Lifestyle
How to Choose your Next Firearm
For many Americans, owning a gun is something that is perfectly natural and is part of their constitutional rights. Many Americans enjoy and approve of hunting as a pastime or like to visit their local shooting range to test their skills and accuracy. If you are thinking of purchasing your first gun or adding to your firearm collection you will probably be aware that there are several important considerations to think about first. This will ultimately lead you to make an informed choice on what to buy and will ensure that you get a firearm that is suitable for your needs. This article describes in detail three of the most important decisions to make before investing in your next gun.
What will it be used for?
A key point that will help you buy the firearm that is right for you is what purpose it will serve. If you want to go hunting on a regular basis there is little point in purchasing a small handgun as it will not have the range or stopping power to effectively hunt for deer or other larger game. Hunting generally relies on rifles which can be modified with scopes for added accuracy at range. Conversely, if you want to visit your local shooting range or gun club to use your weapon for target practice you will have a much broader choice of weapons to consider that are mainly based on personal taste of the weapon you want to own. If your gun is mainly for home defense to protect from intruders or for your own personal safety, then a smaller handgun that can be easily stored or concealed would be a suitable choice. Knowing what purpose your firearm will serve is clearly one of the main considerations that will inform your buying choice.
Off the shelf or custom built?
The next key consideration once you fully understand what purpose your next gun will serve is to decide whether to buy a ready-made gun from a firearm shop or to build your own. Whilst many gun shops offer a wide range of guns for sale, it can often be a more satisfying and cost-effective experience to make your gun at home. It does not require an immense amount of DIY knowledge or expertise, and just needs some household tools and 80% lowers to craft your own custom-built weapon that is designed specifically with your needs in mind. For example, if you like the idea of owning a custom-built handgun you can use 80% polymer glock lowers to complete glocks at home.
Test the recoil
If the gun you are planning to buy or make will be your first weapon, it is imperative to check that you can handle the recoil and overall feel of the gun. It makes sense to visit your local gun club and ask to try a range of weapons and ammunition to ensure that the gun you are planning to own is suitable and comfortable for your use. Different guns and different ammunition can produce distinctly different strengths of recoil and if you find that you struggle to hit targets with a firearm because of its high recoil you should choose a weapon that packs less of a punch with its recoil. Additionally, understanding the general ammo shelf life is essential for ensuring your ammunition remains reliable and safe over time, further optimizing your firearm’s performance for its intended use.