my first

Garg · Dec 6, 2011

drew said:
The Clackamas County Public Training Center has rentals too. <broken link removed>

You DO have to have a working firearm in your possession to rent there.

Bunny · Dec 6, 2011

Garg said:
You DO have to have a working firearm in your possession to rent there.

Bunny said:
You can bring someone you know who owns one, unless they've changed their policy. That's what I did when I rented there, before owning my own handgun.

Already covered ^^^^^^^^

fendermallot · Dec 7, 2011

Thanks all!

Craigslist sale fell through... again. Patience is a virtue of which I am in short supply these days

I'll keep saving. If I can hook up with my co-worker and his buddies they have a small cache of firearms between them that they go out shooting. But that event usually preceeds (but doesn't include, I'm told) a lot of beer! I'm not into the whole, shoot then do shots thing.

As for the price of the sig. I've seen them sell new on gunbroker as low as 300. A friend of mine who used to be a dealer told me that they're cheap for a reason but I've yet to find a review that didn't have anything good to say about them. Maybe he's just being a gun snob.

I'll have to go to TPTS sometime soon. BCA isn't open to the public anymore. It's migrated to membership only. I have requested one of the days for the expo show off from work. So I plan on going out and fondling as much steel as possible.

Again, thanks guys!

SynapticSilence · Dec 7, 2011

Once you find what you want, be diligent in getting the best price. You'd be surprised at the range of prices for any one gun. One shop that wasn't mentioned was Northwest Armory on McLoughlin. They have a good selection of new and used guns, fair pricing, knowledgeable staff, and will let you hold as many guns as you want to without looking at you like you're wasting their time. Also, don't forget to check online at sites like www.gunbroker.com to get an idea of what a particular gun is selling for all across the country. Finally, there are some places like Cabelas (new store in Springfield, OR that have no-cost layaway plans. Cabelas is 90-days with 30% down and no minimum or required monthly payment, but their prices are on the high end of the scale. The best on-line site I've found is Buds Gun Shop in Kentucky. Best prices anywhere, free shipping to your choice of FFL, 90-day layaway with same terms but less down than Cabelas. I've bought three guns there and used their layaway plan with zero problems. In short, take your time, get the right gun for you, get the best price, and shoot the heck out of whatever you get. As for first gun caliber, I started out with a Ruger Mark III .22 and it really helped me nail down basic technique without the impact of sound and recoil to screw things up. I've had everything else since then and what I learned with my Ruger. I'd take a Ruger over the Sig .22 BTW. The Ruger 22/45 pistols are reasonable and have a grip that mirrors the grip of a 1911 in feel. Starting with the .22 has paid off. I'm not a great shot, but I can keep 50 rounds in a 9-inch target at 50 feet with my 9mms and .45s most days, which is most people's definition of combat accuracy. Good luck.

SynapticSilence · Dec 7, 2011

I forgot to add to avoid going to Discount Guns. The name's a misnomer since their prices are ridiculously high. My thought based on what I've seen when I've been in a couple of their stores is that they cater to first gun owners who have no idea they're paying too much. I saw them sell a guy a Rock Island Armory 1911 .45 for $575. You can get the same gun online and at fun shows for about $400.

Rix · Dec 7, 2011

GO SHOOTING!!!!
Anyone considering their first purchase should really go shoot as many models as they can find. Some gun ranges have rentals, and that's one way to shoot a variety of guns to see what might work for you.

fendermallot · Dec 7, 2011

Rix said:
GO SHOOTING!!!!
Anyone considering their first purchase should really go shoot as many models as they can find. Some gun ranges have rentals, and that's one way to shoot a variety of guns to see what might work for you.

already covered, but thanks for your input.