new to everything

[Guest bazookazilla]

Hello everyone. I am fairly new to TN and very new to handgun ownership. I just want to extend a friendly greeting and say that I am very happy to finally be a member of your community. I am very inexperinced in gunnery and wholeheartedly welcome any comments/tips/suggestions/advice anyone has to anything "self defense/handgun/concealed carry" related. I hate to sound like an idiot, but I have recently purchased my first handgun and welcome ANY tips and/or suggestions.

[Guest GlocKingTN]

Welcome bazookazilla! Hope you enjoy!

[Guest jackdog]

Welcome bazookazilla,

Suggest you spend a little time and read some of the threads, you gain a lot of info on guns shooting, concealed carry, ETC. don't be afraid to jump in and post. We have friendly arguments here quite often, but respect the other guys views. I think you just found one of the best gun groups in the state.

[Guest LiLBucket]

Welcome Bozooka-scrollinguptodoublecheckyourscreenname-zilla!!!

[Marswolf]

Hey guy. Welcome!

We have some very active members in the Memphis area. They have already gotten together for a shoot. Just jump in and get to know the folks.

This board hasn't been up long, so all of us are new.

[saintsfanbrian]

Welcome to the boards and to the shooting sports. I live in Memphis, and yup, we tried to get together for a shoot but logistics just went south on us. We were all at the same range at the same time but none of us actually met the other ones. We will plan better next time and meet up at CK's or something prior to shooting.

I am hoping we can all get together towards the end of April for a shoot.

[TGO David]

Welcome! What firearm did you recently purchase?

[Guest Hyaloid]

Howdy!

[Guest GlocKingTN]

Welcome! What firearm did you recently purchase?

Well, what did you buy?

[Guest bazookazilla]

I got a Sig 229 .40. I went to Range USA last weekend and rented a lane and a Sig. I knew I wanted a .40 but didn't know which one I wanted. I shot the Sig, then an H&K, then a Springfield, and then back to the Sig. It's driving me crazy, I've had it for a few days now and have not been able to shoot it. I should be able to get to the range on Sunday after work and try it out. I have cleaned and oiled it as my handbook said to do before I shoot it. Just waiting for Sunday afternoon!!!

[Guest bazookazilla]

Also, I feel like an idiot for asking, but is dry firing bad for my pistol?

[TGO David]

Congrats on the P229. That is an excellent firearm!

[Guest jackdog]

Nice purchase, Not sure about dry firing the P229. Generally if it is an issue it will tell you in the owners manual, but someone on here probably knows the correct answer.

[Guest Voodoo_1]

Welcome fellow Memphian,

Being new to shooting sports you have definitely started out in the right direction with the purchase of your Sig. It is a very fine and dependable firearm. Enjoy the forum!

P.S.- Dry firing your Sig. Check your handbook concearning this. Beretta's handbook cautions dry firing only with snap caps with a spring loaded primer. If your Sig handbook states the same, you can pick these snap caps up at the Bass Pro Shop.

[towerclimber37]

http://www.lawenforcementforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7590

this may help you get your feet wet with that sig....these guys carry and shoot them alot more than we do.

as for dry firing..I wouldn't think that it would hurt it but then again, I haven't seen a schematic of the sig so I couldn't tell ya.

[Guest bazookazilla]

I have checked and rechecked the manual and it doesn't say anything at all about dry firing.

[Guest Voodoo_1]

bazookazilla,

I think I posted my P.S. about dry firing after your last post. If you can't find anything about dry firing in your handbook, you might want to consider using the spring loaded primer snap caps. They are made with a brass casing and primer with the rest being made with a see thru plastic shaped like the bullet. They come in all the different calibers to fit your chamber properly. The spring loaded primer helps to cushion the fall of the firing pin and reduce the chance of firing pin breakage. As I said in my P.S., these can be purchased at the Bass Pro Shop. Hope this Helps.

[Guest bazookazilla]

Awesome, thanks

[Guest Phantom6]

Welcome to the group.

Dry practice with your P229 won't hurt it but as Voodo90-two said, and I quote:

you might want to consider using the spring loaded primer snap caps. They are made with a brass casing and primer with the rest being made with a see thru plastic shaped like the bullet.

