"Starter" weapon?

[FearlessFreep]

I've been considering adding a firearm to my personal/family self-defense repertoire. I'm looking for recommendations on what would make sense for personal use for a newbie or to introduce to family members (including the fact that there are small children in the house)

Note: I'll be talking to the husband of a friend for training and family advice. He's taken my oldest son shooting, they have children and the house and she (my wife's friend) carries in her purse

Note 2: My MA instructor is ex-police and ex-military with a strong weapons background; so I have good sources of practical usage advice around me

 

[searcher]

Before you go and guy a firearm, you should try out several. I always start all of my new students with a .22lr pistol. I then let them try 9mm, .40, .38, .357, .45acp, and a few others. Once they have had a chance to shoot different calibers, I have them try different models. Since no 2 shooters are the same, it will be what feels best to them and what they want to use it for(HD only or Carry only or HD&Carry). Then we find them a good deal on what they are looking for.

I, myself, have varying calibers and varying models of HGs in my house for HD, but my primary HD firearms is a Remington 870 tactical with #4 buckshot. Depending on where I am in the house dictates to me which HG I go to after that.

 

[Deaf Smith]

searcher is right. Get a .22 first. Learn to shoot. Once you get comfortable shooting (and .22 is CHEEP compared to the larger rounds) then look around. I'd then go shooting with your instructor and try several guns to see what you feel best with.

Deaf

 

[David Weatherly]

searcher is right. Get a .22 first. Learn to shoot. Once you get comfortable shooting (and .22 is CHEEP compared to the larger rounds) then look around. I'd then go shooting with your instructor and try several guns to see what you feel best with.

Deaf

Great advice from Deaf. A .22 is perfect for a starter weapon.

 

[Bikewr]

Most areas have some sort of range where you can rent various weapons for the hour or so. Take someone knowledgeable with you and try things.

Generally, we like revolvers for beginners, only because the "manual of arms" is somewhat easier and the weapon generally simpler to handle.

My wife was literally terrified of firearms when we got married (Me a police officer and at the time I had maybe 30 handguns...)
A couple of trips to the range and she was an enthusiastic shooter!

 

[searcher]

Bikewr- My Wife was the sameway when we got married. Then one day she saw a pink Ruger 10/22 rifle. The rest is history.

 

[Hawke]

Take a look around and get a feel for different types of guns. Some guns are more forgivable than others. Since you have a family also look at different types of ammo. You probably don't want to shoot through walls.

 

[Grenadier]

Your own body's mechanics are going to be the most important aspect here. It's critical to learn proper trigger control, and how to deal with the recoil of the shot, and each aspect is better learned individually. From there, you can learn how to deal with the other parts of the body.

As the others have stated, rent a .22 LR revolver or pistol, from your local range. A brick of 500 rounds of .22 LR ammo is only about $13, and can give you loads of fun plinking. Learn how to pull that trigger, without flinching. Squeeze, not jerk.

Given that a .22 LR pistol has only a slight recoil, you'll be able to shoot, and let the gun "ride" the recoil. You don't want to anticipate the recoil, since your followup shots will be low.

Once you are able to shoot without anticipating recoil, then you can move onto more powerful calibers. I would recommend firing either a .38 Special for revolvers, or a 9 mm for semiautomatic weapons. Both are respectable calibers, and both are great ways to practice the more powerful rounds.

Again, start with learning to squeeze that trigger, learning where the breaking points are, by dry-firing it. Once you do this, start shooting slowly, squeezing the trigger, and once the cartridge had been fired, do not fight the recoil.

Rinse, repeat, and enjoy!



Some individuals I have known, tried to start right away on calibers the likes of the .357 magnum, .45 ACP, .44 magnum (ugh), and ended up developing some horrible flinching habits. For that matter, they were wondering why they couldn't hit the man-sized silhouette target from 15 yards away, and that when they could, they were barely hitting the bottom. Some of the excuses such as "these sights are messed up," or "the ammo really stinks" were commonplace, but in the end, they finally accepted the fact that their shooting mechanics were lousy, and were willing to unlearn.

 

[thardey]

I start people on Airsoft guns.

The one I have is patterned after a Glock 21. It has a self-contained magazine for the CO2 and pellets. It also has a moving slide that is basically useless, but it locks back.

I can run through the basic "functions" of shooting a semi-auto with it. When I pass it to my non-gun friends, I strip the mag, lock the slide open, and hand it to them just like a real gun. Then I show them how to insert the mag, and drop the slide. When they hand it back to me, I make them pull the mag, and lock the slide back, again, before they hand it to me.

My sister bought the same gun, and she learned to shoot it pretty well. Six months later she bought an XD .40. She didn't flinch at all when she shot, and had a nice, tight group. Her first words were: "It shoots like my airsoft gun!"

 

[tellner]

The best advice is what everyone has given so far.

First, learn how to shoot. Take a good introductory class. Learn about how they work. Shake out your boots for the scorpions of misinformation which are almost certainly hiding there.

Get comfortable with firearms. If you're not a shooter and are completely nonchalant when you first pick up a gun, if there's no tremor or touch of nervousness when you first squeeze the trigger you're not taking it seriously enough.

