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Two Biggest First-Time Gun Buyer Mistakes

I commonly saw novices show up to my classes who listened to a clueless gun counter clerk or friend and got a gun that was not suited to them. The gun needs to fit your hand, you need to manipulate the action and controls, you need to see the sights, and it needs to be a caliber that meets its use. I instructed novices coming to my classes to not buy a gun for the class and had a selection for them to try. Part of my course was to help the novice choose a gun that was suitable to them. But invariably someone would show up with a gun they couldn't operate, or was painful for them to shoot.
 
I feel fortunate that I went into USAF at 18 (in 1976) and was taught weapons safety, shooting fundamentals, nomenclatures of various weapons, and given the opportunity to demonstrate my competence (repeatedly, based on my specialty). As my specialty was law enforcement with security as a secondary, I remained in gun culture for a long time and even when I promoted out of those initial specialties, many friends and I shot regularly. So when EDC became the soup du jour, I understood ballistics, recoil, nomenclatures of pistols vs revolvers, etc. About the only thing I didn’t understand was “striker fired”, but I’m a quick study and went through a bunch of those before I settled back on SAO, DA/SA, and J-frames.

Someone above mentioned shooting a gun before buying it for use. I could have saved some serious money with that philosophy, but I’ve truly never fired ANY gun where I couldn’t hit well at EDC distances so I’ve bought lots of guns sight unseen without having fired one of its type. I have bought guns I just found “meh” to shoot and moved them on when I got bored with them.

Someday I’ll post the list of guns that passed through my hands, how long I had them, and how many rounds before I moved them on. It’s a long list…or seems that way to me (though when I post it, I’m sure others probably have me beat 😀).

IMO, the biggest mistake a first time gun buyer can make is following an article listing the “mistakes a first time gun buyer make”, here or elsewhere. If you don’t have shooting friends you trust to help you, find a USCCA, NRA, etc. certified beginners course with a certified instructor, take a course, make some shooting friends. If that’s not an option, find a reliable range and talk to folks there.

IMO, EDC and guns is not one of those things you can learn, train, and master from words on a page. It requires interacting with others, tactile training, and when you feel confident, LOTS of practice to prevent skills from perishing.

But if you want to go buy a .44 snub for your first gun and/or EDC, I won’t discourage you unless you ask my opinion. It’s your money and I would never be so bold as to tell you how to spend your money.
 
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Hi,

Yes, another common sense article. Especially the part where we (well, perhaps not "me), as the "experts", are chaged with giving good advice to new and novice gun owners.

I consider myself quite lucky with my first purchase. I had taken a few lessons with my first instructor (former Army instructor) in the summer of 2020, at the height of the "scamdemic". He had let me train with a few of his pistols. I walked into the LGS convinced I wanted a G17. In California they sell only the Gen3 models (stupid "roster"). Even though the LGS was jam packed (you had to take a number just to see a clerk), my guy was very knowlegble and patient.

I think he may have rolled his eyes a little when I told him what I was looking for. Of course they pretty much had nothing to sell in the store that you could walk out with. Everything had to be ordered, it took 4-6 weeks if you were lucky, add to that the 10 day waiting period the CA DOJ puts you through. It was a maddening time.

The clerk did have a G17 behind the counter waiting for a pickup. He also had an XD9 waiting for a pickup. He let me handle both of them and let me manipulate them. The fit and feel in my newby hands was quite revealing. The XD9 really "fit" and had features that were non-existent on the Glock. The XD9 was ambi, had the grip safety, better sights, more concealable, etc. I ordered one right then and there, paid in full.

It was murder waiting the 5 weeks for the pistol to arrive, plus the extra 10 days after I signed all the paperwork. But I knew that I had purchased a firearm that really felt right. My instructor was quite pleased when I showed up for a lesson with my new XD9. I guess that's why I've always been fond of the SA products.

All that to say, we are the ambassadors. It's up to us to bring up the next generation of gun owners. Let's do it right.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
MiataMinded said:
It's funny you post this because the CZ Shadow was the one pistol I had in mind above $1000 that I think really breaks what I was posting. I'll own a Shadow 2 eventually.
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Shop around. I impulse bought and paid more than I should have like always. The Holosun Optic was a Christmas present from my Son. It’s a great combination. I’ll say the CZ P-10C for $400.00 and change will be the gun I would suggest to anyone looking for an under $500.00 self defense gun. It’s a heck of a good gun, probably the only “smart buy” I’ve made lately.
 
To the first time buyer:

Buy a Sig 226 Legion. Sure, it’s expensive, but worth every penny. It’s easy to shoot and will make shooting fun, you’ll be able grow with it and use it in every conceivable situation, it has massive street cred and it is bomb proof. You cannot get a better gun for your dollar.

