There is no such thing as a perfect gun, every gun you choose you are sacrificing something. Capacity, range, dollars, size… you get the idea. Your goal is choose a firearm that fulfills most of your needs with the least amount of sacrifice.

Before we go any further, you have to know something… no matter what you finally choose, you have to shoot it, the more the better. Even if it is just a few times a year, get out there and get a little better each time. An unfamiliar gun is useless and a liability. If you don’t want to shoot, don’t buy a gun… get pepper spray.

Make and model madness
Most new gunners look to buy a pistol, so that is where we are going to focus our attention. There are a lot of guns on the market and that’s a good thing. It may seem a daunting task but it just means it is more possible to find something closer to your ideal. Keep it simple whenever possible, in most cases even if you hit 70% of your needs you have succeeded.

Stick with known brands that have trusted names and tested models. Stay away from brands that are not known for quality or new models that have little or no track record. You are not a test case nor are you trying to be an early adopter.

 Quality modern pistol makers:

• Berretta
• Colt
• Glock
• Ruger
• H&K (Heckler & Koch)
• Walther
• Smith & Wesson
• Sig Sauer
• Springfield
• FN (Fabrique Nationale)
• Kahr
• CZ (Česká zbrojovka)
• Browning

These companies make 80% of the pistols on the market with models in the mid range cost category. There are other manufacturers that specialize in the $1,000 plus range, but forget about them for now. Stick with this list and you’ll be fine.

Don’t be a cheap-ass! Try to get as good a deal but don’t go for models just because they are half the price of everything else. There is a reason they cost less, they’re crap. A shitty gun is a liability. Expect to spend between $450-$600 for a new quality firearm. If you do a little better than that, good for you.

Gimmick guns
Real innovation is slow in gun design and maybe that’s because we are near perfection with this technology and the next real innovation is the laser blaster. The modern pistol uses the same basic designs from over 100 years ago. But every year there is some company that releases something promoted as a “game changer”.

The only major innovation in the last century was by Glock with it’s use of polymer construction. This striker fired pistol was release in 1982 and it scared the shit out of people. The media even went so far as to run stories that this plastic menace would pass through metal detectors - even though it was still 70% steel. Now every other gun is a Glock clone.

Other than that, small changes happen over decades. But that doesn’t stop releases like a curved carry auto, a revolver that shoots shotgun shells or a two shot pocket 45. What the fuck are you supposed to do with a two shot 45?

Avoid this crap. Let some other asshole be their guinea pig.

Stay tuned for Part -2