Where to start?
10-14-2021, 06:01 PM
#11
Super Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern California
Posts: 18,381
Hey Mike. Welcome. A lot of good advice. Whether you're up North or South in California, there are some good gun ranges where you can take safety classes and also rent pistols to shoot. That way you can get your gun safety and see which pistol you like shooting more. mall warning though. It can be a lot of fun and addictive. 
10-15-2021, 03:42 AM
#12
Super Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Trumbull County, Ohio
Posts: 9,520
Hey Mike. Welcome. A lot of good advice. Whether you're up North or South in California, there are some good gun ranges where you can take safety classes and also rent pistols to shoot. That way you can get your gun safety and see which pistol you like shooting more. mall warning though. It can be a lot of fun and addictive. AND EXPENSIVE!!
AND EXPENSIVE!!Fixed it for you
10-15-2021, 11:39 AM
#13
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 15
Well Mike BEFORE even buying a firearm of any sort I strongly recommend getting a firearms safety course. Most states have classes for hunter education that are sponsored by the state game/wildlife departments and are usually free. Then there are specific classes such as concealed carry classes you can register for. Prices for these vary. But again, strongly recommended. Safety, safety and safety are the 3 main objectives when handling firearms. Once the trigger is pulled you can't bring that bullet back, just like words out of the mouth. And this isn't a video game where you can reset and start over. Its serious business but can be extremely fun.
after selling thousands of hand guns,
my advice is this
start with a 22 as noted, BUT when picking the gun, pick the gun that feels best in your hands and NOT the gun, me or XYZ tell you you, YOU should buy
a gun that fits your hands , you will shoot better and enjoy it more as such
and I agree with getting some training at a good shooting school that has safety test, for you to learn proper ways to both be safe and to learn how to shoot well
FORM matters
after decades of teaching new and well no so new shooters,
the one thing I learned most, is, its a LOT easier to teach a person that knows NOTHING< the RIGHT way to hold and aim and about proper shooting form, than it is to RE teach or break someones BAD habits
learn things right from the start and you will be light years ahead of many folks that have been shooting for yrs!
BAD form is HARD to bear, all the more so on folks that THINK they know what there doing and be stubborn to advice on how to improve them!
and DON"T be intimidated of learning to shoot, by being VERY close to the targets
start close, get confidence and learn, then back up as your experience develops!
and last,
in my experience,
its a LOT easier to learn to shoot with a rifle than it is with a handgun!,
and again a .22 rules this as a starting caliber, ammo is typically the cheapest and there are so many options on rifles, your bound to find one you like and fits you,
and possibly cheap , as there are typically lots of used one's about as well as starter rifles in budgets most all can afford
sitting at a bench, learning from someone that knows how to teach, can make you feel ahead of the game faster, IMO< than trying to start off with a pistol
we all have to start some place if interest is there, as we all didn;'t grow up in hunting and shooting families
I know I didn't, but desire to learn , made me into the hunter shooter I am today!
there is NO shortage of info out there these days too or places to be TAUGHT how too
I learned more the hard way LOL
my advice is this
start with a 22 as noted, BUT when picking the gun, pick the gun that feels best in your hands and NOT the gun, me or XYZ tell you you, YOU should buy
a gun that fits your hands , you will shoot better and enjoy it more as such
and I agree with getting some training at a good shooting school that has safety test, for you to learn proper ways to both be safe and to learn how to shoot well
FORM matters
after decades of teaching new and well no so new shooters,
the one thing I learned most, is, its a LOT easier to teach a person that knows NOTHING< the RIGHT way to hold and aim and about proper shooting form, than it is to RE teach or break someones BAD habits
learn things right from the start and you will be light years ahead of many folks that have been shooting for yrs!
BAD form is HARD to bear, all the more so on folks that THINK they know what there doing and be stubborn to advice on how to improve them!
and DON"T be intimidated of learning to shoot, by being VERY close to the targets
start close, get confidence and learn, then back up as your experience develops!
and last,
in my experience,
its a LOT easier to learn to shoot with a rifle than it is with a handgun!,
and again a .22 rules this as a starting caliber, ammo is typically the cheapest and there are so many options on rifles, your bound to find one you like and fits you,
and possibly cheap , as there are typically lots of used one's about as well as starter rifles in budgets most all can afford
sitting at a bench, learning from someone that knows how to teach, can make you feel ahead of the game faster, IMO< than trying to start off with a pistol
we all have to start some place if interest is there, as we all didn;'t grow up in hunting and shooting families
I know I didn't, but desire to learn , made me into the hunter shooter I am today!
there is NO shortage of info out there these days too or places to be TAUGHT how too
I learned more the hard way LOL
Hey Mike. Welcome. A lot of good advice. Whether you're up North or South in California, there are some good gun ranges where you can take safety classes and also rent pistols to shoot. That way you can get your gun safety and see which pistol you like shooting more. mall warning though. It can be a lot of fun and addictive.
