22lr, 9mm, 556, 38/357, 308. That pretty much covers utility and reliability.
-
If you are having trouble with your password change please click here for help.
New to pew pews... where to start?
- Thread starter JeepGeek
- Start date
If I were gonna start fresh and keep it tight for awhile:
5.56 - A solid SBR AR-15. KAC, BCM, DD…
.22 - CMMG
.308 - A bolt gun. 700, Bergara, Tikka, custom…
12 gauge - Benelli
9mm - Glock, 226, HK…
.45 - 1911. Colt,
Cans - 5.56, rimfire, .30
5.56 - A solid SBR AR-15. KAC, BCM, DD…
.22 - CMMG
.308 - A bolt gun. 700, Bergara, Tikka, custom…
12 gauge - Benelli
9mm - Glock, 226, HK…
.45 - 1911. Colt,
Cans - 5.56, rimfire, .30
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 69,451
- Reaction score
- 82,636
The caveman has the right idea. Simple and common.
If you are genuinely new, don't try to get too cute or fancy in your first purchases. You almost assuredly will make a mistake and get something you don't really want. I'd find a range that rents guns and shoot his many things that caught my interest as possible. If all you're wanting to do is target practice and try to become familiar and have basic proficiency, I'd go with the most common guns in the most common calipers.
Get a 22 rifle. Either a Ruger 10/22 if you want a semi or a Savage FV SR for a bolt. Or both. Neither is expensive. Get a decent scope.
Get a revolver. A DA/SA (double action and single action) .357 in either Smith or Ruger and you can shoot less expensive 38 special with significantly less recoil to help you concentrate on technique and getting comfortable. If you become comfortable enough to keep one loaded for self-defense there are countless 357 or .38 +P) self-defense loads.
If you simply must get a semi ... don't. At least not for your very first.
Get a shotgun. Get a Remington 870.
I'd wait a few minutes before buying a centerfire rifle. Between AR's and bolt actions and a thousand other variations on the themes it's almost too many choices until you have a very specific purpose in mind. You will figure out pretty quickly if you shoot the above what you want your next items to be.
Read as much as you can and watch as many videos as you can about anything that you remotely interested in. And if any of it expresses opinions vs objective facts, dismiss 90% of it.
And if you decide you hate it and would rather take up bowling anything mentioned above will be very easy to sell and get your modest costs (mostly) back.
Good luck. Be safe. Have fun.
If you are genuinely new, don't try to get too cute or fancy in your first purchases. You almost assuredly will make a mistake and get something you don't really want. I'd find a range that rents guns and shoot his many things that caught my interest as possible. If all you're wanting to do is target practice and try to become familiar and have basic proficiency, I'd go with the most common guns in the most common calipers.
Get a 22 rifle. Either a Ruger 10/22 if you want a semi or a Savage FV SR for a bolt. Or both. Neither is expensive. Get a decent scope.
Get a revolver. A DA/SA (double action and single action) .357 in either Smith or Ruger and you can shoot less expensive 38 special with significantly less recoil to help you concentrate on technique and getting comfortable. If you become comfortable enough to keep one loaded for self-defense there are countless 357 or .38 +P) self-defense loads.
If you simply must get a semi ... don't. At least not for your very first.
Get a shotgun. Get a Remington 870.
I'd wait a few minutes before buying a centerfire rifle. Between AR's and bolt actions and a thousand other variations on the themes it's almost too many choices until you have a very specific purpose in mind. You will figure out pretty quickly if you shoot the above what you want your next items to be.
Read as much as you can and watch as many videos as you can about anything that you remotely interested in. And if any of it expresses opinions vs objective facts, dismiss 90% of it.
And if you decide you hate it and would rather take up bowling anything mentioned above will be very easy to sell and get your modest costs (mostly) back.
Good luck. Be safe. Have fun.
I suggest shooting as many as you can, different calibers, different types, models, years, rifles, pistols, Pistol caliber carbines, etc.
I know it’s a lot, but the easiest way to figure out what you like is to just shoot. There are a few guys in here that offer courses, and many have various firearms they may let you shoot. I’m too far from you, otherwise I would have offered. Gun ranges have decent rates for shooting a bunch of different guns. Some full auto too.
There are also various people who do range days, and there’s a ton of firearms to test out.
cmshoot
GUNBRAND.COM
I know it’s a lot, but the easiest way to figure out what you like is to just shoot. There are a few guys in here that offer courses, and many have various firearms they may let you shoot. I’m too far from you, otherwise I would have offered. Gun ranges have decent rates for shooting a bunch of different guns. Some full auto too.
There are also various people who do range days, and there’s a ton of firearms to test out.
cmshoot
GUNBRAND.COM
OkOkok...
The following are required.
Ruger 10/22
AR15 of sometype. Daniel Defense or greater.
Glock 19 gen4 or gen5 MOS.
SIG p365
Hunting Rifle (tikka or sako) in 308
Beretta Shotgun for Hunting
Beretta 1301 for tactical excellence
The following are required.
Ruger 10/22
AR15 of sometype. Daniel Defense or greater.
Glock 19 gen4 or gen5 MOS.
SIG p365
Hunting Rifle (tikka or sako) in 308
Beretta Shotgun for Hunting
Beretta 1301 for tactical excellence
Pew-Pews?? 
Start slow...
Look around on here & other sites to see what seems interesting.
Figure out what's the purpose, what are your priorities and what is your budget.
Research and learn more about them. What options are available.
Next try some firearms at a range. What you are interested in and others for comparison.
Then buy and enjoy.
Start slow...
Look around on here & other sites to see what seems interesting.
Figure out what's the purpose, what are your priorities and what is your budget.
Research and learn more about them. What options are available.
Next try some firearms at a range. What you are interested in and others for comparison.
Then buy and enjoy.
Ruger Mark IV 22lr
Glock 19
Beretta M9A3/All metal Sig/CZ/ Etc.
Ruger 10/22
Quality AR (Daniel Defense/LWRC/Etc.)
Arsenal Ak (SAM7, SGL-21, Etc.)
Mossberg 590
If I had to limit myself to a few guns, this would be my starting point. 22lr is cheap to shoot, so always nice to have. A couple quality handguns and rifles. Cant go wrong with a Mossberg.
Glock 19
Beretta M9A3/All metal Sig/CZ/ Etc.
Ruger 10/22
Quality AR (Daniel Defense/LWRC/Etc.)
Arsenal Ak (SAM7, SGL-21, Etc.)
Mossberg 590
If I had to limit myself to a few guns, this would be my starting point. 22lr is cheap to shoot, so always nice to have. A couple quality handguns and rifles. Cant go wrong with a Mossberg.
As
Cavemanjoe
and
GeauxLSU
noted, there are some types, and in some case, models of guns that are somewhat solid choices which you can use to not just help you get familiar with the standard types of firearm, but also if you're even interested in them. I discovered pretty early that I don't find shotgun particularly interesting, so that's one drain on my wallet that was easily avoided.
You can't go far wrong with a 22LR rifle of some sort. I'm a real cheapskate, and I enjoy even now after 20 years taking a brick of ammo costing me $40 and change out to the range and just plinking stuff using iron sights. Great for learning most of the basics of rifle technique, cheap as hell and if you decide rifle isnt for you, you're not going to be out any money. Semi auto or bolt action, it's not going to break the bank. And like a frying pan in the kitchen, every home should have one.
When it come to handguns, it's a bit trickier, because there are so many different possible uses for them, and more than with rifles, the ergonomics and features will be important to you, even if you don't appreciate it now. You have choice of a semi-auto or a revolver.
Chances are that if you go the revolver route, you'll probably want to start with a modern double action revolver. The ergonomics on these tend to be pretty similar. It's probably not a good idea to go for a large caliber to begin with, so a lot of people at least start out with something in 38 Special - or more sensibly, 357 mag, because it'll take 38 as well. There's a lot of choice at a lot of price points.
