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First time gun owner could use some advice

5K views 101 replies 68 participants last post by  Judge of Judges 
#1 ·
Hey yall! I'm new to the forum and to guns in general. I recently joined a gun club and have really enjoyed shooting, and now I'm looking to own my first handgun. I've really had my eye on the Glock 19 Gen 4, mostly because I hear so much praise about it from ex-military guys and enjoyed I it at the range. I haven't put more than 200 rounds through my friend's Glock, so I'm not sure how well I know it. My hands seem to shake a bit with it, and I'm pretty inaccurate, but it might be just a lack of training.

I also like the Sig P320. I got a chance to try it and it really felt good in my palm. I know the Army just chose it, so it's definitely good quality. I'm just not sure whether it would work better for me than the Glock. I also want to try the VP9 as well, but can't really find one.

Do you guys have any tips about which gun to choose for a first-timer, or just any tips for a new gunowner in general? I would really appreciate any help, I really want to learn more!
 
#40 ·
Form good habits; grip, stance, trigger control, follow through, with a .22 first. Blast and recoil hide many flaws.

Of the guns out now, my choice would be Ruger Mk4 or Mk4 22-45.

Once you have put a few thousand rounds down range, then look at a center fire, at that time a Glock 19 is a good choice although you will need to transition on the trigger.

If Advantage Arms kits are available again, and you don't mind paying a little extra for their recommended ammo, then a G19 and a conversion kit is also a good choice. If you insist on cheap ammo from Walmart, get the Ruger, it is more tolerant.
 
#41 ·
AA kits are available but you do need to look around. Ammo isn't that much for the kit. I'm getting Remington Golden Bullet 525 packs for $29 shipped from Academy. That's 5.5¢/rd. Aguila and CCI Blazer isn't recommended but works flawlessly in my kit and that's 5¢/rd. CCI MiniMags are 8¢/rd. Still cheaper than 18-22¢/rd for 9mm.

It's nice to practice with the same trigger and it's a lot of fun.
 
#42 · (Edited)
A .22 pistol? . . What are you 10 years old, and Grandpa is teaching you to shoot and fish?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . :fishing: LOL.
Unless you're 89 with arthritis, or a woman with delicate joints and muscle, there is no need to throw away hundreds of dollars on a .22 pistol. Gun safety, proper stance, hold, and developing good shooting skills can be done from the start on the 9mm that you want. A 9mm is a low recoil round for most men, and you will have the opportunity to practice and familiarize yourself with the actual gun you intend to carry.

It so happens that both your 9mm choices that you mentioned are beefy guns providing a full grip and are quite manageable in the recoil department. If you really want the Sig because it excites your senses, then go for it. But if you can't make up your mind between the Glock or the DA triggered Sig, then as most said here, go with the Glock for easier trigger control.
Ignoring the off-base part about making fun of using a .22LR for practice, you can shoot .22 for .07 per round while 9mm costs .20 per round. Speaking for myself, I tend to shoot low cost rounds more and therefore get more practice as compared to more costly rounds.

Throwing out the figure of 2500 rounds, that costs about $500 for basic 9mm FMJ practice ammo. That same 2500 rounds of .22LR in federal or remington bulk packs costs about $175. Thats about $325 savings. That may mean nothing to some people but to me it does.

So shoot if you shoot 2500 rounds of .22 for practice you've saved the "hundred of dollars" needed to buy a Ruger or Browning .22 pistol. After that, you are past the break even point and are money ahead, perhaps for buying ammo to get some basic practice with your Glock 19.
 
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#43 ·
My suggestion is get the one you want. Take a basic pistol class so you get the rules of gun safety down and some instruction in how to shoot. Then take another course on how to shoot or even better take some lessons. That gives you one on one instruction and is more affordable than you think. Around here you can get 3 one hour lessons for what an 8 hour course would cost but you will get more out of it. Worst thing to do is figure you can teach yourself to shoot. I categorize my 30 years of shooting experience as the last 5 years trying to forget what the first 25 taught me. Learn it right before learning it wrong.
 
#44 ·
1st handgun? Consider a revolver in .38 special or .22. The benefit to the .38 is you can carry it confidently for CC once you get your freedom charges paid for your CPL. Ruger Single 6 is a wonderful pistol for .22. If you're dead set on a 9mm semi-auto, G19 is the winner. Lots of practice no matter the choice.
 
#45 ·
I can't hit anything much either. I just like the sound, 15 rounds, pow,pow,pow,pow,pow....
 
