Witnessed a first-time handgun buyer today

[roscoe]

It is funny to think about, but I learned basically everything I know about guns here and at TFL. These forums have helped guide my purchases, and I have never regretted a single one. Now my gun safe is too small, and I am considered the most informed 'gun guy' amongst my family and friends. Thanks folks!

 

[TallPine]

Nobody, really... I just had to learn most everything on my own. Though I suppose growing 40 years ago in a more gun friendly America that it was easier to pick things up. I guess Roy and Gene were my basic tutors

Not that I haven't learned a lot from TFL, THR, and a few select people along the way. And that NRA magazine before it became America's First Freedom had a lot of good articles about handguns and defense. I enjoyed the magazine a lot more before it became all political stuff.

 

[ApexinM3]

My father. Took me shooting for the first time when I was 8 or so, and it went downhill from there. First pistol was an HK USP .40 (which I still have...8,000+ rounds later) that my father bought with me in mind, then my first purchase was a Kimber Custom Target 1911. There have many, many since then, but I always will remebre my father taking me shooting when I was younger.

As for customers stepping in on a sale: I work behind the counter & can honestly say that 99.9% of the time, folks that rattle off their "knowledge drive me nuts. Not all the time but most of the time. I have been pleasantly surprised on occasion. Generally if I'm at a store I'll ask the salesman first if it's okay but I try to avoid making product recommendations.

 

[lawson]

i grew up hunting and shooting, but kind of got out of it for a while in my late teens/early twenties (no particular reason other than being very busy playing music and going to school).

after an incident involving an invader while i was home, i decided to buy a gun. my dad recommended a double action .38 special revolver as my first handgun, but said what i really needed in case of another armed invader was a 12 gauge shotgun. i ended up getting the shotgun first, a Winchester 1300. it fit me better than the Rems and Mossies. Literally a few days later, i bought myself a revolver, a Ruger Gp100 4". i liked the feel of it, nice and heavy. when i first handled it, it felt like it would last for a thousand years.

now, i shoot more often than my dad. i outshoot him with handguns, but he still takes me to school when we're on the rifle range.

 

[hotpig]

Hi Point or a Sigma. Probably better off with the HP as his first gun. He could use the difference in price to buy ammo. Once he gained some experience he could get a better gun of his own choosing.

 

[JasonMD85]

Who helped me when I knew nothing and wanted to get started? Mr. Norton and Mr. Spot77 met me at the range, let me put some wear on their handguns (For free at that!) and answered all my stupid "n00b" questions when I was looking to buy. Now I am saving for my 3rd firearm, with a laundry list of "Wants."


Big thanks again to Mr. Norton and Mr.Spot77.

 

[bumm]

My dad collected guns, and I learned quite a bit from being around him back in the 50's and 60's. Most of this was historical info, though. When it came time to buy my first handguns, (before the internet existed,) I read, and read, and read. Books and magazines. When I went to buy, I knew what I wanted and was never disappointed. I ALWAYS research before buying an expensive toy of any type. That's a big part of the fun.
Marty

 

[springmom]

Several teachers

I learned to shoot a .22 when I was a young woman, from a friend. I wasn't very good but I was hooked on plinking as a serious source of fun. Didn't get to do any shooting for many years, though.

Then when I decided to get my CHL, a friend of my husband's volunteered to bring his and his dad's arsenal of handguns to the range and let me shoot up as much ammo as I wanted. He showed me how to hold each gun, how to aim, and I was *hooked*

Then there are the guys at the gun counter at Gander Mountain. I know people bad mouth chain stores but I guarantee you I have learned more from them than from any other gun shop personnel. They really have been more than helpful and we've spent a lot of time just talking to them about guns. Granted that they know us well enough to know we'll eventually spend more money there But they are very helpful.

And I've learned a ton from this board, and from The Firing Line. Granted, there are times that it's wise to, um, filter the information, but a lot of really knowledgable folks are on these boards and can be great resources. And some of them, like pax, have websites that are even better

Springmom

 

[WayneConrad]

I was pretty much that guy: I knew nothing. The salesman at the gun store, Bob Buffa, turned out to be as knowledgable, friendly, and helpful as I could have hoped for. So much so that I hired him to teach sweetie and me the basics of safety and pistol marksmanship. I still go to him when I want a new gun.

