New Member Introduction and Seeking Advice on First Gun Purchase

As noted, purchasing the gun is just the beginning. You absolutely must, must, must become completely proficient and comfortable with it. Do not be that person who shoots one box every couple of months and think that you were ready to rock ‘n’ roll.
 
walter62 said:
my experience w/ new shooters makes me want to NOT suggest
a standard P365 (3.1"). Seen too many people (both M or F or B ;) )
have a hard time controlling it and getting reliable center mass, which
leads to a lot of frustration.

Your mileage may vary but something to be aware of.
Click to expand...

Doesn't that gun also have a reputation? I mean I'm well aware of this difference between a negligent discharge and a malfunction resulting in discharge. That gun seems to have a very similar design to the 320 which suffered from the latter.
 
Moe3672 said:
Hot Brass is where I went yesterday.
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It is a good range and you can rent some guns to try out but I would not buy anything there prices are full on stupid go check out Pioneer Valley arms in east Longmeadow. or take a ride up to the gun rack turners falls Nicks sport shop Palmer just a few suggestions.
 
Threads like this make me feel weird.

Before I got into gun-buying, I already knew what kinds of guns I wanted to buy. I wasn't even in a restricitve state. I shouldn't assume everyone is like me, I guess, but it still feels like if you're interested in becoming a gun owner in MA and you're willing to jump through all those hoops, you probably did it for a reason. Was that reason not "because I wanted a specific kind of gun?"

Beats me. But then, I learned to shoot in the military so I skipped the whole .22LR stage of gun ownership, I guess. OP, if you've already decided you want a striker-fired plastic pistol, then buy whichever one fits your budget. Then, as you gain experience and money, do what the rest of us do when we want to try something out: buy it off a fellow NESer, decide whether it's for you, then pass it on to another NESer when it's time, sooner or later.

Good luck in your search.
 
Snora said:
If you're just asking where you can try guns before making the purchase just see what services the local ranges offer. I don't know about Western MA but Mass Firearms School has a long list of guns available to rent.
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MFS is limited to on-roster firearms only. If you want to try a better selection, you could try Granite State Indoor Range in NH.
 
ThePreBanMan said:
Doesn't that gun also have a reputation? I mean I'm well aware of this difference between a negligent discharge and a malfunction resulting in discharge. That gun seems to have a very similar design to the 320 which suffered from the latter.
Click to expand...
I don’t think that the p365 has the same firing mechanism setup as the p320, other than the firing control unit being the serialized part that can be removed and put in different frames, at least not similar enough that I’ve ever read of any malfunctions causing a discharge. I could be wrong, but, owning a p365 that’s the first thing I looked into when I heard about the p320’s alleged issues, and I couldn’t find any people alleging the p365 had a faulty design as they were doing with the p320. Maybe that’s changed as it’s been a year or two since I really searched it.
 
johngalt2 said:
MFS is limited to on-roster firearms only. If you want to try a better selection, you could try Granite State Indoor Range in NH.
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Looking at their website I don't see much of a difference for 9mm handguns between MFS and Granite State Indoor Range.
 
Moe3672 said:
Holliston is ~2 hours away from me so I'll need to make a day of it and go during the week. From reading some of the threads here is it safe to assume I should call ahead so they know I'm coming and why vs just showing up?
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Welcome to the largest opinion factory of new england. Just curious if you want a full sized 9mm is that for carry? Or do you plan on just keeping it in the proverbial sock drawer?

Just asking because I have a full sized 9mm and a 1911 and I like them both but would never carry them. I went for the sort of mid range 9mm, not a compact but not full sized. I can carry it all day without any issues.

Also let me give a shameless plug for MFS. Those guys are awesome. I did my entire concealed carry training with them and would recommend them in a New York second. I also live in Western MA as well.
 
Picton said:
Threads like this make me feel weird.

