Posted on 10/25/2004 8:21:45 AM PDT by Another-MA-Conservative
Looking for some guidance and advice from freeper 2nd Amendment fans here. I hope it is not inappropriate to post such threads on FR, but it seems like a good audience for it.
I've never owned a firearm before, but I have at least fired long guns before in the distant past(shotguns and a .22 rifle).
Anyway, I'm looking to exercise my 2nd Amendment rights for the first time in my adult life. I'd like a "beginner" handgun, initially to just get familiar with them and for inexpensive shooting-range practice. My research so far has led me towards .22 rimfire semiauto pistols as a good starting point.
That said, I'm thinking about the Beretta U22 Neos 6.0... any good? It's gotten good reviews in the mags I've read so far and is reasonably priced.
I'm also a little nervous about how to go about getting my feet wet in this - I've never even been in a gun shop before. To my understanding, I have to take a training course in order to get a license, and that it's practically impossible to get a CCW license here in MA. Should I join the NRA? How do I find places to shoot? Most seem to be private sportsmens clubs... what's the deal with these?
So... any advice for a 2nd-Ammendment newbie?
Pretty much 'gone by the boards' I'm afraid. X-Box is more likely now.
My thoughts exactly.
"Forget the Walthers and Barettas, get a Ruger Standard."
Care to elaborate? I have read reviews that the Walther P22 is very picky about ammo and tends to jam; also that it's not a very good target gun due to its size and double-action trigger. What about the Baretta? Guns and Ammo had a very good review of it recently.
Actually, this leads me to what I'm sure will get laughs as a really stoopid newbie quesion: for semiauto pistols, what is the difference between a single-action and double-action trigger? The Walther is a double-action, the Beretta single action. What does this mean in functional terms?
The feminization of America continues. It's really too bad. The lessons of responsibility gun use and ownership teaches are powerful steps to building character.
I still shoot the 22 more than anything else. 15 yards is point and shoot range. Beyond that I aim! I love all my guns. I wish I had a range in my backyard. I am looking at some open land!
Heritage Arms - Rough Rider 22/22MAG. Comes with two cylinders a .22, and .22MAG. Single action. This NIB one recently sold for $101.99 on GunBroker.
You'll be a lot more likely to take careful aim and learn good shooting habits with a single action revolver, that requires you to eject each spent catrage individually. It ain't the number of rounds fired that counts, it's the number of hits.
Don't blow a lot of dough on your first pistol, save it for your second one.
As for the Walther, I couldn't tell you much about it other than you can probably get as good a pistol for less money. Especially if you're looking at a .22, go with the Ruger, get good with it, and save your money for a really nice M1911-style .45, like a Kimber or a Para-Ordnance. Good luck and happy shootin'!
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Single action auto, gotta cock the hammer for the first shot, double action, just pull the trigger, the motion of the trigger first cocks the hammer, then further trigger travel fires it.
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Ok, I think I get it. You manually pull the slide back for the first shot to cock a SA semi, after which subsequent shots are autoloaded. So the only difference between SA and DA is on the first round from a magazine?
As for a place to shoot, I am sooooooo happy I moved from FloriDUH to Idaho this summer. To shoot in Pinellas County, I'd have to drive 30-40 minutes to get to a sorry-ass indoor range, or pay out the wazoo to join a club. Here, I drive about 15 minutes, and I'm out in the desert, shooting on public land. Freedom is a wonderful thing!
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
You sound like just my type o' gal!!!!
The only firearms I've lost have been stolen (usually at gunpoint by people with badges who were charged with protecting laws they know nothing about....)
Yep - That's my understanding and I'm pretty sure it's correct, note that if you are carrying a SA, holstered, round in chamber,decocked, safety on and you go to draw it you must, flip off the safety, cock the hammer with your thumb or non shooting hand and then you can blast something/one. DA you can flip the safety and squeeze the trigger.
Alabama is full of good places. I love it here except the Rinos and Dems in state government right now.
Looks like it is built to feel like a M1911. Good practice.
Sweet piece.
Some handguns are single-action and some are double-action and some are double-action-only (DAO).
A single-action handgun requires the shooter to manually latch the hammer back - cock the hammer - before firing the first shot. Their trigger pull is always the same.
A double-action handgun will, when the trigger is squeezed, cock the hammer itself then fire the shot. In most semiautos, subsequent shots will have a lighter trigger pull because the hammer will be cocked by the recoil action.
DAO handguns cock the hammer automatically when the trigger begins to be squeezed, then uncock it after the shot is fired. Their trigger pull is always the same.
This is not at all a stupid question. It's very important to understand how the firearm is supposed to function. :-)
I'll add the generally accepted proposition that the single-action handgun is a more accurate firing condition because ot time-lag. This, as with all other firearm opinions, is disputed. Billy-the-kid for one, disagreed. Of course... he died rather young.
But I'm not finished collecting enough material for my lifesized papier-mache T-rex.
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