Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ames!dftsrv!mimsy!ihlpf.att.com From: bamford@ihlpf.att.com (Harold E Bamford) Newsgroups: rec.guns Subject: Re: Dumb Beginner Questions (actually not so dumb!) Message-ID: <35348@mimsy.umd.edu> Date: 7 Jun 91 03:12:55 GMT Sender: magnum@mimsy.umd.edu Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 19 Approved: gun-control@cs.umd.edu In article <35259@mimsy.umd.edu> larock@software.org (Curt Larock) writes: #My wife and I want to buy a gun ... #What should I do now? What dumb mistakes should I avoid? First thing is to take a firearms safety course from a NRA certified instructor. Even though I had been shooting for years, I learned a lot when I took this course. In my case, this was a 2 hour session, one on one, with guy that had been shooting pretty much his entire life. Lots of discussion on safety, shooting techniques, and (of course) the "best" gun to own. I won't discuss this last because I firmly believe there is no such thing. Given this course, you will be in a much better position to choose a gun. Books are great, but nothing beats the experience that goes with walking off the range smelling of gunpowder and carrying a target full of appropriately placed holes (and smiling foolishly). -- Harold Bamford