So how does someone choose the right handgun? If you’re new to , choosing your first gun for concealed can be very intimidating. If you’re anything like I am then you want to make the best possible decision and avoid mistakes, when buying a handgun (kind of like Kim Kardashian’s leaked sex tape).

But there is a caveat. What if you don’t know anything about hanguns and don’t have any friends with for you to try out, then how do you know that you’re making the right decision on your handgun purchase?

Well, I’m going to try my best to provide you with the right tools and knowledge necessary to buying your first handgun for concealed carry. (I highly suggest taking notes or bookmarking this page for future reference).

Define Your Purpose:

Meaning what are you going to be using the handgun for anyway? Do you want a handgun for self-defense, concealed carry, or to have fun with at the range?

My guess is that you are here reading this post because you want a handgun for self-defense. Now answer this question. Do you want this gun to be for concealed carry on your person or for home defense?

glock 19 concealed carry handgun womenglock 19 appendix carry handgunSet Your Budget:

There is more to purchasing a handgun than just buying the gun. Depending on your defined purpose there are other cost involved. Here are some things that you need to consider when purchasing your first gun.

 

  1. Cost of the handgun. Typically ($300-$600)
  2. ($50-$100)
  3. Safe/gun lock box ($30-$500+)
  4. Gun Belt ($50-$150)
  5. Ammunition ($0.25-$0.50) (per-round)
  6. Range time/Training (varies)

A word of caution is not to cheap out on the handgun, the holster.

Try Before You Buy.

photo-indoor-range-targets-home

 The best way to make sure that you’re getting the right handgun for you is to shoot a couple first.

  1. Call a few gun ranges in your area to see if the rent to customers and find out their pricing and selection.
  2. If you have a friend who is into guns take them with you.
  3. Learn the basics of safety and operations of a handgun from YouTube.com before going to the range.
  4. Tryout different types of handguns and calibers.
  5. Take a notebook and take notes about each handgun and caliber. Also label each target with the model, caliber, and distance of the target.


The first time my wife and I went to the range were so excited that we forgot to take notes and label our targets

What to Look For When Testing Concealed Carry Handguns:

paper shooting targets

  1. Which gun is most comfortable in your hand?
  2. Which gun are you most accurate with?
  3. How did the recoil feel? Too Much/Just Right?
  4. Weight of the handgun.
  5. Company’s reputation. (Good warranty, customer service, reliability etc.)
  6. Round Capacity (how many rounds do you want your handgun to hold?)

Go to The Range Multiple Times:

If you can’t make a decision after your first trip to the range then go back until you have decided on a gun.

So what did we decide on?

After much research and multiple trips to the range my wife and I felt the most comfortable with for concealed carry. The Glocks met all of our criteria: simple to use, great reputation, and dead accurate. However, your experience may differ.

My wife went with a Glock 42 which is .380 acp caliber and I went with a Glock 19 which is a .

glock19-glock42-handgun

We added some extra grip with Talon grips rubberized. These things are awesome and would highly recommend them for any gun.

glock-glock19-9mm-talon-grips-magpul-pmags-handgun

For holsters we went with the Galco King Tuk. These are fantastic holsters for the money. They retain the firearm very well, cover the trigger which is very important, and they hold up very well.

glock19-galco-king-tuk-edc-dump-handgun

We hope that this article has helped you along in your journey to purchasing your first firearm. Be safe and stay sexy.