Before I got into gun-buying, I already knew what kinds of guns I wanted to buy. I wasn't even in a restricitve state. I shouldn't assume everyone is like me, I guess, but it still feels like if you're interested in becoming a gun owner in MA and you're willing to jump through all those hoops, you probably did it for a reason. Was that reason not "because I wanted a specific kind of gun?"

Beats me. But then, I learned to shoot in the military so I skipped the whole .22LR stage of gun ownership, I guess. OP, if you've already decided you want a striker-fired plastic pistol, then buy whichever one fits your budget. Then, as you gain experience and money, do what the rest of us do when we want to try something out: buy it off a fellow NESer, decide whether it's for you, then pass it on to another NESer when it's time, sooner or later.

Good luck in your search.
Click to expand...

I didn't know what I wanted when I first popped onto NES and asked the same question oh so many years ago. Now I know exactly what I want in my boom sticks. I'm willing to wager I was like many people starting off. I have a drawer stuffed with holsters I no longer use and what can be considered safe queens.
 
VetteGirlMA said:
Welcome to the largest opinion factory of new england. Just curious if you want a full sized 9mm is that for carry? Or do you plan on just keeping it in the proverbial sock drawer?

Just asking because I have a full sized 9mm and a 1911 and I like them both but would never carry them. I went for the sort of mid range 9mm, not a compact but not full sized. I can carry it all day without any issues.

Also let me give a shameless plug for MFS. Those guys are awesome. I did my entire concealed carry training with them and would recommend them in a New York second. I also live in Western MA as well.
Click to expand...
Keep in mind you won’t be able to take advantage of the magazine capacity of full size 9mm unless it’s a gun model that have pre-ban magazines available. With that thought, going for compact models (not sub-compact) that have 10-rd double stack mags, at least you’ll have better concealability. Many compact and sub models have extended mags to expand the capacity and make the grip full-size if you later move to a free state.

Another suggestion is a newer model that’s optic-ready and has a light/accessory rail under the barrel. If you’re getting one gun that does it all, it should be future-proof as much as possible.
 
johngalt2 said:
Really? I have been to both. And the difference is huge.
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I've never rented so I can't say how it works when you actually walk in the doors, it sounds like you have so OP should definitely call ahead if there's a specific gun he's interested in. The list at MFS surprisingly has Glocks:

Mass Firearms School | Local Gun Range in Holliston, MA

Mass Firearms School is a gun range in Holliston, MA, that offers the Mass Basic Firearms Safety Course for your License to Carry. Apply for your MA LTC.
www.massfirearmsschool.com
 
Hey op,Get your self a crosman 2240 co2 pellet gun if you are tight on money, you can shoot that in your basement( that how i learn how to shoot) . Lot of good advices on here from other members.
 
OP: be aware that many ranges do NOT allow single shooters to shoot rented guns
unless they A) have a friend w/ them or B) bring their own gun. This is too prevent
suicide by gun range.
 
I want to say that I appreciate everyone's input and perspectives, it is all good food for thought.

For some context, I grew up outside the US in a country where guns are not a thing and so I am relatively new to all this, even though I have lived in the US for about 18 years.
VetteGirlMA said:
Welcome to the largest opinion factory of new england. Just curious if you want a full sized 9mm is that for carry? Or do you plan on just keeping it in the proverbial sock drawer?

Just asking because I have a full sized 9mm and a 1911 and I like them both but would never carry them. I went for the sort of mid range 9mm, not a compact but not full sized. I can carry it all day without any issues.

Also let me give a shameless plug for MFS. Those guys are awesome. I did my entire concealed carry training with them and would recommend them in a New York second. I also live in Western MA as well.
Click to expand...
I’m not looking for carry at the moment but also not looking for something to keep my socks company.

I’m keen to become proficient and expand my horizons in this new endeavor. I’m in the process of joining clubs local to me and plan to be an active member.

Everyone has been very helpful in this thread and I came to the conclusion the thing is to not overthink it. Go buy something and navigate from there.
 
slugworth said:
I’m in western MA. as well. Check out Pioneer Valley Firearms.