For what it is worth, the first three guns I bought within a matter of months, without pre-testing, in order were:

P365 SAS
Walther PPQ
Sig 226 Legion DA/SA ( this was the first of five 226s)
 
SimonRL said:
To the first time buyer:

Buy a Sig 226 Legion. Sure, it’s expensive, but worth every penny. It’s easy to shoot and will make shooting fun, you’ll be able grow with it and use it in every conceivable situation, it has massive street cred and it is bomb proof. You cannot get a better gun for your dollar.

For what it is worth, the first three guns I bought within a matter of months, without pre-testing, in order were:

P365 SAS
Walther PPQ
Sig 226 Legion DA/SA ( this was the first of five 226s)
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i have a dental hygienist, who's husband just retired from UPS.

he wants a gun.....then doesn't know for sure

i simply told her, get to a range (they live not far from the range i go to), and then rent out a gun or 2

get some training, its cheap and a good idea.

she's up for it, she and all the gals in that office...?? are Pro 2A.......

i was shocked frankly.....

anyways, that as 4 months ago.

i went there maybe 4 weeks ago (i go 4 times a year) due to being a diabetic

he still hasn't committed.

i cannot see him buying anything too expensive.

i think he's not really all that interested....

the wife..??

i think so.
 
Old_Me said:
funny to me as well....

i have no issues nor problems shooting any Glock..however, i do not like ANY gun no matter the make/model, with less that 10 round magazines off the assembly line......

to me, if i can shoot a 1911, or a revolver, i can shoot any gun...

i think its a mind fluck about Glock's grip angle......or some other hate towards them.

a grip is a grip.
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I never mentioned the grip. Assumptions are the mother of all mistakes.
 
I've never "pre-shot" or "test-fired" any gun I ever bought. I like and kept them all, except the P365SAS (sorry Simon, I just couldn't get that sight to work for me). I HAVE purchased 2 standard P365's....it's my EDC and I wanted one for heavy range use and one for sparse (but regular) range time but heavy carry use.
 
KillerFord1977 said:
Mistake #1:
Not Staying Single ! ;) :p



Kidding...Married 26 years, but she still thinks I own 8 guns. or at least that what she leads me to believe and knows better:cautious:. which is the case.
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35yrs . A life long shooter herself , it was $ , not anti gun a few years ago for " Hey , why don't you slow down buying guns ."

So l did . Then about 2 yrs later " Hey , why don't you slow down buying music gear ."

[ But she's good about " Hey , these young whippersnappers don't realize what that classic gun actually is , and it's priced half of what it's worth . " And " The state legislature is forcing me to buy a bunch of whatever , fast . They ban them , l buy them . " ]
 
SimonRL said:
This article could have been two sentences long.

Buying a Glock.

Not buying an HK.
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IMG_5548.gif
 
BassCliff said:
Hi,

Yes, another common sense article. Especially the part where we (well, perhaps not "me), as the "experts", are chaged with giving good advice to new and novice gun owners.

I consider myself quite lucky with my first purchase. I had taken a few lessons with my first instructor (former Army instructor) in the summer of 2020, at the height of the "scamdemic". He had let me train with a few of his pistols. I walked into the LGS convinced I wanted a G17. In California they sell only the Gen3 models (stupid "roster"). Even though the LGS was jam packed (you had to take a number just to see a clerk), my guy was very knowlegble and patient.

I think he may have rolled his eyes a little when I told him what I was looking for. Of course they pretty much had nothing to sell in the store that you could walk out with. Everything had to be ordered, it took 4-6 weeks if you were lucky, add to that the 10 day waiting period the CA DOJ puts you through. It was a maddening time.

The clerk did have a G17 behind the counter waiting for a pickup. He also had an XD9 waiting for a pickup. He let me handle both of them and let me manipulate them. The fit and feel in my newby hands was quite revealing. The XD9 really "fit" and had features that were non-existent on the Glock. The XD9 was ambi, had the grip safety, better sights, more concealable, etc. I ordered one right then and there, paid in full.

It was murder waiting the 5 weeks for the pistol to arrive, plus the extra 10 days after I signed all the paperwork. But I knew that I had purchased a firearm that really felt right. My instructor was quite pleased when I showed up for a lesson with my new XD9. I guess that's why I've always been fond of the SA products.

All that to say, we are the ambassadors. It's up to us to bring up the next generation of gun owners. Let's do it right.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
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A G19 grip feels a lot better than the G17 size Glocks….just me, but WTH do I know anyway….. just ask some members on here…..they will tell you….
 
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