New to guns, looking forward to shooting again

[asg84]

Living in Sacramento for the last three years, originally from KS.

I recently wanted to start shooting again for fun after having shot .22LR rifles and a few shotguns as a kid, but have had a hard time getting onto the range as my friends often wouldn't commit to going with me and I don't have a gun of my own (yet). I understand why ranges don't allow single shooters without their own weapon... it's grim, and frustrating for someone like me who just wants to learn to shoot, but I get it.

I got frustrated with this so I recently took an intro to handguns course from The Gun Range here in town, and had a blast (pun intended). Only shooting at 5 yards, but my clustering was pretty tight, started low and to the left and moved until I was only shooting a little left of center.

I recently purchased a barely used Beretta 92FS with all metal parts -- I also rented a Beretta 92FS for the intro course so I could get a feel for it and loved it. It comes home with me on Saturday, gets re-lubed, then goes out to the range on Sunday with some friends... although I'll probably get some rentals on Saturday as well.

There are so many things that I want to try out and shoot, I've already become addicted. I'd be going for an hour or two every day if I could but I can't go at all until next Saturday when my Beretta gets out of jail. Looking forward to more range time, as well as finding some great spots out in the Sierras to go blasting away.

I think next time on the range I want to try out some micro 9s to see what the recoil on something smaller and less bulky is like.

 

[Hopi.]

Living in Sacramento for the last three years, originally from KS.

I recently wanted to start shooting again for fun after having shot .22LR rifles and a few shotguns as a kid, but have had a hard time getting onto the range as my friends often wouldn't commit to going with me and I don't have a gun of my own (yet). I understand why ranges don't allow single shooters without their own weapon... it's grim, and frustrating for someone like me who just wants to learn to shoot, but I get it.

I got frustrated with this so I recently took an intro to handguns course from The Gun Range here in town, and had a blast (pun intended). Only shooting at 5 yards, but my clustering was pretty tight, started low and to the left and moved until I was only shooting a little left of center.

I recently purchased a barely used Beretta 92FS with all metal parts -- I also rented a Beretta 92FS for the intro course so I could get a feel for it and loved it. It comes home with me on Saturday, gets re-lubed, then goes out to the range on Sunday with some friends... although I'll probably get some rentals on Saturday as well.

There are so many things that I want to try out and shoot, I've already become addicted. I'd be going for an hour or two every day if I could but I can't go at all until next Saturday when my Beretta gets out of jail. Looking forward to more range time, as well as finding some great spots out in the Sierras to go blasting away.

I think next time on the range I want to try out some micro 9s to see what the recoil on something smaller and less bulky is like.

Welcome! Don’t often celebrate folks having to move to California from states with less cumbersome laws, taxes, and politics, but the Sacramento area is a pretty nice place to land if you can stomach the hottest parts of the Summer.

A good place to start with your first few purchases is understanding your needs. Home defense? Carry? Strictly for the range? Multi-use hunting/defense/target practice? Sounds like your back in mostly for fun and range plinking….

For micro and sub compacts, the p365 and Hellcats should be top of the list, followed by the Shields and Max9, though rumor has it that a few others will be soon joining the roster.

And can’t go wrong with an inexpensive AR15 pattern rifle, either fixed mag or featureless. There is a thread here outlining some pros and cons of each configuration.

You’ll find that the fees and taxes on gun purchases here are burdensome and add quite a bit to the out the door cost. But the restriction on purchasing more than 1 at a time just got lifted so the only limit now is your bank account.

Have fun!

 

[Malibu]

Excellent in that you seek good instruction.

 

[Joker67]

Welcome! Don’t often celebrate folks having to move to California from states with less cumbersome laws, taxes, and politics, but the Sacramento area is a pretty nice place to land if you can stomach the hottest parts of the Summer.

A good place to start with your first few purchases is understanding your needs. Home defense? Carry? Strictly for the range? Multi-use hunting/defense/target practice? Sounds like your back in mostly for fun and range plinking….

For micro and sub compacts, the p365 and Hellcats should be top of the list, followed by the Shields and Max9, though rumor has it that a few others will be soon joining the roster.

And can’t go wrong with an inexpensive AR15 pattern rifle, either fixed mag or featureless. There is a thread here outlining some pros and cons of each configuration.

You’ll find that the fees and taxes on gun purchases here are burdensome and add quite a bit to the out the door cost. But the restriction on purchasing more than 1 at a time just got lifted so the only limit now is your bank account.

Have fun!

On that note, check the for sale listings here. Some used guns are as good as new or better with upgrades . No burdensome tax. If you are a member of a gun club that improves greatly with quality PPT’s. I scored a Ruger 10/22 with a few hundred bucks in upgrades for less than a new one. Private Party Transfer. Guns with a few thousand rounds shoot much better than new guns.

 

[asg84]

Welcome! Don’t often celebrate folks having to move to California from states with less cumbersome laws, taxes, and politics, but the Sacramento area is a pretty nice place to land if you can stomach the hottest parts of the Summer.

A good place to start with your first few purchases is understanding your needs. Home defense? Carry? Strictly for the range? Multi-use hunting/defense/target practice? Sounds like your back in mostly for fun and range plinking….

For micro and sub compacts, the p365 and Hellcats should be top of the list, followed by the Shields and Max9, though rumor has it that a few others will be soon joining the roster.

And can’t go wrong with an inexpensive AR15 pattern rifle, either fixed mag or featureless. There is a thread here outlining some pros and cons of each configuration.

You’ll find that the fees and taxes on gun purchases here are burdensome and add quite a bit to the out the door cost. But the restriction on purchasing more than 1 at a time just got lifted so the only limit now is your bank account.

Have fun!

Thanks!

Actually, I'm happy to be in California. There is a lot more to do around here in general than in Kansas. The valley landscape is pretty familiar but I'm used to mountains being more like eight hours away instead of two.

Yes, I'm in it mostly just for fun and plinking. If I do get into rifles, it'd be to try my hand at long-range precision shooting.

I've read a lot about how great the Shield is, so I'm very curious to try that one, but of course everything is personal and subjective in a way so we'll see which way I go.