07-12-2010, 06:52 PM
"Rex," You say. "I want to buy a gun. What should I buy?"
Well, firstly, let me welcome you to the honorable brotherhood of gun owners. You're taking a big step, exercising your God given right to own a firearm for whatever lawful purpose you wish, as outlined in The second amendment of the Constitution of The United States. I know, I have a copy right here next to me. It reads:
So before we begin, I want to give you Colonel Jeff Cooper's Four Rules of Gun Safety:
Follow these rules, and I can all but guarantee you will never hurt anyone you do not intend to, including yourself. These rules have become part of the culture of gun ownership, and you should know them. They, like many rules, are there to keep you safe. Knowing this, let's begin.
First off,
Rex, where should I buy the guns we're about to talk about?
Well, you could always go to a gun show, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I personally prefer to purchase guns at a local, reputable shop. Or, if I'm looking for a deal, I'll buy a used gun from a Private seller.
If you're in Harrisonburg, you should go talk to Dennis Ashby Arms. He is a good guy, and he will not steer you wrong. He's honest and trustworthy, and his prices are fair. Tell him Rex sent you.
If you're in NoVA, you should go talk to Bernie & The Gang at Virginia Arms. This is, frankly, the best gun shop in NoVA, probably all of Virginia.
Rex, I want to buy a Handgun.
Great! Handguns are fantastic, and have been around in some form or another for a long time. They are easily concealable which makes them great for personal defense, they can be relatively inexpensive; both to purchase and to practice, and they are a whole hell of alot of fun!
So here's what you should do. Assuming you want a Centerfire handgun (as in, not .22lr) then you should find the nearest gun show, and pick up every handgun on every table. Do not look at price, do not look at caliber, do not look at brand. What we want here is a gun that's comfortable, and that your hand points naturally with. Grip the gun in a Weaver Grip, (remember our safety rules, booger hooks off the bang switch!) close your eyes, and bring the gun "up". Open your eyes. The sights should be right in front of you and mostly (if not totally) lined up. The front sight should be visible, but not dramatically above the rear sight. You basically want to see this when you open your eyes. If it feels comfortable, and points "good" write down the model information (Make, Model, Price, Caliber) and move to the next one. Try to resist liking a gun because it "looks cool" or is a particular brand. I'll give you a list of brands to avoid in a minute, but for now, just figure out what feels the best.
If it isn't comfortable, you won't shoot it. If you don't shoot it, you won't be proficient with it. If you're not going to be proficient with it, you shouldn't have it.
Ok Rex. I've narrowed down the choices. What caliber should I get?
To be perfectly honest, it doesn't really matter. You can read page after page, entire encyclopedias on the subject of "what caliber". But for centerfire handguns, anything with a bullet over .35" in diameter is probably sufficient. SHOT PLACEMENT is what matters for hand guns. Look at this ballistics chart:
![[Image: handgun_gel_comparison.jpg]](http://www.ignatius-piazza-front-sight.com/wp-content/uploads/handgun_gel_comparison.jpg)
They all penetrate about the same. (The FBI minimum requirement is 12" penetration in ballistics gelatin.) They all have similar wound patterns. So it doesn't really matter that much whether your hole is .35" (9mm) or .40" (.40S&W) or .45" (.45ACP) what DOES matter, for purposes of self defense, is stopping an attacker as quickly and efficiently as possible. That means hitting a major organ or nervous system component. To do this, you'll need to be able to reliably put your fire where it will do the most damage. This is what matters, not necessarily how BIG of a hole it makes on the way.
That being said, 9mm is cheap and easy to find, used around the world for 110 years and counting. .40S&W is used in many US Police sidearms to excellent effect. .45ACP was our military's handgun caliber for a long, long time and alot of people would see us return to it. Delta & other SOF really have a chub for the trusty old .45ACP. If you get one of these three, you'll have a fine, serviceable automatic.
For revolvers, you're looking at either .38SPL, .357Magnum, or .44Magnum. I'd stay away from .41Mag since it's really hard to find and expensive. .44Mag is a bit of a beast, but it's what dirty harry carried. For .38/357, I'd buy a .357 revolver. You can still shoot .38Special, but you have the option to shoot the faster and more powerful .357Mag. Win/win, right?
So what Brands should I avoid?
Gun brands to ABSOLUTELY AVOID:
Hi-Point
Raven Arms
Jimenez
Bryco
Jennings
Pheonix Arms
Lorcin
Cobray
Davis
Anything made in China (except for the old Norinco 1911.)
These guns are total fuckin' shit. Don't buy them. Don't let your friends buy them. They are the Bic lighters of the gun world. Totally disposable, only good for filing the serial off and selling to a gangsta.
Gun brands with Questionable Quality:
Taurus
Ruger (Semi Autos, like the P series)
Charter Arms
Kel-Tec
Scyy
Smith and Wesson SIGMA Series
I know I'm gonna get shit for this one, and that plenty of people have had excellent Tauruses or Rugers and they haven't had any problems blah blah blah. Listen, their QC is bad enough to make me leery of them. Especially if you're a new shooter, any problems you encounter are going to be especially frustrating, and shipping a gun back to the manufacturer for service is a goddamn hassle. For Taurus, there are better Beretta 92 clones out there (Like an ACTUAL Beretta 92) and I don't think Rugers are all that great either. KelTec seems to stand by their firearms, but I wouldn't trust my life to one without really running it through it's paces. This is true for any handgun, but I'd say it's especially true for the above list.
Gun brands that are Good To Go:
S&W (M&P Series & Revolvers)
Colt
Sig Sauer
Glock
CZ
H&K
Springfield Armory
Beretta
Ruger Revolvers
If someone tossed me a broken-in example of any of the above's products, I'd probably trust it right away.
WTF is Double Action? Single Action? Some of these don't have safeties!
Some simple definitions:
Single Action (Like a Colt 1911):
When you pull the trigger, the hammer drops. The slide is pushed back from the ejection cycle, and that resets the hammer
Double Action Only:
When you pull the trigger, the hammer cocks itself and then drops. The slide is pushed back from the ejection cycle, and the hammer is NOT reset.
Double Action / Single Action (DA/SA):
When you pull the trigger for the first time, the hammer cocks itself then drops. The slide is pushed back from the ejection cycle, and the hammer is reset for a single action pull. i.e. the first shot is double action, the rest are single.
Striker Fired:
It's alot like single action. You pull the trigger, the striker moves forward. The slide is pushed back from the ejection cycle, and the hammer is reset. MANY (but not all) polymer framed pistols operate in this manner. (Glock, SA, etc.) Some of these are *described* as "double action" but are in practice MORE like single action. (I'm looking at YOU, glock.) The main difference between all of these is that true double action pistols you could fire more than once on a 'dud'. If a round did not go off, you could pull the trigger AGAIN and try a second time. With single action and striker-fired pistols, you must manually cycle the slide in order to pull the trigger again.
Safeties: All single action only pistols have some kind of active safety "switch" that you must switch off to fire. SOME striker-fired and double action pistols have a safety "switch" but many do not. In the "not" cases, there is a "passive" safety, in that either there is a switch on the trigger itself that is activated as the trigger is pulled OR the heavy, long "double action" pull of the trigger acts as a safety. MOST new handguns sold in the United States have a drop safety and will not discharge if dropped. Whether you want a manual safety or not is up to you. Many people say "the safety is behind your eyeballs" in that if you don't pull the trigger, the gun won't discharge. Every time you hear of someone having an "accidental discharge" what they really mean is that they pulled the trigger when they didn't mean to. A manual safety can prevent this, but so can careful adherence to the four rules above. This is your call.
What ammo should I buy?
If you're going to carry it for defense, standard "ball" or "FMJ" ammunition won't cut it. You should have a quality expanding design of ammunition. One of the above gun shops can help steer you in the right direction. But again, the PARAMOUNT thing to remember is PRACTICE. You should practice practice practice. Don't train until you get it right, train until you cannot get it wrong. And make sure you train with the ammunition you intend to defend yourself with. Just because your gun works with cheap winchester white box for training doesn't mean it works great with your Federal Hydra-Shoks. Make sure your gun works flawlessly with the ammo you choose. See the end of this FAQ for more discussion on this topic.
Whew, that was a freakin' novel.
Rex, I want to buy a Shotgun.
Cool! I shoot my shotgun probably more than any other gun I own! It's alot of fun, and shotguns are VERY versatile boomsticks.
