Handguns

[IdealFugacity]

Anyone know a good first gun to buy? Only experience with guns is having fired a paintball gun a few times and a couple of air rifles (BBs).

I know most guns that are good for learning are not that great as a home defensive weapon (larger caliber with more recoil, or a shotty for that, eventually), so looking more for something which is comfortable to shoot, relatively inexpensive, and a good introduction to getting comfortable handling/aiming/firing a weapon, with a move up to something with a little more punch in 6-18 months.

Will definitely post updates if any fruition comes to this so please don't just skim by if you have any useful tips on what/what-not to look at. Depends on roommate/lease situation when I get apartment though (graduate in a couple of weeks).

[daryn]

i would start out with a 9 mm

[Peter Harris]

you should definitely buy one and carry it with you; apparently, pundits in the USA seem to think this is what they need to prevent multiple homicides.

[Grasshopp3r]

.357 that fits your grip.

Go and shoot some different kinds before you buy one. You can rent them at shooting ranges.

[StaticShock]

And this turns into a gun control thread in 3...2...1... GO!

[BCPVP]

Well, I suppose if you're going to move up anyway, a .22 would be hard to beat if you want a cheap shooter. Whatever you buy, you should spend a lot of time shooting it to get familiar with how it handles.

[IdealFugacity]

Peter; I'm not sure if that is sarcasm. As I will be in Connecticut, a "may issue" which behaves as a "shall-issue" state with regards to CCLs, I do plan on getting one when I feel comfortable using a gun and have taken the appropriate safety courses. I'm not sure I will *use* it (as in take advantage of having the license, that is!), but the area of CT I will be in is one of the more dangerous parts.

Grass; I guess that gun shops don't have a range that they allow you to test out the merchandise. What kind of licensing would I need to test a gun at a range? Other than CCW/CCLs which I've been familiar with through various forums over the last couple of years, I don't actually know the "foundation" licenses necessary to own/operate a firearm. (e.g., "Own a Gun without concealed carry" license, if such a thing exists)

I'm not even sure this will work out as I may not be a registered citizen of CT, my living arrangement there is 12 months before returning to my home state in the company rotational program. In addition to potential tax issues, gun ownership may be a deciding factor in changing my citizen status.

[BCPVP]

http://www.gunlaws.com/links/linksct.htm

[IdealFugacity]

Thank you. For anyone interested the below link is also of use, if you can ignore the biased phrasing such as:

[ QUOTE ]
Connecticut - No state restrictions on gun-trafficking such as a limit on the number of handguns that can be purchased at one time. Gun traffickers can easily buy large quantities of handguns at gun stores and resell them on the street to criminals.

[/ QUOTE ]

Other than that, I think it is informative and more than likely available for most/all states.

http://www.bradycampaign.org/legisla...tate.php?st=ct

[MasterLJ]

Glock 19.

It's a 9mm... and it's a Glock. Great combo for a first gun.