The snap caps won't hurt and they will also help you on your clearing drills. Also, if you know someone that reloads, may want to have them reload a magazine's worth of dummy .40 cal for you (case and bullet only- spent primer and no powder charge). Whole lot cheaper than the snap caps. Just be sure to mark the dummy rounds clearly. A black or blue Sharpie pen works well for this. Put a thick colored line all the way around the case with the Sharpie. When using, Always double check for the colored line and that the primer is dimpled. Put them in a box marked "Dummy" and never have this "Dummy-nition" out around any other ammunition. Oh and one more thing, whether you are loaded with dummies or you are dry, always keep that pistol pointed in a safe direction.

[Marswolf]

Phantom, I'm beginning to think you know what you are doing. :up:

[Guest GlocKingTN]

Phantom, I'm beginning to think you know what you are doing.

Im thinking the same thing Mars....

[Guest RN MEDIC]

Bazookazilla, welcome. Hope you'll enjoy your stay. As to dry firing your Sig, it won't hurt. Matter of fact it will let the parts "wear in" making the trigger even better.

Don't be hard on yourself for not shooting as well as you'd like to now as you are new. Remember ALL of us here started right where you are; brand new and eager to learn. Most everything we say here we learned from others.

Your eagerness to learn along with a good open mind will help you a lot. If you can, as you are in Memphis, I'd recommend that you get to Rangemaster and take a newcomer's class from Tom Givens or one of his people. Or you could go to Range USA and take a beginner's class from some of his folks. Any of them will give you very good training.

You have a good gun. Please don't be too eager to trade it at the urging of others. Various one's of us have our opinions. Just BE CAREFUL to ALWAYS decock with that decock lever before holstering EVERYTIME. As an RN, I've cared for 3 people in the hospital where I'm a nurse with a bullet that traveled through their leg of their dominant side from NOT decocking their Sig before holstering and two of them were law enforcement officers.

Your gun is made very well. Just give it the care per the manuel and practice often. KEEP IT CONCEALED. I'm assuming you already have your carry permit from the state. If not, get to one of the two ranges that I mentioned and get that class cone FIRST.

Hope I've been helpful. Again, welcome to our little group. Take care and stay safe. Hope we'll be seeing more of you soon.

Respectfully, RNMEDIC

[Guest jackdog]

Good points RN. I would never carry a weapon that I have not practiced with. With an unloaded weapon,(check it three times). I would practice drawing and reholstering at least 1 hr a day until it is as easy as zipping and unzipping your fly. Do this why walking standing bending over, so that you know that you can clear that weapon fast and safely. I've carried for a long time, and I still practice 3 to 4 times a week with a unloaded weapon. I also do dry fire practice almost daily. Just go slow at first and make sure your movements are safe, as time goes by your speed will increase. And if your like most of us you will buy a variety of holsters along the way.

[Guest Archimedes]

Welcome, 'zooka!

The snap caps won't hurt and they will also help you on your clearing drills. Also, if you know someone that reloads, may want to have them reload a magazine's worth of dummy .40 cal for you (case and bullet only- spent primer and no powder charge). Whole lot cheaper than the snap caps. Just be sure to mark the dummy rounds clearly. A black or blue Sharpie pen works well for this. Put a thick colored line all the way around the case with the Sharpie. When using, Always double check for the colored line and that the primer is dimpled. Put them in a box marked "Dummy" and never have this "Dummy-nition" out around any other ammunition. Oh and one more thing, whether you are loaded with dummies or you are dry, always keep that pistol pointed in a safe direction.

Snap caps are cool, but check these out...

http://laserammo.com/

Pretty cool. You aim, fire, and the red dot shows up where the bullet would have hit when you pulled the trigger.

Don't forget to read the FAQs!

16. Can I shoot my secretary or the boss with my Bullite?

No, you can not.

Do not shoot or point your weapon at any person with a Bullite in the chamber unless your are under the supervision of a qualified shooting instructor.

All firearms are dangerous weapons.

Whenever you are shooting a firearm you must always verify that you are aiming at a safe backstop, which is capable of containing an accidental discharge.

Yes, that is really in there.

When they do figure out how to put lasers in live ammo, we'll have the perfect laser sighting system.

Actually, someone should figure out a way to make an interactive computer trainer. A little USB dongle that plugged into your barrel or went into the mag well, effectively turning your own carry pistol into one of those 'Duck Hunt' guns like the old Nintendos had. The software could make random scenarios where you could make the choice to confront or retreat...bystanders....police intervention...day or night...malfunction randomizer. It would also be cool if it could somehow make the gun cycle. It could then easily simulate FTFs, FTEs, and other cycling problems.

I realize that LEOs and others may have this type of stuff available on a large scale, but I'm talking average Joe here.

~Archi

[Guest jackdog]

Hey Archi those look like they would be great for dry fire practice.