![[Image: this-is-my-boomstick.jpg]](http://static.reelmovienews.com/images/gallery/this-is-my-boomstick.jpg)
I normally recommend you purchase the most expensive shotgun you can afford. You will never say to yourself, "Gee, I wish I'd bought a cheaper shotgun." This is true of any firearm, really. But I digress, there are 3 main types:
Over/Under (or SideBySide):
Pretty much the simplest design. Two tubes, a hinge in the middle, and a trigger assembly. Good for all the sporting clay games (most popular with this crowd, I'd say) and they definitely have an element of style. Excellent for hunting also. However, they only hold 2 shells at a time, they tend to be expensive, and they aren't really all that good for defense.
Semi Automatic:
They can be gas powered or recoil powered, but basically as long as you have shells loaded in the magazine, every time you pull the trigger that puppy is gonna spit lead. They are good for sporting clay games, good for hunting, and excellent for self defense. However, they tend to be more maintenance intensive and more expensive than
Pump Action:
The most common footprint of shotgun. Each time you fire, you must manually "pump" the action backwards to eject the spent shell and then forwards to load a new one before you can fire again. These are inexpensive and reliable, but not as good for the sporting clay games as the previous two.
"Why is that, Rex?":
Well, when you're shooting Trap it doesn't matter. But any game that requires you to shoot "doubles" (that is, two targets in the air at the same time) you're going to be at a disadvantage if using a pump. With an auto or O/U, as soon as that trigger is pulled a second shell has presented itself and the operator need only worry about targeting the next bird. With a pump, the operator needs to take the time to cycle the gun itself before targeting the next bird. This is by no means insurmountable, and in fact the extra stress when using a pump is excellent training, one simply need be aware of the handicap. For more information on how each of the three kinds of shotguns work, check out this article.
For ammo selection, please see the end of this FAQ.
Rex, I want to buy a Rifle.
Eeeexcellent. Rifles are the king of the battlefield. Range, power, accuracy. Like Shotguns, there are different types of rifles, and you'll need to consider your needs before choosing:
Break Action
Similar to the over/under (and in fact, there is a break action shotgun also) the break action is just a tube with a hinge. You crack it open to load a new shell, and you get one shot before you need to reload. They are inexpensive, and quite accurate and lightweight. They can also chamber very large and powerful calibers without danger.
Examples: NEF/Handi Rifles
Bolt Action
In this type of action, the firearm's bolt is rotated (either by physically turning a handle, or through a camming action by pulling straight-back) which locks the round into place, and allows the pressure to be contained. After each shot, the bolt must be worked which will eject the spent shell on the backwards stroke and load a fresh shell & lock the breech on the forward stroke. Some bolt actions only have 1 shell capacity, and must be loaded with a fresh shell each time, but most have a magazine, which allows storage of multiple shells. This permits the shooter to fire a number of shells rapidly before reloading the magazine. This is the most popular type of action, and is generally the most inexpensive.
Examples: Savage 10/11, Remington 700
Lever Action
In this type, the bolt handle is moved below the receiver and may be quickly manipulated by the dominant hand. Lever action rifles are always equipped with a magazine of some kind, as the increased speed (compared to a bolt action) would be worthless without the ability to rapidly load a new shell from the magazine. Forcing the lever downwards ejects the spent shell; returning the lever to its original position loads a new shell and locks the breech. This type of action is rugged and reliable, and has a bit of 'cowboy style' to the rifle. They are often also very compact, lending to a tube magazine as opposed to a box magazine. However, many times lever actions require special rimmed ammunition callibers, which may not be as readily available as other rifle calibers. They are also a little more expensive than bolt action rifles.
Examples: Winchester 94, Marlin 1895
Semi Automatic
As the name implies, this type of action allows you to (like the semi automatic shotgun) fire a round each time the trigger is depressed, until the magazine is empty. This is the most rapid firing of the designs, and like the semi automatic shotgun, allows for a quick follow-up if required. Each time the trigger is depressed, a round is fired, and either the recoil energy from that round OR excess gas from that round is used to cycle the action, ejecting the spent shell and loading a new one from the magazine. Semi Automatic rifles are gaining in popularity in recent times, but are not by any means new. They can be expensive, but can also be as cheap as a lever action or higher quality bolt action
Examples: Browning BAR, M1 Garand, AR-15, AK47
Whoa! AK47!? Isn't that a machine gun?! Is that even legal?
No, it's not a machine gun. Since each trigger pull results in only ONE bullet firing, the action is SEMI automatic, as opposed to FULLY automatic, which would require you to depress the trigger only once for multiple rounds to be fired. Semi Automatic rifles are generally unrestricted at the Federal level, however a few misguided state legislatures have chosen to restrict or ban outright rifles with certain cosmetic "military" features such as flash hiders, pistol grips, collapsible or folding buttstocks, accessory lugs, and standard capacity detachable magazines. Virginia is not one of those states. Furthermore, machine guns (AKA Fully Automatic Rifles) are not ILLEGAL to own, they just have a separate and more onerous process for ownership. They also are illegal to manufacture after 1986, making existing machine guns quite expensive, as no replacements are being manufactured. However, they are quite legal to own federally, and outside the aforementioned misguided states.
FAQ:
Rex, do I need a license to own a gun?
Not in Virginia. You need only be 18 to purchase a long gun (shotgun or rifle) or 21 to purchase a handgun. You also need to not be a "Prohibited Person." Not a felon, not have a domestic order filed against you, not have been judged mentally incompetent and not be a user of an illicit drug.
Rex, do I need a license to carry a handgun?
In Virginia, you do not need a license to "openly" carry a handgun. Openly means it is visible to an observer and the nature of the weapon is not disguised. Inside a holster is not disguised, but you may not carry it in your hand. This could be considered brandishing. If you would like to conceal your handgun, you must get a permit. You must take a class and pay a 50 dollar fee. If you would like to pursue this, see one of the above gun shops, or myself, and we'll point you in the right direction.
Rex, can I buy a gun from a private seller? Do I need a license to sell a gun?
Yes. Contrary to what the Brady Bunch would have you believe, there is no "gun show loophole". A gun is like any other private property. You may sell it to whomever you wish, as long as you have no reason to believe they are a prohibited person. This is like selling a couch or a car. Would you think it reasonable to require a license to sell your old coffee table? Your bitchin' Power Rangers action figure collection? A spare set of wheels and tires? A firearm is the same.
Rex, what do I need to buy a gun?
You'll need 3 things:
#1: The money to buy it. :-p.
#2: A photo ID issued by the government, with your birthdate. This means almost exclusively your driver's license. Could be a passport also, I think.
#3: A second "ID", with your name and address on it. It does not need a photo. It could be your checks, car registration, birth certificate, voter card, hunting/fishing license, as long as it's got your name and the same address that's on your first ID. Don't try to get cute. Use something conventional.
Now, after you've presented your ID's, you'll fill out two forms.
One is ATF Form 4473. It confirms that you're not a prohibited person, and has all the stuff for your NICS check.
The other is the VA Equivalent form. Same shit.
Now, there is one exception. If you're buying something that the State of Virginia designates an "Assault Weapon" (generally a firearm with a capacity larger than 20 and with a threaded barrel, iirc) then you'll need to ALSO prove you're a Citizen of the United States. Birth Certificate, Passport, or Voter card are the only ones I know of. Another reason to register to vote!
Rex, do I need to register my handgun if I buy it from a dealer? What about from a private seller?
VA has no handgun (or long gun) registry. You do not need to register it with anyone. The only exception is with NFA Items (machine guns, short barreled rifles (<16"), short barreled shotguns (<18"), destructive devices (grenades) etc.) which you do need to register with the State Police. Your dealer will assist you here. Now, if you're being specific, technically your Form 4473 has to be kept by the dealer you bought it from, if from a dealer. The ATF can request to see this paper at any time. This is how guns get "traced". The serial number is sent to the firearm manufacturer, who points the ATF to the dealer, who will present the form 4473. The ATF will then come talk to you, and find out what happened to the gun. Currently, there are no requirements for you to keep records to whom you sell your firearms to, but it may not be the worst idea for you to record to whom you sell your personal firearms.
On a related note, the only license/permit in Virginia is your Concealed Handgun permit.
"Rex, I have a CHP. Where can I carry? What can I carry?"
I am NOT a lawyer. A better resource for this is the Virginia Citizens Defense League. But, with that said, it's probably easier to list places you can't go when carrying:
#1: Anywhere with a sign that says "Firearms Prohibited" or similar.
#2: Any federal property. This includes the post office. It does not include national forests in Virginia.
#3: A K-12 school.
What you can carry is alot easier. Your Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) is just that: A permit for concealing handguns. Not rifles, not shotguns, not knives, not blackjacks, not tasers, not ASPs, not brass knuckles, not venomous snakes. See how easy that was?
