In-store Handling

[btq96r]

So, a lady friend of mine is interested in buying her first gun, doing the HCP class, ect... and is trusting me to guide her to this decision.  I've already decided she would probably work best with a striker fired 9mm.  Problem is, I haven't had to buy a pistol in 11 years since I love mine so much and am a bit out of date on what a local gun shop will allow.

 

Would bringing snap caps to an LGS be considered bad form?  I'd like her to practice loading, unloading, and to get a feel for the differences in trigger pull so she can know what she's dealing with before paying in the neighborhood of $500-$600 and walking out the door with it.

[musicman]

Can you take her to the range and let her try a bunch out? I'm in the South Nashville area and will bring out some revolvers and pistols of all sizes and donate ammo to helpget a new shooter started. I work til 1 tomorrow but am willing to meet at a range after that. PM if you want.

I personally feel that no amount of gun shop handling can compare to live fire when comparing guns. Edited March 13, 2015 by musicman

[Caster]

Depends on the store. Look for a privately owned operation not the big box stores. Big box store are prohibited from displaying common sense in any way shape form or fashion.

[Caster]

I'm with musicman, why not let her 'fire, before you buy 'er?"

TGO has vendors that rent LOTS of models of striker fired autos. Spending an extra few bucks is money WELL spent to KNOW you made the right choice.
Nothing is worse than shelling out big money, getting to range and saying...this thing sucks donkey! Why'd I buy this?

[musicman]

And I'll just add my recommendation for the Shield. Super simple, small enough to conceal, big enough to shoot comfortably, real sights, and can be had for just over $400 OTD at Guns N More in Smyrna.

[none]

If I may the Ruger Sr9c has been flawless. Nice trigger and lots of options for capacity. Combine that with a mag loader and its a good option. Even though I carry a 1911 now I still have the Sr9c as a bug. Sorry I cant help with the gun store side.

[Ron45]

I will second the SR9c. I have one and love it. Mine came with a 10 and 17 round mags and a grip extender for the 17 round. Very nice pistol and I believe they can still be found for around $430.

[peejman]

Take her to a range with rentals. Bring a few friends so there's plenty for her to try.

[bvarnell]

Might want to check SA XDs also

Probably 9mm, not .45

[TNWNGR]

Take her to a range with rentals. Bring a few friends so there's plenty for her to try.

Yep. Best advise by far, make several trips and have her use as many guns as it takes to decide. My educated guess is if you discuss what your doing with the gunship in advance they will work with her.

[RED333]

It would be a drive, but IIRC Guns n Leather rents and has a range.

[btq96r]

Getting her to try them out at a range is on the "to-do" list, but we're at the very basic stages here.  Her total experience with guns has been to hold mine, thus, the slow approach to get her into shooting, and more importantly, trained right.  It also isn't a right now thing as we both have school and work to schedule around.

 

My goal is to get her to feel comfortable with the feel and mechanics of about 2-3 models, then go into the test fire mode with the ones she chooses.  She has said she doesn't want a compact, so the Ruger and Shield would be out.  An SR9 is an option, and I already had the M&P9 on the list. 

 

We'll either do all this around Murfreesboro, or possibly Knoxville (where she lives), which is why I was asking for more of a general consensus of handling shelf guns with snap caps would be acceptable. 

[Rhodewarrior]

Everything Weapons on 96 in Franklin was having a "rent 2 for $10" deal last week.  It might still be going on. They had a lot of what it sounds like your looking for.

[hipower]

And I'll just add my recommendation for the Shield. Super simple, small enough to conceal, big enough to shoot comfortably, real sights, and can be had for just over $400 OTD at Guns N More in Smyrna.

 

DING! DING! DING!  We have a winner!

[Jct1911]

I'm kind of on the fence about rentals. One rental with ammo is usually about 15% of that purchase price. Have her pick the one that fits her hand and she can rack the slide on. Guns are tools, like hammers, with proper practice and training anyone can use either.

[Dane]

I've never had a problem with a gun store allowing me to dry fire a weapon. I wouldn't worry about the snap caps and just go try a few.

[oldman]

New gun and pawn shop off church street has pistols on the wall to fondle, nice follks. New stuff as well, seems like one display case of pistols aimed at the female market. Place is well off the road, the had one of those sign spinners pointing towards the road.

[DaveTN]

Why doesn’t she want a compact, is this a home defense gun?

She needs to get some trigger time before trying to select a gun. Even then she will probably be like most of the rest of us; changing guns all the time.

[espacef1fan]

Another good recommendation for a good all purpose 9mm is the Taurus PT111 G2. I picked mine up for $280 out the door brand new at Quantico Tactical in Clarksville. They can be found cheaper though

[A.J. Holst]

My girlfriend loves her G3 G17. Home defense only, no interest in edc at this stage.

[espacef1fan]

I bought the PT111 instead of the G17.

[peejman]

Why doesn’t she want a compact, is this a home defense gun?

She needs to get some trigger time before trying to select a gun. Even then she will probably be like most of the rest of us; changing guns all the time.

 

 

Exactly.  I'd bet my wife's Shield has the same or less recoil and certainly less muzzle flip than my big ass Ruger P85. 

[btq96r]

Why doesn’t she want a compact, is this a home defense gun?

She needs to get some trigger time before trying to select a gun. Even then she will probably be like most of the rest of us; changing guns all the time.

 

She's open to the idea of carrying, and wants to get an HCP to have one, but this is primary home/vehicle defense.  She told me she doesn't want a compact, or something too big.  So, I'm looking into things that are around the size of a Glock 19, Walther P99, or an M&P9.  She put her budget at $500-$600, so she can afford one of the higher quality pistols.  I think she can narrow it down to a few models she likes the look and feel of, then we can go into the shooting phase.  I'm not interested in breaking the bank on rentals since I know some places charge a bit and make you use their store bought ammo to do so. 

 

If she get's into guns, and wants to keep changing models, fine.  But for right now, I just want her to make a good purchase and be squared away on when/how to use it if it ever comes to that.

[Spiffy]

Depends on the store. Look for a privately owned operation not the big box stores. Big box store are prohibited from displaying common sense in any way shape form or fashion.

 

Some wont even take the trigger lock off the gun until you've paid for it and passed the background check.

[ron86654]

To your original question, several years ago when I was looking for a carry pistol I took a snap cap with me and asked if I could dry fire.

 

I found the gun I was interested in in the first shop I went into and they had no problem with me putting the snap cap into it and trying the trigger. Once that was done I found a range that had one to rent and went to the next step of firing it.

 

I don't know if other shops would have done that as I got what I wanted to do in the first one I went into. If they had refused me I would have tried other shops until I found one that wasn't so hard to get along with.