Firearms advice

Hey all,

My wife and I have never been gun owners, but recently have expressed an interest to each other in getting some training an firearms for home and personal protection. We have no idea where to start and would appreciate some advice with regards to:

- Training (where should we look? What kind of training - handling, concealed carry, etc). We don't want this to just be "going through the motions" to get a sign-off to allow us to purchase/carry, but rather want to be prepared, and most of all, safe.
- What type of weapon(s) would you recommend for the first-time gun owner for home protection and range shooting?
- Storage - what are the safest means of storage?

A little about us if it helps:
- We live outside of Raleigh, NC (I suspect the rules/laws are different in different jurisdictions?)
- We have 2 small children (8 and 10) and safety is of the utmost importance to us overall
- I have a small amount of experience (range shooting rifles and a few handguns in college for fun), my wife has none.

Any guidance would be fantastic. I believe my wife is looking to purchase a handgun, whereas I am open to handguns or AR-style rifles.

Thanks in advance!

 

Hard to beat a 9mm and shotgun.


Good luck finding any. Due to all this “protesting” firearms and ammo are scarce and expensive.

 

Sadly this is the case. It looks like guns are starting to show back up on shelves but the ammo to feed them is still scarce in the more popular calibers. Ammo can be found online although it will still be expensive as compared to a year ago.

As to types of weapons, etc: a handgun is the smallest and easily carried however a shotgun or rifle is much more easily utilized especially by those that don't have much training under their belt.

Call around to your local gun ranges and see if they have demo guns that you can try. The best gun is the one that you can shoot accurately and that differs between different people.

 

Very nicely said. Best way is to go out and learn in a safe way on a range with qualified instructors. Storing is always a individual’s personal selection. Fun stores are a great place to get some great advice

 

Very well put. Try different manufacturers and models. Even if it feels “nice” holding it, squeezing the trigger presents other variables.

 

Whatever you buy, make sure you get safety and shooting instruction and go to the range and practice. A lot.

I recommend a 4 number push button combination GunSafe for the house. You can get to it quickly if needed and keep the kids from getting to it.

Make sure you think you can pull the trigger and shoot a bad guy if they come in your home uninvited.

My recommendation would be a .380 semi automatic to begin, but you will hear a lot of different opinions on caliber and type.

 

find a good local gun range. check online ratings or ask a friend that goes to a range. after you find a good range to go to, talk with someone there about what you are wanting to do. they should offer training classes, concealed classes, etc. there should also be firearms to rent. so rent a some. start with a 22 and maybe go to a 38, and a 9mm then a 45. get comfortable with a few different types before you just go out and buy a gun. if you are wanting a gun for concealed personal protection, take some advise from the honorable Bill Burr, get a .22. that way if you ever have to shoot it, you can still hear when you're done. home protection, the same. everyone will say a shotgun because you don't have to aim too much, but trust me, no one will hang around once they see or hear a gun get fired, and like Bill says, you're trying to protect yourself not do a bunch of drywall work. I don't recommend locking your guns or putting them in a safe, unless you have a large collection. what good will that do if someone breaks in while you're sleeping? "oh, hold on just a second perp. I need to find my keys and unlock my gun cabinet/safe. just a second, i now have to go to other side of the house to get my ammo and load it". Your protection should be able to protect you when you need it. also, you don't need to buy 1,000 rounds. all you need is enough for one magazine. like I said, most smart people run after one gun shot.

 

as far as the kids. the earlier they learn about the safety and dangers and handling of weapons, the better they will follow rules and respect what it means to own, use a weapon. kids need to know firearm safety.

 

your kids cost 6 grand? that seems expensive.

 

i would recommend an ar15 as it provides a more stable platform when it comes to shooting. if you happen to love the sport you can always add accessories, mod it etc (kinda like tacomas). recoil is minimum so anyone can shoot it. ammo is relatively cheap and easy to find. it could be used for hunting (check your laws). i would consider this over a pistol due to pistols being, in my opinion, harder to get good with. a shotgun is pretty reliable but recoil might not be enjoyable for an extended period of shooting and might discourage from training. again just my two cents. hope this helps.

 

I would strongly recommend a safe with kids in the house. I'm sure you will teach your kids about firearms, but if they have friends over they may stumble across the firearm and discharge it by accident.

