As a matter of opinion, what's the perfect gun to get as your first firearm?

well, you start with a daisy bb gun when you're around 10 or so, then when you're in your teens, you can get a CO2 rifle, shoot it for a year or so, then maybe move up to a 22 rifle with proper supervision, then work your way up slowly as you feel comfortable

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


A 22. Rifle of course. Gotta Practice , Practice, Practice , too.........Good Luck ! .......

People offering suggestions should keep in mind that shes 19 and can't buy a handgun on her own. In most states her parents can buy one as a gift.

My suggestion is you're pretty much #ed. Any AR15 is going to be massively marked up if you can find one. Buy what you can.

A .22 isn't all that useful for defense.

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


Good for you. I agree with some of the suggestions here that have already been made. As a woman, here's a tip, just make sure it's something that feels comfortable in your hands.

Hi there, I'm just a few years older than you The first gun I practiced with to get my feet wet at a shooting academy was a Smith and Wesson(SW) .22 handgun, it's just right for practicing aiming and form with as the ammo is SUPER cheap and there is almost no recoil. I would suggest starting here.

As for a gun to own to use as an actual weapon if necessary, the next step up from a .22 handgun, would be a .45acp handgun. This is what I would recommend for actual usage. I've done research and the .45acp seems to be the most popular choice amongst many. It has more recoil than the .22, as it is a more powerful gun, but it's still very tolerable and easy to reset your aim quickly. There's also the 9mm. 9mm's will work too for what you want it for and can be just as good as the .45acp, but I would still prefer the .45acp amongst the 9mm IMO.

Revolvers are fine. But I just would not go with a revolver unless you are short on money and someone you know has one collecting dust or something...

Although, any gun can kill, a .22 is much less likely to in the situation that you want it for than a .45acp. A .22 would not be a preferred choice during these events it's too weak.

Edit to add: Rifles are great choice too, btw. But a handgun would be easier to tote around and maneuver with because since they are smaller and take up less space. I suppose having both a rifle and a handgun would be most ideal.

Conclusion ----- I think you should get a .45acp, dear.

Regards,

-83

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


Normally, I'd agree with the others on the .22

However, a lot of this has to do with what your purpose for getting one is....

It's entirely for emergencies and home protection, nothing more.

Given this, I'd always recommend a shotgun...point and shoot, and sheer intimidation factor (because any invader knows you don't need aim to kill them in a messy way....)

If you ever have any kids over, make sure you can lock it up in some way. This is a common oversight among first time gun owners. I'm not saying you need to get a $400 gun safe...obviously, that isn't an option. But, for $10, you can get an external locking doorknob, and put it on a closet, and viola....instant gun safe. When kids aren't in the home, you can always keep it unlocked.

Originally posted by Miraj
The OP is only 19, so a shotgun is about her only viable option at this point.

What does age have to do with ANYTHING?
And how did you come to a conclusion that a shotgun is her only viable option? Rhetorical question.
I'm not trying to start an argument, but this is insulting.
I find this comment fully ignorant and double-standard, and I smell a resounding odor on gender norming. Get over yourself.

reply to post by authortobe


I had a friend living in a bad part of homestead florida several years ago. He got a shotgun because of all the break ins at his apartment complex.

He was in his room one night when he heard the window in his living room break. So he grabbed his shotgun out of the closet and ran into the living room. Climbing in through the window was some guy. He racked the slide and immediately the guy reversed direction back out his window.

That sound terrifies most bad guys.

reply to post by Gazrok


Didn't she already state her purpose for getting a gun in her OP?

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


As a long time shooter and hunter (35 years) and as a father who raided 5 kids all who shoot well I know quite a bit about firearms.

I know the mistakes a lot of people make with their first gun and what my kids and wife enjoyed shooting when they started.

For home protection and emergencies I would recommend for a lady a 20 gauge pump shotgun. Either a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500 or 590. They even make youth models that have a shorter stock if your a small lady (petite)

My second choice would be a .22 rifle that is semi-auto, lever action or pump.

Not to be glib, but the perfect sidearm is the one you shoot the best. Shot placement always trumps caliber. Rent several at the range and purchase the one you shoot the best with. Not rocket science. But in personal preference, I am fond of the 1911, .45.

Same is true of rifles, though range comes more into play. .308 is great if you can afford the ammo, if not, go 30.06 a good compromise and supply is abundant. Also a really good deer round.

And for home defense, as stated above, it's really hard to beat good shotgun, but I would go with 12 gauge. But, YMMV.

Cheers, and good luck!

Depends on what you want the gun for. Grins and giggles: a .22 anything. Cheap and a lot of fun. Home protection: Shotgun.

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX

Cosmic citizen hit the nail on the head.A women worried about her first gun.

Home defense 20 gauge shot gun ( with 8 shot ammo) less kick easy to handle

Ccw. 38 revolver hollow point ammo.

As mentioned previously multiple times, a 22 is the best for starters, cheap ammo, easy to fire and get used to, although not the best for self defense.

I recently fired a friends 22 Ruger, I thought it was pretty great for target practice at the range, reasonably priced, and made in America!

Many choice out there, the biggest thing for me is how things feel in your hand (as well as reviews/statistics)

reply to post by angrysniper


" A .22 isn't all that useful for defense."


