Speaking of guns....

Love my 10/22. Great little gun that is cheap and you can modify them like crazy. Good gun to learn basic gunsmithing skills on like bedding barrels, working the trigger, mounting scopes, threading the barrel, etc.

I like my Colt New Frontier 22lr 22mag 6 inches Barrel as my hand gun for plincking
my dad got it new in 1972. I have a 10 gage double barrell in the closet fore home defince and a Mossberg pump for the same.

Thanks N8. I think that's a great recommendation for a handgun. Now off to convince the missus. lol

Any other thoughts on additional gear a beginner would need? You can copy and paste from your post with the rifle if it still applies, or add anything additional. Also, any thoughts on storage at home to keep away from young children. I live with my in-laws, which is party central for my 2 little girls and there three cousins that come and sleep over on the weekends. All under 7 years old.

All the accessories minus the optics are the same. I would recommend getting the crimson trace laser grips. I had a set on my beretta I carried in Iraq and they never failed and worked great as a non lethal deterrent. Plus it helps you learn your trigger pull, grip and see how instable your grip on a handgun can really be.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=beretta+crimson+trace+grips&hl=en&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1152&bih=667&wrapid=tlif133185702832810&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=6042521602756264034&sa=X&ei=hYZiT4HQOO3XiAKOl_3qCA&ved=0CGkQ8wIwAg#
A little spendy, but well worth it. The Crimson trace rail master is a great little laser for $150 bucks and I put one on my 22 pistol just for shits and giggles. (makes hitting things with the silencer easier since my silencer blocks the view of the sights until I get some tall sights)

For security with kids around a locking biometric safe is always great to have. still easy and quick to access, but secure. (kids don't have big enough hands to hit the points at the same time)



You can mount them in the dresser, the side of the bed, or leave it up high in a closet. There are multiple safes on the market so a little research will go a long way. make sure it has a key access also (if the battery dies or multiple incorrect number code tries will lock it permanently)

BigDaddyN8 wrote:

Love my 10/22. Great little gun that is cheap and you can modify them like crazy. Good gun to learn basic gunsmithing skills on like bedding barrels, working the trigger, mounting scopes, threading the barrel, etc.

I second that. Got mine around 12 yrs old and I put thousands upon thousands of rounds through it and it gave me nothing but enjoyment. I had a nice little bushnell scope,mulitiple high capacity mags and folding synthetic stock. Easy to clean and maintain. Nothing more fun than buying a brick or 2 of 22's and spending a day plinking away. I dont know the prices nowadays for a brick of 22's but they used to be cheap so that only added to the fun. Sold mine to my dad like 15 years ago but he still has it if i have the urge to fire off a few rounds.

I'm not sure I fully trust the biometric safes...I just fear they will crap out at the worst possible time.


The one I use is a 5 button sequence...large, raised, easy to feel for in the dark. Scroll up in the post to see the company info. They make pistol safes with the same mechanism.

V-line is the manufacturer.

The photo I linked was a biometric, but I too would use a five finger push button type. I don't secure my weapons in one though. Too small. Rule of thumb, buy a safe that will contain all your weapons, then times 2. Buy the biggest DAMN one you can afford. They have a way of filling up fast, especially when the wife wants to to start putting her valuables in there too.

This! Mine is now full of birth certs, passports, jewelry, and DVD backups of irreplaceable movies and photos. I'm ready to buy another. They have good trade in value with dealers I've learned. So all is not lost.

FBD wrote:

I'm not sure I fully trust the biometric safes...I just fear they will crap out at the worst possible time.


The one I use is a 5 button sequence...large, raised, easy to feel for in the dark. Scroll up in the post to see the company info. They make pistol safes with the same mechanism.

V-line is the manufacturer.

Skip the bio safes, still too many problems with them. I have Gunvaults in the bedroom (5 pad w/ key override).

BigDaddyN8 wrote:

The photo I linked was a biometric, but I too would use a five finger push button type. I don't secure my weapons in one though. Too small. Rule of thumb, buy a safe that will contain all your weapons, then times 2. Buy the biggest DAMN one you can afford. They have a way of filling up fast, especially when the wife wants to to start putting her valuables in there too.