"Rex, I want a <gun> for home/self defense."
There are some interesting implications for this purpose that people do not often consider. Often people are concerned with "over-penetration", that is, firing a gun and penetrating a wall to hurt someone they did not intend to on the other side. This IS a legitimate concern. However, as The Box O' Truth shows, anything that will sufficiently ventilate a bad guy will make short work of your interior walls. Remember the fourth rule. Know your target and what is behind it!
"But Rex, I don't want to hurt anyone! I'll just load my shotgun with birdshot."
Well, intruders are in the business of hurting YOU. If someone breaks into your home, you MUST assume they are there to hurt you and your family, until you have sufficient reason to believe otherwise. Your goal in a self defense situation is to come out of it alive, and your best chances for that happening are ending the fight AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. This does not mean a superficial wound from bird shot. Bird shot is for BIRDS. It does an excellent job at it's intended purpose. However, that intended purpose is not stopping a man. As the above Box O' Truth link will show you, to get the needed penetration to STOP a fight IMMEDIATELY, the person on the other end is in great danger of death. This is a sad reality. No one wishes to kill another man, but I have to believe that to ME, my life is paramount. Worth more than an intruder's. Until non-lethal means of defense are perfected, a firearm, loaded with proper ammunition capable of penetrating at least 12" of ballistic gelatin COMBINED with good training and a survival mindset remains your best bet for staying alive.
Rex, what IS the point of .38 (only) revolvers? I see companies still make a .38 and a .357, and they're almost the same gun, almost the same price. Why one earth would someone get the more limited .38 only? Is there any possible advantage I'm missing?
That's a great question! The answer is: "Recoil". .38 Special is pretty good at killin' dudes, and has been doing so since it's introduction in 1899. It's got about the same horsepower as a 9MM, but you can load heavier bullets than you could out of a 9mm. (Hint, .38, .357, and 9mm bullets are all the same diameter: .355" or 9.1mm) Now, you can make a much smaller and lighter handgun in .38Spl than you can in .357. The extra power and recoil means the frame and lockwork have to be beefier for .357 than .38, and the recoil can be dramatically greater, (like, 3x greater) which translates into ouchie in your hand if you make a .357 revolver too light. You can see the same dichotomy with .44...there are quite a few .44Spl revolvers out there, since .44Spl is about on par with .45ACP, maybe a little better, but full-house .44mag loads in those same revolvers would make them explode. For someone who doesn't need all the ass (because they aren't hunting or shooting engine blocks) of a magnum cartridge one of the "Special" revolvers make a lot of sense.
The other thing you have to realize is that these days, the revolver market is totally dwarfed by semi auto handguns. Semi autos probably outsell wheelguns 5:1 or more. And the trending for wheelguns is to make them physically smaller, since the smaller a gun gets, the less advantages a semi auto has over a revolver. So the market for "combat sized" revolvers is getting ever-smaller, and the extremes are starting to show themselves. These days the most common wheelguns are either "Big McLargeHuge" for hunting or "Ittybittyisn'titsocuuuuuuuuute" for deep concealed carry.
Rex, Whats the difference between .223 and 5.56? I think I read a rifle chambered for one of these rounds can take both, but not the other way around (like, 5.56 can take .223, but a .223 rifle shouldn't be loaded with 5.56).
This is true. They are *similar* but not quite the same. 5.56NATO specifies thicker brass in the case, and is generally loaded to a higher pressure than .223 Remington. MOST rifles these days are actually chambered for 5.56, and their barrels are stamped thusly. It is 100% safe to fire .223 out of a 5.56 chambered rifle, but the reverse is not ALWAYS true. (Although SOMETIMES it is. Your best bet if your rifle is chambered in '.223 Remington' is to ask the manufacturer if 5.56 is safe to fire. These days, it's pretty rare to find a new production rifle chambered for .223 only.
Rex, I want to buy a used handgun, but I'm not sure what to look for
I can help:
Rex, I found a really good deal on a gun on the internet, like at Bud's Gun Shop or Impact Guns or CDNN...how do I buy it?
It's actually not that complex of a process. Before the Gun Control Act of 1968, you could get guns delivered to your house in the mail. Order it from Sears, it would arrive at your door. Well, you can't do that anymore, except for *very* specific circumstances which I won't get into. (Google "CMP" and "C&R FFL") What you'll need to do instead is transfer the gun to an FFL.
I did this recently, and it's not that bad. Here's what you do. FIRST, select a dealer that will receive a firearm from another dealer. I'll make it easy on you: VA Arms or Nova Armament for NoVA, Ashby Arms for the Valley. Next, you order your gun, pay for it, and tell the dealer you're buying it from who to send it to. THEN, you contact the receiving dealer and tell them what you've bought and who you bought it from. Your receiving FFL will then transmit a copy of his federal paperwork to the transmitting dealer, and after a week or so you'll pick up your new boomstick from your receiving dealer. For this privilege, you will pay 30-50 dollars.
Sometimes, it's even easier than that. Occasionally large online firearms retailers will have dealer's FFL's on file, and even have an arrangement with them to simply ship firearms with no need to involve the customer. You buy, you get a shipping notice, and you get an email from your FFL when your gun is in. It's really quite easy, but you should contact your favorite fun shop to make sure you've got the exact process down before you pull the trigger, so to speak.
A note: If you buy a gun from a PERSON on the internet (i.e. not an FFL holder) then you need to make sure that the FFL you selected to receive the weapon accepts transfers from private individuals...NOT ALL OF THEM DO, and if you don't tell your FFL it's coming from a private individual he may send your shit back and be very cross with you.
(A third note: It is perfectly legal to receive a gun in the mail from an individual in your home state. It is when you cross state lines that all the trouble starts. However, most people don't know this, so it rarely happens.)
Rex, What's the deal with Steel Case vs Brass case Ammunition?
Here, read this article: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/">http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-v ... ased-ammo/</a><!-- m -->
If that doesn't answer your question it's because you can't science.
tl;dr: If you want maximum performance, accuracy, reliability, and barrel longevity, you should exclusively run brass cased ammunition with a copper (not bimetal) jacket. However, the price difference of the steel case ammunition is significant enough that by the time you notice performance degradation, (~6000 rounds) you will have saved enough money for a replacement barrel with money left over.
Rex, I think I want to buy an AR-15, what am I doing?
Well, I'm glad you asked. I've been shooting, building, and horsetrading AR's since you couldn't have shoulder things that went up, so I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about here. You're really discussing buying not a gun, but kind of a system. To be effective, in Rex's opinion (since you asked) you'll need the following:
A: A Rifle
B: An optic
C: A sling
D: Enough mags to load 200 rounds of ammunition. (So, 10 20rd'ers or 7 30rd'ers)
For especially B but also C & D opinions are like assholes and I'm already going to waste a bunch of bits on A, so I will say only this: The AR platform shines in its ability to quickly put lead on multiple targets and moderate distances, not for making cute clovers on paper. It *can* "reach out" further, but it is not the ideal platform to do so. From a practicaltactical standpoint outside, say, 300 meters it's probably a way better plan to evade than engage. Plan your optic for Aliens, not Enemy At The Gates.
So. Back to A. First Question, magic question: What's Your Budget?
Rex, money is no object.
Good for you. Call Lawmens Shooting Supply and order a Knights Armament SR-15 E3 Mod 2 MLOK and then close this tab. You're done. It's the best of breed for a number of reasons I won't get into you'll just have to trust me. It's expensive, but worth every penny. It'll do anything you ask of it and I promise you, you won't ever regret spending the money.
Rex, I've got, oh, I dunno, no more than 1200 bucks.
Sweet. In that case, buy a Smith and Wesson MOE Mid. It has a lightweight, 5R rifled barrel, a very nice billet lower receiver with Magpul branding, and it's basically ready for you to run and figure out what you like and don't like. When you get comfortable with it, add the optic. When you get comfortable with the optic, you'll probably want a new trigger. (I humbly recommend a Geisselle SSA-E) Then put no less than 1,000 rounds downrange before you change anything else. You may want to change your furniture or muzzle device or controls, but don't do it until you've got 1K under your belt.
That's my favorite option, but there are other options in this range. The Sionics Patrol Zero, the Colt 6920 , the SIG M400, the FN FN15...but basically what you're looking for is a quality offering from a large-ish company with possibly a mid-length gas system, a fixed front sight post, a lightweight barrel and standard or magpul MOE/SL furniture.
