First time looking

[ricjpereira]

Looking to buy a gun for the first time and I do not know what to get or what to even look for. Looking for something to carry on me at all times.

[EandGWZ]

.22 or 9mm in my opinion.

Best suggestion is to go to a reputable shop near you and let them know you're a first time buyer. Come back to PAFOA and let us know what they said or did.

[PA1936MN]

1. Have you ever fired a handgun before?

2. If YES then what calibers have you fired?

3. What does your budget look like?

4. Would you prefer a semi auto or a revolver?

[DellRich89]

TO START OFF I AM IN NO WAY AN EXPERT ON GUNS, I AM JUST GIVING MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE BUYING PROCESS AND OWNING THEM.

My suggestion to you would be to look for a gun in the compact size. Its not too small and not too big and is just as accurate as a full size gun and plenty accurate to depend your life on. My guess is you live in Philly and there are plenty of gun ranges/shops in your area. Go to a shop/range, feel and shoot as many guns as your wallet lets you and you will know what gun feels best in your hands because that is one of the most important things to look for in your first gun.

There are many guns out there that are just as reliable as the next one but they have different characteristics. For example there are guns that are striker fired such as glocks, Smith and Wesson M&P's; You have gun that are single action (1911's, revolvers), and you have guns that are single and double action (some revolvers, Beretta 92fs, sigs, hk's and so on), Its all about preference when it comes to firearms.

I can suggest some guns for the first time buyer but this question is one of the most debatable questions out there because everyone is different. Some people like light weight guns, some like heavy guns, some like polymer frame guns to carry, some like alloy frame guns to carry....... etc etc so on and so on. When you go into a gun shop, many people are gonna guide you to the glocks, Why? because they are reliable, affordable, popular, can customize them, and replacement parts are easy to come by if you might ever need them. There is so much to learn about firearms and my suggestion to you would be to take a day and look at youtube on firearms safety and good first guns to buy; but here is my list of guns that i would recommend to the first time buyer

Glock 19,26,23,27
Smith and Wesson M&P
Ruger sr9
1911 commander size
sig p229
revolver in .38 special (ruger or smith)
walther ppq
FN fnp 9
Kahr cw9

There are many more good suggestions out there that are missing that i cant think of but are all good choices as well.

A couple things you should thing of.....

will weight be an issue?
A gun can get heavy the longer you carry it and the last thing you want to do is leave it home because you are tired of carrying a heavy gun TRUST ME.
what size gun do I want?
Size matters. Do you want a gun small enough to fit in your pocket, do you want a big gun, or do you want something in the middle?
will it be used for HD, CC, and range?
This is where compact guns to me thrive. If you got a big gun, its a good Home defense gun, a good range gun, but not quite the best conceal carry gun. A small gun is a good conceal carry gun, but not a good Home defense gun or range gun because of the size. A compact gun can fit all of these criteria because it conceals exceptionally well, accurate enough to practice with at the range, and holds enough ammunition to stop a crook in the middle of the night.
What caliber do I want?
Do you want a 9mm, .40, .45 acp, 38sp, etc etc. This is a big debate, but my suggestion would be to stay with the ammunition that your local store have available the most. In my area that happens to be 9mm and 45 acp. Also be aware that some calibers have more recoil than others, that's why it is very important to shoot first then make up your mind on what you want later
Do i want an external safety on the gun?
Do you want to have to flick a switch before you can fire the gun or do you want to just point and pull the trigger? just remember if you do have a safety thats one more thing to remember to disengage before your firearm can perform its duty. Also remember if you don't have a safety and pull that trigger, be prepared to be responsible for what ever happens.

I hope you find the right gun and I am pretty sure someone else with more knowledge than me will ad more to what I have already said. Also SHOP AROUND, don't rush into the buying process, look for the best deals, also look in the used gun market because you can find some steals.

Price wise, gen 3 glock new run from 500-530. Gen 4's are from 549-599. There are plenty of stores in your area but if you want to know where to get the BEST deals at PM me. Good luck and welcome to the forum

[filgun11]

Sign-up for NRA Basic pistol class.

Before registering, ask the instructor if he/she can bring different calibers and types(revolvers/semi-auto). Most probably he/she will start you with a .22. But it's also the time to test what caliber/type you may want with the safety of an instructor nearby.

After the training, research on the web what brands/models appeals to you. Go to range where you can rent them and get a feel for it. Then buy it from your local gun shop. Typically your LGS is cheaper than "big" stores.

Last, be prepared for your taste to change. You'll probably want to up your caliber soon. And you'll learn that you'll want at least 2, one range toy, and one carry toy.

Good Luck.

[internet troll]

Looking to buy a gun for the first time and I do not know what to get or what to even look for. Looking for something to carry on me at all times.

Get out to a range that allows you to rent guns. Try different ones. Let the people at the range know you are a newbie, most that I have come across are helpful and will give you a hand and advice. Make sure you read up on basic safety rules before going. 9mm single stack and. 380 are good concealed carry calibers. You have a ton of choices in both calibers. I carry a Ruger lc9.