For a Beginner who Knows how to make Head Shots it is.............

For defense of your home / property a semi auto carbine in the largest caliber you can handle would be my recommendation. A shotgun is great for home defense because you don't have to be terribly accurate, one shot will stop an attacker in most cases and standard shot will not normally penetrate walls.

The down side to a shotgun is they can be heavy and w/ a long barrel are not ideal for close quarters use in a house / structure.

A very decent priced carbine is the Beretta Storm CX-4. It comes in 9mm, 40mm and 45 caliber, is very light, easy to shoot accurately, great for petite women or even teens, has a built in rail for lights, scopes, etc and was designed for urban / close quarter use by law enforcement and military tactical teams.




You can still get them for less than 600 and will probably survive any "feature" based assault weapons ban since the stock and grip are not removable and the only military feature it can really be tagged with is the built in rail. (No flash hider, no suppressor w/o modification, etc).

If you have the ability and tools and want to learn to gunsmith you can build an authentic WW2 type "grease gun" very easily:




I have a very thick and expensive book here on how to build all kinds of military grade weapons with basic tools and materials and the "M3" project is almost identical to the real life version and can shoot 45 caliber fast enough to make it a great room clearing gun. These were so cheap and easy to make the OSS contracted with all kinds of automotive, appliance and even vacuum cleaner manufacturers to build these by the thousands so they could be dropped to agents behind Nazi lines in France, Poland, Greece, etc.

Originally posted by RandyBragg

Originally posted by TrueMessiah
reply to post by jough626

 

That's a drastic jump from 22 to 12gauge. Then a bit of a drop off from the gauge to 9mm don't you think?

I think he confused "what my first gun should be" with "What my first armory should hold"

Well, I can explain.

If your going to have just one, get a .22lr rifle. If you want another, get a 12ga shotgun. With just those two, you can hunt just about anything, and protect yourself from anyone. Need more, buy a 9mm. Smallest centerfire pistol cartridge worth carrying. Need more uumpph? Get a .308 rifle, best bang for the buck. No need for a 30-06 or .300 win mag.

Just in case your wondering, I have all these. I made the decisions with careful thought, not just walking into a gun store and picking shiny pretty guns.

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


A water gun

reply to post by XxNightAngelusxX


First, since you're only 19, handguns are not an option. Shotguns and rifles are the only firearms you can legally own at the moment.

Second, Im guessing since you're bartering your playstation 3 for a firearm, you wont have much cash to spend. (Im guessing around $200 or less).

I can really only see a .22 rifle such as a Ruger 10/22, or a somewhat lower end 12 gauge. If you havent gotten familiar with shotguns, you could also get a 20 gauge shotgun, which generally are cheaper than 12 gauge and have less recoil.

There's also some bolt action rifles that can be found for under $200. I would go for the Mosin Nagant. Mosins usually go for $100-$130, and they pack quite a punch with the 7.62x54r round.

You also have to take in ammo prices. .22 ammo is one of the cheapest around, and is still in pretty good supply, atleast where I live. Shotgun ammo is still plentiful, plus you have the choice of birdshot, buckshot, slug, ect....Mosin ammo is pretty cheap and still pleniful as well.

Also, if you can manage to get your firearm price to $300 ish, I would suggest an SKS. 7.62x39 packs a punch, but is kind of hard to find at the moment around here. If you are very new to firearms though and have never fired something like a 7.62, I would stick will the lower caliber guns. Train with the smaller ones first and then move up.

ETA - Also, make sure to look around. Prices vary from place to place. I would suggest going to a gun show for the best prices.

Originally posted by Zanti Misfit
reply to post by angrysniper

 

" A .22 isn't all that useful for defense."


For a Beginner who Knows how to make Head Shots it is.............

I know it may sound contradictory but it isn’t. With higher power rifles, hand guns, and shotguns, it takes a lot of experience to be able to place rounds reliably in a rapid fire. Your adrenalin may mask the loudness of firing the gun indoors. But your senses are still compromised by it. You have to know how to quickly re-aim every shot after removing from the recoil. Muzzle flash is also a big problem. Like from a handgun, or a carbine. In the dark your eyes take a second to recover from the flash to see where the target currently is.

To be able to handle all of that, and continue to hit the target every time, takes years and years of practice. If it is sufficiently dark, and the muzzle flash is bright enough, it may be impossible all together.

Why do you think a lot of self defense shootings have the person firing half a dozen round, with only superficial wounds to the perp? The reason why is they can’t keep the gun on target through successive rounds while rapidly firing in a self defense situation. Their senses are overwhelmed by the violent discharge of the weapon to the point they can’t control it. They would have had a lot higher likelihood of a kill if they would of used a lower power weapon which would have allowed them to actually hit what they were trying to aim at, and not just scare it.

A full size 22lr rifle with a large sight radius, non existent muzzle flash, and low recoil, make it easy for even a novice shooter to keep firing round after round with uninterrupted sight, while keeping the gun on target.

It is very easy for a novice to make reliable head or heart size shots at sub 30 foot distances. And they will be able to send round after round down the same line with high likelihood of making a 100 percent kill shot each time.

An inexperienced shooter has a lot higher likelihood of making a solid kill with a more controlled and reserved rifle like a full size 22, than he is a high power carbine.