Ditto. I'd clarify this by saying: Buy the biggest safe you can afford to buy and still be able to move into your house. Zanetti and others makes modular gun safes if you are looking at putting it in a area which is hard to reach (top floor, narrow hallways, etc).

If you buy from a reputable lock and safe company, they will deliver and set up. The one I purchased from had a very interesting safe mover that was motorized to climb stairs robotically. Very nifty indeed.

And if you keep it in a basement, watch your humidity levels...you can install dehumidifiers to keep your blued guns from developing rust/pitting. Here is a good one:

Golden Rod Dehumidifier

Always install a dehumidifier. Goldenrod is good. So are buckets of sillica gel you can heat in the oven and always reuse. Costco has some decent safes and they deliver. To buy a proper safe you are into the thousands. You can find used "safes" to buy from guys that are upgrading to a bigger one. Some are nothing more than a keyed gun locker and some are fire rated heavy bastards. @ Walldok, even a locking cash box to store it in will work. It just haves to be something you can lock to keep the kids out of. Like the 10/22 even a gun cable lock or bolt lock works to secure a weapon from unauthorized access.

Do you want to lock up guns to keep away from kids/crazy wives? Inexpensive Dick's Sporting Goods models are fine for that. Stay away from the old fashioned locking glass cabinets...no need to advertise what you have when delivery people/laborers come to the house.

Do you want fire protection for the guns and other irreplaceables? Look to a higher quality, fire rated model.

I've seen some very good Show Specials at larger gun/outdoor shows on really expensive safes.

And like N8 said, you can do well buying a safe from a guy like me who needs to upgrade to a bigger model. I'd check with dealers in the area for trade ins.

When I move and build a house I think it will have the prequisite that a vault will be built into the house. Basically a "gun room" that is fire rated. There are many National guard armories that are being shut down and sold off. I would love to buy one of their vault doors and have it installed. Oh the dreams........ (wife will probably say no, what the hell, are you stupid? Of course if I start stacking safes in the garage now so she can't park in it anymore it may change her mind. Maybe I can convincer her its a panic room.)

Ok, so if I got a gun, how would I transport it from house to range? In a hard case? duffel bag? In my mind I see a hard case, mostly to protect it. Would that have a lock? Would I put the hard case, with the gun inside, in the gun safe?

As always, any pictures or links to actual products would be helpful. I'm sure a full size safe wouldn't work for me, but at least something to hold the gun and its hard case, and maybe some other valuables would be doable.

You can get carried away with gear to carry the guns to the range. Check your state laws. Some state prohibit the transportation of guns and ammo in the same case.

I have a small Blackhawk range bag for my handguns. It holds 2 pistols, all the magazines, a few boxes of ammo, muffs, glasses, stapler, tape and rolled up targets. Just enough for my needs.

When I go to the range to sight in rifles, I generally just transport them in a soft case (hard case is preferred for those with $$ optics) and take a small duffel with the gear I need. (listed above). Most of my shotguns have take-down cases, which are specific to that gun.

You can use any duffel you want, but there are brands that specialize. Check on any of the gun nerd sites like Cheaper than dirt, Midway USA. Even amazon.

I generally do not store guns in their cases. Guns go into the safe, cases go into the basement. Worst case scenario, you can use the hard case to store at home in a closet or under a bed with a travel lock. Put an action cable lock on the actual gun though as you could easily get into a "hard' case with just a utility knife...

HAHAHA.....

ok, sorry, that wasn't directed at anyone here, but I finally had the conversation with my wife about getting a handgun. Actually, it went something like this (via text by the way, which is even funnier to me for some reason):

Wife: Are you sure you don't want the new iPad for your birthday?
Me: No, I don't want them (our kids) to wreck it. Besides, I think I might want some other thing I've been thinking about.
Wife: What "other" things are you thinking about?
Me: Well, I think I want a new hobby.
Wife: Great!

(At this point, I'm not sure if she's being sarcastic or not, but I figure here goes)

Me: I want to get a gun.
Wife: Me too.

(Wait WHAT?!?)

Me: You do? For reals? I want to do target shooting.
Wife: Yup! Me too! There is a shooting range in Huntington Beach. Been there twice.
Me: Oh no. lol

So it looks like this might be happening after all. I'll keep you posted.