If you are going to carry get a ltcf. It allows you to legally conceal carry and carry in a car. You can open carry without a ltcf but you have a lot more restrictions about where you can carry. If you are planning on carrying make sure you know the laws, this is a case where not knowing what you are doing can screw you bad. I am typing on a phone, maybe some one could link you to the sticky with pa gun laws. Good luck and keep asking questions

[Neko456]

The choices mentioned
Glock 19,26,23,27
Smith and Wesson M&P
Ruger sr9
1911 commander size
sig p229
revolver in .38 special (ruger or smith)
walther ppq
FN fnp 9
Kahr cw9


456 - With the revolvers why not the 357/38 option and Colt is a good choice too. When they get better they still own one of the Top defensive caliber made.
I don't like 357 snub nose unless it's that SP101 Ruger. And definately a don't leave out Beretta 92fs.

The rest is crack right on! Maybe a H&K iif they are made of money.

[normanvin]

A couple things you should thing of.....

will weight be an issue?
A gun can get heavy the longer you carry it and the last thing you want to do is leave it home because you are tired of carrying a heavy gun TRUST ME.
what size gun do I want?
Size matters. Do you want a gun small enough to fit in your pocket, do you want a big gun, or do you want something in the middle?
will it be used for HD, CC, and range?
This is where compact guns to me thrive. If you got a big gun, its a good Home defense gun, a good range gun, but not quite the best conceal carry gun. A small gun is a good conceal carry gun, but not a good Home defense gun or range gun because of the size. A compact gun can fit all of these criteria because it conceals exceptionally well, accurate enough to practice with at the range, and holds enough ammunition to stop a crook in the middle of the night.
What caliber do I want?
Do you want a 9mm, .40, .45 acp, 38sp, etc etc. This is a big debate, but my suggestion would be to stay with the ammunition that your local store have available the most. In my area that happens to be 9mm and 45 acp. Also be aware that some calibers have more recoil than others, that's why it is very important to shoot first then make up your mind on what you want later
Do i want an external safety on the gun?
Do you want to have to flick a switch before you can fire the gun or do you want to just point and pull the trigger? just remember if you do have a safety thats one more thing to remember to disengage before your firearm can perform its duty. Also remember if you don't have a safety and pull that trigger, be prepared to be responsible for what ever happens.

I hope you find the right gun and I am pretty sure someone else with more knowledge than me will ad more to what I have already said. Also SHOP AROUND, don't rush into the buying process, look for the best deals, also look in the used gun market because you can find some steals.

Price wise, gen 3 glock new run from 500-530. Gen 4's are from 549-599. There are plenty of stores in your area but if you want to know where to get the BEST deals at PM me. Good luck and welcome to the forum

There is some good advice here to consider.

Get out to a range that allows you to rent guns. Try different ones. Let the people at the range know you are a newbie, most that I have come across are helpful and will give you a hand and advice. Make sure you read up on basic safety rules before going. 9mm single stack and. 380 are good concealed carry calibers. You have a ton of choices in both calibers. I carry a Ruger lc9.

If you are going to carry get a ltcf. It allows you to legally conceal carry and carry in a car. You can open carry without a ltcf but you have a lot more restrictions about where you can carry. If you are planning on carrying make sure you know the laws, this is a case where not knowing what you are doing can screw you bad. I am typing on a phone, maybe some one could link you to the sticky with pa gun laws. Good luck and keep asking questions

There is also some good advise here.

Ultimately you should get a gun that suits your life style and that fits your hand well and can be shot well.

[Yoder]

A lot of people suggest a revolver for people just starting out since they are "easier" to use. I don't agree with that at all. A snubby revolver is not easy to shoot, especially over 10 yrds. They are also difficult to reload and usually have a heavy long trigger pull. The ultra light models will punish you.

I would say your biggest decision is whether or not you want an external safety. My first carry gun had to have a safety. After shooting a while I wound up selling it and picking up a Glock specifically because it had no safety. A double action only trigger is a wonderful thing. If you are absolutely going to carry it I would buy a 9mm since ammo is cheaper. If not I would pick up a Browning Buckmark or a Ruger Mark whatever number they are up to now. I think there's a really good sticky at the top that goes over all this, check it out. Good luck.

[soccerdad]

Looking to buy a gun for the first time and I do not know what to get or what to even look for. Looking for something to carry on me at all times.

Welcome! I'm fairly new as well, but have been on here almost every day since finding it. There is a wealth of information here, very little (truly) legal advice, but lots of common sense stuff that'll keep you out of trouble. Remember, the decisions are yours and "I read it on PAFOA" will never work as a defense.

As for what to pick? I found this thread early on in my search and it was really helpful is guiding my choices.

http://forum.pafoa.org/pistols-41/17...g-handgun.html

BTW, I'm buying my first pistol tomorrow. Decided on a Glock 19.

I also put together a spreadsheet comparing many,many, 9MM CCW weapons. PM me if you'd like a copy.