For the absolute beginner who wants to buy his first pistol...

If you're thinking about buying a pistol to keep on the nightstand, to carry concealed, or to put in the safe to take out to the range once in a while and have on hand "just in case," hopefully this will be useful.  

Do's:  I've been thinking a lot about the best way to get started in pistol shooting and ownership, and I actually think I have a decent idea.  If anyone else thinks it's dumb, it's probably dumb, but for someone just learning, I think it would be a decent idea to order MagPul's "Art of the Dynamic Handgun" DVD, and go to WalMart to buy a toy airsoft pistol.  I know it's silly, but they cover the basics of safety, gunhandling, marksmanship, pistol choice, etc pretty well in that DVD, and you can follow along with all the drills with an airsoft gun, even if you're just dryfiring it and drawing it out of your front pocket.   Another good idea is to google for a website specific to your state that covers local handgun laws.  If you need a permit to buy a pistol (like in North Carolina), those websites will help you figure out what you need to do in order to make a purchase.  Likewise, they can instruct you about what is or isn't allowed in your area.  After you've been through the MagPul DVDs, it's still a good idea to see if there is a class you can take in your area for new gun owners.  In a lot of those classes they will have different guns you can shoot to see which one you like the best.  Again, inquire on local message boards (if you can find one) for a good place to take such a class.  If you have the funds and just want to jump right in, head out to a reputable training academy like Gunsite or Thunder Ranch.  There you'll get a big (though expensive) headstart on your shooting career.

Don'ts:  Don't just go to a gun store and ask them what you should buy.  If you go to four gun stores, you're likely to get four answers, and probably three of them are horribly wrong (one might try to sell you a Taurus Judge, another might try to unload their unsellable stuff on you, and so on).  When in your house watching the MagPul DVD, or when at the range with your instructor, don't start off assuming you know anything.  It's funny, but virtually everyone has been programmed by all of the action movies they've seen, and if you try to start with that stuff you'll just form bad habits.  I mean, how many times have we seen this on TV or in a movie?  It's wrong - totally wrong - but it feels right because we've seen it so many times.



Questions to ask:  Of your instructor:  Do you specialize in beginners?  Do you have a variety of guns for me to try?  How many people are in a class?  Will there be range time?  What are your qualifications?  Of people next to you at the range:  Can you please stop pointing that at me?  

Things to look for in an instructor:  I think patience and a calm demeanor are the most important things.  As a beginner, the last thing you want is someone who is in it for his ego.  You should look for a safe, professional environment and probably the smaller the class the better.  You might have loads of friends who all claim to be experts with pistols who offer to take you to the range and teach you, but honestly, it's better to get professional instruction your first time out.  If your instructor is worth a damn, he'll have you shooting as well or better than your friends after your first day.

A realistic starting budget:  Let's see, $40 for the MagPul DVD and $20 for the toy gun.  After that, probably $100 or so for the class.  When you finally buy a pistol, budget around $700.  You might not end up spending all of that for the actual gun, but you can use what's left over for ammo, a small safe, and other acoutrements.  I know that sounds like a lot, and there will be people who try to sell you a gun for $300.  But those guns, by and large, aren't worth owning.  In the end you might end up buying a semi-automatic, a revolver, or if you just want to plink at the range, a .22 caliber.  It's hard to know what you want until you get some experience, so take things slowly.

Things to look for in a gun store (including where to buy):  Never buy at the first gun store you go to.  Prices can vary wildly, and once you find a gun you want you can always look for it online.  You might also find varying degrees of service - some gunstore employees have no time for you unless you're willing to listen to their bullshit, and others genuinely care about being helpful.  If you find a good place, and their prices aren't too exhorbitant, by all means buy from them and establish a relationship.

I thought about writing a bunch of stuff about 9mm vs. 45, Glock vs. 1911, lights vs. lasers, etc, but ultimately all of that isn't what is important for a true beginner.  What is important is getting comfortable and getting good instruction.  I hope this helps.

For the absolute beginner who's wants to try IDPA / USPSA...

