As a long-time shooter or gun collector, purchasing a firearm would not be a strenuous activity but for a novice who just wants to own a gun, selecting and purchasing such merchandise will be challenging. Why? You would not want to look stupid at a gun store, getting ripped off, or buy the wrong gun or ammunition.
Nonetheless, these challenges have not stopped first-time owners from purchasing a firearm, judging by how the number of concealed-carry permit holders in the United States has increased to nearly twenty million, as of October 2020.
Are you thinking of purchasing your first or maybe the second gun soon? You will need this guide to help you navigate the experience and be able to make a perfect choice.
What Is The Purpose Of The Gun?
As a first-time gun buyer, the first question that you need to answer when you decide to own a gun is – what purpose will the firearm be serving? Being a gun owner means you will have to decide the type of owner you want to be known for whether as a hobbyist or gun collector, a concealed-carry owner, a hunting rifle or shotgun owner, an AR-15 owner, or a pump-action owner, among others.
For a home defense owner, you cannot buy a machine gun, neither can you get an assault rifle for hunting, hence, you need to be definite about the purpose your prospective firearm will serve, to narrow down your application for a gun permit.
Regardless of your purpose for the gun, you’ll need ammo. Each gun takes a specific size of bullet, and you may be familiar with .22 or 12ga, but what about 5.7x28mm specs? Make sure to know what kind of bullets your firearm will take, and whether or not they are easily available.
Do Your Research On Guns
This is very important as a first-time gun owner, after deciding on the purpose of the gun you want to own, seek opinions from long-time gun collectors and owners, but keep in mind that their opinions are not rules.
Gather information from reliable sources on the internet, buy books on owning a gun, and make sure you read trusted materials that touch on the uses of guns. You must stick with research information on the categories of guns that you intend to own, in order not to cloud your judgment. This is vital because if you don’t obey the law in regard to weapons in your area, you may lose your gun rights and have to start the process of restoring your gun rights in Minnesota (or wherever you’re based).
Choose A Gun Store
This is a sensitive step, you need to patronize stores where the owners are knowledgeable about guns and have time to walk you through the guns they have on display that suits your purpose.
You can check out couponninja.com/codes/palmettostatearmory.com to find varieties of firearm stores that have owners within your area of residence who can help you navigate the process of buying a gun while enjoying attractive discount rates.
Also, large chain stores give you arrays of the gun to choose from but you may not get personalized service or learn about the firearms on display, but in a neighborhood store, you will get enough attention to get enough detail. You will have expert service and get to tap from the knowledge of the store owner which is exactly what you need as a first-time gun owner.
Invest Time At A Range
As they say, practice makes perfect. As a first-time gun owner, it is in your best interest to put in a lot of time on the range to try out different firearms, that is the only way to know which guns you can handle and also give you hands-on experience.
Even the NRA Family emphasized its importance, going as far as recommending that you sign up as a member at the range.
You could have fallen in love with a Smith & Wesson’s firearm but after trying it out at the range, you noticed it would not be easy for you to shoot faster. Not only that, you get to know about ammunition that works best for guns that would be used for self-defense. While at it you know which guns you can handle comfortably.
In a situation where you cannot visit a range or you decide to own a hunting gun, make friends with hunters and go on hunting trips with them where you get to try out their weapons and get a crash course on the weapon, but still keep in mind that opinions are not rules.
Work With Your Budget
There are varieties of gun stores that make it possible to not need to buy a gun in your state of residence if it does not fit your budget. There is nothing wrong with buying a used gun as a first-time gun owner, however, when you buy a new gun you get to register it yourself and have an airtight manufacturer’s warranty.
However, remember there is nothing like a perfect gun, but you can make the perfect choice when purchasing the best firearm that you believe suits your desired purpose. Hopefully, this article has guided you, so when are you going to get your firearm?