If you go the semi-automatic handgun route I strongly recommend you either find someone with a lot of guns who are happy to let you try them all out, or to rent a bunch of them. The ergonomics and controls are just the start of the issue. Most handgunners have very clear preferences (which is fine) but their preferences aren't likely to be yours. There's a lot of choice not only of barrel length and caliber, but the actions.
Striker fired? DA/SA? Single Action? You want a safety or a decocker? You want it on the frame or the slide? What caliber? These are hard choices to make until you've actually tried one out, so be prepared to take some effort to find a first handgun that works for you. Chances are that first gun won't be your forever carry gun, but do as much diligence as you can to make it 'work' for you so you're not wasting your money.
Case in point - the ergonomics on most Glocks (no matter what caliber) don't work for me. If I was a cop, and that's what I had to carry, I could make it work for me (I might even be able to modify my grip etc to make it work better for me) but of choice, there are other models that are a better fit. We're all different. A Glock could be magical for you.
On the issue of confusing terminology you might like to do some online training - something like this by the Louisiana State Police.
Just bear in mind that the course - when it comes to carrying and ownership - those are LA state laws which could differ considerably from GA.
Your avatar panel says you're in North Georgia - and you reveal that you're in Ellijay you could visit a local place like Appalachian Gun down in Jasper and rent some guns. It's a great way of making sure you don't buy a handgun you don't like.
Cavemanjoe
and
GeauxLSU
noted, there are some types, and in some case, models of guns that are somewhat solid choices which you can use to not just help you get familiar with the standard types of firearm, but also if you're even interested in them. I discovered pretty early that I don't find shotgun particularly interesting, so that's one drain on my wallet that was easily avoided.You can't go far wrong with a 22LR rifle of some sort. I'm a real cheapskate, and I enjoy even now after 20 years taking a brick of ammo costing me $40 and change out to the range and just plinking stuff using iron sights. Great for learning most of the basics of rifle technique, cheap as hell and if you decide rifle isnt for you, you're not going to be out any money. Semi auto or bolt action, it's not going to break the bank. And like a frying pan in the kitchen, every home should have one.
When it come to handguns, it's a bit trickier, because there are so many different possible uses for them, and more than with rifles, the ergonomics and features will be important to you, even if you don't appreciate it now. You have choice of a semi-auto or a revolver.
Chances are that if you go the revolver route, you'll probably want to start with a modern double action revolver. The ergonomics on these tend to be pretty similar. It's probably not a good idea to go for a large caliber to begin with, so a lot of people at least start out with something in 38 Special - or more sensibly, 357 mag, because it'll take 38 as well. There's a lot of choice at a lot of price points.
If you go the semi-automatic handgun route I strongly recommend you either find someone with a lot of guns who are happy to let you try them all out, or to rent a bunch of them. The ergonomics and controls are just the start of the issue. Most handgunners have very clear preferences (which is fine) but their preferences aren't likely to be yours. There's a lot of choice not only of barrel length and caliber, but the actions.
Striker fired? DA/SA? Single Action? You want a safety or a decocker? You want it on the frame or the slide? What caliber? These are hard choices to make until you've actually tried one out, so be prepared to take some effort to find a first handgun that works for you. Chances are that first gun won't be your forever carry gun, but do as much diligence as you can to make it 'work' for you so you're not wasting your money.
Case in point - the ergonomics on most Glocks (no matter what caliber) don't work for me. If I was a cop, and that's what I had to carry, I could make it work for me (I might even be able to modify my grip etc to make it work better for me) but of choice, there are other models that are a better fit. We're all different. A Glock could be magical for you.
On the issue of confusing terminology you might like to do some online training - something like this by the Louisiana State Police.
Just bear in mind that the course - when it comes to carrying and ownership - those are LA state laws which could differ considerably from GA.
Your avatar panel says you're in North Georgia - and you reveal that you're in Ellijay you could visit a local place like Appalachian Gun down in Jasper and rent some guns. It's a great way of making sure you don't buy a handgun you don't like.