I thought it would be a neat idea to compile some very basic information for beginners who are interested in getting started in shooting, whether in the shooting sports, home defense, or just for fun at the range every now and then. I'll start with How to Get Started in the Action Pistol Shooting Sports.


Do's:  Before you do anything, head out to a match.  It's pretty easy to find an IDPA or USPSA club in your area by going to their respective websites.  Even if you've never shot a gun before, people will be very welcoming, and very eager to explain everything that's going on.  This is a great way to see if these events appeal to you before you make any kind of investment.

Don'ts:  Don't buy a gun before you go to a match.  If you already own one, by all means bring it and a holster and shoot it in the match.  They'll explain all of the safety rules, and will appoint a mentor to guide you through everything.  That way all you have to do is be safe and have fun.  The reason it's a good idea to go to a match before you buy anything is that you will get to see what people are using, and that will inform your purchase decision.  Many a person has bought the wrong gun for pistol competitions only to find out that it's just not competitive, at all.  If they had just gone to a match and asked questions they would have avoided that mistake.  For example, many a person has bought a Sig P226 in .40 like this one:

Only to find out it's not competitive in Production Division against Glocks like this one:

...or in Limited / L10 Divisions against 1911's like this one:

Questions to ask:  What's that you're shooting?  What division are you shooting in?  How is that different from other divisions?  How much did your shooting rig cost?  Why did you X, Y, or Z on that stage?  Would you mind if I took a closer look at your gun in the safe area (all the damn time these guys are comparing guns at the safe area, and unless someone is just about to shoot a stage, they won't mind showing you as well).  

Things to look for in an instructor:  Specifically for action pistol sports, you want an instructor who has had some success in the sport.  There are plenty of instructors out there who will gladly take your money and tell you that their fundamentals are the same fundamentals that all shooters use, but they might be wrong.  If you go to a match, you can ask around about who teaches shooters locally, and chances are there will be some good recommendations.  Very frequently you don't need a lot to take one of these classes, as the instructors will have loaner gear for you to use.  After the class you will have a very good idea of what you like, and what you don't like, in a competition rig.

A realistic starting budget:  To get started, you're realistically going to want to spend $810.  That's around $550 (Glock 17/34, S&W M&P 9, or Springfield XD) for the gun, $40 for the belt (Wilderness Tactical Instructor Belt), $50 for mag pouches (Comp-Tac, Blade-Tech, or Ready Tactical), $70 for a holster (Comp-Tac, Blade-Tech, or Ready Tactical), and $100 for extra magazines, assuming you're starting in the cheapest divisions of IDPA or USPSA (which are perfectly fine to start in, and to stay in for the rest of your competitive career).  You could skimp on the holster and mag pouches, but I guarantee you will be replacing them before long.  Buy once, cry once I always say.

Things to look for in a gun store (including where to buy):  If you're getting into competition pistol shooting, don't go into a gun store unless you know exactly what you want when you walk in there.  The salesmen will likely not have a fucking clue what you need.  You can (and should) buy the holster, mags, pouches, belt, etc online, because they're typically not stocked in retail stores.  The best prices for guns are usually online as well at places like www.budsgunshop.com or www.galleryofguns.com.  However, perhaps the best thing to do is figure out what division you'd like to start out in, and then wait a couple of weeks for something to come up for sale on either the uspsa.org classifieds or the classifieds at www.brianenos.com.  People are constantly selling their old rigs in order to afford to move up to a more expensive division, and so they sell the whole kit and kaboodle at once.  This is a great way to save a couple hundred dollars on your rig.  As a new shooter, you might be intimidated about buying a used gun sight-unseen.  This is where going to a match or two before you buy your gun comes in handy.  Get the email addresses of the people you talk to, and also inquire as to whether or not they have an online forum for local match discussions.  That way, when you see a rig you think might work, you can ask the people you know locally if they think it looks like a good deal.  Oh yeah, and get pictures before you buy anything.  You might not be able to tell from the pictures if the gun is worse for the wear, but your fellow local shooters should be able to.