# When sombody posts NEW TO HANDGUNS



## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

We get those posts all the time. 

New to handguns, what gun should I buy?
I just had an experience that really shocked me how this person, really had no idea of how the bullet ,went from the magazine, and into the chamber.
He has been carrying a da/sa beretta px4
I asked him if he was carrying with one in the chamber.
He said no, I said the gun is perfectly safe with one in the chamber, with the external safety and long double action pull.

He proceeded to remind me that the gun is double action and did not need a round in the chamber.

He thought by pulling the trigger it loaded a round into the chamber.
After trying to explain that the slides action delivers the round into the chamber,,, that you can pull the trigger all day long, it will go click every time , he still did not believe me.

He said he was doing it all day at the range. I was at the range that day with him.
WHAT WAS HE DOING THAT CONFUSED HIM? HE SHOT ABOUT A 100 rounds. Never had to rack the gun all day. It fired all the time in double action.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

I would bet his gun went to slide lock, he loaded his empty magazine and inserted it, then hit the slide stop to release the slide. He was probably not aware that the slide stripped a round from the top of the magazine when he did this. I can think of nothing else since he was actively firing his gun at the range. He definitely needs to be educated and I would strongly advise him NOT to carry that gun until he becomes intimately familiar with how it operates.

People like this are scary and I run across them on occasion, though much more rarely now that I am retired. Two of the major influences with people who are not knowledgeable about firearms is TV and the movies. I am constantly amazed at what I see in those two media regarding the handling of firearms. And you have to know that the unknowing populations picks up on this and believes it to be fact. The one that comes to mind right away is the "shooting of the gate or door lock with a 9mm pistol and the lock breaks open". I actually got in an argument with someone about this who swore up and down that this was true and I was wrong. Amazing what people will believe.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Your absolutely correct about the slide, after the last round the slide remained locked back. Just like you stated, he did not realize the slide when released was carrying the round to the chamber,lol.
The main reason he bought a handgun was because of the current gun control hysteria
Reasons for wanting a handgun today verses you and I wanting a handgun yesterday have changed in some cases
When I first purchased my firearm at age 14. I was new to guns, but I knew about guns.
Today's new to handguns person asking for a recommendation , might just be dumb as a stump when it comes to firearms,lol.
But,because of the gun control situation and media coverage, some people just feel they need a handgun. You and I, guns are like a fork n spoon,n handgun,lol.
We can't just assume a simple function of a handgun should be known.
New to handguns should be taken literally until full disclosure of one's ability.
I've noticed a very wide spectrum of a newbie's "I'm new to handguns " basic knowledge from one individual to the next individual 

We need to ask how much experience with firearms somebody has before recommending certain types of handguns.
Back to the basic revolver,lol.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

I wanted to say ,Very good SouthernBoy. You may not be the brightest crayon in the box, but your definetly one of the sharpest 
I sometimes, don't put my words in proper form, to give a good illustration . I do not use spell check,etc.
Steve 1911A1 can verify that,lol.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

pic said:


> I wanted to say ,Very good SouthernBoy. *You may not be the brightest crayon in the box*, but your definetly one of the sharpest
> I sometimes, don't put my words in proper form, to give a good illustration . I do not use spell check,etc.
> Steve 1911A1 can verify that,lol.


Now you're going to have to explain that one to me. What have I ever written on these forums to give you the idea that I fit that mold? I ask because I am a firm believer in the fact that I am always learning new things and am willing to learn new things. So if I slipped somewhere along the line, please let me know how.


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## high pockets (Apr 25, 2011)

SouthernBoy said:


> Now you're going to have to explain that one to me. What have I ever written on these forums to give you the idea that I fit that mold? I ask because I am a firm believer in the fact that I am always learning new things and am willing to learn new things. So if I slipped somewhere along the line, please let me know how.


SB, don't worry about it, it's a Yankee expression. Kind of like "Bless his heart."


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

high pockets said:


> SB, don't worry about it, it's a Yankee expression. Kind of like "Bless his heart."


Really. I have not heard of that one. Of course, being Southern, I certain do know the connotation behind, "Bless his heart".

I honestly thought, maybe still think, I must have written something that gave pause to others about my cranial abilities. I would want to know this so I can be more careful, learn what needs to be learned, so as not to trip up again.

Now back to playing with my little Rorschach test kit. Damned silly pictures.


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

pic said:


> WHAT WAS HE DOING THAT CONFUSED HIM? HE SHOT ABOUT A 100 rounds. Never had to rack the gun all day. It fired all the time in double action.


If it fired all the time in double action it was not an "F" model, but a "C" or "D" model and he had to start with one in the chamber. Sothernboy is probably correct: "I would bet his gun went to slide lock, he loaded his empty magazine and inserted it, then hit the slide stop to release the slide. He was probably not aware that the slide stripped a round from the top of the magazine when he did this." Except, he was loading a loaded magazine into the pistol after the slide locked back. Did he at least read the handgun manual? Probably not?


