A prospective owner

[jpc36]

First of all I would like to say hello to everyone here, I have read a few posts and responses, and they have all seemed very professional and friendly. I am a prospective gun owner looking for some information regarding procedures and the like, I can think of no better place than to acquire information.

I have lived in the Bucks County area my entire life except for the past four years, which have been in Centre County for school. Now that I am growing closer to the end of my career as a student I will have more time to pick up a new hobby. I was wondering what is officially required (forums, background checks, courses, etc) before I can attempt to purchase/own/use firearms in Bucks County. I will not lie, I have next to no knowledge on this subject and hope to learn from your responses.

I plan to pick up something cheap and simple for my first firearm, leaning heavily towards a rifle over a pistol. Something I can learn the ins and outs of that won’t deplete my bank account, but also won’t break after five weeks. From there I can begin to upgrade over the years once I have built a respectable knowledge, and a bigger checking balance.

I thank anyone who takes the time to respond and point me in the right direction; also any tips on a first gun will not be overlooked!

[Steve_NEPhila]

Welcome to the forum and the pursuit of the firearm hobby.

To buy a pistol at a shop you need to be 21, not have been convicted of a felony or domestic violence or be under a protection from abuse (injunction).

To purchase a rifle or shotgun same as the above except the age required is 18.

To actually buy a firearm, walk into a store with money (or a credit card) choose, purchase and take it home. Now properly and safely handling and using it is a whole lot more involved.

I recommend signing up for an NRA basic pistol course before you buy a weapon. Since you live in Bucks, check out Classic Pistol:

http://www.classicpistol.com/training_classes.asp?id=1

The above link is to the training page for the NRA basic pistol course. You can rent a pistol there for the class for a nominal fee.

Good Luck, and welcome.

Before I leave... three rules:

Treat all firearms as if they are loaded.
Never point the muzzle at anything you do not want to destroy.
Keep your finger off of the trigger until you want to shoot.

The above are absolutes... heed them.

[normanvin]

Since you seem to be on a budget I would recommend a .22. Maybe a Ruger 10/22. They are very customizable. They can be bought for under $200.00. And you can shoot them all day long for under $20.00.

[zachomega]

First decide what you want the pistol for?

If it is for fun, do yourself a favor and buy a .22. The ammo is cheap and a good .22 will last you for a lifetime. Cheap ammo means you can shoot more and become far more proficient. Additionally, you can shoot .22 in rifle or pistol format in any range where as some larger rifle calibers will require you to find special ranges (Classic Pistol to the best of my knowledge lets just about anything fly in standard rifle calibers - although it is only a 25 yard range).

If you want something for home defense or for carry, consider something in a larger caliber. 9mm, .40S&W, 45ACP all come to mind.

Bear in mind that rifle ammo typically costs more than pistol ammo with the exception being .22LR.

You are in Yardley? You may be closer to Ready, Aim, Fire! than to Classic Pistol. It is right off of Route 13 at Green Lane. The people in there are great and I believe they also offer courses. Since you have no real experience, as suggested above, look into taking a course or at least finding somebody to show you the basics and etiquette on the range (for your safety and everybody around you).

You said you aren't looking to spend a lot of money, but you didn't define a dollar amount. For some people a lot is 500$ and for others a lot is 1000$.

You also have to decide on if you are okay with a used gun. If so, make sure the place you buy it from will stand behind it if it doesn't perform 100% correctly.

Sorry for being so scatter brained, but I haven't slept yet.

-Zach

[theo]

As Steve NePhila said Classic Pistol is a great place to go and learn.

I also live in Yardley and live closer to Ready Aim Fire and will not go there. I will drive the extra distance to Classic Pistol, it is well worth it.

I had been around long guns all my life, but when I decided to buy a handgun, I took the NRA basic handgun course at Classic Pistol. People said I was stupid to take it since I had been around guns. I knew it was a large responsibility to carry a handgun, and I wanted to have as much knowkedge and comfort as possible. Very good course and glad I took it. They also have private lessons. They also have handgun rentals there, but take a buddy along cause you need two people.

As I said I live in Yardley. If you want to go to Classic Pistol or Langhorne Rod and Gun Club, shoot me a PM. Either me or one of my sons can meet you there.

Oh yeah, welcome to the forum.

[Paradigm]

*echo everyone above*


In addition, feel free to ask questions all day. We're an easy bunch and we were all in your shoes at one point in our lives. Keep your eyes open for "group shoots" in your area. It's a fantastic way to meet people, learn lots about firearms (including yours), and get to hold/shoot other types of weapons.

When it comes to selecting your first firearm, that's a tough one. There are thousands of options when you consider every rifle and handgun out there. As mentioned above, think about why you want it and how you will use it. That will narrow your list down to a few hundred options. From there, ask lots of questions, do lots of listening and thinking, and go to group shoots and gun shops and get the feel of different guns in your hands. Just like cars, each one does different things and feels differently.

Eventually, you'll narrow it down to a handful of choices. From there, it's all up to personal preference! (And your bank account...)


Welcome to PAFOA!

[tlgpa]

It sounds like you're looking more for a "fun" gun to practice and target shoot, rather than self defense. Nothing wrong with that, and a good way to get started. As others said, get a .22LR. You can't go wrong for this purpose.

Some definately importat info to read:
http://forum.pafoa.org/firearms-6/24...g-selling.html

http://forum.pafoa.org/concealed-ope...nsylvania.html

This is more geared towards open/concealed carrying of firearms, however there's plenty of valuable info to know.

PennsylvaniaGunRights.pdf

[jpc36]

Thank you for all of the responses thus far, I will clarify a few things.

I would not mind a used gun, as a matter of fact I would probably prefer one for my first purchase. I am just looking for a nice gun to begin with that I can shoot down a range for fun. Once I feel more comfortable and can invest more, that is when I will pick up something new. There is a store that constantly takes out newspaper advertisements in the Courier times, Surplus City, I am thinking of paying them a visit before too long. Also a bit of a drive, but a place I enjoy visiting is the Cabela’s in Hamburg. I would not rule out going there to make a purchase.

I am capping my price at $250-300 for my first purchase. I know this will not buy me anything exceptional or flashy; again, I am just looking to learn the basics and have a little fun for my first firearm.

I live in Centre County now, but in a few weeks I will be moving back to Yardley on a permanent basis. This firearm is NOT for any type of home defense or open carry. Should the time come to move into a more questionable area I will make a purchase solely for that role.

I would however be interested on what is required (licenses, etc) before one may open carry or possess any special types of firearms, as I could just as easily take care of any paperwork now rather than later. The clearances Steve NEPhila has mentioned will not be a problem

If I have forgotten anything that will help answer my questions, don’t hesitate to ask.

Thank you.

[tlgpa]

I would however be interested on what is required (licenses, etc) before one may open carry or possess any special types of firearms, as I could just as easily take care of any paperwork now rather than later.

All covered in the PennsylvaniaGunRights.pdf above.

Something else I haven't seen covered. Where do you plan to shoot? If you don't have somewhere in mind, start researching a range to shoot at. You're best to join a gun club/range. Most are under $50 a year and well worth it.


WARNING:After your first purchace and shooting experience, you will become addicted quickly. Start saving money and planning for your next 2, 3, 4 ...... purchases and accessories

[unloved]

Most are under $50 a year and well worth it.

Under $50.00 a year? Not around here they ain't. They're still well worth the price of admission though.