So you want to buy your first gun? Hopefully by the end of this article you will have all the information you need to make an informed choice.

Step 1: Safety First!

If you are completely new to guns it’s a good idea to take a basic handgun class - learn the basics and get the feel of handling a gun and in particular learn how to safely operate a handgun.
Here are some rules of gun safety to always keep in mind:
Always keep the muzzle pointed down range
Do not point a gun at anything which you don't intend to destroy
Know your target and what’s beyond it
Finger off the trigger at all times until you are on target and ready to shoot
Always treat every gun as if it is loaded at all times

Step 2: Try before you buy!
The Golden Rule is - Don't buy a gun until you have shot it!
You wouldn't buy a car without driving it first would you? The same goes for guns! Window shopping is ok, but don't just take the salesperson’s word for it when they say "She's a sweet shooter" !!
So after you have taken some classes at your local range look at what options they have in the rental case.

Step 3: Decide what type of Gun you are looking for.
Now that you have had a chance to learn a bit about shooting and have the opportunity to try some guns out, it’s time to start thinking about what type of Gun you actually need?
In order to answer this question you need to decide -what is the purpose of the gun?
Home Defense?
Concealed Carry?
Both?
This will help you decide the type of Gun to look for.
For example, a Home Defense gun doesn’t usually need to be concealed, so you can run a bigger gun, with a bigger grip and slide and perhaps even a higher caliber round.
If you want to Concealed Carry, a smaller size more concealable gun like a subcompact pistol may seem like a better option but be aware it isn't going to be as easy to shoot as a full size pistol so it may not be the best choice for a newbie.

Step 4: Handle some Guns
Next step is to handle the guns in the rental case and see what feels right in your hand. After all, we all have different sized hands!
A common misconception people have is ”small girl, small hands, small gun” ..not necessarily!
The smaller the gun the more "snappy" it tends to be, so it will have a bit more recoil than a larger gun with more mass to help absorb some of the recoil.
Equally if you do have small hands you might not want a massive pistol even if it does recoil less. You need to try out various options and find a happy medium.
So maybe take a look at the compact guns since they are kind of the best of both worlds in that regard. There are a few great options in this category from all the top manufacturers..

Step 5: Practice Shooting at the Range
So now, after handling a few different guns and seeing what you like the look and feel of it's time to test them out!
Maybe you put 100 rounds through each gun on 4 separate days, or shoot 2 guns one day and 2 the next.
This way you have time to digest what happened and reflect on how you liked the guns.
If you fire 4 guns back to back, you will probably begin to forget what you liked and didn't like, they will all blend together in your mind!
What did you like? What didn't you like?
Take your time, it’s not a rush!

Step 6: Choose your Favorite!
After shooting the 4 pistols and reviewing all the notes you made using our Gun Buying Checklist you are now able to narrow down to your favorite gun.
#Bonus Tip 1 - How popular is the gun? If it's selling well accessories should be readily available, you don't want a gun that is difficult to get a holster for and if you want to upgrade the trigger, buy extra mags etc you may be out of luck if it's an obscure gun. Remember - Popularity helps!
#Bonus Tip 2 - Does the gun have a reliable reputation? Also does the company have a good reputation for good customer service if any issues were to arise?
But remember the only opinion that truly counts is yours!
So now you are ready to pull the trigger on your new gun!!! Congratulations!

Step 7: Safety Last!
Just as we start with safety, we will end with safety!
I recommend you take a one-on-one private teaching session with a qualified instructor. Do a few hundred rounds of testing your new gun under their supervision to make sure you handle it correctly and don't reinforce any bad habits early on!
Get some good timing after the trigger and knock the rounds down the range!
Enjoy your new gun!