I want to buy a firearm

originally posted by: DAVID64
I know the Glock 19 very well...it's my everyday concealed carry.

I would not advise someone with absolutely no firearm experience to purchase one.

Nor would I. And, I am a NRA certified instructor.

People buy guns, maybe take the Concealed Carry class, and just quit trying to learn anything more.

But, everyone is always shouting, Ooh, ooh, I know!!" to answer that question of the OP. We don't know the OP. If I don't know you - I know how to keep my mouth shut.

originally posted by: DAVID64
First, go get some training and while you're doing that, you'll get some idea of what weapon will fit your needs. Usually, for inexperienced shooters, a shotgun would be best.

DO NOT purchase a weapon and try to "figure it out". Use only with an experienced shooter monitoring your every move.

This is the number one best advice. Bold added by me...

a reply to: DanDanDat

Hurricane Sandy occurred 5 years ago. Why now are you considering a firearm for personal / family protection?

And since you are asking and no one else here is offering good advice here is the first question you need to ask yourself.

Are you willing to kill another human being?

If you can unequivocally answer "yes" then we can continue. If you answer "no" or "I'm not sure" then don't buy a firearm. Take Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instead.

I think it’s a dangerous mentality to think that everyone will decide to act uncivil to each other.

You might have people coming over asking for help, and you would be full of fear thinking they are going to kill you or something and point a gun at them.. like some kid that was trick or treating and got shot by some paranoid resident.

Guns can also get you into sticky situations when somebody does in fact genuinely want to rob you. Let’s say you didn’t have a gun. Maybe he would not shoot you in such a situation, but *would* in the case that you do show a gun. So that is one case in which it can work against you. What would be worth so much to protect? Food? What would you be protecting? I’m not sure if it would be worth your life. Not to say there might be a case where it can in fact protect you but I think most people have guns just waiting for that day when they need it but it never comes.

originally posted by: DAVID64
a reply to: caf1550

I know the Glock 19 very well...it's my everyday concealed carry. But, because the lack of a safety, the only thing stopping it from firing is learning to ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger and sometimes that's asking a lot for a new shooter. I would not advise someone with absolutely no firearm experience to purchase one. Maybe later, after getting range time, but not for a first gun. Lack of knowledge can make many new shooters lose confidence in their firearm, since they don't quite trust it or themselves and that can lead to accidents.

I understand where you are coming from, but like myself, you, and everyone else on here has already stated, Training and safety come before anything else. The Glock 19 is a very easy handgun for a new shooter to learn how to use safely. Ultimately it is going to be the OPs decision on what he likes and what he feels comfortable with, I simply gave my recommendation, as NRA certified instructor and a firearms instructor for the state department I work for. It is not difficult to teach a new shooter how to shoot, and also how to properly handle a firearm. I would much rather teach someone on a Glock platform over teaching them on say a Sig which has a notoriously long and heavy trigger pull which can be quite hard a problematic to learn on.

originally posted by: nOraKat
I think it’s a dangerous mentality to think that everyone will decide to act uncivil to each other.

Have you ever been in the aftermath of a natural disaster where basic everyday services have stopped working? I.E. no food, gas, water, electricity, etc?

The average person does not have enough emergency food or water on hand at any given time to last them more than 2 days. Which is why it has been shown that civil unrest begins within the first 36 hours after a natural disaster occurs.

When people are out of resources and they need those resources for either themselves or their family...I think you would be very surprised at how quickly people move into self preservation mode. At this point civility goes out the window.

a reply to: DAVID64


Indeed go practice with friends if you can or visit a range and get familiar , I recommend a rifle and a side arm, one of each... practice enough w different ones and different brands to find the two that are the most comfortable for you...

I recommend smith and Wesson, great brand, if you have a larger hand, glock seems to be a go to...

Remember you can modify anything to fit better for your shooting style....

originally posted by: dashen

have anything particular in mind?

Goodness, it's so cool.

Another vote for instruction / training, first.

It's more than just about rule #1 (safety), but also about familiarizing yourself with not only different firearms, but firearms which are appropriate for your given situation.

There are lots of places you can go and get nearly free training. Many ranges will provide you with training at no cost. It's not hard, and is actually pretty fun for most. The firearms community is probably one of the most receptive and tolerant to new people. Probably more so than most other sports where the learning curve can be quite steep. There are no chips on people's shoulders, no bravado...just good honest people who want to help.

As a firearms instructor for nearly 40+ years I can tell you safety is paramount, but it's not hard and just takes some personal responsibility. At the end of the day, some people keep firearms for personal protection, but the training part is actually fun and engaging, something to look forward to. A firearm doesn't have to be this tool you put away and never use until you need it, you get to use it often to practice your craft and enjoy...with the hopes you will NEVER have to use it for personal protection.

Being that you want to protect your family for a limited (not indefinite) but perhaps, extended time where food/supplies/utilities may be rationed or close to non existent; I recommend the .38 revolver.

The main reason being, ammunition and it's ease of manufacture. If this is your first firearm, I doubt that you would be the one to stock 2,000 rounds upon purchase "just in case".

The .38 can be reloaded with both smokeless and black powder as its propellant. And in a pinch can be reloaded with matches. Primers can be re-primed with matches also. If you have access to a lathe, a hammer swage can be made to swage lead bullets. And if you have no access to a lathe or lead, the case can be filled with pebbles and such.