This is for a number of reasons. Heavy barrels are for machine guns, which this is not. Fixed front sight posts aren't going to be bent, broken, loosened, or lost without heavy damage to the weapon. Standard furniture works "well enough" until you know precisely what you want, whereas free float rails offer limited utility for a beginner but can add significant expense and weight. Get a "keep it simple" 16" lightweight carbine and learn to use it.
Rex, I'm broke, bruh.
I highly highly recommend you save your pennies until you can afford something from the above. If you spend much less you'll find yourself with costs cut here and there, crappier components, shittier steels and alloys, and poorly fitted/QC'd pieces. But even here, a gun is better than a pointy stick, so I recommend firstly the S&W M&P Sport, the best bargain going, and "whatever you can find" after that that you don't have to piece together. But seriously save your money.
Rex, I heard that AR's are like legos for grownups, can't I just build my rifle from a box of parts?
An AR-15 is in fact like Legos for Grownups. Only the lower assembly (the magazine well and fire control group housing, essentially) is regulated as a firearm. Everything else is a "non gun" and you can order on the internet and have delivered to your house. These pieces really require AT MOST a vice, a block, a punch set, and a wrench which in the scheme of things isn't that many tools at all to be able to take a box of loose parts and turn it into a modern fighting weapon. For this reason, many many people (myself included) make a hobby out of building AR-15's. For example, I build this:
![[Image: 12109260_814275668767_459472663474273380...e=59196AAB]](https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12109260_814275668767_4594726634742733806_n.jpg?oh=0aeb664924d4764abc8320456c75d396&oe=59196AAB)
I chose every single component from the muzzle device to the sling mount to the mag release button to the charging handle for a very specific reason, then assembled it all at my home by myself with nothing more than the above mentioned tools. Neat, huh? And every single part except for one (the one that has "safe" and "fire" marked on it) was delivered to me by my favorite arms dealer, the UPS man.
So you totally can build an AR from scratch but if this is your first AR, you shouldn't. You'll find yourself with a rifle that sucks that you wont' be able to get half your money out of if you go to sell it. Please just trust me on this. I am speaking from experience. You can, and will, build stuff later but for Rifle Number One, buy + mod is the way to go. Build for number 2. If you insist on building from the get-go, then please consult with someone for each and every part you choose and take their recommendation. If you think you'll be saving money, you won't be. If you think you'll be saving time, you won't be. If you think you'll have a dramatically better weapon than buying a Colt off the rack, you probably won't. You will learn a lot, which is a plus, but it is a much much better idea to buy a functioning, good quality rifle first and learn to use it. Otherwise, how will you know what you want to build?
It's a bit like building a race car without ever being on a track. Sure you can do it, but you're going to have to go back and change a shitload of stuff after the fact, whereas if you had some track time in something else first (even if, ultimately, it's not your end goal) you'll learn what your race car needs.
Rex, what about an AR in {caliber other than 5.56/.223}
Oh you mean like 7.62x39, 300Blackout, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, .50 Beowulf, .458 SOCOM or some other flavor of the month weirdness? Don't, for the same reasons as above. You'll need to do an assload of research before you can know for sure you're getting what you want, and the above are almost 100% of the time a custom prospect. Just relax.
Rex, what about a SCAR/AK/ACR/XCR/MCX/X11/Other Boutique BS?
Kind of beyond the scope of this post, but do your research. I have my personal preferences in regards to Non-AR "Sport Utility Rifles". I owned an ACR and loved it, but recognized its faults. Likewise the SCAR was cool as hell, but doesn't *really* do anything better than an AR except cost more, and in some cases does stuff worse. AK's are their own animal, and you should understand their flaws and benefits before entering into that, but they are not nearly as modular or as "user servicable" as an AR-15, which plays no small part in the phenomenal success of the AR platform.
Rex, I saw a deal on the internet from PSA where I can get everything put together for like 400 dollars!
Please don't. Look, if I had to buy 10 rifles to arm my neighbors I'd maybe consider this. (probably not but maybe) In the end, you'll find yourself replacing barrels and bolt carriers and all kinds of shit, basically rebuilding the rifle to get something worth a damn. Do it right the first time, and you won't have any issues. Yes, this is money, but compared to *car* money, it's pennies.
Ok Rex, I bought my KAC SR-15 and a nice Trijicon ACOG and a dozen PMags. I've got a crate of ammo and a nice pair of boots. Now what?
Go pay someone to teach you how to use it. It isn't rocket science, and the platform is wildly user friendly, but there ar some things that you'll need to be taught to be really effective with it. Vet your instructors, sniff around for independent reviews of classes, and for God's Sake go have fun.
Rex, I have a question that you haven't answered.
Ask below, and I will answer it in a ninja edit.
I hope this has been informative. If you have any questions, comments, additions or changes, please PM me and I will add them. As another poster had said, it is difficult to wade through multiple pages of discussion in order to find an answer, so I'd like to keep this to one comprehensive and updated post. For in-depth discussion of firearms and general and this post, check out the MM Official Firearms Thread.
last edit: 10 January 2017, added AR buyers guide stuff.
Well, firstly, let me welcome you to the honorable brotherhood of gun owners. You're taking a big step, exercising your God given right to own a firearm for whatever lawful purpose you wish, as outlined in The second amendment of the Constitution of The United States. I know, I have a copy right here next to me. It reads:
The MF'n US Constitution Wrote:A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
So before we begin, I want to give you Colonel Jeff Cooper's Four Rules of Gun Safety:
- All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
- Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy. (For those who insist that this particular gun is unloaded, see Rule 1.)
- Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target. This is the Golden Rule. Its violation is directly responsible for about 60 percent of inadvertent discharges.
- Identify your target, and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything that you have not positively identified.
Follow these rules, and I can all but guarantee you will never hurt anyone you do not intend to, including yourself. These rules have become part of the culture of gun ownership, and you should know them. They, like many rules, are there to keep you safe. Knowing this, let's begin.
First off,
Rex, where should I buy the guns we're about to talk about?
Well, you could always go to a gun show, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I personally prefer to purchase guns at a local, reputable shop. Or, if I'm looking for a deal, I'll buy a used gun from a Private seller.
If you're in Harrisonburg, you should go talk to Dennis Ashby Arms. He is a good guy, and he will not steer you wrong. He's honest and trustworthy, and his prices are fair. Tell him Rex sent you.
If you're in NoVA, you should go talk to Bernie & The Gang at Virginia Arms. This is, frankly, the best gun shop in NoVA, probably all of Virginia.
Rex, I want to buy a Handgun.
Great! Handguns are fantastic, and have been around in some form or another for a long time. They are easily concealable which makes them great for personal defense, they can be relatively inexpensive; both to purchase and to practice, and they are a whole hell of alot of fun!
So here's what you should do. Assuming you want a Centerfire handgun (as in, not .22lr) then you should find the nearest gun show, and pick up every handgun on every table. Do not look at price, do not look at caliber, do not look at brand. What we want here is a gun that's comfortable, and that your hand points naturally with. Grip the gun in a Weaver Grip, (remember our safety rules, booger hooks off the bang switch!) close your eyes, and bring the gun "up". Open your eyes. The sights should be right in front of you and mostly (if not totally) lined up. The front sight should be visible, but not dramatically above the rear sight. You basically want to see this when you open your eyes. If it feels comfortable, and points "good" write down the model information (Make, Model, Price, Caliber) and move to the next one. Try to resist liking a gun because it "looks cool" or is a particular brand. I'll give you a list of brands to avoid in a minute, but for now, just figure out what feels the best.
If it isn't comfortable, you won't shoot it. If you don't shoot it, you won't be proficient with it. If you're not going to be proficient with it, you shouldn't have it.
Ok Rex. I've narrowed down the choices. What caliber should I get?
To be perfectly honest, it doesn't really matter. You can read page after page, entire encyclopedias on the subject of "what caliber". But for centerfire handguns, anything with a bullet over .35" in diameter is probably sufficient. SHOT PLACEMENT is what matters for hand guns. Look at this ballistics chart:
They all penetrate about the same. (The FBI minimum requirement is 12" penetration in ballistics gelatin.) They all have similar wound patterns. So it doesn't really matter that much whether your hole is .35" (9mm) or .40" (.40S&W) or .45" (.45ACP) what DOES matter, for purposes of self defense, is stopping an attacker as quickly and efficiently as possible. That means hitting a major organ or nervous system component. To do this, you'll need to be able to reliably put your fire where it will do the most damage. This is what matters, not necessarily how BIG of a hole it makes on the way.