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## XD40inAVL (Feb 1, 2013)

Owning a gun is a right, but rights require responsibility in return.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

SouthernBoy said:


> Now you're going to have to explain that one to me. What have I ever written on these forums to give you the idea that I fit that mold? I ask because I am a firm believer in the fact that I am always learning new things and am willing to learn new things. So if I slipped somewhere along the line, please let me know how.


Lol,:smt039 your a straight shooter.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

denner said:


> If it fired all the time in double action it was not an "F" model, but a "C" or "D" model and he had to start with one in the chamber. Sothernboy is probably correct: "I would bet his gun went to slide lock, he loaded his empty magazine and inserted it, then hit the slide stop to release the slide. He was probably not aware that the slide stripped a round from the top of the magazine when he did this." Except, he was loading a loaded magazine into the pistol after the slide locked back. Did he at least read the handgun manual? Probably not?


I was shocked, I texted him put that gun away until he learns hiw the gun functions.
You're right ,he was releasing the slide after putting A loaded magazine, and did not realize the slide was stripping a round off the mag


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

pic said:


> I was shocked, I texted him put that gun away until he learns hiw the gun functions.
> You're right ,he was releasing the slide after putting A loaded magazine, and did not realize the slide was stripping a round off the mag


Amazing! Can he read? If so, tell him to read the manual 50 times before picking up the pistol again and better yet, tell him to enroll in a training course, or at least tell him to find someone who knows what the heck they are doing.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

denner said:


> Amazing! Can he read? If so, tell him to read the manual 50 times before picking up the pistol again and better yet, tell him to enroll in a training course, or at least tell him to find someone who knows what the heck they are doing.


Lol,!! My friend called me to ask for a gun recommendation.
We met at the gun store . He did not want a revolver. My recommendation was the beretta , the beretta has an external safety with a decocking function all in one. Plus an external hammer verses a striker fired, which I think gives a safer visual of the ready to fire condition of the gun
Also the px4 is double action..
In my mind , that is the safest you can get for a semi auto handgun
At first I explained to the salesman my friend is looking for a semi auto ,and has never fired a gun in his life.
WOULD YOU BELIEVE THE SALESMAN RECOMMENDED A GLOCK.
Lol, I said, NO,NO,NO!,,he can not have a Glock for a first handgun.
Salesman replied just keep your finger off the trigger until your ready to fire.
I SAID LET ME SEE THAT PX4 please.lol.

My newbie handgun owner is not a dummy,Except when it comes to firearms . He s a master carpenter, project supervisor.He does not even work with his tools any more.
MAYBE IT'S GOOD HE DOESN'T WORK WITH HIS TOOLS ANYMORE.LOL,LOL.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

pic said:


> Lol,!! My friend called me to ask for a gun recommendation.
> We met at the gun store . He did not want a revolver. My recommendation was the beretta , the beretta has an external safety with a decocking function all in one. Plus an external hammer verses a striker fired, which I think gives a safer visual of the ready to fire condition of the gun
> Also the px4 is double action..
> In my mind , that is the safest you can get for a semi auto handgun
> ...


Perhaps, but there is this concept called mechanically logical... some people just say mechanically inclined. That tends to flow across boundaries so someone who is predisposed at this is likely to understand internal combustion engines, transmissions, how planes fly, and firearms. It doesn't mean they are an engineer in these things or that they could tear an engine down and rebuild it, but they are usually a step ahead of others who lack this characteristic.

I am one of these people; my wife is not. And I know a lot of them. They all tend to have certain thought processes and logical patterns in their mannerisms. Your friend probably lacks these gifts. Otherwise, logic would have stepped in and if not made him carefully examine his new gun and read the included literature, at least he would have acquired some knowledge about how it works before using it. This is in no way a condemnation of your friend's basic makeup but simply an observation. People such as your friend are not ignorant, in the sense of stupid, but rather they just don't have that "feel" for certain mechanical things.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

> Perhaps, but there is this concept called mechanically logical


Yes, I know what you mean.
A lesson here that People need to remember, when somebody posts on a forum " new to handguns, looking to buy my first gun" The first thing to ask before recommending is how much do they know about a handguns function.
How much experience do you have shooting long guns. Making the transition from shooting semi auto long guns, pump action, bolt action, lever action, single action , etc. is a great ,in a sense prerequisite, to possibly going straight to a Glock or one of its copycats,lol. I call all the other striker fired polymers. A GLOCK COPYCAT.lol.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

I learned a long time ago that there is never any shame in saying, "I don't know". Only fools mask their ignorance in attempts to appear all knowing and wise. It's never too long before it catches up to them.


