It is a big decision to decide if you want to be a gun owner. When you decide to purchase your first firearm, there are many aspects to consider. Regardless of your preference, be it a taurus g2c, Glock 22, or a Ruger SP101, some things require careful consideration when deciding to purchase your first firearm.
Mental and Physical Preparedness
Are you willing to end someone’s life to defend yourself or your loved ones? If a circumstance arises and you have to draw your weapon, do you think you will be able to remain calm and make safe decisions even in a stressful situation? My immediate answer to this is “no,” because no one can predict when a life-threatening situation will occur or how it will occur.
But one can be prepared. This is why training is so important. During firearms training, you’ll find that defensive shooting courses offer real-world scenarios to prepare for, so you can try to keep your mind and skills under duress. Do you have spiritual or moral beliefs that prevent you from protecting yourself and your family by any means necessary? For example, you may have a specific illness that requires the use of crutches or a walking shoe, or you may not be as fit as you would like to be. These physical limitations need to be considered so that training can be tailored to your needs.
Personal Responsibility
Most of us need extra time in our daily lives, but finding the hours isn’t necessarily easy. You’ll want to balance exercise and training with other priorities like work, family needs, the gym, and other hobbies. My summer goal was to go to the range once a week. Between the planned vacation, a water intrusion in my home, and a sick kitten, I, unfortunately, did not meet that goal. It’s hard to see through all the distractions, so don’t feel too bad if you miss time sometimes. If you don’t have the opportunity to do some dry fire practice at home, watch some YouTube videos that instruct on drawing or other methods that allow you to safely practice with an unloaded gun on your property. The last thing you need is for the range to feel like work instead of a fun learning experience.
Local Policies
Since you might think that all countries should recognize gun ownership equally because of another amendment; unfortunately, this is not the case. In case you decide to keep your individual, some states may require additional training and registration. There are some states where you can be arrested if you are caught with an empty cartridge or shell casing. This can easily happen upon returning to the range. Therefore, it is critical to understand the laws and be prepared to avoid going to jail.
Lifelong Commitment
Becoming a responsible gun owner is a lifelong commitment. It takes time, action, and money. So maybe give up a pair of shoes that are on sale or skip your daily latte. Being well trained on firearms can make you a stronger shooter by identifying areas that need improvement and then maintaining those skills. If this is your first time owning a gun, or perhaps a potential new owner, enrolling in a simple introductory course is a good start.
For more experienced gun owners, they will look for training to increase the speed of their follow-up shots or introduce movement into their drills. This is a lifelong endeavor, as it is, unfortunately, a perishable skill. Additionally, it is important for shooters of all levels to always identify new areas of development, acquire the training necessary to learn these skills and maintain them while practicing during their time on the range.