If you happen to have a friend or family member who is getting into shooting for the very first time, you may have been asked the all-important, pivotal question: what is the best gun for beginners? Like any good lawyer, I will respond not with a definitive answer; rather, a set of attributes you should look to seek out in your next purchase or the recommendation of a purchase for someone else.
Now, we are trying to outline what is the best firearm for beginners. This could be a shotgun, a rifle, or a handgun. One of the most important attributes to think of – regardless of the platform – is the recoil you are going to have to manage. We have all seen internet videos of someone too small or ill-informed getting knocked to the ground by too much control. It might be fun to watch those videos on your lunch break, but if you are the person who handed that unsuspecting person that oversized firearm, you are a complete jerk (and we’re refraining from the profanity we actually want to use). Recommend a firearm in a cartridge that someone can control. Not only for their own safety and that of those around them but to also ensure they have an enjoyable shooting experience. This will ensure their 1st trip to the range isn’t their last, and hopefully, it instills a lifelong passion and respect for shooting firearms.
Next, you will want to look for the ability to manipulate all the functions on the firearm. For shotguns and rifles, that means the firearm isn’t too heavy, long, or cumbersome that someone cannot safely and effectively wield it. You should be able to manage all the safeties, buttons, and functions of the firearm. If not, then it doesn’t matter how rad the gun is, then it simply may not be meant for that individual. Similarly, for handguns, the pistol or revolver shouldn’t be so large that your hand cannot comfortably grasp it and manipulate all the functions without stretching your fingers like a contortionist.
Another paramount element in any firearm purchase to consider is safety – whether they are physical safeties or the proficiency of the shooter themselves. Some people like manual safeties that you need to actuate for them to feel safe. For others, simply getting experience behind a platform affords them all the trigger time and proficiency they need.
After that, you may want to entertain the affordability of a firearm. You do not want the firearm, itself, to be so expensive that you cannot purchase related gear items like ammunition, hearing protection, shooting glasses, targets, etc. A firearm with nothing else is like a “toy with no batteries.” Leave enough room in your budget to get all the necessary training accouterments you are going to need.
Next, you will want to purposefully make a cartridge selection. Sometimes you can dive straight into your intended end-use while other times you will need to build up to it. If your end game is 9mm, you could likely jump straight to it. If you want a 12 Gauge for home defense, you may want to slowly build up to that recoil and the skills you will need to manage it.
Finally, our last nugget of advice would be to understand that your first gun ever will not be your last gun. It is an evolution, and your tastes, preferences, and needs will change over time. So, enjoy the journey and be safe. In the end, make sure to get out there training, honing your craft, getting reps with your firearms, and likely Tyrant can help you along the way with some rad accessories. Until next time, continually check out our blog, join our newsletter, and watch the website for new and exciting updates! As always, let us know all your thoughts in the comments below. We love it when you participate in our articles and keep the conversation going!