This is of course because you said you want to defend your family in disruptive times. It will be able to defend at 20 feet lethally and allow you to hunt small game. That being if you happen to run out of the 2,000 rounds I know your going to buy.

originally posted by: DAVID64
First, go get some training

DO NOT purchase a weapon and try to "figure it out". Use only with an experienced shooter monitoring your every move.

Bah!! I'm going a different route. Find a friend that shoots, buy a few different guns, head out to the country, stop for some targets (melons, 2 liters, and the almighty tannerite!) and blow stuff up. Over and over!!!
That's training

a reply to: nOraKat

I wound up on a big long rebuttal, but thought better of it. Instead, I'll just say...

This is just simply a very uninformed and misguided opinion.

I'll leave it at that.

originally posted by: Outlier13
a reply to: DanDanDat

Hurricane Sandy occurred 5 years ago. Why now are you considering a firearm for personal / family protection?

And since you are asking and no one else here is offering good advice here is the first question you need to ask yourself.

Are you willing to kill another human being?

If you can unequivocally answer "yes" then we can continue. If you answer "no" or "I'm not sure" then don't buy a firearm. Take Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instead.

First thank you all for the advice.

Outlier; I have been thinking about it for 5 years. A combination of life, lasnessy and wishful thinking has csot me from acting on it.

While I have never been tested, and hope to never be; yes I do think I have it in me to kill someone if the need arises.

originally posted by: GBP/JPY
a reply to: dashen

starr, that's funny

op, a revolver is dependable fun and won't surprise with dangerous stuff....like gettin one outta the chamber on an auto.....like my XDM Compact

you can drive tacks at 50 feet with a 4 inch barrel....heavy ammo

Honestly if you can't handle a jam with proficiency you either have no business carrying or need to practice and learn to do so with proficiency ....

I like revolvers , but I'd rather have the ability to put more rounds down range ....

6 shots in a stressful situation vs 10-15, given different variables could be the difference between life and death and no one knows how they are going to react to that situation until they are there ...

a reply to: DanDanDat

Buy a revolver, like a stub nose 38 special. Not to big, not to small. Packs a punch, easy to conceal. Doesn't jam. Its perfect for self defense at close range.

a reply to: DanDanDat

Hey bud,

Your question is a bit general. If you want something for personal protection and short range defense, a handgun is the way to go. In Florida there are tons of courses you can take for firearms, and they are fairly cheap. Matter of fact, my first gun was bought in Florida.

I would recommend Glock for beginners because they are accurate, durable, and have literally 4 parts so it makes it easy to disassemble and also easy to understand. If you plan to conceal it, you can go with Glock 19 which shoots a 9mm round. Bottom line is this.
Step #1) What are my needs, priorities, and goals. I.e. self defense, concealable weapon or non concealable, do I prioritize stopping power or accuracy, short range or long range etc...
Step #2) Once you have an idea of what your needs and priorities are you can narrow things down. I.e. if I want a short range accurate concealable weapon, that has accuracy and pretty good stopping power.
- In my example you now narrowed it down to a handgun. You know that you want accuracy and stopping power, so 9mm would do the job. You also know that you are new to this so you would want a simple and reliable weapon that doesnt need special tools for maintenance.
Step #3) Learn the different calibers of ammo. They all have benefits and draw backs. .45mm is a bigger bullet with good stopping power, but is a bit more expensive and has much more recoil than say .22mm. The internet is full of good resources, if you need recommendations send me a message I would always be happy to help.
Step #4) Go to a range and take a course with a professional. Note you can try as many as you want before you settle on one specific one, you just rent out the different ones you want to try. Take your time. If you take a course, ask questions. Most people in the gun community are happy to answer questions and want responsible gun owners. You can look up on Yelp or google what courses or instructors have the best reviews and ratings.
Step #5) Take a safety course and CCW (Concealed weapons course). You dont need a CCW course if you dont want to conceal your weapon, however I would recommend a safety course as well as CCW because you learn about laws and get invaluable insight.
Step #6) Buy a gun. Google the # out of it. Youtube has videos on almost every weapon and how to take them apart and reassemble.

Last step) Be a responsible and safe gun owner, with power comes responsibility. Enjoy the process. The courses are fun and challenging. If you have any questions feel free to send me a message. Hope this isn't too overwhelming

Hey, OP! You've taken a good first step to becoming a smart gun owner, and that is to ask a lot of questions.


You might want to consider buying a pellet gun pistol and practice shooting with that.

You might find you're more comfortable shooting a non-lethal weapon to become more comfortable with the idea of holding something truly deadly in your hand.

I'm guessing this might be a factor for many new shooters.

originally posted by: Liquesence
a reply to: DanDanDat

I want to buy a firearm

Me too.

Or actually another. A pistol to carry. I'm looking at a Glock 23.

Do you not own any firearms. Period?

So what's my first step?

Safety. Learning the weapon. Learning to shoot.

If you plan to carry, I would suggest the Glock 27 instead of the 23. It's the same caliber but a more compact frame to conceal easier. The grip is shorter, think large or small hands, and the magazine holds less rounds but you can purchase an extended magazine for reloading.

I like this... About $300 ish www.youtube.com...

www.remington.com...

Remington 870 Express Tactical with #4 buckshot