The Basics -- Where To Start

1.  Identify Your Purpose.  If you ask 100 current firearms enthusiasts which gun you should buy, you'll get 500 different answers.  If you dig a little deeper into those answers, you'll quickly get to the bottom of why so many gun enthusiasts own multiple firearms, and why they can't just give you a single answer to that single question.  The reason is pretty simple really -- different guns are good for different things.

Common uses for firearms include:  hunting, home defense, personal protection, target shooting, competitive shooting and collecting.  Very few firearms, if any, fill each of those uses.  Of those that might, none of them fill each use in a good to great manner.  That said many gun owners, if forced to choose a single weapon, can identify one they feel fits the most needs at one.  Fortunately for me, I'm not most gun owners.  I'm a big believer in having the right tool for the job.

2.  Measure the Depth of Your Pockets.  I'm a big believer in wish lists -- having hopes and desires make life more interesting.  But the most awesome gun on the planet does you no good if owning it is little more than a pipe dream.  In today's world, if you're primary purposes is home or self defense, you can buy a moderate level (reliable, safe and accurate) handgun for $400-$600.  If you are tired of carrying around that pile of cash, you can opt for a tricked-out custom carry piece that will set you back $1350-2500. 

3.  Know Your Skill Set.  Some guns are way more complicated to operate, shoot and maintain than others.  If you are a handgun beginner, you probably want a standard service pistol, which is typically a "point and shoot" type of weapon.  Most of these guns will work great for home defense, can be carried if necessary, make great target/practice weapons, and are suitable for entry level competition.

My Choice for Weapon No. 1.  As I mentioned in the Blog Intro, I chose the S&W M&P full size in 9mm as my first firearm.  I wanted home defense first and foremost.  What the 9mm may lack in brute force per round, it makes up in sheer volume -- 17 rounds per mag.  In addition, for shooting lots of rounds on the cheap, 9mm is the best centerfire option available.  It's also a good choice for getting started in competitive action shooting, is incredibly reliable, easy to use and easily modified/upgraded.  I'll get into more details on this particular firearm in my next post.