Guns for Beginners

Everyone is a newcomer to the wonderful world of firearms at some point. If you are looking to get into one of America’s favorite hobbies but don’t know where to start, this guide about owning a gun for beginners will be the perfect place to start.

The Four Cardinal Rules

Before getting started, there are four cardinal rules that you must follow to ensure firearm safety. As long as you remember these at all times, you should never have any misfires with your gun.

Always treat your firearm like it’s loaded, even when it’s not.
Only point your gun at objects that you’re willing to shoot. Typically, this means to keep it pointed downward unless in use.
When aiming at a target, take note of what’s around and behind it.
You should only ever put your finger on the trigger when you are absolutely ready to fire.

Getting the Gun and the Gear

Obviously, before you buy anything, you’ll need to get yourself licensed for the state that you’re living in. Once you get that out of the way, you can start shopping for a gun online or at the store. Since you’re new to this, we’d recommend going in-person, so you can get a feel for the weapon and talk to a professional to get their opinion on what you should buy.

As a rule of thumb, your first gun should never cost more than $1,000. You need to figure out how much you like the hobby before fully committing. Handguns are a great place to start, but regardless of the type you choose, you should try to get a smaller caliber gun so that you can get yourself used to shooting without too much of a struggle.

The most important thing to know about buying a gun for beginners is that you need more than just the weapon. Firearm safety is heavily reliant on the gear that you buy as well. First of all, your gun won’t be any good without ammo. Also, if you plan on using those bullets, you’ll need a cleaning set to remove all the dirt and soot afterward.

However, the one piece you can’t forget is the gun safe. You won’t be able to keep tabs on your firearm at all times, so you need a safe place to keep it that won’t let it fall into the wrong hands. The safes we sell here at ShotLock are perfect for that; they hold one gun and don’t take up too much room. Plus, they’re easy to access in case you want to use this weapon for home defense.