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@Cheflife15 I'll throw my 2 cents in regarding revolvers. I'm not as devoted to them as @Pizza Bob but still like them. I carry one for SD often. Most people are turned off by revolvers because the trigger is heavier that SA and striker fires semiautos. They're looking for instant success. Shooting a revolver DA is harder than most semiautos. You need to develop your finger and hand muscles to shoot a revolver well. Back in the old days I've found that people who spend a lot of time gripping something, a hammer or someone into martial arts, picked up a revolver quicker because their grip and finger muscles were developed. Roofers, before nailguns, had a really good grip. 40 hrs plus a week of swinging a hammer was how they developed it. Nonetheless, I've seen people who never fired a gun before be issued a brand new service revolver out of the box and in a week qualify expert. That included shooting out to 50 yards with a 2" 38 special. Many are intrigued with action jobs and light trigger pulls. There are 3 jobs those effect. Reliability, trigger pull, and function. A really light main spring will effect reliabity. A lighter trigger return spring effects function. When one gets more experience in revolvers you learn smooth is more important than light in a trigger. Renowned pistol erosion Jim Cirillo would say the best way to smooth out a trigger is to dry fire the revolver a 1000 times. Not only will you smooth out the trigger but you'll develop your hand and finger muscles. I see people brag about the action job they did resulting in a 4 1/2 pound trigger. Of course that's not reliable with all ammo. Austin Behlert, one of the most talented pistolsmiths of all time, used to do an 8 lb trigger that was reliable with all ammo. Maybe the guy who does the 4 1/2 lb trigger has learned a way to defy the laws of physics. A 4" 357 is about the most versatile handgun made. You can do just about anything with it. You can match the power level with a lit of semiauto calibers but you can't go lower than the semiauto will function. You can get an assortment of lower powered ammo for the 357 and that is a good place to learn how to shoot a DA revolver. If you learn to shoot a DA revolver well everything else is easy. Just my 2 cents.

Welcome. Two weeks was fast before the current mess we're in, so consider yourself lucky in that regard. You say you got your FID, but did you get the P2P (permit to purchase a handgun) as well? If not, you can't buy a handgun yet. If at all possible (difficult now) try to fire any model gun you are interested in before buying. It's great that they feel good in your hand, but the shooting experience can sometimes vary. I cannot speak to a Glock, I am one of those people that do not like the grip angle of Glocks. I have a P365, which I like. Personally, I would suggest you get a full size gun first. The small guns you are looking at have higher recoil and short sights, which can hurt your accuracy when you are just starting out. What are your plans for this handgun? Since you have essentially zero chance of getting a carry permit in NJ, a small carry gun might not be the best choice, unless you plan to carry (legally) outside of NJ. For home defense, IMO, a full size (or close to full size based on your hand size and comfort) is the better option. I suggest (and practice) backing the handgun up with a rifle and/or shotgun. @Zeke should be here shortly telling you to buy a SIG <end thread>.

@father-of-three - come on out, you'll likely never get a better chance to shoot a wide variety of shotguns. There will be more shotgun swapping going on than partners at an orgy.

9mm 1911’s are for girls there, I said it If it’s not gonna be .45 acp then it has to be 38 super

Hi all, I've been reading alot on the forum over the past few weeks and looking to make my first gun purchase. I just got my FID a week ago. I read it can take a while to get in, after getting my fingerprints I received my FID 2 weeks later, which I thought was extremely fast for these times. Anyway, I looked at a few guns online, I went to the store the other day to see what they had and I really liked the Glock 43x, like really liked it felt great in my hands and wasn't a big gun imo. I would like to hear what you guys/ladies think of a first gun purchase and what you have to say?? thoughts? recommendations? I also handled the sig p365 i believe but that felt small in my hand and a walther 9mm not sure what model which felts normal but also felt bulky and big. I do have a bigger hand so would like a full grip but don't want a big gun i guess?

A WML (weapon mounted light) is a great tool to have on any defensive handgun. Many compact handguns do not have any rail to attach a light to. Just some food for thought.

I prefer enabler...but influencer works too

That's why I said, "Even I..." Contrary to popular belief, I do own some bottom-feeders, although they are outnumbered in my safe by a ratio of greater than 3:1. I keep them separated so they don't infect my wheelguns. Adios, Pizza Bob

^ This, and welcome! The reason why a full size is a better choice if you will not be concealed carry is basically two-fold: 1. sight radius: the longer the distance between the front sight and rear sight correlates to easier to aim 2. recoil handling: a heavier firearm absorbs recoil better than a lighter firearm Just like everything else, there are trade-offs in choosing the size, but at the end of the day choose a quality firearm that makes sense for you and shoots well for you, and practice!

Buy a sig

I attribute my luck and any good fortune to being around family and friends with the same interests in shotguns for more than half a century. Good opportunity to learn and develop an appreciation for such things.

I have gone there during the day to shoot Skeet, my FFL ran the program at that time and I was his guest. It was fun, more challenging than Trap, I do them both. I prefer Sporting Clays over all other shotgun sports, but they are all fun! Try Knockdown Steel there or at OBRPC sometime, you can use a shotgun, I do carbine and shotgun, and I am beat-ass tired at the end of the day!

I am also from Dunellen! I am a member at RTSP & really like the store in Union. Just waiting for His Royal Highness, Emperor Philip I to grant us his permission to go use the ranges again. I bought my last few handguns from Garden State Armory in Warren. Great store. Last year I bought 2 "previously owned" but never fired handguns from them. I have been going to them since soon after they opened at least 6 years ago.

