Tips for Buying Your Beginner Handgun at A Gun Store

If you are seeking out your first handgun, know that there are different available options. Full-size handguns are usually more comfortable to shoot, as you can easily get a full grip on them. While most modern handguns from the gun stores are not heavy, the extra weight of full-sized handguns can reduce felt recoil significantly. Remember, bigger handguns can be more difficult to conceal, so take this into account if you plan to concealed carry.

This guide will help you in choosing your first handgun accordingly:

Pistols vs Revolvers

One decision you need to make is what type of handgun to purchase in the Ohio gun stores. The two major options are pistols and revolvers.

Many people opt for pistols for the increased capacity they provide. When comparing two compact handguns from each group, the Glock 26 Subcompact (pistol) and the Colt Cobra (revolver), the Glock pistol can hold four extra rounds in its magazine compared to the cylinder of the cobra.

Most revolvers hold six rounds, making the difference in capacity become more significant when you look at bigger handguns. For example, the full-size Glock 19 comes with a standard magazine capacity of 17 rounds.

The revolvers available from the gun stores have a major benefit of being incredibly simple. Due to their simple design, handling malfunction can be as basic as pulling the trigger again. The police, military and most civilians usually favor the increased capacity that pistols offer over slightly some reliable revolvers.

Although you would not carry a revolver for everyday carry chambered in calibers such as .38 Special, revolvers have their place. Those larger caliber revolvers are a suitable option for protection against large animals when camping or hiking.

Concealed Carry Calibers

The most popular pistol calibers in gun stores that people use for concealed carry, including self-defense are:

·         9mm (particularly  9x19mm Parabellum also known as 9mm Luger and 9mm NATO)

·         .45 Auto (.45 ACP)

·         .380 Auto (.380 ACP)

·         .40 Smith and Wesson (.40 S&W)

Some gun enthusiasts also choose revolvers for self-defense which can be chambered in other calibers like .357 Magnum and .38 Special.

Caliber

Selecting a handgun chambered in the right caliber and shooting ability is an important decision you need to make. Caliber is the measurement of the diameter of a bullet, measured in either millimeters (mm) or inches, for example, the 9mm Parabellum ammo has a bullet diameter of 9.01 mm while the .45 ACP has a bullet diameter of 0.451 inches.

The bullet refers to the projectile shot from a firearm, not the whole cartridge that includes the powder, bullet, primer, and case. When compared to other calibers, the 9mm is easy to find and cheap. Its smaller size means it comes with mild recoil and higher capacity magazines, typically 15+.

Now that you have some idea of what to consider when buying your first handgun from the gun stores in Ohio, the next step is to go to the local range and look for the best one for you.

Consider the reasons you are buying a handgun before you go there. Also, many gun ranges have rentals so you can try various options and see what feels great to you.