Suggestions for my first purchase? Something using 9mm.

[RVTECH]

Freeze some water in various sized zip lock bags , muffin trays , cake pans etc....

Add some coloring to it as well so you can see your targets!

OR just make a GONG and carry a can of blaze orange pant to keep it looking like new !

Lots of alternatives to shooting watermelon. I once was able to score pig heads from a pork producer and they were kind of fun to shoot at.

 

[Plunger45]

Do you know what type of trigger you prefer?

Striker fired, DA/SA or SAO?

 

[Knobgoblin]

Ice is fun and cheap to shoot...
Freeze some water in various sized zip lock bags , muffin trays , cake pans , ice trays etc....
Toss 'em in a cooler....and bring 'em out to shoot when ready....easy and no mess to clean up.
Andy

I like freezing 3 gallon buckets full of water in my big freezer at work.

The ice rounds slide out pretty easy after a sunny day ride in the back of a truck.

 

[Mikej]

I agree ! and like I said the OP can perfect his skills and eventually go send pine cones flying like I do quite often!

Something about shooting watermelons just seems goofy to me. Kind of a waste of money and good watermelon.

A better Idea is to head out onto the desert and chase jackrabbits like I have done all my life. Free, don't need to carry them with you and they feed the 'yotes and vultures when I am done!

I never really got the shooting fruit thing either. That's food MAN! How about shooting foot long SubWay sandwiches! Oh yeah. The BMT. That cloud of Italian meats, lettuce, provolone, red onion going everywhere. Extra pepperoncini please!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

As a teaching tool....
Shooting a apple...is a excellent way to show someone new to firearms , just what a bullet will do...and that there is no "undo / redo" button with firearms.

As far as shooting fruits and such just for fun...well...you can...it does make for a big mess and can attract vermin and the like...
I don't do it....but I won't go out of my way to tell others not to.
Andy

 

[ScatPackLife]

FYI, Sportsman's in Portland has an SKS in stock for $500. At least I saw one there yesterday. You would have to buy ammo though.

No 9mm carbines you in your price range, only the Ruger PC carbine.

 

[peteNW503]

I would get a Glock 45, Glock 17, Glock 19, Glock 26 or if you like the slim line Glocks the Glock 43x , Glock 48. In time you will find what works for you! Personally I found over the time spend shooting Sigs , Rugers , Springfields Glock I found Glocks just suite me better. I also like that a lot of Glocks are compatible magazine wise but you can always carry around a 33 round fun stick

 

[Flopsweat]

As a teaching tool....
Shooting a apple...is a excellent way to show someone new to firearms , just what a bullet will do...and that there is no "undo / redo" button with firearms.

As far as shooting fruits and such just for fun...well...you can...it does make for a big mess and can attract vermin and the like...
I don't do it....but I won't go out of my way to tell others not to.
Andy

When teaching children, I'll often bring a phone book with me. I take a knife and stab the book firmly with the knife, showing how it will only go in an inch or so. Then we set up and I shoot the book with a .22 to show how goes right through it and disappears into the berm. Everybody seems to catch on right away.

 

[SrMachoSolo]

When teaching children, I'll often bring a phone book with me. I take a knife and stab the book firmly with the knife, showing how it will only go in an inch or so. Then we set up and I shoot the book with a .22 to show how goes right through it and disappears into the berm. Everybody seems to catch on right away.

Phone books still exist...?

-Robert

 

[Flopsweat]

Phone books still exist...?

-Robert

I still have some. They used to drop off, unsolicited, phone books with ads in them, not from the phone company. I collected them for shooting and for a big stack of them to point (not shoot) guns at in my reloading room - a Safe Direction to point guns at while assembling or disassembling them. I don't think they've dropped any off the last couple of years though.

 

[smitty007]

I've shot Glock 19/17/26, Sig P320's, Walther P99 AS, Walther PPQ, and multiple Canik's.

If you want inexpensive and fun to shoot with a decent out of the box trigger, I'd go Canik TP9 SA or SF.

 

[romulus]

@Kristopher Kam if I may suggest Kel Tec Sub2000 9mm that takes Glock mags. It's pretty fun to shoot and mags are interchangeable with Glock. I've seen them posted here for under $600.

 

[titsonritz]

As a teaching tool....
Shooting a apple...is a excellent way to show someone new to firearms , just what a bullet will do...and that there is no "undo / redo" button with firearms.

As far as shooting fruits and such just for fun...well...you can...it does make for a big mess and can attract vermin and the like...
I don't do it....but I won't go out of my way to tell others not to.
Andy

I used cantaloupe for the purpose you mention with my children and make no apologies for it, it wasn't for fun it was for their education.

 

[sobo]

Phone books still exist...?

-Robert

What are ya sayin'...???

 

[sobo]

I still have some. They used to drop off, unsolicited, phone books with ads in them, not from the phone company. I collected them for shooting and for a big stack of them to point (not shoot) guns at in my reloading room - a Safe Direction to point guns at while assembling or disassembling them. I don't think they've dropped any off the last couple of years though.

Same reason I saved 'em when they kept dropping them off.
Soak 'em in water for a day or so, then take them to the range...
Shows the young'ns what a bullet will do pretty demonstrably.
Soaked telephone books make for a pretty realistic "ballistic gel" for the common man...

 

[DirectDrive]

I save phone books, too.
I like to tear 'em in half for the ladies.

 

[Kristopher Kam]

Up through maybe 2015 I would get 1 or 2 phone books a year showing up at my house, would drop them directly into the recycling bin.

 

[sobo]

Save 'em, soak 'em, and shoot 'em. Dig the bullets out and observe.

 

[Kristopher Kam]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. @everyone.

Plenty to consider.

I am liking the look of the 9mm 1911.

 

[DirectDrive]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. @everyone.

Plenty to consider.

I am liking the look of the 9mm 1911.

And if that's not enough, there's the 2011 !
No joke, it is a thing.