Haha... I'm still laughing to myself.

Also, I've been hoping against hope that we might find some common interest. Not sports, not video games, not crafts, not needlepoint, not stamping, not anything else I can think of.

But apparently, it will be guns. Thank you x30x and The1 for creating this community. And thanks for the suggestions here

And look at that. The Crossroads of the West Gun Show is in Costa Mesa, CA March 24-25. That's about 15 mins from our house. Anyone want to go with a complete noob? lol

Cool. Shooting with the spouse can be a lot of fun, a good stress relief, and time to reconnect without kids. Get your pistol, she will want her own. 9mm is easy for a woman to handle also. If you can use the same caliber to keep ammo costs and accessories like cleaning kits simple. Awesome that she wants to do that. A basic handgun defensive course us a great start. Teach her and yourself the right way first so you don't develop any bad habits. She may like the beretta, but they can be large to grip if she has small hands.

After getting the basics down, can you take more classes on marksmanship or target shooting? Would it be worth it?

Absolutely. The sky is the limit on training. I have been training with handguns and weapons for almost 20 years and I am still far from what I would consider an expert. You can always improve your skills and should do so. Starting with a basic handguning/firearms safety course is important. After you get to the range and start seeing how much fun it can be you will be hooked. Friendly competions with the wife are always fun. Follow on course can be intermediate handgunning leading to advanced handgun tactics and training. Self defense courses if you so desire are good. if taught well it will cover safety in the home and how to defend yourself and family along with a review of local laws and statutes.

Its not just about punching holes in paper. There is much, much more than that. Marksmanship encourages discipline and requires a zen like concentration which does wonders to relieve stress. The tools of the warrior change, but the mindset does not. Good luck.

Any other recommendations? I'm sure I'll have to actually hold and try different weapons, but your suggestions can at least point me in the right direction. I read some reviews of the Beretta online and one thing I noticed is that it's a fairly large gun. Anything that might be smaller to accommodate (potentially) my wife? Or any other notable guns comprable to the Beretta?

Getting a lesson or two is mandatory! I shot by myself for about a year and did alright. I had one hour lesson from a friend who trains the guards here where I work. He's amazing! He taught me more in that one hour than I could have ever figured out on the internet or by trying to do myself. Went out this week and was hittin targets like a champ! I've got my CCW class at the end of April so I'd better get out to the range a lot more!

I would recommend getting your CHL/CWP/CCW/whatever the hell its called in CA if you can. It gives you greater freedom when transporting weapons in the vehicle to and from the range. Don't quote me on this and check you local laws, but I believe in CA without a CHL you have to have the weapon unaccessable if you transport a weapon. Either locked in the trunk, if no trunk locked in the glove box. ammo must not be loaded into magazines, nor in the weapon and stored seperately. Pain in the ass. CHL lets you keep it hidden in the car or on your person, plus you don't have to go through the hassell of unloading magazines or seperating ammo from weapon. Not sure how hard it is to get a CHL in CA. I think it is a "may issue" state and not a "shall issue" state.

Wifes hands are tricky. Some very small females in the Army were able to handle the Beretta M9 very easily and some were not. She needs to hold and handle many different weapons. Glock 26 may be a good compact for her. Have her look at the Walther line also. Their ergos tend to be a bit slimmer in the grip. If you are looking to buy top end out of the gate you should look at the H&K P30. Similar to the Beretta, but more customization available for the grip to really find what fits you and her. If its a winner for both of you, you can only buy one weapon and then fight over who gets to shoot it later. It's pro's are interchangeable grip panels for different sized hands, a smooth action, and a step up in accuracy and reliability. Consider it going from better to best. Downside is a steep step up in price. New starts around $950 or so. A revolver is good for a starter pistol also, but usually the hammerless designs have a very hard/long trigger pull in Double action and can make target shooting a pain in the ass. Shoot once or twice a year and use for defense get a revolver, shoot for fun and accuracy get a semi-auto.

Gun Porn- Double Barrel 1911.

I want one.

GHEY! Who the hell decided that it would be cool to put two .45's together. So damn impractical. Its like this monstrosity.



Because god knows that cowboys need tactical lights, foregrips, lasers, and cup holders attached to their saddle guns.