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## Bigbites (Apr 7, 2013)

SouthernBoy said:


> I would bet his gun went to slide lock, he loaded his empty magazine and inserted it, then hit the slide stop to release the slide. He was probably not aware that the slide stripped a round from the top of the magazine when he did this. I can think of nothing else since he was actively firing his gun at the range. He definitely needs to be educated and I would strongly advise him NOT to carry that gun until he becomes intimately familiar with how it operates.
> 
> People like this are scary and I run across them on occasion, though much more rarely now that I am retired. Two of the major influences with people who are not knowledgeable about firearms is TV and the movies. I am constantly amazed at what I see in those two media regarding the handling of firearms. And you have to know that the unknowing populations picks up on this and believes it to be fact. The one that comes to mind right away is the "shooting of the gate or door lock with a 9mm pistol and the lock breaks open". I actually got in an argument with someone about this who swore up and down that this was true and I was wrong. Amazing what people will believe.


Not to turn this into a political conversation..but it's this gullibility of people today that ensured our president's election and re-election. It's also the fact that there are a lot of gun owners out there like this that I felt I needed to level the playing field a bit when I bought my first pistol. I am by NO means and expert.. but I try to make myself a "student of the game" whenever I embark on a new path or start a new hobby.

Scary ...


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Bigbites said:


> Not to turn this into a political conversation..but it's this gullibility of people today that ensured our president's election and re-election. It's also the fact that there are a lot of gun owners out there like this that I felt I needed to level the playing field a bit when I bought my first pistol. I am by NO means and expert.. but I try to make myself a "student of the game" whenever I embark on a new path or start a new hobby.
> 
> Scary ...


That is a very common situation of why people are purchasing handguns today. Are you talking about how you decided to buy a handgun? I'm not to clear in understanding what your saying. I' m a little dense at the moment,lol. My fault.sorry


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## Bigbites (Apr 7, 2013)

nah its cool.. I didn't explain very well.. 

I guess what Im trying to say is that it annoys me that people today are so easily swayed by media, movies, TV, etc.
That is the gullible nature I was referring to. Since the big gun debate took on a full head of steam with the shooting in CT.. I have noticed a lot of people in my own network who were rushing to get guns and carry permits. Some of them I wouldn't trust with a dull knife let alone a fire arm.

It was this among other things that got my wife to finally cave and condone me having a gun in the house ourselves. I had been around guns for most of my childhood. Pellet guns, .22 semi auto rifle and my grandfather had hand guns that I would shoot with him on occasion. I wanted a self defense and home defense gun just because I don't trust anyone anymore.

The fact that people are so damn flaky anymore is what scares me.. I don't know if that clears it up or not.. Im pretty dense too


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Bigbites said:


> nah its cool.. I didn't explain very well..
> 
> I guess what Im trying to say is that it annoys me that people today are so easily swayed by media, movies, TV, etc.
> That is the gullible nature I was referring to. Since the big gun debate took on a full head of steam with the shooting in CT.. I have noticed a lot of people in my own network who were rushing to get guns and carry permits. Some of them I wouldn't trust with a dull knife let alone a fire arm.
> ...


Your darn right, some people shouldn't be allowed to walk the streets ,lol. Back ground checks are a good thing,very necessary.

BUT, In a back ground check,what are they looking for? What constitutes a fair back ground check
What determines a persons qualification or disqualification .Background checks can become very subjective and written according to pro or anti gun needs. Will back ground checks differ from state to to state?


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

pic said:


> Your darn right, some people shouldn't be allowed to walk the streets ,lol. Back ground checks are a good thing,very necessary.
> 
> BUT, In a back ground check,what are they looking for? What constitutes a fair back ground check
> What determines a persons qualification or disqualification .Background checks can become very subjective and written according to pro or anti gun needs. *Will back ground checks differ from state to to state?*


They do differ if they are at the state level. But the Brady law mandated that the creation of the NICS and as the acronym says, that means National, i.e. federal level.


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## TAPnRACK (Jan 30, 2013)

Background checks usually weed out those potential buyers/CCW's who:

Have been convicted of a Felony
Convicted of Domestic Violence (5 yrs)
Convicted of Stalking (no contact order)
Have a Medical Marijuana card
Claimed insanity to avoid prosecution
Have a mental order from courts

...and other violations of law.

All states have different standards for purchase & concealed carry, but these are most common.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

The background checks are not written in stone. There's talk of medical records being exposed if your on certain medications.
Who knows what's next. 
I believe in back ground checks., but they can be used to circumvent the 2nd amendment to deny a permit application


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## TAPnRACK (Jan 30, 2013)

I agree... and you can bet those medical records will be a topic for debate during the current administrations reign too. 

Those "Universal Background Checks" we've been hearing about have been very, very vague (details)... which is a little frightening.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

TAPnRACK said:


> I agree... and you can bet those medical records will be a topic for debate during the current administrations reign too.
> 
> Those "Universal Background Checks" we've been hearing about have been very, very vague (details)... which is a little frightening.


What they're calling "universal background check" is another name for all encompassing control of firearms sales. That means private sales between private individuals and gifts between private individuals. The only way they are going to even have a remote chance of effecting this is registration and periodic checks. Very bad medicine at work here.


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