Thinking about buying a gun...

[Mr. Flippy]

good luck tryin to find ammo. Damn you Pelosi!

[Militant]

My roommate and I have been playing with the idea of going through the ropes with the NYPD. How much of a pain in the ass was it for you? Where do you usually go to shoot? Do we need the permit just to own a gun, or is it necessary no matter what if we want to handle one?

Without the proper credentials and knowing someone on the inside, I think it's more likely you'll get approved for Plutonium than get a pistol permit in NYC.

[Kwijiboe]

I heard most indoor ranges do not allow desert eagles (or other high powered pistols/rifles) because they damage the backdrop.

If you seriously walk into a range with a desert eagle, you will get laughed at, not to mention the ammo is very expensive in comparison to 9mm,.38

[Sonomaa]

I have a 1911, itll be working and reliable long after Ive left this world

[OzzofAsura]

I have a 1911, itll be working and reliable long after Ive left this world

Oh shit, don't do it man... Things will get better.

[Meian]

YouTube - TREMORS: Tribute to Burt Gummer [Extended Cut]
first two-three min

but yea kidding aside can't help you out here but good info from FNH here; was considering the same question as op.

Edit: Slight derail but what handgun is "nicest" looking just to have for looks (not actually using it etc) as I have a friend who collects them.

[Pikarya]

Enjoy getting a DEagle and having to dump thousands of dollars into cleaning, repairing, and maintenance. Your pretty much buying a car that needs a tuneup every 50-100 shots. Do not get that gun for your starter.

Oh, and don't forget how much ammunition is going to cost you.

[Chicomagiko]

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2708/artillery.jpg

Clearly.

I see your artillery and raise you with a GRG

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...nRailGun-1.jpg

[Mellema]

First thing I have to say is DO NOT buy a gun if you are not going to take the time to get trained in its use and learn how to properly take care of it.

Knowledge is the most important thing for a gun owner.


My father spent a couple months drilling me on gun safety and maintenance before I was ever allowed to handle and fire a loaded firearm. Here are the basic rules he taught me and I still follow more than 30 years later

1.Treat all firearms as if they are loaded. When you pick up a weapon, immediately engage the safety, then open the action and check if there is any ammunition in the chamber.

2. Always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction.

3. Do not load your firearm until you are ready to fire.

4. Know your target, but more importantly always be aware of what is beyond your target.

5. Be sure your firearm is clean and safe to use.

6. Always secure your firearm when it is not in use, and store ammunition in a separate location.

Firearm Safety is a more complete list, but everyone should still take several classes before feeling safe as a gun owner.

[FNH]

I have a 1911, itll be working and reliable long after Ive left this world

1911 recoil springs tend to get spongy a tad quicker than that for some reason most people go up to 18 lbs to not have it go bad as early as stock 16's.

[Amastacia]

Aside from the very good advice on Firearm safety, the most important thing when buying a gun is to actually pick it up and hold it before you buy it.

I, for one, cannot stand Glocks. The grips are monstrously uncomfortable for me. The pattern is great for grip when you're sweaty or whatever, but I just cannot get it to sit comfortably in my hands.

If it isn't comfortable at the get go, it's not magically going to become comfortable later.

H&K makes amazing pistols, but they're on the expensive side. The 9mm USP or P2000 is very much worth looking into, but definitely pricey for a beginner weapon.

Ruger .22 pistol is a good plinking gun, not so good if you seriously care about personal defense. It is, however, extremely cheap to shoot, reliable, and easy to service and keep in good condition.

Before you buy anything, take a look at ammunition costs. If you want to do a lot of range shooting, .22 is miles and miles cheaper than the other alternatives. If you want a caliber with stopping power that you can still shoot frequently, 9mm is the way to go. Once you start looking at .45, .357 magnum, .44 magnum, .50AE, etc. it gets very expensive very quickly for decent ammunition. It's easy to get cheap .45, it's hard to get good, cheap .45.

[FNH]

Before you buy anything, take a look at ammunition costs. If you want to do a lot of range shooting, .22 is miles and miles cheaper than the other alternatives. If you want a caliber with stopping power that you can still shoot frequently, 9mm is the way to go. Once you start looking at .45, .357 magnum, .44 magnum, .50AE, etc. it gets very expensive very quickly for decent ammunition. It's easy to get cheap .45, it's hard to get good, cheap .45.

I wouldn't add .44 magnum or .50 AE into a list of carry ammo. .44 mag is an awesome hog hunting round however. And I haven't seen .45 acp cheap in a few years.

[Amastacia]

I wouldn't consider .44 mag or .50 AE good carry ammo, but there is no shortage of people who would actually tote a DEagle around for protection.

Stovepiping rounds be damned!

[Jefe]

YouTube - My Wife -vs- the Desert Eagle .50

[FNH]

I wouldn't consider .44 mag or .50 AE good carry ammo, but there is no shortage of people who would actually tote a DEagle around for protection.

Stovepiping rounds be damned!

I'd hate to be them facing trial when they actually use it in self defense.

[BIGSTIC]

something to remember. If you are concerned about the price of ammunition there are several company's that make a .22lr conversion for most 9mm and .45. I personally don't own any of these conversions but know a couple guys who love them for going out and plinking with.

[Penthesilea]

YouTube - My Wife -vs- the Desert Eagle .50

YouTube - Wife with a Gun Firecracker Prank

[FNH]

something to remember. If you are concerned about the price of ammunition there are several company's that make a .22lr conversion for most 9mm and .45. I personally don't own any of these conversions but know a couple guys who love them for going out and plinking with.

most of those conversions cost about as much as a separate .22 pistol, but they are nice.

[Plow]

Also does anyone have a higher caliber rifle that they would recommend for more long distance target practice?

The simple answer is a decent bolt action .30-06, like a Winchester Model 70 or a Remington 700.


The more precise answer is that "higher caliber" doesn't necessarily mean as much in rifles. The longest range, most powerful ones are, obviously, going to be the big .50 cals.

However, at a distance of, say, 600 yards, which is a damn long ways for most people, the accuracy difference is notable. As an example, one of my friends who's been doing this stuff his whole life, does a lot of competition shooting. In varied target contest shooting, with his .50 or even his .30-06, he'll likely hit 25ish gallon jug sized targets out of 40 at 600-800 yards. With his custom .22-284, he'll hit closer to 30-35 fairly consistently. On the other hand, if there's wind, this can change rather easily, same with significant elevation changes.

On single area testing he'll group within about 1-1.25 inches with the big guns, with the .22-284 he'll group within about an eighth inch.

And it's still capable of similar power and distance, and yet remains illegal for a lot of hunting because it's still "technically" a 22 caliber rifle, even though it's basically like the difference between the 3rd/4th ones here and the 8th/9th ones to compare the 2. (I can't find any good pictures of the actual round because they're not very common)


(spoilered to save frames)

Spoiler: show

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...e_Sample_2.jpg

[Plow]

YouTube - Wife with a Gun Firecracker Prank

and here's why you don't take a massively fucking powerful rifle to a 150 yard dirt pile shooting range

YouTube - Guy hit in head with .50 caliber ricochet