[tcphoto]

After seeing someone walk behind the house next door in the middle of the day, I walked out and asked if I could help him. A few days later, I was buying my first firearm and learning how to use it. One needs to be prepared to defend their home and loved ones.

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

i've been procrastinating about getting a firearm for like a year now. I can wait no longer.

I need/want a shotgun, and hand gun. I guess the most basic question is, how do i know which is "right" for me? I'm honestly infatuated with the looks of some of these weapons, and would buy one just for looks. lol

Kinda hard to find a crappy pistol these days; most any mainstream brand/model is reliable enough to depend your life on.

Which ones "look" good to you? Budget? Might be easier to dwindle the list down from there.

Aside from that, a G17 is pretty hard to beat. For shotguns, a tactical Remington or Mossberg are good for the price...Benelli if you want to spend more and/or want semi-auto + pump.

[Savageenterprise]

My home defense weapon here.

Mossberg 590M 18.5 inch barrel. I added a top rail with the Sight Mark FMS Reflex sight w/ nightvision as well as a rail with the Streamlight TLR7a flash light attachment. Love this bad boy

[Nuckle]

Originally Posted by Savageenterprise

My home defense weapon here.

Mossberg 590M 18.5 inch barrel. I added a top rail with the Sight Mark FMS Reflex sight w/ nightvision as well as a rail with the Streamlight TLR7a flash light attachment. Love this bad boy

Nice! How much? May be my next purchase.

[Savageenterprise]

Originally Posted by Nuckle

Nice! How much? May be my next purchase.

By no means did I get the best deal on the gun but I like supporting my local businesses and shops when I can.

I paid about $675 after tax on just the shotgun.

[Nuckle]

Originally Posted by Savageenterprise

By no means did I get the best deal on the gun but I like supporting my local businesses and shops when I can.

I paid about $675 after tax on just the shotgun.

There is one on gun broker that the action has not ended yet and is at $705 so I would say you did fine. Nice shotty.

[Dravit_M340i]

My most recent pickup Beretta M9A3 Type G! Absolutely love it!

[unluky]

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

i've been procrastinating about getting a firearm for like a year now. I can wait no longer.

I need/want a shotgun, and hand gun. I guess the most basic question is, how do i know which is "right" for me? I'm honestly infatuated with the looks of some of these weapons, and would buy one just for looks. lol

I work in the industry and I hear this often. But I also know it is almost always answered by someone who is biased. I like Sig's - so of course my mind goes there first. Glocks are great firearms and many people love them, but I do not care for them. They just don't fit my hand like Sig's do. Everyone has a different hand.

I always advise to find an indoor range that has rentals. Many have a wide selection of guns you can test fit in your hand and even rent by the hour. A local one to my home town lets you rent one for the hour, but you can swap it out with anything cheaper during that hour - of course you have to buy ammo - but still a great way to try a lot of guns to find what fits for you. They will help you get started and be safe too and usually have cheap/free classes if you buy a gun from them.

To me it is like a car - you have to test a few to see what you like and more importantly what you don't like.

Revolvers are easy and good for inexperienced people who might not be able to clear a jam in their sleep like people who shoot a lot do. But they have a big disadvantage in capacity and they are not as much fun to plink with if you decide you like shooting and take it up as a hobby.

They are an expensive investment - so make sure you get what you like and make FOR SURE you learn to use it properly and safely.

Good luck - it's a great sport - you will enjoy it!

[TrevorM3]

thanks guys for the advice.

paliknight, i'm in south florida. I have zero experience with any sort of firearm.

Unluky, thats actually a great idea, i didn't think of that..will try that out.

savage, how much is a shotgun like that? beautiful piece. I dont really have budget, if its nice, and fits my hand well, i'll buy it.

[AlpineWhite_SJ]

Originally Posted by unluky

I work in the industry and I hear this often. But I also know it is almost always answered by someone who is biased. I like Sig's - so of course my mind goes there first. Glocks are great firearms and many people love them, but I do not care for them. They just don't fit my hand like Sig's do. Everyone has a different hand.

I always advise to find an indoor range that has rentals. Many have a wide selection of guns you can test fit in your hand and even rent by the hour. A local one to my home town lets you rent one for the hour, but you can swap it out with anything cheaper during that hour - of course you have to buy ammo - but still a great way to try a lot of guns to find what fits for you. They will help you get started and be safe too and usually have cheap/free classes if you buy a gun from them.

To me it is like a car - you have to test a few to see what you like and more importantly what you don't like.

Revolvers are easy and good for inexperienced people who might not be able to clear a jam in their sleep like people who shoot a lot do. But they have a big disadvantage in capacity and they are not as much fun to plink with if you decide you like shooting and take it up as a hobby.

They are an expensive investment - so make sure you get what you like and make FOR SURE you learn to use it properly and safely.

Good luck - it's a great sport - you will enjoy it!

This is great advice.

Check local range policies on rentals before you go though. Ours don't let solo people walk in and rent if they don't have their own firearm or aren't in a small group/with another firearm owner. Something related to preventing people from coming in and suiciding themselves, but could be just some weird CA thing.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by AlpineWhite_SJ

This is great advice.

Check local range policies on rentals before you go though. Ours don't let solo people walk in and rent if they don't have their own firearm or aren't in a small group/with another firearm owner. Something related to preventing people from coming in and suiciding themselves, but could be just some weird CA thing.

Happens everywhere. I know of an event like that in Thailand. A European customer came in, rented a gun and shot themself. Never fired downrange.

