recommendations for a first-time gun buyer

[NOLA556]

just a random thought I had today.

so, you've finally convinced your friend, cousin, sister, yadda yadda... that they need a gun.

next question, what should I get?

well, it depends on the intended purpose, right? if your sister is worried about rape, carjacking, etc.. you wouldn't recommend that she sling an AK around. but on the other hand, from a prepping standpoint, I personally would rather a rifle of some sort as my first purchase because I see it as the most important.

so.. just wondering what you'd tell someone to get for their first piece.

[Kobalt]

Well If it was a guy looking to join the group Id tell him to buy whatever rifle the group uses.

[thatGuy]

Ruger 10/22 or a Ruger MKII pistol.

Quality, dependability and cost both of ammo the firearm make these two firearms my favorite 'first timers.'

.22 is cheap, clean and quite which makes it great for getting folks comfortable with shooting sports and what not.

I could go on and on about how much I love this combo..

[NOLA556]

Ruger 10/22 or a Ruger MKII pistol.

Quality, dependability and cost both of ammo the firearm make these two firearms my favorite 'first timers.'

.22 is cheap, clean and quite which makes it great for getting folks comfortable with shooting sports and what not.

I could go on and on about how much I love this combo..

I was thinking about that as well, but it really doesn't fit the bill for many purposes. like my little story about "your sister is worried about getting raped"... of course I'm not trying to get into a caliber debate, because we all know that .22 is deadly with proper shot placement, but wouldn't it be more logical to go with a little snub-nose .38 or something more along those lines? this is why I posted this, because it's a difficult question to answer. guys like us have a closet full of guns to meet any need, but what about someone who may not be a prepper, or what have you. maybe someone who only wants a gun for one specific purpose.

either way, the topic is pretty indirect. In other words, I'm not looking for one end-all answer, because I don't think there is one.

[Treaded]

1st gun for self protection?  A good compact 9mm.  Then training.  Then a lower end H/S 12g (H&R or Mav88).  More training.  Then an AR.  Then more training. 

I look at my pistol or shotty as fulfilling a few different functions.  Giving me the force necessary to protect me and mine when I'm away from my rifle, giving me the force necessary to get to my rifle if there's a problem, and providing a fall back in case my rifle breaks.

[JohnyMac]

After the last Tea Party mtg I attended I chaired a small grp (5+me) on prepping. This subject came up several times during the night and I kept parking it in the "To chat about at a later date" parking lot.

At the end of the meeting I finally got cornered and had to give me opinion and this is what I said:

First purchase - A shot gun you can handle, e.g. 20 ga. for gals with barrels for slug and shot
Second purchase - Ruger 10/22
Third purchase - Medium powered handgun, e.g. 38 spl, 9MM, etc.

Then of course happened what I was afraid of happening: I got the questions of Why? What did I think of an AK or a AR? What did I think of Glock's etc etc etc.  [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at

I wanted the group to focus on putting away food, medicine, water, etc. and they wanted to talk about guns. I guess guns are more exciting to chat about.

[mountainredneck2051]

for a grown person who is looking for just a self defense handgun get a 9mm glock 19 or similar,
stupid simple and a good enough size for them to learn to use it well but small enough to ccw

personally i feel a good handgun is the most important firearm you own
my reasons

you can carry your handgun with you everywhere you go already right now
and if shtf that will continue, and in all likely hood shit deteriorating to the point of us going full retarded are slim to none at best, but the point of us carrying handguns everywhere we go is 100% right fucking now

[thatGuy]

I'm a huge fan of the 637 S&W chambered in .38 Special +P for the "rape gun" but that is a pretty serious little pistol. As are any of the modern self defence calibers.

We look at this issue from a skewed perspective. We are (or should be) over the fear of pulling a trigger, your average first time shooter isn't yet.

That said if it's got to be only one gun then I agree with Treaded, a sub compact 9mm.

Maybe a G26 with a DPM recoil reducer...

[Treaded]

Ya know I'm an odd man out on this but I don't recommend shooters that are new buying a pistol before they get training - especially if they want a Glock.  I've seen too many NDs by new shooters and Glocks because they can't keep their boogerpicker of the bang switch before they get proficient with it and have those safety rules hammered home. 

