Things to Know when Purchasing Your First Handgun

With the uncertainties and dangers in the world today, many are making the decision to purchase their first gun. There are many things you should know before making that purchase. First and foremost is obviously the safety factor. Realize that a gun is a lethal weapon and owning one does not mean that you know how to use it.

The first question I usually get is what kind of handgun should I buy for self-defense. This is a hard question to answer if this is your first gun purchase. So remember that your first gun purchase will not likely be your last gun purchase. As a result, dont' get drawn into the thought that one gun fits all. See your first gun purchase as a stepping stone in learning about proper gun usage.

There are many options when choosing a first handgun. Large calibers, small calibers, semi-automatic, revolvers, sub-compacts, etc.... Based upon my years of teaching gun usage, there is no one gun fits all. So what to buy? Let's look at how to decide.

First, what is your purpose. For most the answer is self defense. So we will answer from this perspective. Though a .22 Long Rifle caliber is considered small by many, it is an excellent caliber to start with. Light recoil, inexpensive and easy to find ammunition, and no "intimidation" factor. A .22 caliber is a very good first gun. Though small in caliber, more people are killed in America every year by .22 caliber weapons than any other weapon. The key to self defense is shot placement. And because the ammunition is so cheap, you will be able to get plenty of practice without breaking the bank. You can certainly learn on such a weapon and upgrade at a later date. And for you men, your wife (who may have never shot a gun) will not have any problem with painful recoil. The worst thing you can do is take a first time shooter (including a child) and start them out on a large caliber weapon. I have seen it too many times. They become scared of the gun and don't every want to shoot again. When I train new shooters, I always start them out on a .22 caliber handgun.