First post here, first handgun purchase (PPQ)

[ExFlyinguy]

Welcome! Nice gat thanks for sharing the pics!

I will try and stay on everybody's good side & recommend joining both the NRA & GOA, and some of the state level groups as well.

If that doesn't fit your budget may I suggest going with GOA to start with. They are $20/year and "No compromise". In my humble opinion that is where they shine. Unfortunately they do not have the membership numbers that the NRA does, but we CAN change that.

I'll leave my NRA bashing at the door for now.

[Xringshooter]

Don't forget about FOAC (Firearm Owners Against Crime), we've been a thorn in the side of a lot of anti 2A politicians in PA and do a lot of grassroots lobbying for our gun rights. https://foac-pac.org/

We also have a killer gun bash twice a year, great prizes, awesome side raffles and even more awesome all you can eat/drink food/beverages.

disclaimer: I am also a member of the NRA, GOA, and SAF as well as FOAC.

[Berncly]

Thanks for the welcome and information. I vote 2a every election and will definitely vote in this year's midterms. Can't let the Dems try to impeach POTUS.

I'll contact you privately about NRA/GOA memberships, but can anyone tell me the pros/cons of each organization? My gut instinct tells me that the NRA being persona non grata among the libs might make them more appealing to me.

While this is my first handgun, I do also have a Remington 870 Express. And I'm considering one of these build-your-own AR kits as well.

I recommend that people join both the NRA and the GOA.

The NRA is like the McDonald's of the 2A with a large well established footprint handing out millions of 2A burgers to the masses.
The GOA is like the smaller specialty steak house that offers the best cuts of meat that it personally knows how to carve from the side of beef.

Both have their good and bad points, and together they are able to cover the wide political and public spectrum that needs constant attention.
The FOAC is also well worth joining with their focus being at the state level where their attention is very much needed.

Joining all 3 pro 2A organizations will run FOAC 20 + GOA 20 + NRA 40 = Total $80.
The other donors and I can cover as much of that cost as may be needed to get you fully engaged with all 3 organizations.

All we ask is that you find some way to pay it forward to the next 2A guy somewhere down the road with your time, guidance, or money.
Let me know what you need and we can get you situated.
Bern-

[Aggies Coach]

Congrats on your purchase. Joe is a good dude and I have used him on several occasions. Always fair and honest.

[JenniferG]

Congrats on your new purchase. Make sure to join the NRA where your money gets the most bang for the buck.

[Everready73]

Congrats on the purchase and good decision! That is one of the better, if not best, 9mm polymer handguns on the market. Maybe look into a training class or at least check out some reputable channels on YouTube that cover grip, stance, trigger control etc to lay a good foundation.

If you eventually do an ar15 like you said you may, so any questions and the forum will help out. PSA offers a lot of value for a decent gun. Lots of good options and prices aren't going to get much better than now

[buckengr]

OP: Welcome! Glad to see you join the fold. Bring friends!

For real, though, as you get more involved, more experienced with safe gun handling and have more chances to shoot, please consider inviting friends, neighbors, coworkers, family, clergy, your dog, everybody reasonable that you know and take them to the range. Get them involved and exposed to what responsible gun ownership is all about. Good on you for being interested and willing to join advocacy groups early! It's worth it and they need our help!

Your post was a good reminder for me how easy it would be to invite some friends to the range next time I go. Perhaps we all could benefit from this reminder.

I recommend that people join both the NRA and the GOA.

The NRA is like the McDonald's of the 2A with a large well established footprint handing out millions of 2A burgers to the masses.
The GOA is like the smaller specialty steak house that offers the best cuts of meat that it personally knows how to carve from the side of beef.

Both have their good and bad points, and together they are able to cover the wide political and public spectrum that needs constant attention.
The FOAC is also well worth joining with their focus being at the state level where their attention is very much needed.

Joining all 3 pro 2A organizations will run FOAC 20 + GOA 20 + NRA 40 = Total $80.
The other donors and I can cover as much of that cost as may be needed to get you fully engaged with all 3 organizations.

All we ask is that you find some way to pay it forward to the next 2A guy somewhere down the road with your time, guidance, or money.
Let me know what you need and we can get you situated.
Bern-

Rep denied.


GOA and FOAC need $$ and members most of all. NRA is the old standard. All can use our help on the regular, but GOA holds a special place in my heart since they truly understand and stand for what the 2nd Amendment is really about: individual liberty and the proper vesting of power among the People.

No compromise. Ever.

[marblesmike]

I went shooting for the second time with my ppq today but was disappointed with the results. My brother is more experienced so he gave me some tips which helped improve my accuracy. I think I just need lots of practice. The gun sure does shoot nice though. It feels like a baby gun after shooting my brother's Taurus .357!

[Berncly]

I went shooting for the second time with my ppq today but was disappointed with the results. My brother is more experienced so he gave me some tips which helped improve my accuracy. I think I just need lots of practice. The gun sure does shoot nice though. It feels like a baby gun after shooting my brother's Taurus .357!

You may want to consider some introductory training classes.
They will teach you the basics which you can then practice on your own.
Basic safety methodology and shooting fundamentals are a must for all new shooters.
Classes are affordable and widely available.
Guys here can help you locate what you need if you are not sure where to go.

[TooBigToFit]

I went shooting for the second time with my ppq today but was disappointed with the results. My brother is more experienced so he gave me some tips which helped improve my accuracy. I think I just need lots of practice. The gun sure does shoot nice though. It feels like a baby gun after shooting my brother's Taurus .357!

I wouldn't expect to shoot a pistol well as a newer handgun shooter. Handguns are among the hardest guns to learn to shoot. Unlike rifles and shotguns, there's no stock to hide poor technique in other areas, and yet, it's easy to do everything wrong without even knowing it.

Formal instruction is the safest, fastest, and most effective route to learning how to shoot. Above all else, you must learn how to safely handle your firearm (and not just learn how to, but practice it all the time). That being said, here's a couple of tips...

For practice, one of the key things to do is dry fire. There are few things out there that will improve your shooting as much as dry fire and cost as little as it (free). Snap caps are optional (with modern firearms design, you are unlikely to impart enough stress during dry fire to snap firing pins). You can work on almost everything with dry fire alone. A good grip, proper presentation, sight picture, trigger press...

And don't just dry fire at home either. When you go to the range, you should dry fire. Your technique when shooting live fire should not change from dry firing. When you finish your magazine, aim at the target and dry fire a bit. Mix snap caps in with live rounds at the range. You'll know for sure if you're messing things up once you hit a snap cap instead of a live round. Chances are, you'll find that you have a flinch that you otherwise wouldn't have noticed. Your sight picture should not change when you hit a snap cap instead of a live round.

But I must stress that, before you do any of this, that you practice good firearms safety. Bad things can happen if your dry fire at home accidentally turns into live fire. When dry firing at home, clear your firearm. And do it thrice. Dry fire in a room that has no ammunition in it. Keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction at all times, such that, if your gun goes bang instead of click, it will not hit anything even if it passes through walls.