Try a Gun Before You Buy

I realize the concept I’m about to talk about might be lost on some people in today’s “I’ll just buy it on Amazon sight-unseen” age, but try and imagine this for me:

You’re going to run a half marathon. You’ve got to get some shoes for it.

You’ll be putting some serious miles on those things, you need them to work, and work well.

Do you waltz by a storefront, point at some tuxedo style dress shoes and say “yeah, those look REALLY good, and they match my shorts. SOLD.”? 

I hope for the sake of your feet the answer is no.

Well why not?

Technically they are shoes, right? They’re the size of your foot, they have a sole and laces and are constructed of some material. They check all the boxes. You need shoes, and they are shoes.

After a mile or two you can imagine how terrible that would be.

Why?

You didn’t take into account your goals when you were making a purchase! Much more you didn’t try before you buy! (Bought? Try before you “bought”? That doesn’t rhyme so we’re sticking with “buy”). 

You could’ve put those dress shoes on, taken one slippery step across the store, and known in an instant they would be treacherous for 13 miles on asphalt!

The same thing goes many times over goes for guns, and that’s what we’re talking about today.

You’ve got to try before you buy people!

I know this is easier said than done for some, and perhaps you won’t be able to actually fire the gun you’re looking for, but for almost anyone it’s possible to at least get your hands on it (or one darn close to the one you’re looking for.)

1. The ways you can get your hands on these guns before you make the decision to purchase one for hundreds of dollars.

2. What a new shooter should be looking for in a first gun (generally.)

3. The truth behind some common myths you will hear when buying your first gun.

4. The particulars of what you should be doing when testing it to see if a specific gun is the one for you.

1. Gun Shops

Even even if a shop doesn’t have a shooting range or a rental program, they will have the guns there. Odds are that unless you’re looking to buy a highly customized specialty brand firearm (see below for why that’s a no-go for your first handgun) you should be able to find a store that has one in stock, and they will let you handle it (within reason) if you go in and ask. *Be sure to read our post on “Gun Shop Dos and Donts” to make sure you’re not committing any faux pas when handling the guns.

2. Range Rental Programs

Many shops/ranges have what’s called a “range rental”, or “gun rental” program if they’re attached to a shooting range. They’re all called something different, but if your shop has one and you call them asking if they have a “range rental” program, they’ll know what you mean. The concept is simple and usually goes one of 3 ways:

1. Pay a fee to rent the firearm that you would like to use. This is usually in the neighborhood of $10-20 in addition to whatever fee you would already be paying to use the range. Many ranges that are attached to a store will then take the price of the rental off of the price of the gun if you decide to make a purchase that day.
2. Borrow their “range guns” for free if you buy ammunition or range time at their facility. Clark Brothers Gun Shop here in Warrenton, VA is an example of that type of establishment. As there is no added cost to loan out the guns, they have nothing to refund if you purchase a gun, but it is a good, cost effective way to try your hand at a number of different firearms.
3. Used guns. This does not apply across the board, but I would say about 50% of shops will allow you the chance to fire a few rounds downrange with a used gun if you’re actually thinking about buying it. 

3. Range Friends

This is the last on my list because you have no idea what condition your friend has kept their firearm in and it could very well be a bad representation of the quality of the product. However, there is something to be said for seeing how the gun you’re looking at will hold up over time, plus you get to shoot as much as you want as long as you buy your buddy ammunition (usually.)

So, we’ve got some ways to get our hands on some handguns, now what are we looking for?

You’ve been doing a good job reading CFI’s blog posts so far haven’t you?

Sure you have.

You’ve already identified your shooting goals and you know that those will help guide your decisions in particular areas when it comes to caliber and size, etc. based on what you will be using the handgun for.

What we’re talking here is general principles for buying your first gun. Use them as a guide and you will figure out your particular likes and dislikes on your own.

If you haven’t taken a look at your shooting goals yet, head back and read one of our first posts onshooting goals, and come back here when you’re done. See you in a few.

You should be looking for a gun that …

1. Matches your goal. Will you be concealing the firearm? Make it something small and somewhat lighter. Nightstand gun to keep in the home? You can afford something larger and more comfortable, preferably with some kind of night sights attached. Shooting for target-practice fun? The shop is your oyster, pick up whatever blows your hair back (and follows the following principles.)

2. Works for you. Use the information in this post and the tests below to make sure your new gun works for YOU. Not your friend, not the cop you happen to know, not some person on the internet, YOU. Does it feel right in your hand? (Ergonomics) Can you function it properly? (manipulate the slide, pop out the chamber, drop the magazine) Will the recoil be too much for you? Can your eyes pick up the sights well? Does the trigger feel ok?

3. Is a “Name Brand”. Don’t make your first firearm purchase an obscure brand that no one knows. There are a few advantages to buying a simple, recognizable, name brand. Parts will be easier to find, gunsmiths will know very well how to work on your new gun, and you won’t have to look very hard to find reliable assistance in learning the ins and outs of your firearm. Stick with reputable, name brand manufacturers (Sig Sauer, Glock, Springfield, Smith and Wesson, Kahr, Remington, Ruger, etc. the list goes on. See our post on Essential Knowledge for the New Shooter for a list of reputable handgun companies.

