'm sure you can get them all answered!

again, WELCOME TO THE BOARD!!

Country101 · 02-11-2006, 12:50 PM

rosierita is right about starting with a small caliber first. If you haven't shot much this would be a very good idea. Shooting a gun before you buy is also a good idea.

Oh yeah, Welcome to the board and welcome to the obsession.

egozi · 02-11-2006, 02:12 PM

Thanks for the help guys, im gonna definitly head out to a range soon..

Smaller caliber meaning what... i know a .45 is pretty strong and stuff, is a glock g17 smaller caliber?

Country101 · 02-11-2006, 02:39 PM

A .22 caliber would be best. You could also use a .25 or .32 as rosierita suggested. A 9mm would be a medium caliber in my mind. The less recoil you have to deal with while you are learning the better. Once you have learned how to shoot a gun properly and have the mechanics down you can move to larger calibers. By using the smaller calibers with less recoil you can avoid developing bad habits such as flinching and your shooting will more than likely be better.

user_error · 02-11-2006, 03:02 PM

9mm are great learners. The reason I started with a 9 are because the bullets are so cheap, but the gun isn't so underpowered that it's of little use for defense. The nice middle ground in terms of recoil lets you learn what it feels like for a gun to jump and get used to the flinch factor, but not crack your hand like those beginner-punishing .44 mags and .45s. Not that you can't move up to a .45 when you have some experience--the stopping power is definitely a plus, and colts are damn good guns.

Bruce FLinch · 02-11-2006, 08:31 PM

Anything that goes BANG , is going to scare off 99% of the burglars, that may visit you. Somebody said " A 22 in the tearduct , is more persuasive than a 9mm in the ass" ( maybe Jeff Cooper? ) Welcome to our Mania!

Pistolenschutze · 02-11-2006, 11:36 PM

Welcome to the Firearms Forum, egozi!

As a starting place, egozi, and because you want the pistol that will ultimately do for home protection as well, I would definitely suggest a good 9mm auto. There are many good ones out there, Glock, Sig Sauer, Steyr, CZ, and many others. The 9mm is a relatively easy pistol to learn to shoot, ammo is relatively inexpensive, and stopping power is sufficient if not spectacular. Best advice: by the best quality pistol you can afford. Save money on things that don't matter as much, like food.

Marlin T · 02-11-2006, 11:56 PM

If you are looking to use this weapon just for a home protection device, get a shotgun with a short barrel. They are safer than a pistol.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Carl S · 02-12-2006, 07:22 AM

Welcome to the forum, egozi, and to the wonderful world of firearms.

I endorse what Marlint said about a shotgun for home defense with a handgun for backup. Like the others have said, start shooting small caliber handguns first then graduate to bigger calibers.

rosierita · 02-12-2006, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marlint

If you are looking to use this weapon just for a home protection device, get a shotgun with a short barrel. They are safer than a pistol.

Just my 2 cents worth.

ITA w/ the shotgun as the best defense!

when i started shooting it was w/ a 22 rifle. if you are going to rent 1st, start w/ a 22 then move up from there. (& more than likely you'll do that in 1 day.)

i took a friend w/ me to the range a few months ago & she had never held a loaded gun before in her life. i dont own a 22 pistol, so i handed her my 32 revolver (which has no recoil, of course that has alot to do w/ the make & weight of the gun) & she shot probably 40 rounds of it & then she graduated to our 9 mm, then to our 357 where she shot 38s. she also shot our 32 auto keltec (which has considerable recoil bc it's small & lightweight). this was all in 1 night & she has her trophy target to this day.

she did VERY WELL & today owns her own 32 revolver.

(this was my treat & that girl cost me that night!