That being said, 9mm is cheap and easy to find, used around the world for 110 years and counting. .40S&W is used in many US Police sidearms to excellent effect. .45ACP was our military's handgun caliber for a long, long time and alot of people would see us return to it. Delta & other SOF really have a chub for the trusty old .45ACP. If you get one of these three, you'll have a fine, serviceable automatic.
For revolvers, you're looking at either .38SPL, .357Magnum, or .44Magnum. I'd stay away from .41Mag since it's really hard to find and expensive. .44Mag is a bit of a beast, but it's what dirty harry carried. For .38/357, I'd buy a .357 revolver. You can still shoot .38Special, but you have the option to shoot the faster and more powerful .357Mag. Win/win, right?
So what Brands should I avoid?
Gun brands to ABSOLUTELY AVOID:
Hi-Point
Raven Arms
Jimenez
Bryco
Jennings
Pheonix Arms
Lorcin
Cobray
Davis
Anything made in China (except for the old Norinco 1911.)
These guns are total fuckin' shit. Don't buy them. Don't let your friends buy them. They are the Bic lighters of the gun world. Totally disposable, only good for filing the serial off and selling to a gangsta.
Gun brands with Questionable Quality:
Taurus
Ruger (Semi Autos, like the P series)
Charter Arms
Kel-Tec
Scyy
Smith and Wesson SIGMA Series
I know I'm gonna get shit for this one, and that plenty of people have had excellent Tauruses or Rugers and they haven't had any problems blah blah blah. Listen, their QC is bad enough to make me leery of them. Especially if you're a new shooter, any problems you encounter are going to be especially frustrating, and shipping a gun back to the manufacturer for service is a goddamn hassle. For Taurus, there are better Beretta 92 clones out there (Like an ACTUAL Beretta 92) and I don't think Rugers are all that great either. KelTec seems to stand by their firearms, but I wouldn't trust my life to one without really running it through it's paces. This is true for any handgun, but I'd say it's especially true for the above list.
Gun brands that are Good To Go:
S&W (M&P Series & Revolvers)
Colt
Sig Sauer
Glock
CZ
H&K
Springfield Armory
Beretta
Ruger Revolvers
If someone tossed me a broken-in example of any of the above's products, I'd probably trust it right away.
WTF is Double Action? Single Action? Some of these don't have safeties!
Some simple definitions:
Single Action (Like a Colt 1911):
When you pull the trigger, the hammer drops. The slide is pushed back from the ejection cycle, and that resets the hammer
Double Action Only:
When you pull the trigger, the hammer cocks itself and then drops. The slide is pushed back from the ejection cycle, and the hammer is NOT reset.
Double Action / Single Action (DA/SA):
When you pull the trigger for the first time, the hammer cocks itself then drops. The slide is pushed back from the ejection cycle, and the hammer is reset for a single action pull. i.e. the first shot is double action, the rest are single.
Striker Fired:
It's alot like single action. You pull the trigger, the striker moves forward. The slide is pushed back from the ejection cycle, and the hammer is reset. MANY (but not all) polymer framed pistols operate in this manner. (Glock, SA, etc.) Some of these are *described* as "double action" but are in practice MORE like single action. (I'm looking at YOU, glock.) The main difference between all of these is that true double action pistols you could fire more than once on a 'dud'. If a round did not go off, you could pull the trigger AGAIN and try a second time. With single action and striker-fired pistols, you must manually cycle the slide in order to pull the trigger again.
Safeties: All single action only pistols have some kind of active safety "switch" that you must switch off to fire. SOME striker-fired and double action pistols have a safety "switch" but many do not. In the "not" cases, there is a "passive" safety, in that either there is a switch on the trigger itself that is activated as the trigger is pulled OR the heavy, long "double action" pull of the trigger acts as a safety. MOST new handguns sold in the United States have a drop safety and will not discharge if dropped. Whether you want a manual safety or not is up to you. Many people say "the safety is behind your eyeballs" in that if you don't pull the trigger, the gun won't discharge. Every time you hear of someone having an "accidental discharge" what they really mean is that they pulled the trigger when they didn't mean to. A manual safety can prevent this, but so can careful adherence to the four rules above. This is your call.
What ammo should I buy?
If you're going to carry it for defense, standard "ball" or "FMJ" ammunition won't cut it. You should have a quality expanding design of ammunition. One of the above gun shops can help steer you in the right direction. But again, the PARAMOUNT thing to remember is PRACTICE. You should practice practice practice. Don't train until you get it right, train until you cannot get it wrong. And make sure you train with the ammunition you intend to defend yourself with. Just because your gun works with cheap winchester white box for training doesn't mean it works great with your Federal Hydra-Shoks. Make sure your gun works flawlessly with the ammo you choose. See the end of this FAQ for more discussion on this topic.
Whew, that was a freakin' novel.
Rex, I want to buy a Shotgun.
Cool! I shoot my shotgun probably more than any other gun I own! It's alot of fun, and shotguns are VERY versatile boomsticks.
I normally recommend you purchase the most expensive shotgun you can afford. You will never say to yourself, "Gee, I wish I'd bought a cheaper shotgun." This is true of any firearm, really. But I digress, there are 3 main types:
Over/Under (or SideBySide):
Pretty much the simplest design. Two tubes, a hinge in the middle, and a trigger assembly. Good for all the sporting clay games (most popular with this crowd, I'd say) and they definitely have an element of style. Excellent for hunting also. However, they only hold 2 shells at a time, they tend to be expensive, and they aren't really all that good for defense.
Semi Automatic:
They can be gas powered or recoil powered, but basically as long as you have shells loaded in the magazine, every time you pull the trigger that puppy is gonna spit lead. They are good for sporting clay games, good for hunting, and excellent for self defense. However, they tend to be more maintenance intensive and more expensive than
Pump Action:
The most common footprint of shotgun. Each time you fire, you must manually "pump" the action backwards to eject the spent shell and then forwards to load a new one before you can fire again. These are inexpensive and reliable, but not as good for the sporting clay games as the previous two.
"Why is that, Rex?":
Well, when you're shooting Trap it doesn't matter. But any game that requires you to shoot "doubles" (that is, two targets in the air at the same time) you're going to be at a disadvantage if using a pump. With an auto or O/U, as soon as that trigger is pulled a second shell has presented itself and the operator need only worry about targeting the next bird. With a pump, the operator needs to take the time to cycle the gun itself before targeting the next bird. This is by no means insurmountable, and in fact the extra stress when using a pump is excellent training, one simply need be aware of the handicap. For more information on how each of the three kinds of shotguns work, check out this article.
For ammo selection, please see the end of this FAQ.
Rex, I want to buy a Rifle.
Eeeexcellent. Rifles are the king of the battlefield. Range, power, accuracy. Like Shotguns, there are different types of rifles, and you'll need to consider your needs before choosing:
Break Action
Similar to the over/under (and in fact, there is a break action shotgun also) the break action is just a tube with a hinge. You crack it open to load a new shell, and you get one shot before you need to reload. They are inexpensive, and quite accurate and lightweight. They can also chamber very large and powerful calibers without danger.
Examples: NEF/Handi Rifles
Bolt Action
In this type of action, the firearm's bolt is rotated (either by physically turning a handle, or through a camming action by pulling straight-back) which locks the round into place, and allows the pressure to be contained. After each shot, the bolt must be worked which will eject the spent shell on the backwards stroke and load a fresh shell & lock the breech on the forward stroke. Some bolt actions only have 1 shell capacity, and must be loaded with a fresh shell each time, but most have a magazine, which allows storage of multiple shells. This permits the shooter to fire a number of shells rapidly before reloading the magazine. This is the most popular type of action, and is generally the most inexpensive.
Examples: Savage 10/11, Remington 700
Lever Action
In this type, the bolt handle is moved below the receiver and may be quickly manipulated by the dominant hand. Lever action rifles are always equipped with a magazine of some kind, as the increased speed (compared to a bolt action) would be worthless without the ability to rapidly load a new shell from the magazine. Forcing the lever downwards ejects the spent shell; returning the lever to its original position loads a new shell and locks the breech. This type of action is rugged and reliable, and has a bit of 'cowboy style' to the rifle. They are often also very compact, lending to a tube magazine as opposed to a box magazine. However, many times lever actions require special rimmed ammunition callibers, which may not be as readily available as other rifle calibers. They are also a little more expensive than bolt action rifles.
