First Gun

[eaglesfn68]

i dont have a clue what to get. i want a .22 rimfire gun for competition but dont know were to look. if anybody has a site or a link for me that would be great.

[Merlin Orr]

You might try the 22 Rimfire forum. What type of "competition" are you wanting to get involved with?

[Zerwas]

What type of competition do you intend to shoot? Bullseye, action shooting etc..

The 22 will work for bullseye shooting (depending on the gun type), but it's too small of a caliber for USPSA type shooting. It'll also be fun to plink with, but won't be able to help you much in other shooting activities.

If you plan on doing some type of action league shooting, a 9mm will be your best bet. The smartest way to go, is visit a local gun range that allows you to rent a pistol and try a few out. Seek out expert advice so they can help you make an informed decision. You have to try out different pistols to see what fits best in your hand.

By joining this site, you've already made a step in the right direction.

[eaglesfn68]

id liked to compete in action shooting. i dont really know about anything else. thats why i need a site or 2.

[Viggen]

This is the best site around with regard to "action" or practical shooting.

As for guns that might suite your purpose - CZ 75B, Glock Model 17, Springfield XD in 4" or 5".

Each of those will do the job well - it depends on what you prefer. Go with a 9mm.

Start reading the forums and you will get an education.

Visit and speak with clubs and individuals in your area. Generally you will find them more than helpful.

[Flexmoney]

You can shoot .22 rim-fire indoors at many places...that hold "bullseye" style of matches.

You can also use .22 rim-fire in some bowling pin and Steel Challenge style matches, but those are few and far between.

For the "move and shoot" matches, like USPSA and IDPA, you will want a solid automatic in 9mm or large, or a 6-shot revolver in 38 or bigger.

If you go here: http://uspsa.org/ there are links on the left that give some pretty good info. If you fill out the "Where can I get more info" page, USPSA will send you out a packet for free.

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9mm guns to look at include Glocks, CZ's, Berettas, etc.

Feel free to ask specific here and the group will help steer you in the right direction.

[eaglesfn68]

i want a pistol

[Flexmoney]

Well, you can't use a golf club to play baseball with.

We will need to find out more about your situation to be about to help you out.

If all you are looking to shoot is a .22 rim fire auto, then that will narrow down the field of competition available.

[eaglesfn68]

then should i just shoot 9mm

[jkrispies]

then should i just shoot 9mm

If you're a new shooter, then 9mm is the way to go.

The ammunition is the least expensive of all the calibers, and the guns can be very accurate with little recoil. With "action shooting sports" they have different divisions with different gun requirements (to use the car racing analogy, both NASCAR and Indy cars involve car racing, but they use two different platforms) and a 9mm will limit you to the Production Division, but that's where you'll want to be as a beginner.

If you want to get a gun that can potentially be used in more divisions in the future (Limited, Open, etc.), you might consider starting out with a .40, but ONLY AFTER YOU'VE SHOT ONE AND KNOW THAT YOU CAN HANDLE IT. Just about the worst thing for a new shooter to do is to try and handle a gun that's too big for him, as be'll either give up on the sport or start teaching himself bad habits (blinking, flinching, etc.) that may take years to unlearn.

It's pretty hard to beat a Glock if you're looking for a high-quality gun for a relatively inexpensive price. They're also a breeze to shoot and can be easily modified if you choose to do so sometime down the road.

Having said all of that, the best two pieces of advice have already been given to you in previous posts:

1) Check out http://www.uspsa.org/rules/production_list.php which lists the guns that are allowed in the Production Division, and then search the rest of the sight for rules, etc.

2) Print out that list and take it to a range that offers gun rentals. Shoot as many guns as you can and then use that knowledge to determine which gun to buy. If you don't have access to a gun range that does rentals, then at least take the list to a gunshop and hold the guns in your hand as if you're going to fire them-- very often the gun that feels the best in your hand is the one that you'll end up shooting the best.

Just my $.02

J

[AlamoShooter]

One possibly mean question is ...Is it leagal and are you of age to purchase your own firearm?

If so the phone book for your area may have shooting ranges listed that you can call.

If you say what part of the world you are in ... You may end up with some offers of ranges that you can "rent' loaner guns.

one of the man- on man styler of shooting is being called Action Shooting too. At least some of the shoots can be done with a 22.

I am from the central Texas area... if that helps

[eaglesfn68]

i like the glock 17. how is it and what are some good upgrades to make it more competitive.

[Flexmoney]

Nice choice.

- good sights

- 3.5lb connector to lighten the trigger (which is stock on some models)

- maybe some grip tape

- couple of cases of ammo.

Good to go.

[SA Friday]

Eagle, I am a fairly new shooter in USPSA, but not new to guns or shooting guns in competition. I have shot competitively with a shotgun since I was 11, and do a lot with firearms professionally and off-duty.

I started out USPSA with a Glock 34. It's basically a 17 with a bit more barrel, and comes standard with a 3.5 lb trigger group in it. In my opinion, the 17 is the right place to start if you are familiar and comfortable with a Glock. You don't have to change a thing on it until you are comfortible with the idea of dismanteling the gun's guts and sights, and still shoot a competitive stock firearm.

I cannot gauge your firearm familiarity, so cannot determine if you have been exposed to the differences in a Glock or a CZ or Beretta or a springfield XD. I CAN say without a doubt, there are two opinions about Glocks, and only two: you like them or you dislike them. There is very little gray area about this. They don't fit everyone. The two biggest complaints I have heard from people falling into the dislike category are the shape of the grip or the angle of the grip to the slide. Not all handguns grips are at the same angle to the top of the slide, and you will only be able to determine if this is an issue for you to go rent a couple of guns and shoot them.

I think the feel of the gun is probably the most important factor in determining which to start out with. If you are uncomfortable with the gun, all the things you should be concentrating on (target acquisition, trigger control, shooting sequence, etc) will never be the primary concern and you will become frustrated. If you like the trigger pull of the glock DAO trigger, but dont like the grip and angle feel, look at the Springfield XD. They are fairly new, but coming on strong. If you feel recoil is an issue, go to a heavier gun like the CZ or Beretta. Out of these two, I would recommend the CZ; tougher than the beretta in my opinion, and can be worked on by a gunsmith into an exceptionally shooting gun.

Bottom line in choice is if it feels good, do it.

Please do one other thing too. If you don't have experience shooting a handgun, take a good NRA and/or USPSA safety course. Then practice the little things like drawing, moving and shooting, and mag changes (with an unloaded gun). While practicing, conciously practice the safety rules involved with shooting a match. This kinda sounds like a waste of time, but there is no worse feeling than unintentionally breaking a safety rule in a match.

[eaglesfn68]

how about this cz. it looks good.

http://www.cz-usa.com/01.detail.php?id=73