Beginner need help choosing a gun

[pudly]

What ever you choose , you should check other gun shops prices before you buy . The shop you are going to is on the high end .

Very true. That particular shop does not have a great reputation. Indy has a number of excellent gun shops, some of which have attached gun ranges. Search INGO for "Family Indoor Shooting" and "Pops Guns" for comments on that store/range.

Some of the better shops in the area are (in no particular order):

• Beech Grove Firearms (has a state of the art shooting range and rentable guns)
• Indy Trading Post (has a small range and rentable guns)
• Bradis (SW of Indy in Camby)
• Plainfield Shooting Supply (West of Indy)
• Indy Gun Safety (I haven't been there, but they get good reviews)

 

[nakinate]

I was at Family Indoor Shooting this week to use the range. I'm off on Mondays and BGF is closed on Mondays. I would gladly drive the 10 -15 extra minutes down 465 to BGF if they were open. I wasn't impressed with the handgun selection or pricing at Family Indoor Shooting.

 

[colts93]

Thanks for all the replys! I think I will end up going to beach grove instead because of the reviews. Im looking forward to trying all the different guns.

 

[mwg]

that is a good call

 

[Indy-Mike]

New gun owner myself. Before I purchased my wife and I took a gun safety class (Indy gun safety) that was great. Highly recommended. We did a private class, just the two of us, and were able to shoot maybe 8 different guns, mostly glocks but several revolvers too. This made our choice clear. We purchased 2 Glock 19s and have been very happy. Both hooked

 

[dswanso1]

Go to the upcoming indy gun and knife show at the indy fairgrounds. Hold as many guns as possible, ask questions and get opinions from multiple people. My fist handgun I went with a cheap 9mm and have had a blast. My buddy insists tou must get a .22 to start. It is really up to you, just consider the cost of the ammo that you will be shooting. Obviously .22 is pretty cheap if you can find it. 9mm is not too bad, but I shoot my .22 rifle a lot more than my 9mm, in order to keep costs down. Good luck and keep us posted!!

 

[IndyGlockMan]

sounds like you are on the right track and your timing is right too.
Gun stores & gun show dealers are fairly well re-stocked now and prices are mostly back to normal.
The Indy1500 gun show is coming up in a couple weeks and this will be an excellent opportunity to shop for and buy a gun for a good price.

Also, consider buying a full sized handgun vs. the compact version.
Dont let size fool you. Full size guns shoot a little easier and have less recoil.
A Glock 17 (vs the 19) for instance.
Since you are not going to carry it, consider the full size version.

 

[TheDoaner]

You've posted a common question that appears on all firearm forums. Congratulations on taking the time and effort to go shoot several. Guns and especially handguns, are like buying shoes. There are a ton of quality brands producing quality products but if they don't fit you and your specific purpose it could be a waste of money and cause you some discomfort. Fortunately, the used gun market is kinder. It's hard to get decent money for used shoes. You'll find one that fits you. Put in some range time and at some point in the future somebody will let you shoot something that really wows you. Enjoy the journey.

 

[92ThoStro]

My first handgun was a 32 revolver. This was just what I was given and had available at the time. If you just want something to shoot with, revolvers are a lot of fun. And you have to take the time to clean all the cylinders and take it apart.

When I had the money I bought a gen 4 Glock 21. If you do get a glock or polymer gun don't come on here and say your gun is broken like I did when you first start shooting a semi auto you may have a limp wristing problem.

The Glock 21 is so far my favorite. But it was a lot different going from 32 to 45. If you plan on getting a gun only to shoot with and not carry, get a full sized gun not a compact or sub compact. The only advantages those have are for people that conceal carry.

The Glock 19 is probably the perfect one to get for target shooting. It is large enough to learn to shoot comfortably, ammo is cheaper than 45 or 380, and you can conceal it easily or OC. Something I can't really do with the 21 without a jacket if I wanted to CC

 

[Gingerbread Man]

I'm going to say get a gun safety course and a basic NRA pistol course. IF you've never shot before or very little there maybe some things you're doing wrong right from the gitty up. After you've taken the courses, then get a Glock 19. The Glock 19 is the AR-15 of the pistol world; ubiquitous, reliable, does what it's suppose to do a lot and does it pretty well. The Glock 19 is the bench mark for all other pistols.

Then your rifle can be an AR-15.