The sales of firearms are sill on the rise according to media reports. We don’t know what percentage of these sales are first time buyers. I see a lot of first time clients who just bought their first handgun. The story usually goes something like; “I went to (insert name of local gun shop) and the salesman recommended I get one of these.” Most of the time the gun is still in it’s original box and still has all of the factory lube smeared throughout. I remember when I bought my first handgun. I was thrilled and was sure I bought the right one, because I was told it was “the gun” for me. The best was to approach your purchase of a firearm is to treat it like buying a car. Regardless if it’s your first or one of many you should always follow a series of steps before completing the purchase. The following is my process and it has worked for me.
Research: You found this blog post so you can find out information on the any handguns that is made. Each manufacture has a web site you can check out to see the latest and greatest. Check sites like www.gunbroker.com or www.impactguns to see what the price range is for the various models. Google the specific gun you are looking at and see the good and sometimes bad reviews. Go to your local bookstore and check out the gun magazines to see what features or comparison are available. One note of caution on the magazine reviews, negative reviews of handguns are hard to find.
Gun Buddy: Gun people are good people. I depend on my gun buddies to give guidance on what they have heard or experience they may have with a specific model or manufacturer. A great personal example come to mind. I was contemplating a Glock 26 as a primary concealed carry gun. I had carried a Glock 19 for a while, but I was lured by the more compact size. So I asked around. I found that a lot of people had previously owned a model 26. So with a little prodding I learned the very thing I was considering, the compact size, was the primary reason they were no longer owned by my buddies. The leads me to my last partt of the process. Many times you can find a buddy with the very gun you are looking for. So you ask, can I shoot it?!
Test Drive: You would never buy a car before taking it for a test drive. You should never buy a gun without first having a chance to shoot the exact gun you are about to purchase or shoot one identical to it. Locally, we do not have a dealer with an adequate indoor range so I rely on my fellow gun owners. A gun that looks great in the box or feels great in the hand may not shoot that well for you. A great benefit of belonging to a local gun club or shooting facility is the networking with other gun owners. (Insert shameless plug for the club I belong to MVSA) I have yet to not find a gun that a client, or myself, wanted to shoot. It does not take too few many phone calls to track somebody down that is willing to let us test drive the gun.
Guns are tools. A master carpenter or weekend hammer hero can accomplish a lot with the proper tool along with some knowledge, skill and attitude. It’s a bad feeling after spending several hundred dollars for THE GUN you go to the range to shoot it and you are disappointed. Take it from someone whose made that mistake. Use the criteria I mentioned and you will no be disappointed.
Until next time, Finish The Fight!
Tags: Selecting a handgun, self defense handgun, Self Defense Training
