Another bit of wisdom I found while rummaging through my archives. Long, but a good Newbie read.
Brad
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PREFACE
This is information is for the novice shooter - the person who's never picked up a gun but, through curiosity or necessity, has decided to dip their toe in the proverbial pond. Everyone else can go eat lunch, play tennis, shop for new tires, whatever.
If you're familiar with guns and decide to read on, be advised that I will step on more than a few toes. I'm not trying to be nice and cater to everyone. I am educating new shooters in a factual, safe, and tactically sound manner. I will not hesitate to point out myth and lore that many shooters hail as golden, infallible fact.
Read on...
SAFETY FIRST
I can't stress forcefully enough that the single most important aspect of gun ownership is SAFETY!! Don't even consider buying a gun - ANY gun - unless you have, or will take the trouble to acquire, a basic understanding of safe and responsible firearms handling.
At the very least take an Introduction to Firearms class. It's usually not recommended that adults novices take their "introduction" to firearms from a spouse or parent. There is often a factor of intimidation and pressure to perform that can severely undermine the teaching process. It's best to learn under the watchful eye of a qualified instructor. However, if you are more comfortable with a spouse, parent, friend, etc., then by all means take advantage of their willingness to teach.
If you do choose to allow a family member or friend to introduce you to firearms, remember that you are not there to learn to shoot fast. Worry about that later. Learn safe gun handling first, then concentrate on sight picture and trigger control. Speed and accuracy will gradually increase as you gain skill and confidence. You are there to learn safe gun handling, not to show off, to impress them, or to meet some unrealistic performance criteria.
Never forget that if any firearms instruction becomes uncomfortable, or you feel that the environment is unsafe, you always have the option of excusing yourself and going elsewhere. Do so immediately if you become uneasy about the situation.
Above all, remember the four basic firearms safety rules:
1) TREAT ALL GUNS AS IF THEY ARE LOADED!
2) Never point the muzzle of a gun at anything you don't want to kill
3) Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to fire
4) Be absolutely sure of your target and what's behind it.
I will stress again that there is no such thing as an unloaded gun! Period. Like Rule #1 says, treat all guns as if they are loaded and ready to fire no matter how "unloaded" you think it is. Even if you are absolutely, positively sure the gun is clear, you still treat it as a loaded weapon. No exceptions. Ever. This goes double when around others who are handling firearms. Never accept a gun from another person, or hand another person a gun, without checking the chamber condition first. If someone is not handling their weapon in a safe manner, ask them to be more careful. If they refuse, leave immediately. Being quiet and polite won't count for much if you're in emergency surgery for a life-threatening gunshot wound.
MY UNCLE JOE SAID...
Firearms Constant #1 - Everyone has an opinion on which manufacturer, model, and caliber is the best.
Short of insulting someone's immediate family there isn't a much better way on the planet to start a spirited "discussion" among gun enthusiasts than to ask about which gun to buy. To say it can be a lively topic is a laughable understatement. I have yet to meet a shooter, novice or otherwise, that doesn't have some pretty unshakable opinions about firearms. Listen to their opinions and factor all reasoned, sensible advice into your thinking. Then remember that your concern should be to find a gun that fits your needs, your price range, and your experience level. You are buying a gun for you, not Uncle Joe.
"But my Uncle Joe said I should get a ...?" I know.. I know.. your Uncle Joe said that you should get this caliber or that gun, and that all other guns are crap. Hey, everyone has their favorite and Uncle Joe is no exception. Ever heard of Ford vs. Chevy? Same thing. Uncle Joe has his favorite gun and caliber. He expects it to be your favorite too. With all due respect to Uncle Joe and his "Colt .45 Forever" bumper sticker, there are many options for you to explore and not all of them are right for you. Take your time and make an informed decision. If Uncle Joe will loan you his gun, all the better. It gives you that much more information to use in making your final decision.
As with everything, perception is reality. Unfortunately, perception is also subjective and therefore uniquely defined by each individual. Perception is where you find comments about how guns "feel" or "point" or "shoot". A number of positive comments on a particular brand or model of gun means that the gun is probably one you should look at more closely, but do not base your entire decision making process on these comments alone. To do so would be like buying an expensive designer shirt in size 15 based solely on someone's comment about how it fits (their body) and feels good (to them) and looks good (on them). Great! Except you wear a size 17, so the shirt ends up being a costly shop cloth. Get the picture? Just because a gun feels right and points well for Uncle Joe does not mean it will do the same for you.
You will be privy to an unending litany of "I heard this... or "Somebody said that...". You will find that firearms have a rich history, a great deal of which is based on second-hand information, myth, supposition, and conjecture. Add in the misinformation of the general media and you have all the makings of a complete and total mess. Use common sense and patience, and brush the mental cobwebs off some of those high school science classes. Inappropriate or incorrect information will usually not stand up under basic scientific scrutiny. Common sense will take care of most of the rest. Ask a lot of questions, apply a large dose of common sense, and remember that pretty much everything you see in the movies and on TV is bunk. Which brings us to...
Indisputable facts and data (which someone, somewhere, will always try to dispute). Facts are always good even if they may be dry and boring. Most of the time it is readily apparent when a recommendation or tactic is based in fact. The author or person will go to great lengths to back up their position with data and studies that are easily verified or can, through simple means, be shown to be correct. This new data is often met with scorn because a lot of it flies in the face of tradition and usually bruises a few well-established egos. Shooters tend to be a proud, traditional bunch, so you can see where a change - any change - is not something easily accomplished. Don't let it dissuade you if a group of shooters are using myth and speculation trying to discount something you know to be absolutely true.
An unknown author was pretty much on the money when he said "90 percent of gun stories are total crap, 5 percent are mostly crap, 3 percent are sprinkled with a little crap, and the 2 percent that are true are discounted by so-called experts because the facts don't support their personal opinions."
My point, exactly.
CRITERIA
This is the easy part - just ask yourself "Why am I buying this gun?" Will this be a concealed-carry gun, or is it just something to plink with on the weekends? Who will be shooting the gun? What is your skill level and how often are you willing to practice with your gun? How often are you willing to clean your gun? How much do you want to pay?
TYPE OF HANDGUN
"Do I need a revolver or a semi-auto, and what caliber should I get?" Excellent question - glad you asked!
If you are a novice shooter and are not willing to practice at least 2 times a month, then the choice is dirt simple - a name-brand 3- or 4-inch double-action revolver, preferably stainless steel for the added corrosion resistance. And get it chambered in .357 Magnum. The 357 Magnum cartridge remains at the top of the heap in proven stopping power and there are dozens of very effective personal defense loads available. Plus, a gun chambered in .357 Magnum will also fire .38 Special cartridges if you want something a bit less powerful and less expensive to practice with.
Why a double action revolver? A double action revolver is the simplest, most straightforward, and most reliable multiple round handgun you can buy. There are no controls to manipulate and few operational problems to contend with. If you do nothing more than keep your revolver clean and use factory ammunition, the probability of a malfunction in a mechanically sound revolver is almost zero. Just point it and pull the trigger. This is the ONLY gun you should consider if you are not willing to learn more than basic firearm skills.
Don't consider a semi-auto until you have a solid grasp on basic safety and gun handling skills. Some die-hards will state unequivocally that you should "learn what you are going to shoot". Apologies for being so blunt but they are dead wrong. And it's your life they are gambling with. Starting a novice shooter on a semi-auto is like teaching Driver's Ed in a Ferrari. Too many distractions, too much going on at once, and too little time spent concentrating on the task at hand. Build one skill at a time. Develop your shooting proficiency with a simple, small-caliber gun then start learning new weaponry. A good instructor will start you on a .22 revolver and progress you into more powerful, more complex handguns as your proficiency grows. If they don't start you out this way, or refuse to honor your request to do so, find another instructor.
