Another...sigh...gun thread.

[midnight Target]

I was serious about becoming a gun owner. Any suggestions on how to go about choosing one, and where to go to make it a hobby (ranges?). Mrs. Tahgut grew up around guns and would lke to join in the fun.

[GtoRA2]

Woot!

Well go to a gun store and handle them, if you want a good starter gun, find a nice 22 long rifle handgun, or rifle. Ask questions, anything that comes to mind, most gun store people will be very helpful.

Handguns are much easier to find a place to shoot in a city, since you can shoot them at indoor ranges.

Find a friend who knows guns and ask him/her to teach you, or take a class, most ranges offer them.

Hell, to bad you're not up here, I would teach ya!

Do you just want one for fun or is it going to be a dual purpose weapon?

[medicboy]

Check out nra.org.  There is a place on this site to search for places to shoot. Or check out the yellow pages.  Have you taken a hunter safety course yet?  Good Idea even if you don't want to hunt.  

Word of warning, it is a very expensive hobie to get into but is a lot of fun.  Start with a .22 rifle.  They are fairly cheap and ammo is really cheap.  It will teach you the basics of shooting.  Most ranges offer lessons also.

Welcome to the club.  

[ra]

What kind of gun?  For a shotgun just pick up a 20-guage Mossberg for < $200.  Look for shotgun clubs in your area.   You can try here:   gun site

[GRUNHERZ]

MT an NRA member... Ow almost makes me wanna cry..

[Martlet]

It really depends on what aspect of the sport you plan on participating in.

Hunting is fairly inexpensive, depending on where you live.  You can pick up hunting weapons almost anywhere, new and used, for very little money.  Not crap either, decent ones.

Handguns can be more expensive, again, depending on location.  Urban areas require a range to shoot at.  Most states require a permit, some require training.  I would also get a permit for a concealed weapon if you are going with handguns.  I got warned once for my jacket covering my .22 while I was running a trap line.  This doesn't mean you plan to carry one, but it protects you in case you have it in your glove compartment, or whatever.

Target/competition shooting gets extremely expensive.  As does muzzleloading.  Both can be great fun, though.

[midnight Target]

Actually I have enjoyed shooting all along. My dad had a few guns, and was very proficient, especially at skeet shooting. I don't want to hunt, not a tree hugger, just don't like killing things. No problem eating them though.

I got rid of my S&W .38 when the girls were born. It was a useless gun for anything except gangland executions... outside of that range I doubt it would hit anything (2" barrel).

It would just be a hobby.

NRA will never get my dues Grun. That money is earmarked for the ACLU.

[GtoRA2]

If your going with a handgun just for fun go with Ruger, they are cheap, and fairly good guns.

If you want the Cadillac of guns go for a Sig of any kind they are almost the perfect box stock gun IMHO!

[Gman]

Get a good .22 semi auto pistol.  You won't regret it, very fun, very accurate, and best of all, VERY cheap to shoot.

If I could have only one pistol, it'd be a Sig trailside or Ruger MK II .22 pistola.

[GRUNHERZ]

Originally posted by midnight Target

NRA will never get my dues Grun. That money is earmarked for the ACLU.

Barf...

[Steve]

I've owned several handguns.. my favorite is my Kimber classic stainless goldmatch in .45.  check out Kimber.    
Although if your wife is of small frame, she may find the gun a bit rough on recoil.

[Dune]

Originally posted by Gman
Get a good .22 semi auto pistol.  You won't regret it, very fun, very accurate, and best of all, VERY cheap to shoot.

If I could have only one pistol, it'd be a Sig trailside or Ruger MK II .22 pistola.

Gman's right, if all you're going to do is target shoot, then go get a .22.  And the Ruger is a great choice.  Best of all, with it's almost non-existant recoil, your family can shoot it also.  

Seriously, go find a range near you, most of them will rent guns and ammo to you.  (They want you to find one you like and buy it from them ).  Take an hour or two and go shoot 4 or 5 of them.  When you find one that you and your wife like, then buy one.  Be prepared to spend up to $500 for a quality semi-auto.

[llyr69]

For fun, nothing can beat my Colt 1873 SAA.45 Long Colt...does get a bit expensive though.  

The .22 suggestion would be best to learn with-no recoil to speak of, low muzzle blast, and cheap ammo! Second the vote for the Ruger MkII

[Rockstar]

Bolt action, less moving parts, better accuracy.  And ya don't piss away ammo as fast.

[Shuckins]

MT,

Start with a .22 caliber rifle or pistol, but make sure they have decent sights.  Practice is cheap and there is no recoil to detract from the experience.

The Shooting Action Sports Society (SASS)  is a fast growing organization that sponsors competitive shooting matches around the country.  Participants dress up in Western outfits and use period weapons, stagecoach shotguns, Colts, and lever action rifles.  Both men and women compete in contests resembling some of the scenarios from western movies.  At some of the bigger matches there are booths set up where you can buy wild west paraphernalia and antiques or partake of western cooking.  Kareem Abdul-Jabar competes in some of these matches.  

These are set up to be perfectly safe and great fun is had by all, even those who are there as spectators.  I think they have a web-site.  

There is more to the shooting sport than just hunting and self-defense.

Good luck,  Shuckins