Oddly there is a lot of westerners capping themselves in Thailand. I think some are living in a fantasy world and when the money runs out and suddenly they are in the real world they can't handle it. Or when their darling girlfriend who is 30 years younger runs through all their money and leaves them...... I don't know.

[TrevorM3]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Happens everywhere. I know of an event like that in Thailand. A European customer came in, rented a gun and shot themself. Never fired downrange.

Oddly there is a lot of westerners capping themselves in Thailand. I think some are living in a fantasy world and when the money runs out and suddenly they are in the real world they can't handle it. Or when their darling girlfriend who is 30 years younger runs through all their money and leaves them...... I don't know.

really? is this a recent thing?

How the hell do you run out of money in Thailand, was there in December with 7 people, anywhere we ate never exceeded 65 bucks. Sounds like their bank account was a fantasy... Thailand is indeed a fantasy world.

[Grip Addict]

Originally Posted by chowser51

No clue if it’s worth $2k. My girlfriend bought it for me. With the mil/le discount the gun was $1700.
Fit and finish are great. Coworkers and I put 1000 rounds through it on Monday with no issues. Other than looking prettier, it doesn’t do anything more than my $398 Glocks. I buy two Glocks a year at blue label pricing. My gf buys me one fancy gun a year. This was for Christmas 2019. She’s buying me a .308 rifle this year.

Magazines are cheaper (lol) through the mil/le program. No issues with the new style mags.
But I used to buy HK magazines back in the day so I’m used to it.

Sadly it’s not like the old days when I could buy magazines directly from Glock for $10 each.

2x Glocks a year? for how many years?! lol

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

really? is this a recent thing?

How the hell do you run out of money in Thailand, was there in December with 7 people, anywhere we ate never exceeded 65 bucks. Sounds like their bank account was a fantasy... Thailand is indeed a fantasy world.

Yeah hotels and food are cheap in Thailand. A great place for a vacation so long as you don't buy into the fantasy.

Many a man enters Thailand. Falls for the siren song "so handsome, so virile" and has his life savings stripped from him by a beautiful girl. Being in Thailand broke and girlfriend gone makes some of then decide they can't take it. Few use guns. Lots of falls from tall buildings.

I met one young man (20s) from Germany. Nice enough I guess. had serious weight issues and I guess was an incel back home. Had a few drinks with him. Later heard he took his own life. Left home cashing in every credit card he could get for cash, borrowed from parents, came to Thailand with everything he had and a suicide kit of plastic bags and zip ties and sleeping pills. Partied til the money ran out and done. Very sad. At his age taking command of diet and a serious exercise program and he could have been fit in 2 years.

[chowser51]

Originally Posted by Grip Addict

2x Glocks a year? for how many years?! lol

I've only been doing two a year since 2012 when they told me the limit was two a year. I thought it was one a year. I have a bazillion versions of the Glock 19. Bought my first one in 1998 when I started this career. My mom borrowed my 1998 gen2 Glock 19 years ago and hasn't returned it. I won't ask for it back. I gave my two sisters some of my old Glock 19s as well. I make my brothers pay for the old ones I give them.

My three kids each have a gen3 19 and gen4 19. I have the gen5 19. I loaned out a gen4 19 to a friend so she can take a CCW class. etc.

I'm thinking this year I will get the gen4 32 and gen4 33 to go with my current duty weapon (gen4 31). My gen3 32 is sitting on my desk right now and I gave the gen3 33 to a coworker so she would have a gun to carry off duty.

[Monster335]

Sig 9mm

Originally Posted by TrevorM3

i'm in south florida. I have zero experience with any sort of firearm.

Even better than a gun store...go to the next big gun show. You'll likely be able to fondle hundreds of different options. Once you find something that fits your hand/style/budget/whatever, then track down one to rent at a range...or just buy what feels best and start a collection.

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by Monster335

Sig 9mm

tricked out

[Mintsopoulos]

Anybody here with a Ruger Precision rifle? Im thinking of picking one up chambered in 308 and wanted to know your thoughts.

[Grip Addict]

Originally Posted by tcphoto

After seeing someone walk behind the house next door in the middle of the day, I walked out and asked if I could help him. A few days later, I was buying my first firearm and learning how to use it. One needs to be prepared to defend their home and loved ones.

what was this shady fellow doing? what did he say once confronted?

[upstatedoc]

Originally Posted by Grip Addict

what was this shady fellow doing? what did he say once confronted?

lot of details missing

[unluky]

Originally Posted by upstatedoc

lot of details missing

I think he just had a "wake up" moment. I used to be a proponent for CCW and help spread the word and get out the vote when we were trying to pass it in my state years ago. We are actually a constitutional carry state now. But I live in a low crime area and rarely carried.

That lead to it not being a habit and when I was in one of our larger cities one night with my girl we walked out of a place later one evening and there was a little altercation going on - some words were exchanged and 3 dudes looked set to jump a guy who was with his girl. He seemed far more concerned with his girls safety than himself (naturally) and I think us walking out into it defused it just enough it broke it up a little earlier than it might have otherwise even though we didn't get involved at all.

I remember driving home thinking - I'm not just carrying for me. We all think we are tough, but few people could fight off 3 assailants and what happens after that? Hopefully your girl picks you up and you go home, but it would leave 3 very amped up gentleman on the street with your vulnerable girl with no one to protect her. That scares me a LOT more than an ass beating.

I made it a point to start packing even when I'm just going to work and now it is just habit. I'm not a macho guy that needs to carry to feel tough and I hope I die with cobwebs in the barrel of my gun. But at least it'll give me a chance if I'm ever in that guys position - or worse.