Questions and Tips For Buying A Gun

How to find the right gun, or maybe you are not sure you really like the gun you have. 

Think about all the needs you have for a pistol. Before you buy that pretty gun, let’s find out what your needs are. What do you want the pistol for?  Target practice, self-defense…or both.  If it is for defense, will you use the gun for home defense, car defense, concealed carry?    Do you plan to make shooting sports a regular hobby? Possibly plan to compete in action shooting sports?  Consider how it will perform doing these multiple tasks if you are only considering buying one gun.  Once you have identified what you need the gun to do, then you can narrow down what will work best for those needs. This will also help you determine the caliber and model of firearm you should be considering.  Speaking of choosing a caliber… will the caliber of ammunition be readily available and how expensive will it be?
How familiar are you with firearms?  You will need to spend time to get acquainted with your gun so you can be comfortable in its use, cleaning and maintenance, not just loading it and firing it.  If you are planning to depend on it for your personal safety, you should be willing to practice and get familiar with it!  Enroll in a formal training class.  You also must prepare yourself mentally to use your gun to defend yourself against an attack and in the worse case, be willing to take a human life.  In a life-and-death confrontation, you cannot afford to have a debate in your head on whether to pull the trigger or not.
Do you know the law? Are you willing to take the time to read the laws regarding firearms?  They are rather lengthy and can be tricky to understand. It is important that you know the State and local laws, and abide by them.  The best way to learn Texas law is to attend a concealed handgun license course, even if you don’t intend to apply for the license.  The course topics include: gun safety, proper storage options, and use for deadly force.  You are required to keep the gun “safe” at all times. That means you are liable for the firearm and it’s use by anyone (even a thief) so you had better be prepared to have a safe secure storage system BEFORE you buy.
Try Before You Buy – Go to a local range or enroll in a class with an instructor that allows you to try lots of different guns.  Remember it is not all about caliber, it is about how the gun feels in your hand.   Three things you are looking for:
1. The gun fits properly in your hand, able to reach all the controls
2. Sights easily align
3. You can handle the recoil.
Typically for self-defense you want the largest caliber you can COMFORTABLY handle.  Keep in mind that pistols of the same caliber or even manufacturer do not feel the same in the grip.  Each model has a different weight and feel, it is just like finding shoes, you might wear a size 8, but all size 8’s don’t feel the same.  Other things to consider is if you will being using the pistol as a carry gun is can you conceal it on your body and can you wear it on your hip or store it in your purse without it being too heavy. 

A gun is something that you shouldn’t compromise on.  You want a reputable firearm that will last, and will work for your specific purpose(s). You want a gun you can handle, you want a gun that you feel in love with, not one that you “fight” with or are frightened of.  Choosing the right gun makes a huge difference.  Most people do not get it right the first time, but you can by putting in the time to educate yourself!