New member

**TotalNewbie** · August 24th, 2006, 11:02 PM

Hello everyone! This looks like a great site.

My name says it all--I know zip about firearms. Honestly, I don’t know the first thing about them. Last time I held a gun was about 15 years ago. I always wanted to learn about firearms, but I’ve put it off until I have more time. As of this month I have a bit more time (yes, it was planned, 4 yrs in the works).

I’ve been a frequent poster, an active member, or a moderator on various forums (nothing with firearms) over many years, and it pisses me off when some newbie asked “can you tell me everything about___?”, and who would expect others to write for hours about basic stuff that 2 minutes on Google would easily answer. I tried doing this for firearms, and notice that there is a lot of conflicting information, a lot of charlatans who think that they know something about guns but are misleading readers, and a lot of people with axes to grind.

Can you recommend a couple of websites about firearms that would give a total ignoramus introductory overview to firearms? Something reliable to start off with? A view from 30,000 ft, if you will? A site where you would feel good about sending a neighbor, a grocery bagger, or your mother-in-law, who would ask you: “So tell me something about guns....” ?

TIA.

--TotalNewbie

**starblazer** · August 24th, 2006, 11:17 PM

Originally Posted by TotalNewbie

Can you recommend a couple of websites about firearms that would give a total ignoramus introductory overview to firearms? Something reliable to start off with?

Well, you're off to a good start by coming here. The folks that regularly post are very helpful and informative. I hope you find some of what you're looking for. If you want to begin with some basics, I'm sure we can help with that. It would also be helpful for us to know what it is you have in mind? Are you looking for target/plinking? Concealed carry? Home defense? Hunting? If you have one or more of these in mind, it will help us to help you. Best of luck.

**luckyned7** · August 24th, 2006, 11:44 PM

Welcome aboad Newbee!

We all are newbees to something! My wife says, "sex". :P (sqib..) I'm a newbee to R/C aircraft and I'm pulling my hair out in frustration! One over-looked .2 cent screw and 300 hours of my balsa wood and glue goes..poof.

Don't be afraid to "pull them pistols" and ask away. Most of us..err..speak fur myself..Come to theses boards to ask a few questions but probably hope to answer a few. Don't we all like to think we have the answers? Ask away..I promise to tell ya when I'm full of it..I'm just warming up..2 down-4 to go.

"It's enuff that you know..that I know..I'll do what I hafta..hmmm.."
~Luckyned

**phillyd2** · August 25th, 2006, 12:04 AM

Welcome aboard!

About firearms in general there is not much to know. Load bullet, aim and pull trigger. BANG! There you go, now you are a expert like the rest of us.

What type of firearm? Now that's a issue you can spend a life time learning and still be amazed how little you know.

It would helpful if we knew what brought you here and what prompted your interest. Self Defense? Hunting? Zombies? From here we can maybe be of more help to guide you in the right direction.

If I were you I would try to decide between a pistol or rifle. Once you decide, visit a local gun shop and pick up one that strikes your fancy. There are plenty of used and surplus firearms out there so for a few hundred bucks you can get a decent shooter. Then learn to take it apart, put back together, take it apart, put it back together.....until you fell comfortable with its operation. Then, go shoot it, again and again until you feel comfortable. Now your hooked. By next year you will be buying your 10th. firearm and asking Dan how to change your screen name to SNIPER!

**27hand** · August 26th, 2006, 09:57 PM

TNB,

Before you go out and spend a bunch of cash on gun/guns, shoot some different models of the type of firearm you are interested in.

I always suggest that new shooters get some professional instruction to learn how to properly manipulate any type of firearm they may be interested in and do so early enough to not develop bad habits that will be more difficult to break later.

See if you can find a one to three day class in your area (or here in Pittsburgh

) which will review the following;
1) safety (spend enough time with this to be completely familiar with the 4 universal safety rules).
A) all guns are ALWAYS loaded
B) never point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy
C) keep your finger OFF the trigger until your sights are on target
D) be sure of your target
If these simple rules were followed by everyone who ever held a gun, there would never be a NEGLIGENT discharge.

Wearing the proper clothing, a good belt and holster, hearing and eye protection.

2) range etiquette- this involves knowing range commands and common courtesies to fellow shooters who share the line with you
3) stance -
4) grip
5) sight picture and alignment
6) trigger press with a surprise break
7) follow through (essentially you need to see another sight picture after the shot breaks) 1 shot ,two sight pictures 2 shots three sight pictures etc,et.

Other issues that will eventually be addressed will be:

How to load and unload the weapon.
Press checking the weapon to see if it is ready
Presentation from the holster
Malfunction clearances
Shooting with a light
Shooting while moving

On and on and on, Proper training involves a lot. It isn't a 15 minute session with your buddy, slap in a mag and empty it as fast as you can wondering how the bullets didn't find the target.

Many gunshop sales personnel will guide you into a firearm that may not be right for you. When i bought my first carry pistol, I was told to KISS (Keep it simple stupid) so I started with a Glock model 32 for concealed carry. No magazine safeties,extended slide stops, extended mag releases, decockers or other DoDads.

Let us know what your interests are and many here will chime in to help you out.

Later,

27hand

**LorDiego01** · August 26th, 2006, 10:59 PM

"Everything I ever needed to know about firearms I learned from videogames!"

lol

welcome to the forum TotalNewbie!

**TotalNewbie** · August 27th, 2006, 11:22 PM

Thanks ‘Blazer, ‘Ned, phillyd2, 27hand, ‘Diego. I really appreciate your comments. My questions are pretty basic, and I will be posting them in the appropriate forums as they come up.

27hand: “See if you can find a one to three day class in your area…
… Proper training involves a lot. It isn't a 15 minute session with your buddy, slap in a mag and empty it as fast as you can wondering how the bullets didn't find the target.”

Yes, I am a very much by-the-book guy, and take safety, firearm or otherwise, pretty seriously: I’ve got kids of mine own now, so I am not immortal and infallible like when I was 20.

**Frenchy** · August 28th, 2006, 12:23 AM

You might look at the NRA webpage for info, also if you are interested in specific shooting IDPA, USPSA, CMP... you might look into those pages. Most of us like one sort of shoting more then an other, many of us have more then one shooting skill (sport) for example, I like skeet, then pistol and just plain plinking... helps to know what you expect to do with your shooting. If your just reading for knowledge and dont plan on shooting, its one thing, if you plan on buying, then you want to most bang for your buck... No pun intended. {well maybe a little pun.. or 2}