New member needs advice

[Guest bulldog31]

The wife and I have decided to give each other a handgun for Christmas. Where is the best shop in the Nashville area for newbies to go for advice, instruction, practice etc. Also, any leads for CCP class would be appreciated. Looking forward to being gun owners in the near future.

[LagerHead]

Guns & Leather for all of the above. They have the best prices, people are friendly - though when they're busy you may have to wait a few minutes to get someone's attention so be patient - they have two ranges, and their HCP class is only $65. What more can you ask for?

[UncleJak]

Greetings! I took my class at Guns and Leather. Good instructor!

[DWARREN123]

Howdy and Welcome to TGO

Guns & Leather in Greenbrier is a very nice place with good folks, add my vote.

[BLACKVANDRIVER]

When we did this years ago we did this in almost this order. And this is all in my own opion and personal experience so others may correct me.

Shop around for what you want and what fits good to you and your wife. Do your research once you have found what you might think fits good as in other reviews of it reliabilty. Try to stick to name brands and if it seems like its really cheap it might just be so and for the most part you get what you pay for in a product. Also consider Where & How your going to conceal. Also think about you level of comfort when you carry. I carry large but thats only because that is what feels good to me. Try to find a range that has that weapon for rental.

Now in my opion and others my say different, range guns will give you an idea. But some of them may be close to worn out but at least you will get some idea if you will care to shoot it to practice with.

When looking for a hand gun think of things like are you willing to put in the training to carry something like a 1911 or sig 238 that you carry cocked and locked in single action that you are confident enough to be able to swipe that saftey off and get target aquired and make the shot? For some it comes natural for me it just never was meant to be. But we are going to train with a 238 now that my wife really wants one!

Also think of other things like extra ammo. If carry revolver will you carry speed loaders or possible moon clips? If you carry a semi will you carry an extra magazine? Some will say that like with the hi cap XD that what is loaded is enough. That may be correct but I used to always carry a back up in case of magazine failure.

On that note also think about if you and your wife want to have to have ammo in different cal on hand. Such as if yours is a 9mm and hers is a 380 having to have enough ammo of each on hand.

But that is not to say that you will both feel comfortable with the same exact weapon.

There will come a time when you have aquired so many different weapons that keeping the same ammo just doesnt isnt an option any more. But for starters it might be nice.

Also consider buying USED from a reputable member on here if you find something that works. I am sure if I had something I would be glad to take you to the range to try it out!

If you choose Guns and Leather(Greenbrier) there is Metalhead on this forum that I am sure he would be glad to offer you over the top customer service! Just shoot him a PM before you go.

But there are other shops out there to shop around at D&T by rivergate does a very good job with customer service and has a nice selection of weapons as well as a nice selection of carry purses if your wife choses to have that option.

Basspro is a good place to fondle a few but think that they are a little pricey. I sure miss having a Cabellas near by!

Reloaders Bench in Mt Juliet is a small but nice to deal with shop.

Bellshire Hardware, yes hardware store but has a gun counter. Not a whole lot but the prices were good for what he had and very nice!

Above all I have found that if I have a question to just ask on this forum and most will give you a honest in there ownn opion answer. Or be able to back it up with document!

Best of luck and welcome to the very addictive world of firearms!

Edited November 22, 2011 by BLACKVANDRIVER

[quietguy]

While I haven't had the best experiences there, G&L in Greenbrier is the best "one-stop-shop" in the area. They have a great selection, good range facilities, and pretty good pricing. They also have a pretty good selection of rental handguns, so you can get a better idea of what you are most comfortable with. They also have an onsite gunsmith, and I really like dealing with Jeff.

G&L also has a Hendersonville store. The range isn't quite as nice, this location has a good selection of handguns and I have experienced better customer service. The only service issues I have had there were trying to checkout. They also have a few rental guns for the range.

[leftyk82]

Check out Guns for America off Powell Ave in Nashville. Tom and his wife Peg are great people. Very knowledgable and won't try to sell you something you don't need. Small shop but very friendly and they can get you anything you want.

[McAllyn]

Only recommendation I can add is make sure you are both looking for "your own" weapons. What works for you may not work for her, and vice versa. Shop together and shop separate. Don't just buy two of something because you both need one. The chances are pretty high that one of you will not be happy in the long run. Find a shop and salesperson you are both comfortable with and fondle the crap out of everything in the case. If possible, shoot everything that interests you both before you lay out any money. Once you both start leaning towards something, put out a call for help here on the forums. Chances are, someone here has that very same piece, and might be willing to meet you and spend some range time working with it to see if it might be what you're hoping for.

Best of luck with your search, and this forum is an awesome knowledge base to start from.

Mac

[Jonnin]

I do not care where you go or how great the store you visit is, if you do not KNOW some things first about what you like and dislike, all the clerk can do is give you generic answers, which is why so many noobs walk home with a one of a couple of popular choices --- the clerk, having no idea what you want, shows you the stuff that sells well and is fairly generic, popular, and will go bang. Odds are you will end up with a glock or something like it. Nothing wrong with that, but it may not be the gun you would have liked best, either. You really need to hit up a place that rents firearms, to try out a single action auto, a double action, a striker fired, a revolver. You need to try several calibers, 9mm, maybe a 380, maybe a 45, and something big, maybe a 44 mag. Compare the ammo prices as you look, just like buying a printer, the $200 gun that shoots $25 a box ammo may not be much of a deal. Try out a few sizes, from a big revolver and 1911 to a pocket pistol. Then get the clerk or us or whoever to help you with a brand and model once you have a feel for what sort of gun you might actually like to shoot, carry, and so on. Take your time with it, and you will enjoy your first guns so much more than if you just go to one place and let the clerk pick it out for you.

[Guest bulldog31]

Thanks for the great advice. And I definitely understand not trying to buy a gun that suits someone else. I've done a bit of research and am leaning toward a Glock 19 or 23 or a Sig P226 or 229 for me. But I suspect once I get to the range and shoot a few that it might change. We plan to go by a couple shops over the next week or two. Then I'll come back with some questions for the board.

[Guest FiddleDog]

Don't forget to stop by and say hi to Spoolie at D+T Arms, as well.

[JReedEsq]

Thanks for the great advice. And I definitely understand not trying to buy a gun that suits someone else. I've done a bit of research and am leaning toward a Glock 19 or 23 or a Sig P226 or 229 for me. But I suspect once I get to the range and shoot a few that it might change. We plan to go by a couple shops over the next week or two. Then I'll come back with some questions for the board.

You probably can't go wrong with a Glock or a Sig. You just have to decide if you want a consistant trigger pull or if you prefer the additional "safety" of having a really heavy initial pull that transitions to a really sweet single action pull. If you go with a DA/SA you you might look into the Sig Sauer SP2022 which is a polymer frame, but with an action similar to the 229 or 226. The 2022 model is pricecd very competitively and I've not seen any bad reviews on it. Also, if you decide you like a consistant pull you might consider the Smith & Wesson M&P line which the most proven Glock copy.

[Guest FiddleDog]

Not to muddy the waters, but if you're in the Sig price range, you're also in HK price range. that P30 is sexy.

[thundersnow]

Plus one for sig. And for guns for America on Powell!

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ruger 10 / 22 target and sig 229 .40cal

[Guest nj.piney]

welcome

[Fourtyfive]

Welcome