Pick up and handle several guns. Make that a lot of guns. As long as it's a well-made modern firearm from a reputable manufacturer in a decent caliber (generally a minimum of .380ACP) and configuration it's all down to personal preference. Forget what everyone says about the perfect brand or the sweetest gun. As long as it's in the broad category of decent guns the best one is the one that fits your hands and comes to the point of aim automatically. Figuring that out is more Art than Science and more feel than Art.

For example, everyone told us that a 1911 was too big and too heavy for a woman. The local gun shops suggested the (overpriced) LadySmith or the Beretta 92 for my wife. She hated the Smith. The Beretta didn't fit her hand for squat, and the weird 3-stage trigger pull threw her off. But she was a dead shot with my Commie Colt (Norinco 1911 with snubbed hammer, extended slide stop and ambidextrous safety, two piece guide rod, flat checkered mainspring housing, beavertail grip safety). And when she got a chance to try the Colt Diamondback she achieved Zen. Twelve shots right through the 10 ring.

The advice to start with a .22 is good, but don't take it as Gospel. .22 is easy to learn on and cheap to feed. If you only have enough money for one gun, then spend it on a gun that you're happy with and which you can use for its intended purpose right now. If you go to the range and rent a .22 for five bucks twenty times you'll still have an extra hundred that you can put towards your real weapon. Our first handgun was an old S&W .38 special. We weren't deprived by learning to shoot with it. A little poorer, but no worse for wear. And at least we were practicing with what we were going to use.

Consider how this new gun of yours is going to be used. If you plan to carry in public you will be limited to a pistol or revolver. If your primary goal is home protection, you might consider a long gun. There are endless debates about whether the increased length of a rifle or shotgun makes it too unwieldy inside the home and too easy to be taken away. On the other hand, someone hit with a pistol cartridge may die, which is very unfortunate. He is not so likely to stop trying to hurt you right away. A shotgun or rifle with the correct load has real immediate stopping power.

 

[searcher]

Might I suggest that you look up a local NRA instructor. Then take a NRA First Steps class. All NRA instructors are required to have several firearms on hand for demonstration purposes and I am sure if you ask nicely they will let you try some out.

Not all instructors will let you do this, but most will.

 

[jetboatdeath]

GO TO A GUN STORE...
Don't listen to any one who says "get this gun it works for me" as in brand name. The .22 is a good call. But even with this in mind touch,hold and feel as many as you can, some are lighter,some are longer,some have bigger grips some have smaller. Find one that "fits" one that you like. The most important part is getting one you will shoot. People ask me how I can shoot their rifle/pistol better than they can there are no secrets I just shoot alot. A gun that sits around in a safe and never gets used is just a paper weight....
Most of all have fun!!!!

 

[FearlessFreep]

I can't thank and respond to each post individually so I just wanted to pop back in and put out a general "thanks" for all the good words of advice

 

[Shaolin Bushido]

Glock 22. It's my service weapon and it's easy as pie for me. I had very little handgun experience prior to using it.

 

[lklawson]

I've been considering adding a firearm to my personal/family self-defense repertoire.

12 Ga. Shotgun for home defense. Pump works great. Get a shorter bbl rather than a longer. Use 2" shells not 3". I know some folks who use a "Coach Gun" style shotgun (double bbl, external hammers, short bbl length).

I'm looking for recommendations on what would make sense for personal use for a newbie or to introduce to family members

Like everyone says, .22 are great to learn on. The felt recoil and report are as minimal as possible (still wear hearing protection though).

(including the fact that there are small children in the house)

Training is everything. Teach children to treat guns the way you teach them to respect knives, fire, etc. If it makes you feel better, there are any number of quick access gun safes that you can purchase.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[lklawson]

Since you have a family also look at different types of ammo. You probably don't want to shoot through walls.

EVERYTHING shoots through walls. Hardball, hollow point, soft point, "expanding point" (edit - Cor-Bon PowRBall, etc.), .22LR, .380, etc. It ALL goes through two layers of drywall like it's not even there.

I think MAYBE Glaser Safety Slugs MIGHT stop (or significantly dissipate) with the first layer, but unless you fill your walls with sand or layer upon layer of kevlar, you might as well shoot military hardball from a M1 because it's all going to go through walls anyway.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk

 

[tellner]

Glock 22. It's my service weapon and it's easy as pie for me. I had very little handgun experience prior to using it.

Wrong answer. It's your service weapon and easy for you. That doesn't mean it's going to be the right one for FF.

 

[Tames D]

A .22 for self defense? That's like depending on rubber nunchaku for self defense. I'd start with a .40 Glock.

 

[searcher]

A .22 for self defense? That's like depending on rubber nunchaku for self defense. I'd start with a .40 Glock.

He did not say it was for SD, he said he was looking for a starter firearm.

He can get another size for SD or HD later on, after he has training. And he may not want a .40. I don't like .40, does that mean you should not like it? No, it doesn't.

 

[lklawson]

He did not say it was for SD, he said he was looking for a starter firearm.

Sure he did.

"I've been considering adding a firearm to my personal/family self-defense repertoire."
​

Personally, I usually recommend a shotgun because they're easier and more effective than pistols. However, most people, myself included, generally gravitate to pistols for any number of reaons.

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk