That’s a great idea for new shooters so you can get a feel before you buy.Īnd if you’ve never shot before, don’t worry! Stores love new shooters because you’re a new customer that will keep buying new toys. Some gun stores and shooting ranges allow you to rent various guns. If you’re totally new to firearms, experts suggest you buy in-person because you can feel how different models fit in your hand and ask questions. Spend a few days learning the basics, and try to dust off the cobwebs once a year - shooting accurately and safely is a diminishable skill, meaning it needs a little practice once in a while. A chaotic, emotional emergency is not the time to be fumbling with a gun.
#Different types of guns and bullets how to#
Read the manual to learn how to make your specific firearm safe, how to load and unload it, whether the manufacturer suggests any steps for breaking it in, and how to perform a basic “field cleaning” (the maintenance you’ll do after a day of shooting).It’s okay to buy cheaper rounds while you’re learning the ropes. You’ll use at least a few hundred rounds to practice with and get to know your weapon. If you live in a household with at-risk people (kids, suicidal, handicapped), get a lockbox or gun safe to keep the gun and ammo out of the wrong hands.It may also come with a good-enough storage/carrying case you can use until buying a proper one. When you buy, the firearm should come with a wire safety lock that loops through the chamber and magazine, making it physically incapable of firing.Better yet, go with a trusted buddy who can loan you and teach you with their gear.Go to a local gun store or shooting range where you can work with a salesperson or instructor to try firing some weapons before choosing which to buy.
Read this guide and the best first guns guide so you have general ideas of what you want to end up with.If you just want to go from “never had a gun” to “the bare minimum to protect myself and be responsible”, this is a typical set of needed gear and steps to take: There are often serious legal punishments if you are careless with a gun, like leaving a loaded gun where a small child can access it. There are 1.7 million children in the US that live in homes with loaded but unlocked firearms. It is your responsibility that firearms are safe, secure, and locked away from people or children who shouldn’t get to them. That’s why you’ll hear old timers angrily call out things like “muzzle discipline!” at the shooting range when someone new waves their barrel in the wrong direction. Finger off trigger, muzzle down, no one down range, and an obvious backstop bermĪnd it’s not the sort of thing where people get more relaxed with those rules as they become more experienced - in fact, the most advanced gun owners are typically the most stubborn about these rules because they know how important this framework is. By strictly following those rules, you don’t allow the circumstances where something bad can happen to begin with. 99.9% of gun accidents are caused by human error. Modern, quality firearms do not just fire on their own, even if dropped or bumped. Only put your finger on the trigger / inside the trigger guard when you are ready to fire.Always be sure of your target and what’s behind it.Only point the firearm at things you are willing to destroy.Treat every firearm as if it’s loaded until you personally know it isn’t.Before we talk about anything else, you must commit to these simple but very important rules: