first firearm

Alright, so you have been reading my posts, and I make it sound like guns are pretty cool. You decide you want to get your first gun, but you are not sure what you want. There are hundreds, if not thousands of guns to choose from. How could you possibly choose the right one?

The short answer is that there is no wrong gun, but I am going to talk about guns that I think are good for people just starting out.

Gun #1

Mosin Nagant

 Every one is at a different position in their lives, and depending on your age and social status, this could be the perfect gun. This was my first gun, so I would be remiss not putting it on the list!

When I bought this gun, I was a Junior in college. I was about 20 years old, and was just starting to figure myself out. I knew I wanted a gun, but I had no money, and no idea about guns. my friends told me "stay away from Highpoints" and that was about it... I was too young to buy a pistol (you must be 21 years of age) so I knew I needed a rifle of some sort. I also didn't want to look like less of a man for getting a small gun, so I decided I wanted a big gun, that did not cost very much money, and this is what I came up with.

I was able to buy mine online for about $100 and I found an FFL near me who charged about $25 for a
transfer fee, making about $125 by the time it was mine. This is a rifle that the russians made back in WWII and it shoots a 7.62x54r cartridge. For anyone who can't convert that to standard (yeah, I couldn't either) that is about the Russian equivalent of a .308 or a 30-06.

Being Russian, it obviously had some quirks. Like being covered in Cosmoline when it arrived. Cosmoline is a gooey, slimy substance that the Russians used to preserve the firearms in case they were ever needed again in the future. The issue is that they had been sitting in this stuff since the end of WWII and it had soaked DEEP into the wood stock. In order to get it into shooting condition, I had to first learn to take the gun apart, so I could separate the wood stock from the rest of the gun. I then needed to buy a heat gun, and a massive box of shop rags. I spent a good two weeks of my spare time going over every inch of that wood, heating up with the heat gun, watching the Cosmoline boil out of it and wiping it off.

Once I got it shooting though, it was exactly what I wanted. It made a very big boom, and shot a large projectile very quickly. You load the magazine from the top, and you had to make sure you loaded it so that the rims on the brass would not catch on each other, and jam the gun when cycling the bolt, but other than that, it was about as reliable as guns come.  And never use the safety. That has got to be one of the most dangerous safeties I have ever seen. You have to pull back that knob on the back of the bolt and twist it counter clockwise. The issue is that the spring fighting against you is actually taken from the coil springs that hold up their cars (not really, that's a joke). You are liable to kill someone just by engaging the safety.

It was exactly what you would expect from a Russian WWII rifle. It was bit, and long, and cumbersome. It was ugly, uncomfortable, simple and it kicked like a frickin mule. This was a rifle that would work through

any conditions you could think to put it through. Many of them show markings stating they have done just that! 

There is a proud history with these rifles and tons of information on the stamps and markings they put all over the gun. It is also considered a fence post by many, simply because they are so plentiful and uncomfortable. Purists will say the gun is perfect the way it is, and normal people will not give two shits if you decide to put some work into it. They make many aftermarket items for this gun. I got a new stock on mine, as well as a bent bolt handle. They make scope mounts and quad rails for them as well. Do with it what you want.

Now that the US has a ban on Russian imports, the price of the gun has gone up a bit to about $190 online, which obviously doesn't include the local FFL transfer fee. You can find them at just about any local gun store as well. Even though the price has gone up, it is still one of the cheapest guns you can find, and if you are younger than 21 and have very little income, this may be the perfect choice.

Gun #2

Ruger 10/22

 This is a great first gun for any age. Ruger 10/22s have been around for decades, and have always made a pretty decent firearm. They fire a .22lr cartridge, which is pretty inexpensive, and used to be pretty hard to find for a while (thanks obama) but now is more easily acquired in large boxes of up to 550 rounds. They are

still a bit more expensive than before, but you can carry 550 rounds for less money than just about any other caliber weapon.

The Ruger 10/22s have been selling at around $300 for a base model and can be purchased just about anywhere. This has to be one of the best selling rifles of the modern age. So easy a 10 year old could use it (and if I ever have children, they will probably get one at 10 years old) but so fun it can be used by literally anyone. It is hard to beat the fun of a Semi-Auto rifle that has so little recoil and noise.

10/22s are among the most modified guns out there and there are many aftermarket Accessories and upgrades for it. Anything from better trigger groups, to barrels, to stocks. Just about every part of this gun has some sort of aftermarket part you can buy for it. Some things are cheap, like an extended magazine release, and some are a bit more expensive, like a new trigger group or barrel.

I have one of these rifles and I purchased an electric blue boyds stock for it, mounted a scope to it, give it an extended mag release, bought a BX-25 magazine, and added a softer buffer bar. I still want to upgrade the trigger and the barrel for it at least. I have made it into a pretty accurate 50 yard target rifle.