4. Is “Factory” (read “basic” or “non-upgraded”) I’m extremely grateful my father didn’t own any fancy guns and gizmos when I was growing up. If you try to learn how to shoot on a gun designed to do half of the work for you, you will inevitably develop bad habits. Your gun may do a fair job of covering up those bad habits, but they will be there. You want something that makes you learn and master the fundamentals the right way from the start. Don’t get something with a super lightweight trigger, special optics on the top, a laser, and a flared magazine well, you’re not learning how to shoot, you’re learning how to hold something up for a couple seconds and move your finger slightly.

When I started driving my dad taught me on his stick shift. He said I’d only be learning on that, and when I asked why he told me “you learn how to drive a stick, you can drive any car on the road, why would you only want to learn half of a skill?” (manual transmission cars were a bit more common back when I was learning how to drive.) The point was well taken, I could learn a slightly more difficult skill in the beginning, and then there wouldn’t be a car that I could not drive with minimal introduction. It’s the same with firearms. You don’t want garbage (see reliability below) but you don’t want something that lets you get away with bad form ESPECIALLY IN THE BEGINNING.

5. Is Reliable. This one goes hand in hand with name brand and basic. Do your homework and find a gun that you can run a lot of rounds through and have it still work for you. This is your first handgun, you’re going to (hopefully) be shooting it a lot! You don’t want it to fail you, and you don’t want your first experience with your handgun being just how much you can pay a gunsmith to fix it over and over again.

**NOTE: For reliability checks, don’t go to the company’s website for a review. I almost shudder to say it, but this is a good time to go on over to Google or YouTube.

STOP! DON’T GO TOO FAR DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE! Search for the gun you’re specifically interested in and find reviews on reliability. You can also try “Google-ing” the name of the gun with something like “Smith and Wesson m&p shield 9mm reliability” and read what comes up.

Check below for 2 (out of many) examples of the the principles I talked about above. These have nothing to do with any personal affiliation with the companies or my own personal preference at all. They are simply firearms from well known brands who embody what I’m talking about here.

Glock 19 – midsized handgun, very reliable, well known brand, easy disassembly, nothing too fancy about the trigger, not picky about what ammunition you shoot out of it, good gun.

Springfield XD – Comes in a range of sizes, decent sized grips, nothing fancy about the trigger, good sights, easy disassembly, decent weight (not too heavy but not too light) well known company.

Again, this isn’t me saying you all need to rush out and get those guns, they are just TWO good, common examples of the principles I’m talking about above.

So, we’ve figured out what we’re generally looking for in a gun, let’s take a second to dispel some gun myths before we get to our list of how to test.

Myth #1 “.45 is the only good round for self defense.”

I will not get into the “which caliber ammunition is best” argument. I’m here to provide information. And simply, it’s as follows.

For self-defense purposes, if you purchase a: .380, 9mm, .40, .45, .38, .357, 10mm, .357 Sig, or anything within this range, you have purchased a firearm that, loaded with the right ammunition, and providing you have the training to wield it properly, will be a perfectly functional self defense gun. PERIOD.

Proper training in marksmanship and how to use the firearm quickly and effectively coupled with situational awareness have far more to do with the effectiveness of your firearm for self defense than getting the biggest round possible.

You will find people who will tell you vehemently that you cannot settle for anything less than a .45 because anything smaller than that is no good for self defense.

They are wrong.

You will find people who will SWEAR that you’re CRAZY if you shoot anything larger than a 9mm nowadays.

They are also wrong.

To wrap this debate up in a nice little bow, when you’re done with this post, head over and watch this video. I think you’ll find the results impressive and it does a great job getting rid of a lot of the myths surrounding firearms and their viability for self defense.

Myth # 2 “Smaller guns kick less.” – Wrong. “Larger guns kick less” – Almost True. If you have two guns of the same caliber, the larger-framed (and heavier) of the two will kick noticeably less than the smaller. The added weight and surface area of the gun helps dissipate the energy and the “felt recoil” by the shooter will appear much less than with a smaller gun. Period

Myth #3 “Revolvers are no good” OR “Revolvers are the only thing you should carry”

There is nothing inherently wrong with revolvers. They carry less ammunition than most semi-automatic pistols but are more reliable, it’s that simple.

Revolvers CAN HAVE FUNCTIONALITY ISSUES. Not as many as a semi-automatic all things considered, but no machine is perfect.

That being said, there are valid reasons why some would prefer to take a look at a revolver for personal protection:

1. If it’s “hammerless” you can shoot it from a pocket or a purse without removing it. (No moving slide to get snagged, no hammer to get caught, etc.)
2. They are somewhat more reliable than Semi-automatic pistols. They have less complicated moving parts that all need to work. That is not to say that semi-automatic pistols are just an expensive “failure waiting to happen.” If you follow the rules I listed above (name brand, reliable, factory) you will have a semi-automatic that should serve you well if you take care of it.
3. They’re less complicated to learn and easier to function (you don’t have to manipulate a slide, reload magazines, turn on/off safeties, etc.)

