Hi guys. Hope I can get some helpful advice here. I grew up with friends and family that're into guns but due to various circumstances have never owned one myself. I have plenty of experience with air rifles/handguns as a kid and airsoft guns more recently but never shot a real one myself (although I can fieldstrip an M1 and an M16 from doing it in college :lol)

Anyway, I recently had the good fortune of achieving permanent residency here in the US after immigrating here on a professional visa a few years ago so now it's legal for me to own a gun AFAIK. I'd like to get into it as a hobby but I'm damned if I know where to start since I don't know anyone where I currently live that's into guns. I'm planning on hitting up the local gun store/shooting range when I can but don't want to come off like a total noob (which I am but you know what I mean). I figure if I took the time to do my homework and ask for advice before getting my motorcycle it only makes sense to do it for a gun right?

I'd like to start with a handgun (maybe a Springfield XDm) and go from there. My objectives would just be to do it as a hobby and self-defense if needed (hopefully won't come to that). I'm 32, no kids to worry about in the house, and with a steady, high-paying job if those are any consideration. I figure now's as good a time as any before politics makes it even harder to get into shooting as a hobby so I appreciate any enlightenment you guys can give.

Well if you're wanting to get into pistols, 9mm is a good round to start with. It's fairly cheap for target practice, and has enough bang to take down a bad guy.

Glocks are tough, accurate, reliable and simple to take apart and clean. Check out the Glock 17 or Glock 19 for starters.

I have only shot an XD 45 once and it shot and felt kinda similar to the Glock. The grip was more comfortable, but I didn't like the safety on the back of the grip.

Well if you're wanting to get into pistols, 9mm is a good round to start with. It's fairly cheap for target practice, and has enough bang to take down a bad guy.

Glocks are tough, accurate, reliable and simple to take apart and clean. Check out the Glock 17 or Glock 19 for starters.

I have only shot an XD 45 once and it shot and felt kinda similar to the Glock. The grip was more comfortable, but I didn't like the safety on the back of the grip.

Thanks for the reply. Would a .40 S & W or a 10mm be a bad choice for a beginner? From what I know the ammo's more expensive and less easy to get than 9mm but are there any other huge downsides like too much recoil for a noob etc.?

And I should have asked in my first post but are there courses for beginner shooters - you know, like MSF except for guns?

Would it also be worth it to go to a shooting range that rents guns before getting one myself? AFAIK the shops near me don't have it but there's one a couple hours north of me.

The 10mm is a BEAST of a pistol man, and ammo is harder to find even when people aren't scrambling to buy it. A .40 S&W is a very nice round though, I have a Glock 23 and love it to death.

As far as not sounding like a noob, who cares. Gun guys are like bike guys and if you show interest, you will have 15 guys surround you trying to tell you everything they know about something (although only half of it may be right similar to bike guys :lol) and will help you out like a champ. It's better to be a noob and sound noob than to be a noob and try to sound like you know what you are looking at. They tend to snob you when you are like that.

Good luck and have fun making things go bang lol.

How bout one of these? This is my next gun!

As far as not sounding like a noob, who cares. Gun guys are like bike guys and if you show interest, you will have 15 guys surround you trying to tell you everything they know about something (although only half of it may be right similar to bike guys :lol) and will help you out like a champ. It's better to be a noob and sound noob than to be a noob and try to sound like you know what you are looking at. They tend to snob you when you are like that.

That's nice to know. It's always intimidating when you start out in one of the more "manly" hobbies (for want of a better term) that everybody with experience is gonna treat you like the newest plebe at the frat party. Thankfully what you're describing is what I've experienced with riding - I've met plenty of people willing to help out. I went to my first trackday thinking everybody there's probably gonna be some hardcore racer dude too busy hosing the deck with testosterone to give a new guy the time of day but instead there were a lot of helpful people and a bunch of noobs just as nervous as I was and I had a blast. Hope I get as much fun out of shooting as I have with riding.

How bout one of these? This is my next gun!

Looks sweet but my tastes are more to the black, stealthy look myself :biggrin

Start with a 9mm. The 9mm XDM is a sweet gun, holds 20 rounds total for fun target shooting, and is VERY comfortable to carry and shoot. I have both the 40 and 9mm. You pay for what you get, so you will notice guns like Glock, Springfield, ect are a little higher. he XDM retails around 600+. The standard XD is a good 9mm also. But at any rate, XD, XDM, Glock, Taurus, and some others are good comfortable guns. At that, Taurus makes a 24/7 Pro which is more affordable, 3-400 but a solid gun. Ive had both the 40 and the 9mm and they are about as comfortable as a gun can get. The 10mm is not made for beginners. I have one and as mentioned, its a powerhouse semiauto pistol. Go with a more manageable recoiled gun to start. Good luck:cheers Heres my "black" guns your into

Damn you have some sexy black toys :lol:lol:lol


That line is going to end up in my title I am sure hahahahaha

Start with a 9mm. The 9mm XDM is a sweet gun, holds 20 rounds total for fun target shooting, and is VERY comfortable to carry and shoot. I have both the 40 and 9mm. You pay for what you get, so you will notice guns like Glock, Springfield, ect are a little higher. he XDM retails around 600+. The standard XD is a good 9mm also. But at any rate, XD, XDM, Glock, Taurus, and some others are good comfortable guns. At that, Taurus makes a 24/7 Pro which is more affordable, 3-400 but a solid gun. Ive had both the 40 and the 9mm and they are about as comfortable as a gun can get. The 10mm is not made for beginners. I have one and as mentioned, its a powerhouse semiauto pistol. Go with a more manageable recoiled gun to start. Good luck:cheers Heres my "black" guns your into

Yeah, that's more my style! I love the look of that fourth gun with the tac light. What is that BTW? I thought it was a Glock at first but on second glance I'm not sure. I know the top two are XDms and the bottom left is a Glock. Sweet set of guns V2 :cheers

Tactical lights are win :lol

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3353712055_78a9c382da.jpg

Yeah, that's more my style! I love the look of that fourth gun with the tac light. What is that BTW? I thought it was a Glock at first but on second glance I'm not sure. I know the top two are XDms and the bottom left is a Glock. Sweet set of guns V2 :cheers

That is my XD45 with a light. My favorite bedside/carry gun:cheers

That is my XD45 with a light. My favorite bedside/carry gun:cheers

Oh, okay. I'd been paying more attention to the XDm since it's the newer model so I'm not as familiar with how the XD looks.

hey man i'm basically in the same boat as you. i started this thread:

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218912

and FWIW, some of the guys here posted a lot of good information that's worth reading.

:cheers

hey man i'm basically in the same boat as you. i started this thread:

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=218912

and FWIW, some of the guys here posted a lot of good information that's worth reading.

:cheers

Thanks. I found your thread in a search before and it did have quite a bit of useful info. At least you've had experience with a shotgun though - I'm a total noob lol.