)

do you have a friend that is knowledgeable w/ guns?? or a family member that can go w/ you??

sarzak · 02-13-2006, 12:38 AM

i like glocks for self defense purposes. not a lot of thingamajigs sticking out to train on just pull trigger of course shotgun way better all the oldtimers on this site will say 1911 or some other steel gun but i think they just did a lot of pistol whippin back in the old days

henry0reilly · 02-13-2006, 07:30 AM

Definitely get 20 ga pump for the house.

Your first handgun should be a .22 single action revolver, for sure. .22 because it's inexpensive to practice with, single action revolver because it will spare you the temptation to empty the gun rapidly.

Ruger Super Single Six with an extra cylinder in 22 mag is a good investment. You can find a used one for around $225 or less if you find a bargain.

Practice practice practice. Then after a few thousand rounds, you're ready to move up to a .357 revolver.

henry0reilly · 02-13-2006, 07:32 AM

I just noticed that your subject line is "ADvice for a Rookie?"

lol AD = Accidental Discharge which is an incorrect term for Negligent Discharge.

wolfgang2000 · 02-13-2006, 11:55 AM

First, Welcome.

You have gotten a lot of good advise,except for the 1911 stuff,

, just joking.

Here is my 2cents worth. First take a saftey course. There you will meet other enthusiasts. Usually these courses are given at a range. There you should be able to handle a variety of firearms. Then you can make a educated decision on which firearm is best for you.

If you really get into firearms you will find that you will need a different gun for different occasions. You will need a dress gun, a everyday gun, a smashemflat gun, a mouse gun, you will need more and more and more!!!

There are NEVER enought guns.

One last thing. In my humble unbiased opion, GLOCKS RULE!!!!!

All joking aside, get good instructions, take it slow, and enjoy the sport.

user_error · 02-14-2006, 06:56 PM

Steyr's are great too for beginners, with a good price combined with good reliablility. However, they aren't quite as fun on the range because they're not especially accurate. They're designed for 100% self defense carriers.

And about the shotty... get yourself a cheap 20ga pump. I got mine for about 80 bucks at a pawn shop, a Sears m-200, and in over 10 years not one single failure-hunting, plinkin, skeetin and all. Bring it out a few times, shoot it a few, get used to it, and keep it loaded nearby. And don't keep a round chambered--shucking it loudly will send all but the most determined criminal running!

MnHunter · 02-14-2006, 08:06 PM

Well first off due to the cost of guns and you mentioned your situation I would recommend the Taurus 24/7 9mm or .40cal I have found them under 400 bucks at gun shows and they are excellent weapons with an excellent warranty. Never had a problem with a Taurus to this date and I have had a few.

02-11-2006, 11:52 AM	#1
egozi Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3	ADvice for a Rookie? Wusup yall, I'm new to this gun thing but for some reason they seem to fascinate me... Any advice on what i should get for my first? I was thinking for some reason a Glock g17 9mm would be nice, but theres so many different options with .45's and all that that i know NOTHING about... I Definitly want a semi-auto pistol... Any advice yall can give?? Mainly house protection is what im looking for. I was looking for lightweight and pretty easy to fire, so i heard the glocks are pretty light and the recoil is not so bad? I would be using it to take the range every once in a while and stuff but mostly house protection... Finances is a big thing too... i don't want to spend too much. Also, do any of yall by any chance know of a website or forum thats got a good little introductory reading on the basics... differences between calibers, ammo, barrel size, all that stuff? i've been looking for a good (free) resource to gain some basic knowledge and havn't found one yet. Thanks, Ego -->

02-11-2006, 12:18 PM	#2
Country101 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dardanelle, AR Contributor Posts: 2,029	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? For your situation, I would recomend a basic Springfield 1911. It will be heavier than a glock(I'm assuming here), but the field stripping process is very easy, fires easily, and is safer than a glock(my reason for saying this is it actually has a safety. Both a grip safety and thumb safety.). A .45 will give you better stopping power. The Springfield will also be on the more inexpensive side and still give you a quality weapon. Go to a gun store and hold one and see how it feels. I think you'll like it. Look on the NRA website to see if they have the inof you are looking for. __________________ Gainfully employed= shooting somebody elses bullets and getting paid for it Country101 Last edited by Country101; 02-11-2006 at 12:19 PM..