Along these same lines, Ruger has recently come out with the Ruger American Rimfire, which is a bolt action .22lr rifle. My wife has one of those, and it is still pretty nice. even slightly more accurate than my 10/22 at this point. Still takes the 10 round Ruger rotary mags, as well as the 25 round BX-25 mags that I mentioned earlier. They both cost about the same, the biggest difference is that one is bolt action and one is Semi-Auto.

Gun #3

 Smith and Wesson J-Frame Revolver.

If you are over 21 years of age, you can purchase hand guns. If you haven't gotten a gun until after you are 21, this is a very popular choice. Revolvers in general are fantastic guns to own. Many people use them in self defense situations and to concealed carry on their person. Unlike Pistols, revolvers do not have a magazine. Instead, they have multiple chambers in which to carry rounds. This is a very important distinction

because it basically means that a revolver will never jam up on you. 

Guns are used to save lives in many situations, and the last thing you need is for your gun to malfunction. If you want to reduce the chance of that ever happening, you get a revolver. If you are going to get a revolver, you may as well get a Smith and Wesson. Smith and Wesson was competing with Colt when revolvers were still a pretty new thing. They would take a design Colt had, and improve upon it in their own way. You buy Colt for the name, but you buy Smith and Wesson for the quality. No one makes them better and more reliable. 

Why this specific revolver? The J-Frame is a smaller framed revolver. They make many different versions which may include features like a frame mounted laser, Hammer-less operation, and sometimes even fiber optic sights. The most common caliber is .38 special, but it looks like you can get them in .357 magnum and .22 magnum as well. All three of which are good for self defense, although that is another debate altogether. There are plenty of after market items for them as well. you should not have any problems finding a holster to fit your needs.

If this is your first gun ever, I would probably recommend the .38 special. Even for men, the .357 magnum can be a tough load to handle if you are not experienced. The .38 is much more manageable, and would provide a good stepping stone for any future
guns. 

I don't personally have one of these, although I do have a Smith and Wesson 586. For me, the looks of a gun are almost as important as it's function. As a young guy, I want something sort of flashy or edgy. J-Frames look awkward to my eye, so I went with something long and pretty, like the 586. 

Gun #4

Glock 17, 9mm pistol

I know, I just talked about how revolvers don't jam like pistols do, but revolvers aren't for everyone. Despite there being a higher chance of pistols jamming, if you get the right pistol, the increased risk is so miniscule that it doesn't even matter. There are many pistols that fall under this category, but I would say this is one of the most popular.

The Glock line of pistols have a polymer frame with a striker fire system. This was very revolutionary, and very controversial back in the 80's when this pistol first came out. Now, Most firearm manufacturers have at least one model of pistol that follows this idea. The three most popular are Glocks, Smith and Wesson M&Ps, and Springfield XDs.

Despite these pistols being made with plastic, instead of traditional metals, they have built a reputation for being tough, reliable, and almost unbreakable pistols. They are the definition of a modern pistol, and the Glock line has been leading the way.

Glock has many different versions of this famed pistol, the differences being the size of frame and barrel, size of the magazine, and the caliber it is offered in.  Because they are striker fire pistols, there is no external safety. Instead, the firearms employ a few internals safeties, including a drop safety and a trigger safety. As I mentioned in previous posts, you should never rely on the safety connected to the firearm. The only safety you really need is between your ears.

I mention the Glock 17 just because it is the most average of all Glocks, it seems. It is chambered in 9mm, which is a good cartridge, it holds 17 rounds and is generally of average size. Great if you are just getting into Glocks.

The truth is, there is almost no way to go wrong here. I am more of a fan of the Smith and Wesson M&P 9, but I bought a Canik 55 TP-9 when I was 21 and that is a Turkish copy of the Walther P99. Despite no one ever hearing of Canik 55, they made an absolutely solid gun. I have never had a jamming issue, no matter what ammo I ran through it. While I wouldn't compete with it, I would trust it with my life. Just because I mention Glock as the most popular choice, doesn't make it the best or the only choice.

Gun #5

AR-15, .223/5.56 or AK-47

I am a big fan of both of these rifles, and I know they are very popular among both gun owners and non-gun owners. Both of these guns are featured in countless movies and television shows and are just generally really AK-47 for around $500-$600, and a low end AR-15 will run you about the same price, depending on where you look. In North Dakota, where I live, I was required to be 21 to purchase an AR-15. I don't know if that is a federal law or a state law, but make sure you know the laws in your area.
cool. Depending on the market, you can get into an

When I started buying guns, I didn't have the money to just drop $600 on the rifle I wanted, so I decided to start with an AR-15, because I could buy it piece by piece and get exactly what I wanted. This ended up being more expensive than the $600 you could spend on one outright, but less expensive than if I spent $600 on one, and then bought all of the aftermarket parts I wanted to switch out on the gun.

If you just want your first gun, and you don't know what you like, you can always buy one outright. Most gun shops have ARs and AKs in stock, or can order them. You can also buy them online and have them sent to
an FFL to pick up.