You might hear some other people say something like this:

“Well if you need more than 6 rounds, you’re not in a handgun fight anyway”

They are trying to tell you not to bother with higher capacity firearms. I’m going to avoid the temptation to hop on to the soapbox and just say this: The simple fact of the matter is, the likelihood that you will need to use your firearm is low, God willing. The odds that you will need more than 10 rounds, or have to execute a reload if you do ever have to use it is much lower still. It is a personal choice for everyone to make for themselves how important capacity (how many rounds of ammunition the gun can hold) is to them.

For me personally, I’m not going to carry 7, 20-round magazines on my person at all times even when I’m going to the grocery store, that’s a bit much. But no matter what, I would much rather have ammunition that I do not need than need ammunition that I do not have, plain and simple.

There you go, a few myths hopefully dispelled, let’s figure out how to go about running some effective tests on your possible new firearm.

First off, don’t just try the gun that you think you’re going to like, try a lot of guns before you buy. Take a look at something bigger and smaller than the one you think you want. The more time you have behind the trigger the better. So what do we look for when we get up to the counter to try and see if this is the gun for us?

One caveat here. If you’re new to shooting, you will not be able to perform all of these tests flawlessly, don’t look for that. If you wait around to find the perfect gun that you can operate no problem head to toe you’ll be waiting a while! We’re looking for something that you think “yeah that wouldn’t be too tough to learn” or “yeah that feels pretty darn good, a bit of practice and I could really run this thing”

1. Weight – Feeling a bit heavy is ok, but not so much that you can’t hold it up at eye level for a few seconds without shaking like a leaf. Get in a good stance and present the firearm (IN A SAFE DIRECTION) just like you would when you shoot and hold it until the count of 10. If you’re still holding it moderately still, it’s not too heavy. Be wary of guns that are TOO LIGHT. That lack of weight, while appealing at first, will translate to a lot more recoil being felt by you, the shooter out on the range.

2. Natural point of aim – Find a safe direction in the shop, pick a “target”, close your eyes and bring the gun up in front of your face. Open your eyes. Were you behind your sights? Were you close? Were they lined up properly? If so, that’s a great indication that the size, ergonomics, and sights are a good fit for you. This is not a “be-all-end-all” test for whether you should buy that particular gun or not. You’re new and you will need to adjust to shooting a handgun properly, but there’s something to be said for a gun that sits in your hand well from the get-go. It’s a huge plus.

3. Trigger (if possible) – Dry fire that gun! (If allowed by the shop, ASK FIRST!) You learn a lot about how you’re going to do with a gun by dry firing it. Do your sights move all over the place? Does it take a herculean effort to pull the trigger? Is there a lot of slack to take up before the trigger clicks? Can you keep a good & proper grip on the gun while you reach up to pull the trigger? You can “wear-in” a new trigger a bit and it will get slightly better, but for the most part, this is what you’ll be working with. This is a personal choice here, some folks like a tougher pull, a longer one, a shorter one, etc. You won’t know until you’ve tested.

4. Magazine release – Can you reach it? Can you press it fully? Get your hands around the gun and do the things that you will need to do out on the range. Do you have to sacrifice your good grip with your shooting hand to reach the magazine release button? Is it really difficult to push? Imagine having to do that under stress.

5. Slide manipulation – Another example of testing the guns functions that you will need to perform day-in and day-out. Lock the slide open, close it, cycle it. Can you easily perform all these tasks while keeping the gun pointed in a safe direction without having to torque your body all over the place?

**Side note here for females (BUT NOT ALL OF THEM)** Slide manipulation may be a difficult task when starting out. This often doesn’t have as much to do with developing more strength as it does becoming familiar with the techniques. This can make slide manipulation difficult when starting out for some. Don’t be discouraged and don’t lose hope in a new gun because you’re having a little trouble locking it open or working the slide on it. It’s very easy to learn these techniques given a few tips and practice. My female students make short work of learning that particular skill all the time.

6. Concealment (if that is your goal) – If you already have a holster you will be using or you’re going to buy one at the store as well, give it a try. Will you be able to wear that all day even when you’re : Getting in and out of the car, going to the store, using the restroom, walking to dog, changing outfits, etc?

8. Recoil (shooting it)– There’s nothing like actually getting to put rounds downrange on a gun you’re thinking about purchasing. You would do yourself an enormous favor by finding the gun you’re looking to buy and test shooting it a time or two. This will not always be an option but if it is i suggest you take it! I can’t tell you how many students I work with who just bought a gun and they shoot a few rounds and say “oh my god I hate this what do I do now?”

Well…. You learn to control the gun you have better for the time being, realize you will be taking a loss when you sell it back (just like selling back a car that you’ve already driven off of the lot) and try to do a bit more homework next time you’re looking to purchase a gun.

Conclusion

You can save yourself tons of time and money by trying before you buy(ing?)

Use the information above to help you find the perfect gun for you!

If you’re in the process of looking for your first gun, let me know how it goes! Got any questions? We want to help! Leave and questions or comments in the comments below and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Stay Smart, Stay Safe, Never Stop Improving