Once you've decided on a particular style of gun, go to your local gun shop and try several different models to see which fits you best. If you're lucky the shop will also have a range where you can try different combinations of guns and calibers. You should also find a local range and see if they have rental guns you can try. Keep trying out guns until you find one you feel is right for you.
CONCEALED-CARRY
It is often said that, when carrying, a handgun it cannot be small or light enough, but if you have to use it that it cannot be big or powerful enough. Accurate observation. This has resulted in a new generation of ultra-light, ultra-small handguns made from exotic things like plastics, carbon fiber, and titanium. As an example, an average 6-shot .357 Magnum revolver tips the scales at around 32 oz (that's two pounds for the conversion-challenged) while the new crop of svelte 5-shot small frame revolvers weigh in at less than a pound. There are even some polymer-frame semi-autos at less than 10 oz. (about the weight of a typical cell phone). With full power ammunition these tiny terrors can be a handful, so they are not something you would use for everyday plinking.
Again, go to your local gun shop or range and look, look, look. Keep in mind that a gun light and easy to conceal will probably not be pleasant to shoot for extended periods. Getting used to these little cannons is often intimidating even for seasoned shooters. Don't worry. Keep practicing.
HOME PROTECTION
Home protection is wide open as to selection of guns. Unlike concealed carry, size is not an issue with a home-protection gun. Use the guidelines discussed earlier to select the type of gun.
You also have the option of a shotgun. It's not something recommended for novice shooters, as even the most basic pump shotguns still have controls that must be manipulated. Also, most shotguns are simply too long to be suitable for home defense purposes (unless you get a special short version often referred to as a "riot gun"). A double-barrel shotgun may be simpler to use, but has limited ammunition capacity and is still too long for adequate maneuverability. Again, if you are a novice shooter, stick with a double action revolver.
CALIBER
Caliber is always an issue when it comes to defense guns, and discussions about it can be pretty intense. As a general rule, bigger is usually better when it comes to caliber.
Most experts agree that the smallest cartridge you should consider for dedicated personal protection is .32 ACP, and even it is deemed marginal. Cartridges smaller than .32 ACP are considered insufficient for personal protection unless there is simply no alternative. Although something is better than nothing at all, without perfect shot placement (which only happens in the movies) these small calibers lack the punch to do much more than just annoy the heck out of your attacker. Save them for last ditch no-other-option backup guns.
There is absolutely no question about the effectiveness of most modern defense ammunition. In every cartridge from .380 ACP to .44 Magnum most manufacturers have at least one, and usually several, good self-defense loads. As you begin shooting you will find that everyone has an opinion about bullet weight vs. velocity. Lighter & Faster vs. Bigger & Slower always has, and probably always will, be a point of contention for many shooters. Don't worry. Any good self-defense round will make a mess of the Bad Guy's day. You should try several different brands and bullet weights to see which is the most accurate and controllable in your gun then stick with it.
"But which one is the absolute best?" Well, take your pick. 357 Magnum, .45 ACP, .357 Sig, and .40 S&W are virtually shoulder-to-shoulder when it comes to documented stopping power. .38 Special and 9mm are not far behind, and ammunition technology is quickly closing the gap.
Do NOT use plain round nose ("ball") or flat-nosed ("wadcutter") ammunition unless there is no other choice. Contrary to a lot of long-held beliefs, it is forensically documented fact that ball and wadcutter ammunition is only about half as effective at stopping the bad guy as is comparable hollow-point personal defense ammunition. Check with local law enforcement first - hollow-point ammunition is restricted for personal defense use in some areas.
SHOT PLACEMENT
The single most critical factor in using a gun for self-defense is SHOT PLACEMENT. Okay, so you bought the best gun in the most powerful caliber. Great! Problem is, if you cant hit the bad guy all you really have is an expensive new noisemaker. I hear they also make wonderful paperweights.
Don't buy a gun and then run home and stick it in the nightstand. Hey, you bought this thing to protect your life, remember? At least take it to the range and make sure that you can really hit what you are aiming for. You don't have to be an expert marksman but you should be able to keep all your shots on an 8" paper plate at any distance less than 7 yards. Don't worry about rapid-fire drills either. Slow down and work on sight picture and trigger control. A slow hit is far superior to a fast miss.
