Hitting the gym to become a swoletariat, looking to arm myself as well.
I’ve gone shooting before, and my Dad just bought a couple guns himself because of all the pogroms he’s been seeing against Muslims in ingerland.
I’m based in the United States of Amerikkka, mods please let me know if this isn’t allowed!
If you just want to learn to shoot and not worried about self defense at the moment, Ruger 10/22. 22 lr ammo is so cheap.
I have a 1022 and it’s so bad. More unreliable than the musket I built myself. Jams basically every mag.
22lr guns are notoriously picky on ammo. I had to try 6 different types to find one that fed reliably.
Sorry the musket you built yourself? No doxxa but have you posted about this?
are you using the ruger factory mags or aftermarket ones? aftermarket mags seem to create problems sometimes from what ive heard. also agree with the other replies about ammo.
Follow up question: if le arms of flame are verboten in a certain living location, what would SWIY suggest doing for SWIM
The very first thing you should build should be an IFAK. Need to have a TQ and be able to stop bleeding, so take atleast a stop the bleed class.
Glock 19 is going to be the standard due to abundance of parts and they shoot good. HM are glock 17 and 43, some people prefer those especially the 43 for concealed carry. If you’re going to CC then i suggest getting a Philster Enigma, they are the best purchase you can make after buying the gun.
For rifle get an AR15. Other than legally not being able to get one, they’re is very little reason to go with something else as your first. Brand doesn’t matter too much, Palmetto State Armory is probably the lowest quality i would recommend going with but you really shouldn’t spend a crazy amount, 450 to 750 will get you something good.
After you buy your guns, throw a red dot on them get some ammo and start shooting. You’ll next want to look into holsters, slings, and other fun parts of the hobby.
IFAK is underrated advice. Unless you’re living in gangland, then statistically you’re more likely to shoot yourself than you are to shoot someone in self defense. Some community events may even offer first aid/stop the bleed classes for free. Knowing how to patch someone up will make you a better defender than a majority of American gun owners.
a .22 so you have something to shoot on the cheap
What are you looking to do? Are you interested in doing a shooting activity regularly? Just looking to own one?
Like the default loadout that gets recommended is going to be a Glock (17 or 19) and an AR-15.
Not looking to start any safety struggle sessions, but if you’re a new gun owner who likes the idea of safeties (or just an old gun owner who prefers safeties) I would suggest the S&W M&P pistols as a good Glock alternative that offers thumb safeties.
Second alternative: sawed off 12 gauge. No load can beat the shere stopping power of 00 buckshot.
Edit to add: and no fear of missing and putting a hole through your neighbor’s house across the street.
I assume this is a bit, but just in case it isn’t: do not saw off a shotgun for home defense unless you’re planning to apply for the tax stamp
You can also still miss with a short barreled shotgun, it’s not a blunderbuss
I think DA/SA with a decocker is a good middle ground. You don’t need to worry about turning off the safety like a striker fire, but the trigger will be heavy and you can thumb the hammer which makes it impossible for the gun to go off.
But M&P 2.0 is very good as well. The models with thumb safeties are usually cheaper as well since they’re not as popular as just the trigger safety.
I’m not personally a fan of decockers because I like my trigger pulls consistent, but I think you’re probably right about them being a fairly good alternative if the complete lack of a safety isn’t your preference. A lot of my personal preference is just starting out with a da/sa cz-75 with a thumb safety (always cocked & locked, never safety off with the hammer lowered) as my first pistol and being used to the manual of arms to the point of preferring it. I wish CZ’s more carry oriented stuff were still easy to find with thumb safeties.
Ok. My recommendation will be to try a couple different handguns out at the range, from the ones that have been recommended here. See which ones fit comfortably in your hands. Try a lot of them and take your time, don’t rush.
For conceal carry, focus on size. A gun that is too big or uncomfortable to carry doesn’t get carried. It may be a little less comfortable to shoot, but that’s the tradeoff. The big brands are the way to go (Glock, Sig, S&W)
If you’re looking to CC then aim for the micro compact segment. They have a good round count while being slimmer and easier to conceal than “compact” guns like the Glock 19. There are a ton of models in this space but there aren’t a ton that have safeties that many of us would recommend to a newer shooter. If you’re budget minded I would recommend the Taurus G3C, which can easily be had for under $300. But definitely put hands on it and try to get range time with it before your purchase.
Consider the S&W Shield 2.0 with or without thumb safety depending on your preference, very small but shoots great in the hand for extended range sessions. I have a 1.0 with an Apex trigger and aftermarket mag feeders/plates so that I can get 10+1. It’s a great gun with the same footprint as the 2.0, shoots great, feels great in the hand, conceals great. The 2.0 makes all the shit I did to my early 1.0 unnecessary - the 2.0 has a better trigger than the 1.0 and greater magazine capacity. Fantastic guns that shoot nicer than their pricepoint.
AR-15. It is the most popular gun for a reason. Any compact 9mm for concealed carry if you want to do that. Anything else is only if you want it for fun/reasons other than self defense.
You can essentially get a “pistol” that is functionally a rifle
In some parts of America, this is still considered a pistol, including the 50 round drum mag