Examples: Winchester 94, Marlin 1895
Semi Automatic
As the name implies, this type of action allows you to (like the semi automatic shotgun) fire a round each time the trigger is depressed, until the magazine is empty. This is the most rapid firing of the designs, and like the semi automatic shotgun, allows for a quick follow-up if required. Each time the trigger is depressed, a round is fired, and either the recoil energy from that round OR excess gas from that round is used to cycle the action, ejecting the spent shell and loading a new one from the magazine. Semi Automatic rifles are gaining in popularity in recent times, but are not by any means new. They can be expensive, but can also be as cheap as a lever action or higher quality bolt action
Examples: Browning BAR, M1 Garand, AR-15, AK47
Whoa! AK47!? Isn't that a machine gun?! Is that even legal?
No, it's not a machine gun. Since each trigger pull results in only ONE bullet firing, the action is SEMI automatic, as opposed to FULLY automatic, which would require you to depress the trigger only once for multiple rounds to be fired. Semi Automatic rifles are generally unrestricted at the Federal level, however a few misguided state legislatures have chosen to restrict or ban outright rifles with certain cosmetic "military" features such as flash hiders, pistol grips, collapsible or folding buttstocks, accessory lugs, and standard capacity detachable magazines. Virginia is not one of those states. Furthermore, machine guns (AKA Fully Automatic Rifles) are not ILLEGAL to own, they just have a separate and more onerous process for ownership. They also are illegal to manufacture after 1986, making existing machine guns quite expensive, as no replacements are being manufactured. However, they are quite legal to own federally, and outside the aforementioned misguided states.
FAQ:
Rex, do I need a license to own a gun?
Not in Virginia. You need only be 18 to purchase a long gun (shotgun or rifle) or 21 to purchase a handgun. You also need to not be a "Prohibited Person." Not a felon, not have a domestic order filed against you, not have been judged mentally incompetent and not be a user of an illicit drug.
Rex, do I need a license to carry a handgun?
In Virginia, you do not need a license to "openly" carry a handgun. Openly means it is visible to an observer and the nature of the weapon is not disguised. Inside a holster is not disguised, but you may not carry it in your hand. This could be considered brandishing. If you would like to conceal your handgun, you must get a permit. You must take a class and pay a 50 dollar fee. If you would like to pursue this, see one of the above gun shops, or myself, and we'll point you in the right direction.
Rex, can I buy a gun from a private seller? Do I need a license to sell a gun?
Yes. Contrary to what the Brady Bunch would have you believe, there is no "gun show loophole". A gun is like any other private property. You may sell it to whomever you wish, as long as you have no reason to believe they are a prohibited person. This is like selling a couch or a car. Would you think it reasonable to require a license to sell your old coffee table? Your bitchin' Power Rangers action figure collection? A spare set of wheels and tires? A firearm is the same.
Rex, what do I need to buy a gun?
You'll need 3 things:
#1: The money to buy it. :-p.
#2: A photo ID issued by the government, with your birthdate. This means almost exclusively your driver's license. Could be a passport also, I think.
#3: A second "ID", with your name and address on it. It does not need a photo. It could be your checks, car registration, birth certificate, voter card, hunting/fishing license, as long as it's got your name and the same address that's on your first ID. Don't try to get cute. Use something conventional.
Now, after you've presented your ID's, you'll fill out two forms.
One is ATF Form 4473. It confirms that you're not a prohibited person, and has all the stuff for your NICS check.
The other is the VA Equivalent form. Same shit.
Now, there is one exception. If you're buying something that the State of Virginia designates an "Assault Weapon" (generally a firearm with a capacity larger than 20 and with a threaded barrel, iirc) then you'll need to ALSO prove you're a Citizen of the United States. Birth Certificate, Passport, or Voter card are the only ones I know of. Another reason to register to vote!
Rex, do I need to register my handgun if I buy it from a dealer? What about from a private seller?
VA has no handgun (or long gun) registry. You do not need to register it with anyone. The only exception is with NFA Items (machine guns, short barreled rifles (<16"), short barreled shotguns (<18"), destructive devices (grenades) etc.) which you do need to register with the State Police. Your dealer will assist you here. Now, if you're being specific, technically your Form 4473 has to be kept by the dealer you bought it from, if from a dealer. The ATF can request to see this paper at any time. This is how guns get "traced". The serial number is sent to the firearm manufacturer, who points the ATF to the dealer, who will present the form 4473. The ATF will then come talk to you, and find out what happened to the gun. Currently, there are no requirements for you to keep records to whom you sell your firearms to, but it may not be the worst idea for you to record to whom you sell your personal firearms.
On a related note, the only license/permit in Virginia is your Concealed Handgun permit.
"Rex, I have a CHP. Where can I carry? What can I carry?"
I am NOT a lawyer. A better resource for this is the Virginia Citizens Defense League. But, with that said, it's probably easier to list places you can't go when carrying:
#1: Anywhere with a sign that says "Firearms Prohibited" or similar.
#2: Any federal property. This includes the post office. It does not include national forests in Virginia.
#3: A K-12 school.
What you can carry is alot easier. Your Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP) is just that: A permit for concealing handguns. Not rifles, not shotguns, not knives, not blackjacks, not tasers, not ASPs, not brass knuckles, not venomous snakes. See how easy that was?
"Rex, I want a <gun> for home/self defense."
There are some interesting implications for this purpose that people do not often consider. Often people are concerned with "over-penetration", that is, firing a gun and penetrating a wall to hurt someone they did not intend to on the other side. This IS a legitimate concern. However, as The Box O' Truth shows, anything that will sufficiently ventilate a bad guy will make short work of your interior walls. Remember the fourth rule. Know your target and what is behind it!
"But Rex, I don't want to hurt anyone! I'll just load my shotgun with birdshot."
Well, intruders are in the business of hurting YOU. If someone breaks into your home, you MUST assume they are there to hurt you and your family, until you have sufficient reason to believe otherwise. Your goal in a self defense situation is to come out of it alive, and your best chances for that happening are ending the fight AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. This does not mean a superficial wound from bird shot. Bird shot is for BIRDS. It does an excellent job at it's intended purpose. However, that intended purpose is not stopping a man. As the above Box O' Truth link will show you, to get the needed penetration to STOP a fight IMMEDIATELY, the person on the other end is in great danger of death. This is a sad reality. No one wishes to kill another man, but I have to believe that to ME, my life is paramount. Worth more than an intruder's. Until non-lethal means of defense are perfected, a firearm, loaded with proper ammunition capable of penetrating at least 12" of ballistic gelatin COMBINED with good training and a survival mindset remains your best bet for staying alive.
Rex, what IS the point of .38 (only) revolvers? I see companies still make a .38 and a .357, and they're almost the same gun, almost the same price. Why one earth would someone get the more limited .38 only? Is there any possible advantage I'm missing?
That's a great question! The answer is: "Recoil". .38 Special is pretty good at killin' dudes, and has been doing so since it's introduction in 1899. It's got about the same horsepower as a 9MM, but you can load heavier bullets than you could out of a 9mm. (Hint, .38, .357, and 9mm bullets are all the same diameter: .355" or 9.1mm) Now, you can make a much smaller and lighter handgun in .38Spl than you can in .357. The extra power and recoil means the frame and lockwork have to be beefier for .357 than .38, and the recoil can be dramatically greater, (like, 3x greater) which translates into ouchie in your hand if you make a .357 revolver too light. You can see the same dichotomy with .44...there are quite a few .44Spl revolvers out there, since .44Spl is about on par with .45ACP, maybe a little better, but full-house .44mag loads in those same revolvers would make them explode. For someone who doesn't need all the ass (because they aren't hunting or shooting engine blocks) of a magnum cartridge one of the "Special" revolvers make a lot of sense.
The other thing you have to realize is that these days, the revolver market is totally dwarfed by semi auto handguns. Semi autos probably outsell wheelguns 5:1 or more. And the trending for wheelguns is to make them physically smaller, since the smaller a gun gets, the less advantages a semi auto has over a revolver. So the market for "combat sized" revolvers is getting ever-smaller, and the extremes are starting to show themselves. These days the most common wheelguns are either "Big McLargeHuge" for hunting or "Ittybittyisn'titsocuuuuuuuuute" for deep concealed carry.
Rex, Whats the difference between .223 and 5.56? I think I read a rifle chambered for one of these rounds can take both, but not the other way around (like, 5.56 can take .223, but a .223 rifle shouldn't be loaded with 5.56).
This is true. They are *similar* but not quite the same. 5.56NATO specifies thicker brass in the case, and is generally loaded to a higher pressure than .223 Remington. MOST rifles these days are actually chambered for 5.56, and their barrels are stamped thusly. It is 100% safe to fire .223 out of a 5.56 chambered rifle, but the reverse is not ALWAYS true. (Although SOMETIMES it is. Your best bet if your rifle is chambered in '.223 Remington' is to ask the manufacturer if 5.56 is safe to fire. These days, it's pretty rare to find a new production rifle chambered for .223 only.