 

Most smart people don't break in to people's houses. Also, armed burglaries involving more than one perpetrator are becoming more common according to a couple sheriff buddies.

There is plenty of first hand experience from police officers that will tell you it sometimes takes multiple MAGAZINES worth of ammunition to put a single perp down.

 

I second this.

OP don't listen to the people talking about shotguns being the best home defense weapon. Handguns are undoubtedly better because of the rounds capacity (30+) and are easily maneuverable through the house. Down side is they're the most difficult type of firearm to get good with.

Ar-15 is you're second best option. Smaller than a shotgun while retaining that 30+ round capacity and ar-15s are much easier recoiling firearms than a shotgun.

 

No opinions on guns here, you're going to get a ton of that from other folks.

My opinion as a father, a shooter, a gun owner - before you do anything get a ton of training, try different guns (lots of them), find out what YOU and your WIFE are comfortable with. It may be different for both of you. each person, hand, body type, responds differently to grip sizes, styles, calibers, recoil etc.

Learn to shoot IPSC, or IDPA, or both and compete. Seriously, there is no substitution for this. The first time you step up to the line to shoot a match, your adrenaline and heart rate and breathing will all be affected, and this will be NOTHING compared to what you feel during (God forbid), a life-threatening encounter.

You may even find you like competition, and firing a gun well and accurately is a perishable skill that needs to be practiced and practiced well. Perfect practice makes perfect.

It's not a small thing you are considering. Before you buy any guns get a proper safe, and since you have kids, NEVER leave a loaded gun around, or in your wife purse, or the center console of a truck etc, etc...

If I sound like I'm preaching, I am. I don't believe in the bogeyman, and statistics don't lie, make sure what it is you are afraid of is real. You may find it's not. Your views may differ and that's cool, but there is no substitution for the above in my opinion.

I will now step down from my soapbox, and wish you all the best of luck, and for years of safe and fun shooting, and may you never have to fire a gun in fear or anger.

Once that bullet leaves the barrel, everything changes.

 

Go to a range that rents firearms out. Find what you’re comfortable shooting, you and your wife. If you plan on going the conceal carry route get something that is easy to conceal and you’re comfortable with. Search in your area for concealed firearms training. Training is of upmost important as most new gun owners grab a gun do the motions and think they’re a navy seal and never shoot or train after that. Home defense can be tricking but I always will recommend a full size pistol with a light attached. Also make sure you belong to a few second amendment org as some provide to their members some form of legal assistance if you use your firearm in self defense.

 

Home protection recommendation (most often made): Shotgun, pump

If you are not in the military or have professional training and EXPERIENCE, most would steer you away from an AR15 or similar. I have one, but doubtful I'll be picking anyone off at 200 yards to protect the house. More likely the bad guys are within 30'. A shotgun increases your odds of hitting them.

You are smart to ask about safes and training. In my opinion, everyone should have to be trained to own a gun.

A safe is a great idea, but another I've used was just as effective. In a past home (with kids which we no longer have in the house) I have used a false wall that can be accessed very quickly, but not accidentally. Nobody would even think to look there.

 

People are saying an AR-15 is the best gun for a first time gun owner? Really?

Don't get me wrong, an AR-15 is more fun than most, but I wouldn't unload one of those in my house, ever. There may potentially be other people in the house, including people in the house NEXT to you that are put at risk with such a high powered firearm.

I prefer a pump shotgun (Remington 870). They will put anyone down, are easy to aim, aren't prone to jamming, and unleash hell at close range. They are also much harder to shoot yourself with, and very hard for a child to lock-and-load.

 

Anyone who knows anything about firearms, ballistics, etc. Laughs at comments like this and instantly know you know nothing about firearms other than what you and the other fudds talk about when you sight in your rifle before deer season.

 

Tons of bad advice here already, proceed with caution, new shooter.

Welcome to the unfortunate side of the gun ownership world, where a lot of people shouldn’t give advice to new people.

 

Op. Imo the best place to start is an indoor range. Most of them offer classes for beginners, specifically for pistols. They should go through safety, cleaning, how to fire, etc. They can also give ideas for first firearm. If you feel uncomfortable where you go, try a different one for a second opinion. Also check online to resources provided by your state- the state should have online resources for where you can and cannot carry, requirements to carry, etc.