Posted: 12/15/2004 2:07:40 PM EDT
| My boyfriend just got an HK USP 45 today and it looks like within the next week or so we are going to be going to a gun range to shoot so he can try out his gun. I'm looking forward to shooting for my second time, hopefully it will be better this time. I've been told that I should have started out with a .22 instead of a .38 special. Would that be the best reccomendation to shoot with when we go if I can rent one? We also have a Kel-Tec P32 (I think that's right...still trying to get all these names down that he throws at me..Haha!!). Would that be a good gun to shoot or should I hold off on that one? |
Haha!! This may be a stupid question but as you may be able to tell by when I joined and how many posts I have made, I'm very new to all of this. Exactly what kind of guns are those? Are they revolvers or semi-autos? <---- really need to learn more about guns. LoL. |
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FL, welcome! I'm not familiar with the Neos, but all the rest are semi-auto .22s. I have the P22 and it is a nice gun for a beginner or to use for plinking (it is NOT a good target gun). I own the H&K USP Compact (shorter than the "standard" model) in .40S&W and .45ACP. I have shot and carried the .40S&W extensively, BUT it has a terrible trigger on it. This makes it very difficult to shoot accurately. There may be some solutions to the trigger problem. I have been told that a LEM trigger and some gunsmithing by a few different folks may make the gun into a lot better shooter. Cost for these mods seems to be between $100 and $200. I do not know if the USP Standard model has the same trigger issues as the Compact models. |
I don't know them all either, but I am getting better. I always used to hate it when we would go to a gun shop, hubby would ask to see such and such, and I would be like "HUH?" I'm getting there. |
Tell me about it...my boyfriend talks about certain types of guns and I find myself just nodding along cuz I usually don't know what the heck he's talking about. 
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Try them all, .22 to a .44 Mag., and find out what you feel comfortable shooting. I'm no expert, but try them all and find the one that feels the most comfortable to shoot in your hands! There're so many different calibers and features it can be confusing to someone that is new to shooting. IMHO get a SIG. But that's just me! Have FD62 (Edited due to wine consumption) |
Hiya frtloop! I read your other thread where you said you didn't enjoy your first time shooting--more importantly, you also told us WHY you didn't enjoy it. Since it's obvious that FireDiver hasn't read the original thread, please DO NOT FOLLOW HIS ADVICE AT THIS TIME. Stay with the fine .22s that Disco_Stu recommended. The one's Stu listed are all semi-autos, and all have minimal recoil and noise. Once you are accustomed to the noise and the feeling of holding a small controlled explosion in your hand, then FireDiver's advice will be the way to go. I would recommend staying away from revolvers for awhile. Get in at least a few range sessions with the .22s before you move up in caliber. You will get a snappier recoil with revolvers because you don't have the mass of the slide and springs to absorb it like you do with the semi-autos. Now, the Keltec .32...that's an auto, but I wouldn't recommend shooting that one either. It's not a large caliber, but it's a very small package. The slide doesn't have a lot of mass, and the springs are likewise small. The barrel is very short, and (like the .38 you fired last time) you will get more muzzle blast. This all means more felt recoil/noise to you. You'll probably like the KelTec better than you did the .38, but we want you to enjoy your time on the range, so please start with the smallest calibers and work your way up when YOU are ready to. I managed a gun shop for a few years, and you wouldn't believe how many men would buy the biggest gun they could afford...only to find out that they didn't like shooting it because of the recoil and noise. Starting off with big caliber weapons often causes problems with flinching or becoming 'gun shy'--and that's much more difficult to overcome than you'd think. (Might as well just avoid that problem in the first place by starting small and working up) Please remember the other advice you got on your previous post as well. DOUBLE HEARING PROTECTION! Earplugs and earmuffs are the only way to go. They will not only keep you from going deaf, but by cutting down the noise, you won't be quite as skittish. (IIRC, that was one of the things that scared you, right?) To sum up, no paid instructor I've ever met would give a beginner a large caliber handgun for the first time. Sorry this was so long, but I didn't get a chance to reply to your previous thread. Stick to the .22s, and when you think "this is getting boring" then it's time to move up! BTW, you are a trooper! Plenty of people would have been content to never go to a range again. You are sticking to you guns and giving it another shot, (puns intentional) and if you ever find yourself in KY and want to shoot with another woman, give me a shout! |
My boyfriend used to shoot at Gilberts Small Arms in Springfield but they won't allow me to shoot unless I fall under 3 catagories: 1) am 21, 2) am accompanied by a parent or gaurdian, 3) am married to someone 21 or older. Since I'm only 19, not married and my parents are highly against guns for any reason except for law enforcment having them, I can't shoot there. We are thinking about checking out Blue Ridge Arsenal in Chantilly since it isn't too far from us. I've check them out and they said that I can shoot as long as I am accompanied by someone 21 or older. I'm not exactly sure when we are going to go to a range again. Hopefully soon. I'm done with school for the semester and I'm not working for another month so it's all up to when my boyfriend has enough time from work. |
| Ditto SIG, preferably a 226. Very little recoil. I myself fancy the Beretta 8000 (pictured in mny avatar), but the sights are tricky, there's more recoil and it's not that common. A Beretta 92 is pretty standard at ranges ; 1911s are also a good reliable gun. Try different calibers. See what appeals to you. I don't like revolvers so I'm not familiar with what to recommend. |
Wow...I seriously thought I was the only female on these boards that didn't know what all the different guns were. I almost felt like I wouldn't be welcome on here if I didn't know everything there was to know, but I'm trying to learn. I have many guns my father passed down to me, but I can only tell you off the top of my head what a few of them are. I'm just a chick that loves to shoot! |
Look at the NRA Range as well. The hours are a little more limited, but the range/people are a big improvement. NRA requires a brief safety quiz, but they give you the answers and want you to learn it, it isn't a real test. I don't know what their policy on young'uns is, but I see plenty in there (I would guess you have to be WITH someone 21 or older). BRA is getting it together from my understanding (renovating range, new inventory), but they slid downhill for YEARS. I used to shoot there religiously. BRA requires that at least one person in the group be 21 if I recall. Also, look (during warm weather) at Clark Brothers, it is a drive, but shooting outside is worth it on some days. Their policy is no range fees, but you have to buy their ammo. I only take .22s there as the centerfire stuff is prohibitively expensive (think triple or better the Wal-Mart price). Just some ideas, I try to shoot at the NRA Range on Friday afternoon before the crowd comes in (unless I am on travel) if you want to put some rounds through a BuckMark. Shooter ETA: If you feel adventurous and want to follow GabRex's advice, I can put a Sig or a Kimber in your hand. |
i have looked into the NRA range and found that that is going to be the next place that i try. i read their rules and it says that you have to be with someone 21+ so that will work. also its not that bad of a drive, only like 30 mins or so. hopefully we can make it out there next week sometime...we'll have to see oh as for BRA, i have read that they are under new management and its getting better day by day. |
Make you a deal, I will let you guys shoot any of my guns you want if you let me put a few rounds through the USP .45. Sound fair? I can bring .22, 9mm, and .45 (1911) if interested. shooter |