Rex, I want to buy a used handgun, but I'm not sure what to look for
I can help:
www.chuckhawks.com Used Handguy Buying Guide Wrote:How to check the condition of a used handgun--general points
Before handling any firearm, always open the action and verify that both the chamber and the magazine are empty. Remove the magazine if possible. Every time a firearm changes hands it should be cleared.
1. Look at the overall condition of the gun. Notice the condition of the bluing and the overall wear. Look for rust pitting on external metal surfaces. Are the grips in good condition? All screws should be tight and the screw heads un-marred. The gun doesn't have to be perfect in every area, but it should show care rather than neglect. A pistol could be rough on the outside, yet perfect on the inside, but the chances are that an owner who didn't care for the external parts of a gun also didn't care for the parts you can't see.
2. The size, shape and angle of the grip should fit your hand. When you bring the gun to eye level your master eye should be looking straight down on the barrel. The gun should not be tipped up or down. Having a gun that points naturally is especially important for a pistol that might be used for protection.
3. Look carefully down the external length of the barrel to see that it looks straight and there are no subtle bulges. Don't buy any handgun if you suspect that the barrel (or the cylinder of a revolver) has been bulged, no matter how slightly, or if it is not straight. Also look at the crown of the muzzle--it should not be dinged.
4. Note the position of the rear sight on guns with adjustable sights. If it is way off to one side, suspect some sort of problem and ask to shoot the gun to verify accuracy before purchase. If the seller refuses, pass on the gun.
5. Check the condition of the grips. There should not be any splits, chips, or cracks in the grips, particularly if you are looking at a discontinued model (for which it may be hard to find replacement grips). Scratches in the grip finish, worn checkering, and tiny nicks in the grips will not affect the gun's function, but should lower the price.
As the screws holding wood grips to the grip frame are tightened they will tend to pull deeper and deeper into the wood. Check to see that they are not about to pull clear through. This is particularly common with Ruger single action (SA) revolvers, but applies to most guns with wooden grip panels.
6. Get permission to dry fire the gun and check the trigger pull. Dry firing will not hurt most centerfire handguns, but it is still a good idea to use snap caps to protect the firing pin.
Whatever the trigger pull weight, it should be consistent from shot to shot. If it feels like a stock factory trigger (too heavy with some creep), fine, you can get it adjusted later. If it feels crisp and breaks at 2.5-3 pounds it has probably been worked on or adjusted. This is great if done properly, as it will save you some money, but make sure that the piece will not jar off.
To test this, get permission to bump the butt of the cocked handgun against some firm but padded surface. The gun should not fire. Push against the fully cocked hammer (if the pistol has one) with your thumb--it should not slip out of its notch; reject the gun if it does.
7. Check the inside of the barrel (and the chambers of a revolver's cylinder). If the barrel is dirty, ask that it be cleaned or for permission to clean it yourself. Do not oil the barrel after cleaning, and be suspicious of any barrel that has been oiled. The shine from the oil can hide minor barrel imperfections and pitting.
Once the barrel is reasonably clean, dry, and oil free, open the action or remove the barrel and look into it from both ends. Use a bore light. Hopefully it will be clean and bright with sharp rifling. A slight amount of rust or pitting inside the barrel (or the cylinder of a revolver) will ordinarily not seriously degrade the performance of a handgun, unless it is a target pistol, but it should lower the used price.
Specific things to check on used revolvers
1. Note the condition of the forcing cone at the back of the barrel. Slight erosion in this area, particularly on magnum revolvers, is not cause for concern, but it should not be seriously eroded. The more erosion you see the more the gun has been fired with heavy loads.
2. Check for cutting of the top strap at the cylinder gap, particularly with magnum revolvers. A little erosion here will not hurt, but excessive cutting is undesirable and indicates a lot of shooting with heavy loads, or a wide cylinder gap, or both.
3. To test the safety notch of a traditional single action revolver, pull firmly (about 8-10 pounds--this is not intended to be a test to destruction) on the trigger with the hammer in the safety notch to see if it can be easily forced. Put the revolver on half cock (the loading position) and repeat the test, applying about 5 pounds of pressure on the trigger. The hammer should not drop. This test does not apply to New Model (two screw) Ruger SA revolvers, as they use a different lockwork than traditional SA revolvers.
4. The cylinder of Colt double action revolvers should be completely tight when the trigger is pulled all the way back (the hand forces the cylinder against the bolt). S&W revolvers are never as tight as a Colt, but at least they should not rattle. Slight cylinder play is permissible with S&W DA (and also Ruger SA) revolvers.
5. Check the cylinder gap. It should not exceed .010", and .006" is ideal. Cock the gun to turn the cylinder so that every chamber, in turn, lines up with the barrel. The cylinder gap should remain constant.
Also, the cylinder should not slide back and forth appreciably on the cylinder pin. This is called endplay, and it generally increases with use.
6. The crane of a swing out cylinder DA revolver should fit tight to the frame (when closed) without any unsightly gaps. If it doesn't the crane may be sprung. When you wiggle the cylinder with your fingers the crane should barely move, if at all.
While you are at it, check to make sure that the ejector rod has not been bent. This is easy to see if you spin the cylinder, which should spin true.
7. Use you fingers or thumb to put a small amount of drag on the cylinder while you manually cock the revolver (single action mode). The cylinder bolt should click into the locking notches in the cylinder, locking the cylinder in place, at the end of each segment of cylinder rotation. If it does not, the gun is out of time and needs work. Then rapidly thumb cock the gun (don't "fan" a revolver)--the cylinder should not rotate past the proper locking notch. Also, the bolt should not be dragging on the cylinder as it turns. If it does it will leave a clearly visible wear line in the cylinder's finish.
8. Examine the sideplate of a DA revolver. If it has been improperly disassembled it may show pry marks at the edge or have been warped. The sideplate should fit flush and tight, without any gaps.
9. Check the tip of the firing pin, it should be smooth and rounded, not sharp or broken. The firing pin hole should not be chipped or burred.
Specific things to check on used semi-automatic pistols
1. See that all of the controls work smoothly and with a reasonable amount of pressure. The safety should prevent the gun from firing (check by setting the safety and pulling the trigger normally). The slide lock should hold the slide open. The magazine release should release the magazine easily and yet hold it securely in place until it is pushed. If there is a grip safety the gun should not fire unless the grip safety fully depressed. If there is a magazine safety the gun should not fire unless the magazine is in place. Also, pulling the trigger should not fire the gun when the slide is held slightly out of battery.
2. Cycle an autoloader to verify that it operates smoothly and properly. See that the slide is tight and reasonably free of slop when closed and the pistol is cocked. (There is ordinarily some play or the gun will not function.) Verify that the pistol fieldstrips and reassembles correctly. Also see that the action has been kept reasonably clean for proper functioning.
3. Examine the slide (especially at the front and at the ejection port) and frame for excessive wear or cracks. Aluminum alloy frames are particularly susceptible to developing hairline cracks (and eventually failing) from extended use.
4. The cocked hammer or striker of a SA auto pistol should not drop when the slide is closed smartly. If you can make the hammer drop by letting the slide slam closed the gun is unsafe.
5. Check the magazine(s) for wear and condition. A proper magazine is very important to the functioning of an autoloading pistol. You want the original, name brand, magazine(s) in good condition. Inspect the feed lips for bends, cracks and wear, and insure that the seam at the back of the magazine is tight.
Also check the bottom of the magazine to insure that it has not been ejected from the pistol and allowed to fall to the ground. This looks great on TV or at action matches, but in real life it is very hard on magazines. Magazines are not expendable.
Rex, I found a really good deal on a gun on the internet, like at Bud's Gun Shop or Impact Guns or CDNN...how do I buy it?
It's actually not that complex of a process. Before the Gun Control Act of 1968, you could get guns delivered to your house in the mail. Order it from Sears, it would arrive at your door. Well, you can't do that anymore, except for *very* specific circumstances which I won't get into. (Google "CMP" and "C&R FFL") What you'll need to do instead is transfer the gun to an FFL.
I did this recently, and it's not that bad. Here's what you do. FIRST, select a dealer that will receive a firearm from another dealer. I'll make it easy on you: VA Arms or Nova Armament for NoVA, Ashby Arms for the Valley. Next, you order your gun, pay for it, and tell the dealer you're buying it from who to send it to. THEN, you contact the receiving dealer and tell them what you've bought and who you bought it from. Your receiving FFL will then transmit a copy of his federal paperwork to the transmitting dealer, and after a week or so you'll pick up your new boomstick from your receiving dealer. For this privilege, you will pay 30-50 dollars.