BUT THIS PERSON SAID....
Don't worry about what everyone says. As we talked about before, firearms are swimming in a sea of myth, conjecture, and supposition. Here are just a few...
MYTH - Hollow point bullets explode when they hit.
FACT - When they hit, hollow point bullets expand to as much as twice their original diameter, causing massive tissue and nervous system trauma. You will hear the term phrase "one shot stop" bandied about a lot. That's the holy grail of personal defense - One shot, one bad guy neutralized.
MYTH - You should rack the slide on a shotgun to scare off an intruder.
FACT - Your greatest asset in an intruder situation is your knowledge of your surroundings and the intruder's lack of knowledge about your position. Racking the slide on a shotgun will do several things, not the least of which is to give away your position and negate that bit of your situational advantage. It will also either a) spit a perfectly good round out of the chamber and onto the floor, or b) insert a round into what was an empty chamber. In either instance, you're defending your life, or the lives of your loved ones, with one less round than you could have had. Considering most shotguns have a 4+1 maximum capacity, you have just handed yourself an instant 20% disadvantage. If you feel the need to make noise, say "I have a gun and I've called the police."
MYTH - Wadcutter and ball ammo are just as effective as hollow points.
FACT - Wadcutter and ball ammo often do not expand when they hit a target, and expend little energy on tissue and nervous system trauma. Also, they often penetrate completely through the target to hit something on the other side (like a child or innocent bystander). Little hole in, little hole out. Hollow point personal defense ammunition is designed to expend all its energy on the target, leaving little or no energy for over-penetration. Little hole in, no hole out.
MYTH - X caliber is better than Y caliber.
FACT - While some calibers may produce more energy than others, modern personal defense ammunition has dramatically narrowed the gap between the stopping ability of different calibers. Shot placement is much more critical than caliber. You must hit the target in order to neutralize it, regardless of the gun or caliber you shoot. After all, you'd rather be missed with a .44 Magnum than shot with a .22, right?
MYTH - A revolver is better than a semi-auto (or vice-versa).
FACT - Although there are specific applications where one configuration might be more suited for the intended task, neither type of handgun is necessarily "better" than the other. Different? Yes. But not better.
MYTH - This (fill in the gun brand) will last a million rounds. Those others will die after a couple hundred.
FACT - No gun will last a million rounds in completely original condition. As with any machine, guns require regular cleaning and maintenance and will eventually require parts replacement. Springs lose tension, surfaces rub until tolerances open up, rifling wears down, etc. Anything mechanical eventually wears out. Claims of "million round guns" usually leave out the extensive trail of replaced parts. Grandpa may have put new handles and new heads on his axe over the years, but it's still the same axe. Or is it? Suffice it to say that any good name brand gun, properly maintained, will be something that you can pass on to your grandchildren.
MYTH - This (fill in the blank) shooting stance is best.
FACT - The best shooting stance for you depends on what you are doing, your body type, the type of firearm, etc.. Don't let anyone tell you that one, and only one, shooting stance is all that you should ever use.
MYTH - Don't worry about cleaning your gun. Just shoot till it stops working, then clean it.
FACT - You can't go wrong cleaning your gun. Must guns are designed to function with some amount of carbon and powder residue build-up. That doesn't mean you should let it happen. Keeping a gun clean lessens the chance of a malfunction as well as inhibiting rust and corrosion. It's also a sign of pride, just like a clean car. Oh, and remember that just a few drops of oil are all that is needed on your nice, clean gun. Over-lubricating a gun is almost as bad as not lubricating it at all.
IN CONCLUSION
Actually, there is no conclusion. Unless you buy a gun, stick it in a drawer, and never let it see the light of day again, shooting skills and taste in firearms are an ever-evolving personal quest. Enjoy your time learning to master your new tool and always remember that it's something to be respected.
Safe Shooting...
