Beginner advice needed

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  • CHAVA1973

    Member
    Jul 12, 2020
    4
    Home defense and practice at the range as much as posible
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    Like the Blaster said, the grip is the most important thing. My vote is for a 9mm.
     

    Neutron

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2014
    1,532
    severna park
    .380 can have more felt recoil than 9mm depending on the firearm. For instance .380 out of a PPK vs. 9mm out of a 1911 or Ruger P95.
     

    Mark75H

    MD Wear&Carry Instructor
    Industry Partner
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 25, 2011
    17,173
    Outside the Gates
    .380 can have more felt recoil than 9mm depending on the firearm. For instance .380 out of a PPK vs. 9mm out of a 1911 or Ruger P95.

    .380 usually has more recoil because the guns are straight blow back with very few exceptions. Blow back guns with barrels longer than 2" are often brutal.
     

    Mitral

    Active Member
    Sep 6, 2015
    175
    Calvert
    I started with 9mm. Glock 17. Was a great way to learn rounds relatively cheap. Reliable available
    Building muscle memory is helpful. Same actions over and over usually yield the same result.
    It’s not sexy tacticool cannon with the biggest blast
    It did teach me to hit what I wanted to where I wanted to Full size gun easy shooter.
    Plenty easy to get comfortable with.
     

    AssMan

    Meh...
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 27, 2011
    16,217
    Somewhere on the James River, VA
    I agree with Blaster on this one - with the caveat that everyone is different. For me, and if I’d had it to do over, I’d learn on a full size 9mm.

    I started on a 12g and didn’t really even know another firearm owner at the time, so picked it up mostly from reading this forum back in 2011 or so.

    Didn’t get a .22 until later. Think I had an appleseed to go to or something.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I started with a flintlock used by Uncle David at the Alamo. :rolleyes:

    All kidding aside, I believe in starting non shooters with a .22. I too have seen recoil scare people away from guns.

    If a long time hunter or military vet wanted to learn pistol shooting, I would start them off with a Glock 17 or 19 depending on their hand size.
     

    Ammo Jon

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 3, 2008
    20,787
    I started with a flintlock used by Uncle David at the Alamo. :rolleyes:

    All kidding aside, I believe in starting non shooters with a .22. I too have seen recoil scare people away from guns.

    If a long time hunter or military vet wanted to learn pistol shooting, I would start them off with a Glock 17 or 19 depending on their hand size.

    This gun almost scared me off after 20 years of shooting! :lol2:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfonwb-ZlIo
     

    Ammo Jon

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 3, 2008
    20,787
    An fellow club member bought one and then let everyone at the range that day shoot it if they wanted to. The smart ones said no, and I never claimed to be smart so I shot 2 rounds out of it. That was it for me. :lol:

    2 rounds was it for me as well. I know someone that CC's one. Nope nope nope.
     

    Traveler

    Lighten up Francis
    Jan 18, 2013
    8,227
    AA County
    Ruger GP100 in 4" or 6" barrel is a far better choice for the undeniably effective .357 magnum. That and you can fire 38 or 38 +P if you are feeling froggy
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    .380 usually has more recoil because the guns are straight blow back with very few exceptions. Blow back guns with barrels longer than 2" are often brutal.

    They are also smaller and lighter.

    When I instructed, we would start the students with a .22 for the first rounds. Then move them to 9mm and .45 for most of the shooting.

    THEN, give them a change to shoot .380 and such, to show them why they did NOT want them.

    Virtually everyone was fine with 9 and .45 (Browning High Power and 1911 normally).

    Once they know they can handle recoil, I think it is fine for them to practice with .22 mainly. With some full power 9 or .45 or whatever at each session.

    I would not start someone off with .22 and have them fire 500 rounds before trying larger caliber handguns
     

    gamer_jim

    Podcaster
    Feb 12, 2008
    13,233
    Hanover, PA
    I was new to shooting when I started about 12 years ago. My recommendation is to take as many training classes as you can afford and then get out to the range to practice. Bring along a more experienced friend until your confidence at the range is up where you can go by yourself. If you don't have anyone you know who can go with you I'm sure someone on this forum would be happy to if you asked. Find someone who doesn't mind even the "dumb" questions. When shooting there is no dumb questions when safety is on the line.

    If your not regularly putting in practice then you'll forget what you learned. Shooting is a learned skill, just like anything else. You can also teach yourself bad muscle memory habits which are difficult to unlearn.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,410
    Glen Burnie
    I started with a flintlock used by Uncle David at the Alamo. :rolleyes:

    All kidding aside, I believe in starting non shooters with a .22. I too have seen recoil scare people away from guns.

    If a long time hunter or military vet wanted to learn pistol shooting, I would start them off with a Glock 17 or 19 depending on their hand size.

    I thought you started out with a slingshot? Just after you discovered fire and the wheel?

    The problem is, the .22 has no recoil, and then they still need to tackle recoil.

    Get them over the recoil right from the very beginning. A .22 is not going to do that.
    What's intimidating is everyone trying to tell them a ZILLION things to do all the while worrying about the recoil.

    Shooting, learning about recoil, without worrying about aiming is the key.
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    You are right, you do need to address recoil but I liked to teach beginners safety and basics first then I would transition to either a 38 special or 9mm depending on the students preference. It is easier to control new shooters with a .22 than something that can jump out of their hands. ( and yes, I have seen this happen :D).
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    I thought you started out with a slingshot? Just after you discovered fire and the wheel?

    The problem is, the .22 has no recoil, and then they still need to tackle recoil.

    Get them over the recoil right from the very beginning. A .22 is not going to do that.
    What's intimidating is everyone trying to tell them a ZILLION things to do all the while worrying about the recoil.

    Shooting, learning about recoil, without worrying about aiming is the key.
    Agreed(big surprise eh?).

    Going from a 9mm to a .22 is a "holy cow" moment.

    Going from a .22 to a 9mm is more of a "holy shit!" moment.


    My wife took an NRA intro to handgun/certification for ladies course at our IWLA. The second day was range where they shot .22s. Other firearms were offered for trying at the end, but few had the nerve to try. That became my job later. After shooting my 1911 in .45 acp for a short time, she was flinching so bad, dirt was flying up directly under the target stand. :shocking:
    Now that I have a 9mm, we'll revisit this.
     

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