I very much lucked out when I stepped up to the counter that he was behind.

 

[MDMadrid]

About a year ago I was that guy who walked into the store and didn't have a clue. I grew up on rifles but had never shot a handgun in my life. The first store I walked into the guys behind the counter didn't have any time for me. I asked a couple of question that I thought were good questions, but they looked at eachother and kinda snickered and told me I should take a class before I came into the store. It realy pissed me off and I swore I would never go back to that store again. The next store I went into the guy was very helpful, and showed me everything about handguns. I bought a 9mm from him that day and since then a .45ACP

Since then I read the THR every day and learn tons of info...thanks!

 

[MachIVshooter]

To just dive right into the 40 with no pistol experience = big mistake. He'll develop a bad flinch which will be hard to get rid of.

My first handgun was a Llama .45, then a 4" Ruger Security-Six .357, then a Colt Mk IV .45,then a Sigma .40 (which I later sold), then a Beretta 92FS. I didn't pick up a .22 pistol until I was 19. While this approach doesn't work for everyone, it is OK for some.

That said, when you find an inexperienced person in the store, wait until the clerk goes to help someone else and the newbi is just standing there, looking at all the guns. This almost invariably happens, and it is a good time to strike up a conversation and possibly offer some advice.

 

[Anna's Dad]

First gun

My wife bought my first gun as a Christmas gift! She knew I was thinking about buying a gun for home defense. I wanted a 9mm. She talked to a very knowledgeble and helpful gun shop (I've come to believe he is the only shop in the county who is truly honest and has the customer's best interest in mind).

I wound up with a Ruger P345. My first thought was, oh great--that's way too much power. I have since come to realize that there's no such thing as too much power and absolutely love the Ruger. Still my favorite gun to this day.

My wife does regret the gift a little bit. She loves the Ruger too, but she's a little concerned about the half dozen guns (the ones she knows about ) I bought over the next 9 months months, the concealed carry permit, the NRA membership, the countless hours I spend researching guns and my TheHighRoad.org addiction as well. She's happy for me, I think she just wishes I was a little less obsessed.

Regards,

 

[shield20]

Books and magazines - I was "lucky" in one way here in NY - that once I put my application in way back when, I had plenty of time to decide what I wanted. I read everything I could to learn what features, caliber, action etc. A couple hands-on sessions at the store inforced what I had thought, so I was VERY happy with my new 92F.
These days the internet seems to make all that learning process a whle lot easier!

What I find myself doing too much though, is going into a place with something in mind, and seeing another gun that I just didn't do the research on - then I have to rely on the sale's help. Happened with a P99, a RAMI, and just the other day with a Win SX2 (instead of the 11-87 I thought I wanted)...a little daunting to come home and THEN find out for sure just what I bought - but with SOME common sense (like "hey that SX2 is just like the Browning) it has worked out OK - most of the time.

A store with some one who you can trust, and has the patience to help - is a place worth shopping in.

 

[Rokman]

I learned about firearms from my good ol' dad. He was a collector, so Christmas was sometimes a real treat. He started me off with a Red Rider BB gun and went on from there. Same thing I'll do with my son. My first purchase was a Ruger 10/22 that I still have after 19 years.

It seams most chain stores guys know very little about their firearms. Ask them how to field strip a certain model that your interested in. See what they tell you. That guy could have really benefitted from The High Road.

 

[Jkwas]

If he ended up with a Sigma, he could have done worse. It's a good entry level pistol made by a quality manufacturuer. It's also not that expensive. He will always get some trade value out of it if he ever decides to get rid of it.
Believe me, I'm still kissing frogs in the handgun department, even after all I read on these forums.

 

[whitefeather]

It's not really all that important which gun he ended up buying (as long as it was not some POS gang-banger special).

The upside is that he has joined the fraternity of gun owners. Let's hope he does his part to be a responsible, capable and knowledgeable gun owner. If he is anything like I was at his age, this first purchase will be just the tip of the ice berg.

There is no cure.