We went to Guns Inc. and Guns and Gear in Agawam two weeks ago and they didn’t have anything! And I was surprised when we went to B&G Sporting Goods in Westfield, he has a lot of pistols!
Click to expand...

Pioneer Valley Arms +1. I went to them to buy my bolt action rifle and I mentioned I wanted a scope, bipod and sling installed and they sighted in the scope for me and afterwards they showed me exactly how to resight it, which I did for longer distances.
 
peterk123 said:
You will not own just one gun. So do it right and get a simple, friendly, soft shooter right out of the gate. Don't make the mistake that we all did.... buy an edc gun as your first one. You will hate it and in two weeks, you guessed it, buy a 22.
Click to expand...
I know an awful lot of gun owners. I know zero gun owners that bought an edc gun and in two weeks bought a 22 because buying an edc gun first was a mistake. I think this is one of the most ridiculous statements that some firearms folks make to new shooters. There are reasons to own a 22lr for sure. But trying to convince someone that they shouldn’t buy a 9mm or equivalent first is absolutely ludicrous. If someone wants a defensive pistol they should buy that in a proper centerfold cartridge. They’ll be able to handle it just fine if they haven’t been shooting a 22 first.

By the way, there are plenty of gun owners who buy a center fire pistol first and then buy a 22 later because it’s economical and good for training. Nothing wrong with that. But to try to persuade someone to buy a 22 first instead of what they want to edc is just nonsense.
 
ThePreBanMan said:
Doesn't that gun also have a reputation? I mean I'm well aware of this difference between a negligent discharge and a malfunction resulting in discharge. That gun seems to have a very similar design to the 320 which suffered from the latter.
Click to expand...
Omg. It was the 320 with the reputation. The 365 was fine and is my carry gun.

Just go buy a 5 shot revolver and move on.
 
LakeTrout said:
If someone wants a defensive pistol they should buy that in a proper centerfold cartridge. They’ll be able to handle it just fine if they haven’t been shooting a 22 first.
Click to expand...
Interesting auto-correct there.

A 22 is useful for things like presentation, sight picture, trigger management, but you won't learn anything about recoil management, and your grip will probably suck because the 22 won't tell you you're doing it wrong. Of course it doesn't teach a flinch, either, so there's that. Any way you slice it there is a lot of training to do. In lieu of a 22, a laser trainer cartridge can help you work on draw, presentation, and trigger pull. Of course when you take your sharp-shooting laser trainer skills to the range, you'll still flinch and milk the grip and all. We've all been there.
 
chris_1001 said:
Omg. It was the 320 with the reputation. The 365 was fine and is my carry gun.

Just go buy a 5 shot revolver and move on.
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Again dude, your reading comprehension sucks... Stop frothing at the mouth with your recreational outrage and take the time to read the words on the screen.
 

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Thank you all again for your perspectives, suggestions and humor.

I took the day off, went for a drive and ended up buying a new HK VP9 from Pioneer Valley Arms this afternoon. They were extremely helpful and answered all my questions and made the whole process enjoyable.
 
Nice choice. I'm glad you didn't buy a dumb Glock. Good luck down your path. Find a pin shoot here and a steel shoot there and you'll end up having lots of fun learning.
 
Good choice. There was so much info in this thread that I didn't bother to chime in. But I considered posting the advice I often give to new shooters, which is "If you think a VP9 might be what you want, then just buy one."

The VP9 is a good gun, and their quality control is good. They don't have a large aftermarket, but that might be because they don't need one. And the configurable grip inserts for the VP9 are best of breed in my opinion. The grip can be configured to fit a very wide range of hands.

So overall, the VP9 is an excellent choice if you want a full sized service pistol. And on top of that, it is on the stupid lists in Mass, so there are no hassles or price premium.

Now all you need is lots of ammo. Enjoy.
 

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