#60 ·
Has nothing to do with being a "grown-ass man"... a .22 removes the distractions of recoil and noise when learning to shoot, allowing you to focus on fundamentals. Yes, you could just buy a 9mm and learn to shoot with it, but the learning curve is steeper even though the 9mm in a medium to full size frame gun is not punishing.

If funds don't allow for both a .22lr and a 9mm, a good pellet gun can take the place of the .22lr. Still can practice the fundamentals, and can do it in your backyard or garage.
 
#48 ·
I also agree that a new handgun shooter will learn the fundamentals of shooting much faster with a 22 rimfire. The advice of going with the the Glock 19 and acquiring the Advantage Arms Upper in 22LR would be the best of all worlds. I have this set up, practicing with the AA in my basement during the winter months. The AA upper is superbly accurate and reliable using the recommended ammo, and, there is a lot to be said about the common ergonomics. Owning dozens of handguns, including the various favors of the Glock, the 19 is my hands down favorite. Large enough to control and shoot with a high degree of accuracy. Small enough to conceal and put into action effectively. IMO.
 
#53 ·
You can quickly learn how to take your Glock apart completely and add/replace any parts that you
wish. I see that as a huge Glock advantage.

Plus, Glock 9mm's aren't made to be thick enough to also allow the slide & frame to be used for .40 pistols. The Glock 9mms is simply more size and weight efficient for 9mm.

Get a .22lr conversion kit and you can use your Glock to shoot .22lr.
 
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#55 ·
I had a Glock 19 and it was an awesome gun. I then bought a VP9 and it felt excellent in my hand and I was more accurate with it. I ended up selling the 19 and keeping the VP9 as both guns fit the same category. I still have my Glock 26 Gen 3 for my EDC and I am never giving that puppy up! It would be worth your while to check out other guns as others have said. Good luck with your choice!
 
#56 ·
Invest in a high quality .22 as your first gun. I returned to shooting in February of 2017 and my first purchase was a Glock 17L. I shot the Glock pretty well - 3 inch groups at 7 yards (I had a LOT of shooting experience decades ago), but when I bought my S&W Victory .22 and started to run a LOT of rounds through that - my Glock groups shrunk to about 2 inch, maybe a little less.

A high quality .22 is a good buy because you can shoot it all day and not spend a lot of money on ammo right now and you can use it to train the next generation of shooters as well.
I love the .22 so much I went out an purchased a Ruger Single-Six .22 to help with my revolver shooting.
 
#57 ·
If you don't like cleaning it, my club offers ultra-sonic cleaning and then lube for $10.00. I do this for my Victory every 300 to 500 rounds. Between sessions I run a bore snake through it and drop a very small amount of lube on the feed ramp.
 
#58 ·
All i can add to this is shooting a hand gun take pratice and patience,its not how fast you shoot, its how well you shoot fast! I had to use that JD SLOGAN.
But patience,proper grip,a gun you like and Pratice.
Shooting WAY to many rounds at one time can create bad habbits.
Alot of these guys do a hell of alot of shooting at a time, but they are accomplished shooters
You will improve every time you go shooting,like anything else pratice and patience
 
#63 ·
I EDC the Glock17. I'm big and tall. I can conceal a Mossberg500 with a pistol grip and 18.5 barrel in winter. Smaller people seem to find the 17 hard to conceal. The 19 is made for that reason. I suggest starting with a 9mm. It does not take long to tame it's recoil even with -+P rounds but start with a box of white box Winchester or something similar. There are at least 20 great reliable self defense rounds for the 9mm . It's a NATO round and should be easy to find if the SHTF someday. I would pick up some Glock 17 mags for a just in case. Even 33 round mags have their place in today's world
 
#69 ·
Welcome to the group. Any type of firearm can become addictive once you start purchasing them...

GLOCKS are wonderful, but not all people like them. Same with Sig, H&K, walther etc.

Borrow or rent to see which one YOU like the best, and also "feels" the best to you. Get professional instruction, and then training as there is a difference.

You won't go wrong with the 19! Good luck
 
#70 ·
Personally I find practice with something similar to what I will carry is beneficial. I see threads all the time teaching women to shoot with 9mm . I believe the OP can handle it. You also want to practice with both hands. I think it's American Gunner by Hornady that can be praticed with or used for self defense. He has rifle experience. I was about 8 the first time I shot a 9 mm. I really believe he can do it. Unless money is no issue I wouldn't bother with the 22. That said EVERYONE should own a 22L rifle. Basic Ruger 10-22. But Thats off topic
 
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