My First Gun

Vanity ^ | 6/1/20 | Sharkfish

[Sharkfish]

Forgive the vanity post (my first ever) but I need advice from Freepers. I have never owned any firearm other than a shotgun for duck hunting. I feel a real need now to own a gun. I'm looking for insight into the type of handgun I should research and test. Remember, it's for a newbie. I intend on getting a Florida concealed carry permit and undergoing training.

[John S Mosby]

For my experience, agree with you. Recommend of a revolver is the simplicity of operation. But there is a lot not said by the poster as for what reason they want a firearm for the first time.

Using deduction that most are in one on one situations within 20 feet or closer (time to overtaking by assailant/perp) the first concept is firepower, placement for effect of delivered ordinance (high velocity, fragmentation, damage). In that sense, neglected to mention laser for placement training. All of which speaks to your point of the number of rounds to compensate for lack of placement under stress (a good point). Practice. Professional level practice to ensure accuracy and confidence in engagement.

We agree-in a rioting multiperp situation as you mentioned, the carry weapon of choice semi-auto & several loaded mags. New ball game entirely since long ago and the 357 models owned, and one Model 29 44 Mag S&W for a nostalgia hand cannon. Good comments.

[fatboy]

Double action=long pull every trigger pull

Single action=easy pull each trigger pull

Double/single action= first pull long, all others easy.

You are welcone.

[Vendome]

We’re know it alls

Whuddyuh mean
..

[rktman]

Knowing all the X-spurts on here, my best advice was given. :-)

[deport]

LOL

Yep...... We have to keep them informed or at the
least add our two cents worth. Have a good one.

[Vendome]

:-)

[LittleBillyInfidel]

Ok, so my Lugar must be a Double/single action= first pull long, all others easy? What does “PARABELLUM” refer to?

[Sharkfish]

Thanks for the help everyone.

[Doc91678]

I agree... That’s why I recommended using .38cal bullets to start. I love my model 29 with a 4” barrel.
To me it’s just right for carry and home protection. When I’m out and about, I always carry two speed loads with me.

[Songcraft]

(Bump for later)

      

[fatboy]

Thus sayeth LittleBillyInfidel:

“Ok, so my Lugar must be a Double/single action= first pull long, all others easy? What does “PARABELLUM” refer to?”

I don’t know anything about your particular handgun but in a single action like a 1911 when the slide is pulled back, it also pulls the hammer back. Thus, the handgun trigger is ready to fire it just needs to have the sear release the hammer which requires very little effort on the part of the trigger finger.

Most single action auto-loading handguns have either a trigger safety or a trigger decocker or both. When you decock the trigger, either by using a decocker or by slowly lowering the hammer manually, you must recock the hammer to fire. This recocking requires more effort since you are working against the hammer spring. This is a double action trigger pull. A single action only does not have the mechanical ability to recock the hammer by pulling the trigger, only a single action/double action does.

Since single action is cocked special care must be used if in a holster. I personally think having a single action “locked and cocked” in a holster is dangerous unless you handle your handguns every week. Even then I wouldn’t do it. If I were carrying a 1911 it would not be cocked in my holster. Since the 1911 is singe action only, the only way to recock the trigger once it is decocked is by either racking the slide (which will eject any round already in the chamber) or using the thumb to manually cock the hammer.

On a double action only handgun there may not be any provision to allow the hammer to be cocked without pulling the trigger or using your thumb to manually cock the hammer. Old wild west movies where the cowboy pulls the hammer back for every shot are single action revolvers. A hammerless revolver for example where you cannot cock the hammer manually, is double action only. All of this can be a bit confusing but there it is.

I compete in a course of fire called Steel Challenge. No one is asking me for my autograph just yet but I’m just a few seconds shy of being classified Master in open revolver. So I’m a known competitor on a national level. I say this to illustrate the fact that I know most if not all of the top revolver shooters active in Steel Challenge in the USA. All of them shoot double action only. With enough practice, it is possible to shoot a double action revolver very fast and very accurate. Key world— practice.

In Steel Challenge, which is basically speed shooting, i compete in both open revolver and iron sight revolver. I also do a little bit of competition in ICORE which is revolver action shooting. All of my competition revolvers are double action only. True they have tuned actions which make them ammo fussy (I handload all of my competition ammo—10K+ rounds per year). When I carry, either a revo or an auto loader, it’s always a double action only. Not trying to tell others what to do just telling others what I do. I make no claims to being an authority.

Parabellum is another name for the common 9mm handgun round we all love to shoot. If you shoot a modern 9mm handgun you are buying 9mm or 9mm parabellum ammo they are the same. 9mm, BTW is not a straight case cartridge like 38 Special. There is a slight taper to the 9mm case. It also headspaces on the case mouth. This means that when the cartridge is chambered it is stopped from going right on down the barrel (before firing) by the case mouth. A 38 Special (or 357 Magnum) heasdpaces on the rim. It is the cartridge rim that holds the cartridge in the chamber before you fire it. This is one of the things that allows revolvers chambered in 357 to shoot the shorter 38 Special cartridge, the headspacing on the rim.

[Magnum44]

There are lots of smart knowledgeable people on FR. Despite that, ignore nearly everything you read here.

So ignore everything after that...LOL

[yarddog]

Usually, I read these gun threads and see all kinds of interesting and knowledgeable posts. I sometime learn a few things.

however on this particular thread for a guy who is wanting to get his first gun and for defense, some of the advice is just plain awful.

Anyone who thinks a .22 is not adequate for learning on and even protection until you are familiar enough to use a more powerful gun, just didn’t grow up shooting, hunting and plinking.

BTW if I were to get a gun right now for home and street protection it would be one of the big Glocks or a Sig in 10mm.

[Magnum44]

My advice (to be ignored, lol) was post 77.

I agree that ideally one would start with a .22 and learn safety and fundamentals for sport/plinking/target shooting, but there is really no reason an adult (54 I think was his age) could not go straight to a defensive gun given good instruction. Same with starting with a simple revolver vs a semi-auto. Its nice to know how to use both, but not necessary to spend $700 to $1000 for a good defensive revolver if you are planning to carry a semi anyway.

Good instruction and training is always the key element.

[LittleBillyInfidel]

Thank you for this and I’m going to take the proper time to study it!

As per your competition, do you have any sponsors? Also, do you know if there are any outdoor sports shows that focus on what you do or that you like or watch?

The reason I ask is that I’m a Broadcast TV Producer (retired) but am an expert in branded television marketing. I’d be curious to see if there’s anything out there per programing. I wouldn’t hesitate to make a few well placed phone calls to check interest of advertisers. It’s easy for me to get shows to air.

Anyway, just curious as I think there would be a market and your skills/competition sound interesting.

[fatboy]

I don’t have any sponsors, I really don’t want any. I’m a recreational shooter. Revolvers in Steel Challenge are a minority gun. There are a few revolver shooters with sponsors, they are top shooters in Steel Challenge and USPSA. Most of the sponsored shooters are in rimfire divisions. Being sponsored in Steel Challenge doesn’t automatically mean that you are a top shooter.

For Steel Challenge there are tons on youtube, some broadcast vids. It is actually a large competition nationwide. Locally we have one of if not the largest Steel Challenge championship matches in the world (East Coast Steel Challenge Championship). I usually place in the top 10 in open revolver and I work this match as a range officer. It’s a 4 day shooters party.

[Doc91678]

BTW I always practice with .38cal bullets.
I haven’t found a range since my move down south I haven’t gone to the range. That will soon change because of the times. You train like you faight and you fight like you’ve trained.