New gun

Swill

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What do you folks do to a new weapons after buying it but before firing it? I have a friend who just bought a previously owned hand gun. His only experience with firearms has been paintball/airsoft.

I suggested he learn to strip it, clean it, and function check it before laoding a round into it. Also recommended he take a safety class prior to firing it.

Anything else he should be doing/learning?
 
Good advice so far.

NRA has basic pistol safey courses all the time virtually every where there is a gun club or rod and gun club type of facility.

Most people have a tendency, when it's their first handgun, to "Play with it" and load rounds into the chamber, rack the slide, repeat until they have released the magazine thinking it's safe it's dry fire. More AD's are common because of this and it's important that he is given some sort of safety precautions before he goes and spills a round through a piece of dry wall into another room.

I'd have him keep away from live ammo till he's got a basic safety course under his belt. You could also suggest having him purchase "dummy" rounds to dry fire and get used to the trigger. I still dry fire daily and you'd be surprised at how much more proficient one can become with dry firing exerices.

Safety course first.
 
X2, People who are new to guns tend to want to do what they see in the movies (which most of us know is just about all screwed up) So make sure he gets some professional instruction before he hurts himself or someone else.
 
Take him a field give him a box of ammo and some cans of beer, tell him to drink the beer and then shoot the cans until he runs out of ammo.
If he's ok after that he'll be fine, you wont have to worry again :D






Get him some snapcaps (dry fireing rounds).
Tell him to strip, clean and re-assemble until he is proficient with that.
Then put him on a course.
 
Take him a field give him a box of ammo and some cans of beer, tell him to drink the beer and then shoot the cans until he runs out of ammo.
If he's ok after that he'll be fine, you wont have to worry again :D






Get him some snapcaps (dry fireing rounds).
Tell him to strip, clean and re-assemble until he is proficient with that.
Then put him on a course.

X2

Particulaly the snapcaps - I can't tell you how many folks I've "caught" making "unecessary movement" using snapcaps.
 
One very very important tip for the novice gun owner.

When cleaning the weapon, always keep the ammo in a separate location, room, or container of some sort.

Part of cleaning is the function check afterward, and that involves dry firing the wep. Keep the bullets out until ready to use.

Also, he NEEDS to learn the gun laws of your state. Particularly if he intends to carry the weapon. A new gun owner can become an instant felon in a heart beat. Ignorance of the law if no excuse for violating the law.

If he has friends that are competent shots, have him ask them to 'go shooting' with him. That is a quick easy FREE way to get gun and usage advice.

Good luck


What kind of gun did he get? Why is he not on this forum? And why don't we have any pics of the gun porn??? :D:D:D
 
I am a rifle guy, the two important things I emphasized when I was a firearms Instructor in the Army were...

1, Keep your fucking finger OUTSIDE the trigger guard until you were about to fire

2, Think about the fall of shot i.e. where is the bullet going to land, particularly if you miss.

Those are the two most important safety issues in my mind.
Remember int he movie Blackhawk Down? when the Ranger Cpt tells the Delta bloke "your safety ain't on" and the Delta bloke replies "this is my safety" while wiggling his finger?
That is absolutely correct, that is the only real safety.

Tell him to practice practice practice, to be anal about safety, over emphasis safety movements, he'll do OK if he follows these guidelines :2c:
 
Have him check out these sites to get familiar with the laws. It's also good to know the laws in other states in case your friend wants to travel and carry.

http://www.handgunlaw.us/
http://www.usacarry.com/

In addition, a lot of states have sites/boards specifically for them which go into more detail with regards to local municipalities laws. Plus they give info on available classes, ranges etc.

LL
 
Will,

Thanks...

Folks need to see that shit happens, and you dont just walk away fine, like in the movies...

Considering that he ended up with four holes from the one bullet, it's amazing he didn't hit anything vital. I will say, the only AD I was ever involved in (though took no part in!) was between two of the most experienced shooters I know. Nothing like the above happended, but it was not pretty....:eek:

Perhaps a new thread called "tell us your AD stories!" should be started ;)
 
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