02-11-2006, 12:39 PM	#3
rosierita Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: South Carolina Posts: 5,218	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? welcome to the board egozi! before buying anything, go to a local range & rent a gun to shoot. since you are new to it, i'd also recommend you start w/ a 22, 25 or 32. (no recoil!) recoil is relative. what i call recoil may not bother you & what i consider to be no recoil, you may find to be too much.... make sense? start w/ something that you know there is virtually no recoil at all & build yourself up. practice proper handling, stance, etc w/ 1 of those smaller calibers (& find out how much you're gonna flinch when firing). also, shooting a 22 is MUCH cheaper than shooting a 38 or a 357 or a 40 or a 45... (see where this is going?? you'll most likely end up w/ more than 1 gun .) good luck & HAVE FUN!! there is probably someone else here more qualified to answer all your questions.... bt us all tho, i'm sure you can get them all answered! again, WELCOME TO THE BOARD!! __________________

02-11-2006, 12:50 PM	#4
Country101 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dardanelle, AR Contributor Posts: 2,029	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? rosierita is right about starting with a small caliber first. If you haven't shot much this would be a very good idea. Shooting a gun before you buy is also a good idea. Oh yeah, Welcome to the board and welcome to the obsession. __________________ Gainfully employed= shooting somebody elses bullets and getting paid for it Country101

02-11-2006, 02:12 PM	#5
egozi Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? Thanks for the help guys, im gonna definitly head out to a range soon.. Smaller caliber meaning what... i know a .45 is pretty strong and stuff, is a glock g17 smaller caliber?

02-11-2006, 02:39 PM	#6
Country101 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dardanelle, AR Contributor Posts: 2,029	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? A .22 caliber would be best. You could also use a .25 or .32 as rosierita suggested. A 9mm would be a medium caliber in my mind. The less recoil you have to deal with while you are learning the better. Once you have learned how to shoot a gun properly and have the mechanics down you can move to larger calibers. By using the smaller calibers with less recoil you can avoid developing bad habits such as flinching and your shooting will more than likely be better. __________________ Gainfully employed= shooting somebody elses bullets and getting paid for it Country101

02-11-2006, 03:02 PM	#7
user_error V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 130	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? 9mm are great learners. The reason I started with a 9 are because the bullets are so cheap, but the gun isn't so underpowered that it's of little use for defense. The nice middle ground in terms of recoil lets you learn what it feels like for a gun to jump and get used to the flinch factor, but not crack your hand like those beginner-punishing .44 mags and .45s. Not that you can't move up to a .45 when you have some experience--the stopping power is definitely a plus, and colts are damn good guns.

02-11-2006, 08:31 PM	#8
Bruce FLinch Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bay Point, Kali..aka Gun Point Posts: 5,016	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? Anything that goes BANG , is going to scare off 99% of the burglars, that may visit you. Somebody said " A 22 in the tearduct , is more persuasive than a 9mm in the ass" ( maybe Jeff Cooper? ) Welcome to our Mania! __________________ A bad day @ the Range, is better than a good day @ work.

02-11-2006, 11:36 PM	#9
Pistolenschutze Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 13,094	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? Welcome to the Firearms Forum, egozi! As a starting place, egozi, and because you want the pistol that will ultimately do for home protection as well, I would definitely suggest a good 9mm auto. There are many good ones out there, Glock, Sig Sauer, Steyr, CZ, and many others. The 9mm is a relatively easy pistol to learn to shoot, ammo is relatively inexpensive, and stopping power is sufficient if not spectacular. Best advice: by the best quality pistol you can afford. Save money on things that don't matter as much, like food. __________________ --Pistolenschutze (Pistol Shooter)

