Guidelines for the First Time Handgun Purchase

If this is your first time purchasing a handgun. It can be a very confusing path to follow, but is also very rewarding once you realize that your purchase fits you well.  This is meant as a quick guide to become familiar with the basics of handguns, the different reasons why many people own handguns, and the pros/cons of different firearms.

Things that should be considered in a handgun is who is going to be using the handgun, physical capabilities of the shooter, as well as the handgun’s usage. Example uses are:

• recreation /training firearm
 • home defense firearm
 • hunting firearm
 • personal defense firearm

The followings are broad generalizations.
 Ultimately only you can determine if a handgun is right for you

Dedicated recreational/training handguns traditionally have the following traits:
 • highly visible sights
 • cheap, low caliber ammunition
 • low recoil

Dedicated home defense handguns usually are:
 • .38 special or 9mm caliber or larger
 • larger ammunition capacity
 • easy to shoot accurately and quickly

Dedicated self-defense handguns vary greatly, but these traits are fairly common:
 • fit the shooter’s hand well
 • easy to acquire sights and shoot quickly and accurately
 • function well with hollow point ammunition
 • easy to maintain/clean
 • highly reliable

Hunting handguns are much more open, but the following standards should be considered. Check your local state hunting regulations for specifics before you purchase. Examples for state of Ohio are:

 • 5 inch minimum length barrel
 • straight walled (no bottle neck) ammunition
 • .357 caliber or larger

Alot to think about. Find a good gun professional and let them help you pick the proper hand gun for your needs. Check out Sportsmans Gun Room in Penryn California for their expert advice.