Sometimes, it's even easier than that. Occasionally large online firearms retailers will have dealer's FFL's on file, and even have an arrangement with them to simply ship firearms with no need to involve the customer. You buy, you get a shipping notice, and you get an email from your FFL when your gun is in. It's really quite easy, but you should contact your favorite fun shop to make sure you've got the exact process down before you pull the trigger, so to speak.
A note: If you buy a gun from a PERSON on the internet (i.e. not an FFL holder) then you need to make sure that the FFL you selected to receive the weapon accepts transfers from private individuals...NOT ALL OF THEM DO, and if you don't tell your FFL it's coming from a private individual he may send your shit back and be very cross with you.
(A third note: It is perfectly legal to receive a gun in the mail from an individual in your home state. It is when you cross state lines that all the trouble starts. However, most people don't know this, so it rarely happens.)
Rex, What's the deal with Steel Case vs Brass case Ammunition?
Here, read this article: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-vs-steel-cased-ammo/">http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/brass-v ... ased-ammo/</a><!-- m -->
If that doesn't answer your question it's because you can't science.
tl;dr: If you want maximum performance, accuracy, reliability, and barrel longevity, you should exclusively run brass cased ammunition with a copper (not bimetal) jacket. However, the price difference of the steel case ammunition is significant enough that by the time you notice performance degradation, (~6000 rounds) you will have saved enough money for a replacement barrel with money left over.
Rex, I think I want to buy an AR-15, what am I doing?
Well, I'm glad you asked. I've been shooting, building, and horsetrading AR's since you couldn't have shoulder things that went up, so I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about here. You're really discussing buying not a gun, but kind of a system. To be effective, in Rex's opinion (since you asked) you'll need the following:
A: A Rifle
B: An optic
C: A sling
D: Enough mags to load 200 rounds of ammunition. (So, 10 20rd'ers or 7 30rd'ers)
For especially B but also C & D opinions are like assholes and I'm already going to waste a bunch of bits on A, so I will say only this: The AR platform shines in its ability to quickly put lead on multiple targets and moderate distances, not for making cute clovers on paper. It *can* "reach out" further, but it is not the ideal platform to do so. From a practicaltactical standpoint outside, say, 300 meters it's probably a way better plan to evade than engage. Plan your optic for Aliens, not Enemy At The Gates.
So. Back to A. First Question, magic question: What's Your Budget?
Rex, money is no object.
Good for you. Call Lawmens Shooting Supply and order a Knights Armament SR-15 E3 Mod 2 MLOK and then close this tab. You're done. It's the best of breed for a number of reasons I won't get into you'll just have to trust me. It's expensive, but worth every penny. It'll do anything you ask of it and I promise you, you won't ever regret spending the money.
Rex, I've got, oh, I dunno, no more than 1200 bucks.
Sweet. In that case, buy a Smith and Wesson MOE Mid. It has a lightweight, 5R rifled barrel, a very nice billet lower receiver with Magpul branding, and it's basically ready for you to run and figure out what you like and don't like. When you get comfortable with it, add the optic. When you get comfortable with the optic, you'll probably want a new trigger. (I humbly recommend a Geisselle SSA-E) Then put no less than 1,000 rounds downrange before you change anything else. You may want to change your furniture or muzzle device or controls, but don't do it until you've got 1K under your belt.
That's my favorite option, but there are other options in this range. The Sionics Patrol Zero, the Colt 6920 , the SIG M400, the FN FN15...but basically what you're looking for is a quality offering from a large-ish company with possibly a mid-length gas system, a fixed front sight post, a lightweight barrel and standard or magpul MOE/SL furniture.
This is for a number of reasons. Heavy barrels are for machine guns, which this is not. Fixed front sight posts aren't going to be bent, broken, loosened, or lost without heavy damage to the weapon. Standard furniture works "well enough" until you know precisely what you want, whereas free float rails offer limited utility for a beginner but can add significant expense and weight. Get a "keep it simple" 16" lightweight carbine and learn to use it.
Rex, I'm broke, bruh.
I highly highly recommend you save your pennies until you can afford something from the above. If you spend much less you'll find yourself with costs cut here and there, crappier components, shittier steels and alloys, and poorly fitted/QC'd pieces. But even here, a gun is better than a pointy stick, so I recommend firstly the S&W M&P Sport, the best bargain going, and "whatever you can find" after that that you don't have to piece together. But seriously save your money.
Rex, I heard that AR's are like legos for grownups, can't I just build my rifle from a box of parts?
An AR-15 is in fact like Legos for Grownups. Only the lower assembly (the magazine well and fire control group housing, essentially) is regulated as a firearm. Everything else is a "non gun" and you can order on the internet and have delivered to your house. These pieces really require AT MOST a vice, a block, a punch set, and a wrench which in the scheme of things isn't that many tools at all to be able to take a box of loose parts and turn it into a modern fighting weapon. For this reason, many many people (myself included) make a hobby out of building AR-15's. For example, I build this:
I chose every single component from the muzzle device to the sling mount to the mag release button to the charging handle for a very specific reason, then assembled it all at my home by myself with nothing more than the above mentioned tools. Neat, huh? And every single part except for one (the one that has "safe" and "fire" marked on it) was delivered to me by my favorite arms dealer, the UPS man.
So you totally can build an AR from scratch but if this is your first AR, you shouldn't. You'll find yourself with a rifle that sucks that you wont' be able to get half your money out of if you go to sell it. Please just trust me on this. I am speaking from experience. You can, and will, build stuff later but for Rifle Number One, buy + mod is the way to go. Build for number 2. If you insist on building from the get-go, then please consult with someone for each and every part you choose and take their recommendation. If you think you'll be saving money, you won't be. If you think you'll be saving time, you won't be. If you think you'll have a dramatically better weapon than buying a Colt off the rack, you probably won't. You will learn a lot, which is a plus, but it is a much much better idea to buy a functioning, good quality rifle first and learn to use it. Otherwise, how will you know what you want to build?
It's a bit like building a race car without ever being on a track. Sure you can do it, but you're going to have to go back and change a shitload of stuff after the fact, whereas if you had some track time in something else first (even if, ultimately, it's not your end goal) you'll learn what your race car needs.
Rex, what about an AR in {caliber other than 5.56/.223}
Oh you mean like 7.62x39, 300Blackout, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, .50 Beowulf, .458 SOCOM or some other flavor of the month weirdness? Don't, for the same reasons as above. You'll need to do an assload of research before you can know for sure you're getting what you want, and the above are almost 100% of the time a custom prospect. Just relax.
Rex, what about a SCAR/AK/ACR/XCR/MCX/X11/Other Boutique BS?
Kind of beyond the scope of this post, but do your research. I have my personal preferences in regards to Non-AR "Sport Utility Rifles". I owned an ACR and loved it, but recognized its faults. Likewise the SCAR was cool as hell, but doesn't *really* do anything better than an AR except cost more, and in some cases does stuff worse. AK's are their own animal, and you should understand their flaws and benefits before entering into that, but they are not nearly as modular or as "user servicable" as an AR-15, which plays no small part in the phenomenal success of the AR platform.
Rex, I saw a deal on the internet from PSA where I can get everything put together for like 400 dollars!
Please don't. Look, if I had to buy 10 rifles to arm my neighbors I'd maybe consider this. (probably not but maybe) In the end, you'll find yourself replacing barrels and bolt carriers and all kinds of shit, basically rebuilding the rifle to get something worth a damn. Do it right the first time, and you won't have any issues. Yes, this is money, but compared to *car* money, it's pennies.
Ok Rex, I bought my KAC SR-15 and a nice Trijicon ACOG and a dozen PMags. I've got a crate of ammo and a nice pair of boots. Now what?
Go pay someone to teach you how to use it. It isn't rocket science, and the platform is wildly user friendly, but there ar some things that you'll need to be taught to be really effective with it. Vet your instructors, sniff around for independent reviews of classes, and for God's Sake go have fun.
Rex, I have a question that you haven't answered.
Ask below, and I will answer it in a ninja edit.
I hope this has been informative. If you have any questions, comments, additions or changes, please PM me and I will add them. As another poster had said, it is difficult to wade through multiple pages of discussion in order to find an answer, so I'd like to keep this to one comprehensive and updated post. For in-depth discussion of firearms and general and this post, check out the MM Official Firearms Thread.
last edit: 10 January 2017, added AR buyers guide stuff.
1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442
