I have 3 favorites that always seem to come up at some point in the conversation. The first is to forget everything they've seen in movies and on TV. If they spin a revolver cylinder at 4500 RPM and flip it closed with their wrist they'll likely be confronted by a rather irate dealer.

Secondly, I tell them to stay mainstream. I avoid caliber wars and just point out that while 9mm, .45, et al can be found in every gun store .38 Super will be a rarity in comparison. Ditto for manufacturers. Everybody and their brother makes accessories for Glocks and Sigs but Korth will be a specialty item.

Lastly, I tell them to rent or offer to buy lunch (or ammo) for a shooter in exchange for a range trip. Whatever it takes to actually shoot a few guns before dropping several hundred dollars on something that merely looks great on paper and the internet. I really emphasize this last one with Dad as an example when he called me about a S&W.

Dad: What do think about model x?

Me: Rent it.

Dad: I like the specs and it has fantastic reviews.

Me: Rent it.

Dad: I handled one in a gun store and it felt good.

Me: Rent one first.

Two weeks later he called again for the same conversation and, I kid you not, two weeks after that. Except the third time he was on his way to buy one. A week later we're at the range with his new purchase and his first words after shooting it were "I think it's too big to carry." I don't remember if I actually did a face palm but I know I did one mentally.

I often tell that story to others so they don't waste their time and money and I know it's been successful on a few occasions.

What about you all? What do you find yourselves telling others time and again?

Try before you buy, if at all possible.

After buying a gun, spend some money on professional training. It is the best money you can spend.

This may be the reason for the market in barely-used firearms. Shoot once and sell it.

Not that we haven't all done that, right? I have, on more than one occasion.

In my own defense, all of mine were before the days when you could easily rent just about any common pistol at a range.

Lastly, I tell them to rent or offer to buy lunch (or ammo) for a shooter in exchange for a range trip. Whatever it takes to actually shoot a few guns before dropping several hundred dollars on something that merely looks great on paper and the internet. I really emphasize this last one with Dad as an example when he called me about a S&W.


Probably some of the best advice!
I also ask them what fits your hand and what fits your wallet.

I tell them to sign up for a beginners class at local gun store range, which is heavy in safety, which also gives them a variety of pistols to handle and try out.

As others have mentioned already I really urge then to try out whatever they are considering after having the basic training class. If they don't have the basic fundamentals down it is pretty much a waste of time to try out different options when the target always looks like a sawed off shotgun blast as 15 feet.

If I feel the need to recommend a specific pistol I recommend the Glock 19 new or used.

Have a girl at work doing pretty much the same. She feels people on ewe-tube know what she wants better than the idea of renting one for 100-200 rounds

There aren't any stores around me that rent anything but the standard G19 and others that have been around for a long time. Not a chance you'll get to test fire a P365 within a hundred miles.

Watch out for gun magazine sales pitches designed as reviews. There are some SEAL/Ranger/Special Forces/professional gunmen out there who never met a pistol that wasn’t the greatest they ever had in their hand.

If there is a gun store with a range with pistols to try/rent, shoot as many as you can.

When I went through this, I naturally asked my SEAL acquaintences what they had, and ended up with a P226 Navy. Happily, it turned out to be a really good choice, but had I actually handled/shot other makes and models, I might have picked another, better feel, more lefty friendly.

Otoh, if I had just bought the Glock, I might not have encountered Bruce Gray to learn the basics. It all worked out ok.

My first Sig was due to renting one at the local range, it was love at first shot.

I invite them out to the house to shoot several.

Training is good advice.

I've helped a few over the years. I'll invite them to the range and I'll bring a .22 semi-auto and a Ruger Single Six, a 9mm DA/SA, a striker fire 9mm and a .45 1911 for shits and grins. I'll let them shoot them after a good safety discussion. When done I tell them to get training before buying and after they've narrowed it down I tell them to rent what they think they want.

Jim

I take some time to figure out what their level of commitment might be. I'll tell you another thing, I like to find out the sort of car they are driving and how they treat it. That gives me a feel of brand and quality they'll appreciate.

I'm also going to do my best to get them a .22 that is much like the "real" gun they want. I also try to talk them into a red dot to top it with. I'll lend one, but try to get them to buy one.

Most first timers are not prepared for the ammo cost, or recoil from a centerfire.

Same advice I give people asking what bicycle to buy. Bikes (guns) are like shoes. They have to fit. So go try some on. Walk around in them (Ride/shoot.) Try several, the more the better. I don't get any more complicated than that. I think it's a pretty good analogy, if I do say so myself!

Typically I recommend a 4" 357.

That said, I usually take them to the range with several different types. I start them with some serious bench time going over SA, DA, semi auto, pluses and minuses, disassembly, cleaning, care and maintenance.

Start them out with live ammo using a 22, then 38Spl.

We go from there according to their ability to be safe and control the gun when fired.

Sold a lot of 357's. It's a gun you can grow into rather than out of by eventually upgrading from Spl's to +P then magnums.

You are assuming everyone has the ability to rent any gun.

It would be nice, as I have bought a few that I don't care for, but those places don't exist everywhere. In fact, I have absolutely no idea where one would even do that anywhere in my area.

Around here, the advice is handle it. If you like the feel, buy it. If you don't like it, sell it.

I try to keep it as pragmatic as possible when it comes to handguns. Besides the usual questions about usage and frequency of usage. I stick with the following:

- Read all you can but, verify those findings by renting and try out several calibers/models before any purchase.

- Stick with a popular caliber that will be readily available: either 9, 40 or, 45

- Full-size pistols are nice ideas but, compacts like P225/228 or, G19 is more realistic for most people.

- Invest in a good holster, flashlight and training on how to use all three together. The gun is useless unless until you've familiarized yourself with professional instruction and training.

First, if they don't know anything about guns, I recommend that they this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Guns-10...ywords=guns+101+book

Secondly I recommend that they go to the range and shoot one first.

quote:

Originally posted by hudr:
I invite them out to the house to shoot several.

Me too!

I told my daughter that no gun is going to make her a good shooter. Only thousands of rounds downrange can do that.

After loading her mags with an occasional dummy round so that she could see how she was jerking the trigger, and demonstrating how her grip and trigger control can have a huge impact, she started to understand the gun wasn’t her primary problem. This alone opened her eyes big time with less than 50 rounds.

She got a couple cases of ammo for her birthday just to reinforce the point.

If I could only heed my own advice!