What I do nowadays is use an airsoft GBB pistol in the backyard to get the basics set for a new shooter before I tell them to go out and spend money.  That way the mechanics and safety sense are in place before they move to a real firearm.

[NOLA556]

Ya know I'm an odd man out on this but I don't recommend shooters that are new buying a pistol before they get training - especially if they want a Glock.  I've seen too many NDs by new shooters and Glocks because they can't keep their boogerpicker of the bang switch before they get proficient with it and have those safety rules hammered home. 

you're 100% correct. the only ND I've ever had with any gun was with my Glock not long after I got it. (it was my first gun)  [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at

thankfully no one was hurt except for the wall, and I even checked the angle of the shot by sticking a dowel rod through the wall. The slug should be buried somewhere in the backyard.

either way, I couldn't agree more with what you're saying. I fell victim to the same "I'm too smart for a ND" mentality andd.... BANG! I agree with the compact 9mm but not Glock for a noobie shooter.

[thatGuy]

I agree wholeheartedly but come at it from a different angle. I love the idea of using airsoft as a training aid but prefer teaching first time shooters on a bolt action .22 rifle and close supervision i.e. close enough to bat down the barrel if it comes to that.

Great choice of language by the way!

[Treaded]

For rifle the .22 is a must.  I still use it as a surrogate because it's cheap as hell and fun to shoot.  When it comes to pistol though I've noticed some things from those that have never handled firearms when they get one in their hands.  They tend to wave the damn thing around sweeping everyone and everything in sight like and they like to put that finger on the trigger.  Scary stuff.

[gapatriot]

well nola if your sister needs protection/ a gun im willing to come down j/s buddy but only because its you! i would go nice simple .380 light recoil spring something like a walther (not rugar or taurus the triggers suck)! Honestly take them to a rental range and see what THEY are comfortable with.I honestly never expected a chick to handle your glock as good as she did.

[EJR914]

Is Nola's sister hott, GAP?  LOL

[gapatriot]

IDK

[NOLA556]

well nola if your sister needs protection/ a gun im willing to come down j/s buddy but only because its you! i would go nice simple .380 light recoil spring something like a walther (not rugar or taurus the triggers suck)! Honestly take them to a rental range and see what THEY are comfortable with.I honestly never expected a chick to handle your glock as good as she did.

 [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at

[EJR914]

My BFF, Jill.

[NOLA556]

Is Nola's sister hott, GAP?  LOL

 [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at

 [img]http://www.smileydesign.n

[EJR914]

Is Nola's sister hott, GAP?  LOL

 [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at [img]http://www.arrse.co.uk/at

 [img]http://www.smileydesign.n

 

[NOLA556]

actually, to answer you two cradle-robbers, she's an uber-sheep, so I was very surprised when she told me that she wanted me to come to the gunshop with her to help her look for a gun (she had more than one "close-calls" within the same month and it scared her)..... fast-forward a couple months, she still has no gun despite my constant nagging.

and.... pardon me for saying this about my own sister but yea she's pretty hot. 

[EJR914]

Gross.

Anyway, getting armed robbed usually turns sheep into sheepdogs.  Get her on some good internet sites and she'll be a libertarian before you know it.  LOL

[JohnyMac]

It took my wife quite awhile to settle on a wheel gun for defense. She will tell you straight up that it is less complicated and is simple to use. Load - point - pull trigger.

She uses .38spl rounds even though the weapon is .357. She practices with it at a distance of three to ten yards. It took her awhile (Some sharp words) for her to not laser people with it. If I had to do it over again I would NOT have trained her. I would of hired a firearms instructor.   

[mountainredneck2051]

actually, to answer you two cradle-robbers

sounds like this is more of a job for me 

[1000meterstare]

Smith-and-Wesson K frame, 4" barrel, either in .38+p or .357 mag.  Even newbies seem to shoot those revolvers accurately.  They aren't cheap, but you get what you pay for. [URL=http://www.smileyvault.co

[Deathstyle]

and.... pardon me for saying this about my own sister but yea she's pretty hot. 

PICS or GTFO !!!!


Sorry bud but someone had to do it.