5 Steps to Purchase a Firearm

People have many reasons to buy a firearm. When I used to work in a gun store, I heard them all. Some people where looking for a hobby- and with firearms, there are many to choose from. Some people were curious about the activity of shooting and firearms. Some were collectors, or interested in becoming a collector. Some wanted to buy a gift for a loved one (just note, in certain conditions, this is legal- but in other situations, this is called a "straw purchase" and is a felony). But then there were the victims, those that have been mugged, burglarized (while home), sexually assaulted, or threatened to be victimized.

There are five steps that you should follow in purchasing a firearm. Obviously, the first step is to decide that you want to buy one. And the fifth step is the actual purchasing of the firearm. I want to cover for you all the steps in between the first and fifth step. These steps will assist you in making a knowledgeable, safe purchase.

So you want to buy a gun. There, you just completed Step 1, "The First Step". Step 2, I like to call "The Law". Every city, county and state will have their own twist to rules and regulations involving firearm ownership. This will usually cover the types of firearms you can own. You local Federal Firearms License holder/Gun Dealer will best be able to assist you in this aspect. They will have in their shop only what is legal to own in your location. You can also contact local law enforcement to ask about a specific firearm that interests you.

But before you get this far, there are some rules and laws that are indigenous throughout our nation. If you are looking to buy a handgun, or a regulated rifle/shotgun you must be 21 years of age. For a standard rifle or shotgun, you must be 18 years of age. Now, as for your legal standing. If you have been convicted of Misdemeanor Domestic Violence- you can stop right there. Now, I personally believe Domestic Violence does not carry a large enough punishment as is, but thankfully there is law that says if you are such a coward to beat your "loved ones", then you do not deserve a firearm. If you have been convicted of a felony, you too, are disqualified from owning a firearm. In this case, it does not matter what felony- assault, man slaughter, murder, sex crimes, whatever. No firearm for you.

Now, also covered under "The Law" is your mental health. If you have been declared mentally incompetent in any fashion, you are disqualified. Seeing shrinks today seems to be all the rage, but lucky for the overstressed housewife, or insecure auto mechanic, etcetera, seeing a shrink is not the same as mental incompetency. And then there is substance abuse. If you are a raging alcoholic, or like the recreational "nose candy", a weed whore- or essentially the use of, a lot or a little, illegal drugs you should not be purchasing a firearm. As well as the illegal use of legal drugs. If you are not using that Vicodin in accordance with the label, you are wrong.

Then there is the grey area. If you have a PBJ- Probation Before Judgment- you need to discuss this with a lawyer before you purchase a firearm. The NRA website can help you find "firearm savvy" lawyers in your area.

One final thing before I rap up Step 2. If you are underage, with a responsible adult (your parent or guardian) you can enjoy firearm experiences. As for all the legal issues- this does not just apply to owning a firearm. If any of the above applies to you, it is ILLEGAL for you to not just own, but touch, hold, use or possess a firearm. You made your choice, now man up and deal with the consequences.

Ah, Step 3 "The Type". As I mentioned in the beginning, there are a lot of reasons to want to buy a firearm. Your local FFL holder/Gun Dealer is familiar with all of this. The reason most people had difficulty sharing when I worked in a gun store was admitting that they wanted the firearm for self-defense. I am here to tell you there is no shame in that. It is important to share this because what you want to use your firearm for will affect what kind you buy.

There are two types of handguns- the revolver and the auto loader, aka pistol. If we want to split hairs, a pistol is any hand gun, but this article is not about firearm lingo, so from here on out, I will refer to the auto loader as a pistol.

A revolver has the advantage over a pistol in that it is the simplest firearm to use. Putting the bullets in the gun is fairly straightforward, and it is ready to shoot. All you have to do is pull the trigger. With this simplicity, a revolver will not jam, like a pistol can. If a pistol jams, you need to be proficient in remedial actions to correct the situation quickly. When shooting a gun, especially in a defensive situation, the worst sound you can hear is a "click" when you pull the trigger. This can be caused by a "bad" bullet. In a revolver, this can be corrected just by pulling the trigger again. With a pistol, you have to manually work the action. This disadvantage for the pistol can be overcome with practice and confidence, but still something to consider. Will you practice with your firearm to be proficient in overcoming these issues? The action in a pistol can also be difficult to operate. It takes a fair amount of grip strength to be able to hold the pistol and operate the action.

And what does a pistol have over a revolver? Capacity is one thing. A standard revolver will hold six bullets. Some revolvers will hold five bullets, but the most you will find is a revolver that holds eight bullets. A pistol can hold as few as seven bullets or as many as 30 (depending on what is legal in your state and the make and model of the pistol). Also, you have a larger variety of calibers to choose from- that is the size of the bullet you will use.

Finally, most pistols will have a manual safety to use on your gun. A revolver will not. When considering the safety, remember, it is a mechanical device. And mechanical devices can fail. So you never should do anything with your gun just because the safety is engaged that you would not do with it locked and loaded.

And this takes us to Step 3 "How BIG a Bang do You Want for Your Buck". Again, you have to ask yourself what you want to use the gun for. If you want to just "plink", a .22 is a lot of fun and very cost effective. If you want to turn heads and make a lot of noise you can go with a .50AE. Dirty Harry liked the .44 Magnum. But those bigger ones are not necessarily a good choice for self-defense. First off, if the gun is too powerful, you will have an issue with controlling and aiming it. If it is too small, you will not be able to stop your target quickly enough. Also, you need to think about where you live. You do not want a bullet so big that it will go through walls, if you live in an apartment. As a responsible shooter, we always care about where our bullets are going to stop. And of course you have to think about cost. The bigger the bullet, the more expensive it will be to buy them.

Step 4 "Responsibility & Safety". Once you have covered through Step 3, you are almost there. The best thing to do is to take a safety course. NRA has invested in training certified instructors to offer a plethora of courses. And the common theme for these courses is SAFETY. Take one. It is well worth the investment. You can visit the NRA website to find certified instructors in your area.

NRA instructors are passionate about their product. They will be able to answer questions and provide plenty of advice on firearms, uses and SAFETY. They often will have a wide range and many years of experience. Some gun stores will offer a safety course. If you do not want to invest in the NRA courses, this is a better choice than not taking any course. Just be sure that you know what you are getting.

And finally- Step 5 "Johnny Get Your Gun". I am sure this is self explanatory. If you have skipped Step 4, you can always go back and complete Step 4. Remember, safety and responsibility does not have any substitutions.