02-11-2006, 11:56 PM	#10
Marlin T Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Mexico Posts: 7,857	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? If you are looking to use this weapon just for a home protection device, get a shotgun with a short barrel. They are safer than a pistol. Just my 2 cents worth. __________________ "But the simple truth--born of experience--is that tyranny thrives best where government need not fear the wrath of an armed people." Judge Alex Kozinski - United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from its government. - Thomas Paine Did you read todays GOOD shooting? >>>KEEPANDBEARARMS.COM <<<

02-12-2006, 07:22 AM	#11
Carl S Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bunnell, FL Posts: 1,015	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? Welcome to the forum, egozi, and to the wonderful world of firearms. I endorse what Marlint said about a shotgun for home defense with a handgun for backup. Like the others have said, start shooting small caliber handguns first then graduate to bigger calibers. __________________ Carl S Old Soldier The Bill of Rights - guaranteed by the Second Amendment You can trust the government - just ask any Indian

02-13-2006, 12:38 AM	#13
sarzak V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 95	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? i like glocks for self defense purposes. not a lot of thingamajigs sticking out to train on just pull trigger of course shotgun way better all the oldtimers on this site will say 1911 or some other steel gun but i think they just did a lot of pistol whippin back in the old days

02-13-2006, 07:30 AM	#14
henry0reilly Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 553	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? Definitely get 20 ga pump for the house. Your first handgun should be a .22 single action revolver, for sure. .22 because it's inexpensive to practice with, single action revolver because it will spare you the temptation to empty the gun rapidly. Ruger Super Single Six with an extra cylinder in 22 mag is a good investment. You can find a used one for around $225 or less if you find a bargain. Practice practice practice. Then after a few thousand rounds, you're ready to move up to a .357 revolver. __________________ The only Thing necessary for Evil to Triumph is that Good Men do Nothing. Recruit someone for the NRA today!

02-13-2006, 07:32 AM	#15
henry0reilly Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 553	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? I just noticed that your subject line is "ADvice for a Rookie?" lol AD = Accidental Discharge which is an incorrect term for Negligent Discharge. __________________ The only Thing necessary for Evil to Triumph is that Good Men do Nothing. Recruit someone for the NRA today!

02-13-2006, 11:55 AM	#16
wolfgang2000 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mountain Grove MO. Posts: 542	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? First, Welcome. You have gotten a lot of good advise,except for the 1911 stuff, , just joking. Here is my 2cents worth. First take a saftey course. There you will meet other enthusiasts. Usually these courses are given at a range. There you should be able to handle a variety of firearms. Then you can make a educated decision on which firearm is best for you. If you really get into firearms you will find that you will need a different gun for different occasions. You will need a dress gun, a everyday gun, a smashemflat gun, a mouse gun, you will need more and more and more!!! There are NEVER enought guns. One last thing. In my humble unbiased opion, GLOCKS RULE!!!!! All joking aside, get good instructions, take it slow, and enjoy the sport. __________________ Guns are like Jello, there is always room for more!

02-14-2006, 06:56 PM	#17
user_error V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 130	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? Steyr's are great too for beginners, with a good price combined with good reliablility. However, they aren't quite as fun on the range because they're not especially accurate. They're designed for 100% self defense carriers. And about the shotty... get yourself a cheap 20ga pump. I got mine for about 80 bucks at a pawn shop, a Sears m-200, and in over 10 years not one single failure-hunting, plinkin, skeetin and all. Bring it out a few times, shoot it a few, get used to it, and keep it loaded nearby. And don't keep a round chambered--shucking it loudly will send all but the most determined criminal running!

02-14-2006, 08:06 PM	#18
MnHunter Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 40	Re: ADvice for a Rookie? Well first off due to the cost of guns and you mentioned your situation I would recommend the Taurus 24/7 9mm or .40cal I have found them under 400 bucks at gun shows and they are excellent weapons with an excellent warranty. Never had a problem with a Taurus to this date and I have had a few.