ARs are almost the stereotypical American rifle. Obviously our military uses a Fully-Auto version of this rifle, and as civilians we can get the Semi-auto version, but this is basically the same rifle they use. It was a beautifully designed rifle with interchangeable parts and a massive quantity of aftermarket accessories. I don't think there is a rifle in history that has as many customization options as the AR-15. There are entire companies, like Magpul, who make a profit on just creating and selling their own accessories. you can change calibers, sights, stocks, hand guards, triggers, pistol grips, muzzle breaks/compensators/flash hiders, barrels, gas blocks, bolt carrier groups, dust flaps, upper receivers, lower receivers and even recoil springs (thanks JP Enterprises).

The AK-47 is a beautiful piece of design work in it's own right. The AK was made to be manufactured

simply as possible and to be as reliable as possible. The AK will work at any time, in any environment, whether it is clean, dirty, wet, muddy, sandy or dusty. In fact, it often works better when it hasn't been cleaned in five years. The controls are simple and the recoil is mild. It is the iconic "bad guy's" weapon in movies. You wont find a more awe inspiring weapon. You can give this gun to anyone in the world and they will know exactly what it is. If this is your first gun, You are one lucky son of a bitch. Of first guns, this is one of the coolest you can possibly pick up, as well as one of the most diverse.

The AK has had some issues in the past with aftermarket items, due to import restrictions, but there are still a ton of aftermarket items available, and there are more and more US made AKs recently. You can get a scope rail that mounts to the side of the receiver. There are quad rail hand guards you can get as well as
plastic and wood stocks, pistol grips, and now there are some aftermarket triggers.

AKs can be used for fun, home defense, and even hunting (if you get a small enough magazine). The round is fairly large and packs a pretty good punch, but is not overpowering for small and medium sized game. The guns is fairly accurate and like I mentioned before, it will always run.

Gun #6

Benelli Nova pump 12 gauge Shotgun

Just like with the Glocks, just because I am saying this specific gun, doesn't mean this is the only option. If you want a pump action shotgun, do your research and pick one that you like the best. There is no right answer here, as everyone's  preference changes.

I chose the Benelli because I find them to be one of the best shotgun manufacturers in the world. They are more well known for their auto-loading shotguns, but they make a fantastic pump shotgun as well. The price

rivals that of any other pump shotgun, and I am pretty happy with some of the features it offers. I am not much of a shotgun guy. I needed a gun for duck hunting and this met all of my needs and more. I like shooting rifles better, and it always threw me off just having the one bead at the end of the barrel to aim with. Rifles always have a front and rear sight, and Benelli uses a front bead as well as a rear bead to line up. The also have a button on the pump that, when pressed, will allow you to eject one round without loading the next round. 

I wanted to make sure that my gun could be cleaned pretty easily too, and the Benelli is really simple to take down and clean. The only tool you really need is the magazine cap. you unscrew the cap, and use the tip of the cap to pop out the two pins from the receiver. with the cap off, you can take off the barrel, and then the pump. with the pins out, you can clean the trigger group and take out the bolt to be cleaned. 

I lent my gun to someone going duck hunting for the first time, and as he was wading through the pond, he tripped. He fell down and the first thing he dunked in the pond was my gun... Kept the ammo dry... but dunked the gun... seriously? we brought hundreds of rounds of ammo... dunk the ammo, save the gun! But anyhow, he dunked my gun straight to the bottom of the pond and it was soaked in dirt and filth. When the gun dried it was as stiff as a dead body. It still worked, but pumping the action was something of a chore... I was able to take it apart in the field, pour some drinking water on it, cover it in diesel engine oil, and it was just like new!

I have mentioned this in previous posts, but shotguns are very versatile firearms. They can be used for hunting, self defense, and for fun shooting clay pidgins. They can fire a variety of ammo from bird shot to slugs. If you want something that does just about everything, the shotgun is the way to go. It is much easier to get into a pump shotgun than an Auto-Loader. Auto loaders are normally more expensive, and a lot of the time they are less reliable. Benelli makes a lot of them, but they are about twice as expensive as the Nova.

Gun #7
(Almost) Literally any gun in the world.

I am always excited when someone becomes a new gun owner. I have my own opinions about guns, but I try to keep an open mind. Getting someone hooked on the joys of firearms is more important to me than what firearms they get hooked on. If all you can afford is a Highpoint, then buy it. If you have the money for a Kriss Vector and you want that to be your first gun, then go for it. As long as you are a law abiding and responsible citizen, you are more than welcome to buy just about any gun you want.

The guns that I provided above are going to be your safest bets, in my opinion. The guns above are a quality product that a lot of people really enjoy, but there are other options that will be just as good if not better for you, depending on what you want. Like I mentioned above, my first pistol was a Turkish made, off brand pistol, and I have no regrets with what I chose.

Well, that is about it. Just my thoughts. What do you guys think? Agree? Disagree? What was your first gun? If you could go back and do it all over again, what would you want your first gun to be? if you are new to firearms, what do you think you might want your first gun to be?