Words of wisdom from another old fart (no offense Griz). Your talk of people who swung a hammer triggered a couple memories. I mentioned shooting IPSC in the 80's. The club that I shot with is where Doug Koenig got his start (if you don't know who he is, go crawl back under your rock). He was 17 and worked for his father doing home construction. He learned to hammer ambidextrously so he wouldn't get tendonitis in his strong side and so he could shoot with both hands. Must have worked. Also a member of that same club was Austin Behlert's son and also Les Baer. Austin's son now owns a sports memorabilia store in Lahaska, PA (Peddler's Village). We all know what became of Les. I know that I've told this Austin Behlert story before. I can’t vouch for the truthfulness of it, but it is one of my favorites... Austin was set-up behind the line at Camp Perry one year, doing some gunsmithing. A distraught competitor ran up to his tent and explained that he was due on the line shortly and he had just noticed that his front sight was bent. Austin took the gun from him, examined it and confirmed that the sight was, indeed, bent. “Can you fix it?” inquired the owner, hopefully. Austin told him to pick-up the gun, grip it as he normally would, extend it out to a firing position and turn his head. The owner complied, at which point Austin picked-up a brass mallet from the bench and whacked the front sight, nearly knocking the gun out of the owner’s hands. The owner went ballistic, screaming, “What have you done?” to which Austin calmly replied, “Look down the sights,” which the owner did. “Is it straight?” inquired Austin. After looking at the sights the incredulous owner said, “Yes, yes they are”, to which Austin replied, “That’ll be $15.” The owner protests, “$15? That’s highway robbery. All you did was hit it with a hammer.” Austin looked at him and said, “It’s only $5 for hitting it with a hammer, but $10 for knowing how hard.” Adios, Pizza Bob

Yes. Centerfire up to .30 caliber. Heck .308, 30-06, or even .300 Win Mag are fine.

My backyard AKA White Mountians national forest. Up here if a person needs a rescue (a weekly occurrence) and dosent have a hike safe card and is not carrying the 10 essentials I listed above they will be billed for the cost of the rescue. They get very expensive very fast! Prime example of idiots https://www.conwaydailysun.com/news/local/hikers-rescued-on-jewell-trail/article_0b868904-b17f-11ea-a0f3-9b1a9b8ea45a.html

You found your mags!!!!

Oh, also, I will add that you really can't go wrong with any of the major brands, and even some of the "budget" brands seem to make fairly decent quality stuff. But definitely settling on any of the major manufacturers like Glock, Sig, Walther, H&K, Beretta, CZ, S&W or Ruger you hardly can go wrong. The biggest risk in reliability would be in a newer model from any manufacturer that hasn't been on the market as long and had a chance for all the kinks to be worked out. And to Pizza Bob's point, you can't go wrong with an S&W revolver. It is 1970 right?

It's OK, they're in separate safes.

Fixed it for you. No need to thank me.

I'd also suggest a full size for your first gun, personally because they tend to be easier to learn to shoot with. And honestly, it isn't such a big deal to conceal a full size gun as people seem to make it out to be. I can conceal a full sized Beretta in a good holster without a problem. But, like others have said, conceal carry in NJ is not likely in the cards for most of us, so it makes even more sense for a full size pistol as a first. That said the Glock 19 or anything in the "C" (Compact) size range is a good balance between small enough to conceal easy, plus big enough to shoot as well as a full size pistol. I haven't held or fired one, but there's now a Glock 48 which is similar in profile to a G19, but slimmer I think. People use the Glock 19 as a solid reference point because they are so common, but there are a lot of pistols that are similar in size, weight and capacity (albeit your capacity in most 9mm pistols will be neutered in NJ).

Where's the wheel thingy on that?

Welcome! It certainly does suck right now because you have a few options, reloaders, rtsp and gunforhire all within a short drive from you thst offer lots of rentals If you like the slimline glocks, like the 43x, you may like their other offerings as well. It sounds like you enjoy compact models. Did you hold a g19? I dont fully buy into full size guns being a must have for a first gun. I believe there are tons of compact models that offer comfort and accuracy for a new shooter. The 43x and p365 being prime examples actually. The beretta px4c, too.

There is a lawsuit pending to force NJ to allow indoor ranges to re-open. We're cautiously optimistic that by early July we will prevail. If you have a commercial range nearby that rents guns you are considering (they often have a list of their rentals available online), you may soon be able to try before you buy.

same guy that can't drive an manual shift? lol

Put a deposit on it. The shop will hold it for you.

You should not shoot the Dan Wesson 1911’s — all those guns you have coming will be safe queens as you lust after the 1911

@High Exposureonce told me “ beware of the man with just one gun, he prolly knows how to use it” (HE didn’t use prolly, HE is a semicolon gramma nazi) that being said. Find the gun that fits you. Easy way,friends. Hard way rental and buying. and den shoot it ,like a lot, wet and dry, n stuff

I'd definitely put a few more rounds through it before making a decision. Walther makes a great gun but it's really up to your preference especially when it's your money and your permits. The Shadow 2 has been an amazing gun but I prefer a striker fired gun for home defense. My Shadow has been running strong for the last year and a half with many rounds fired. It has a couple FTE when the extractor gets a little too dirty.

Most people can't but you probably can.

Both wrong;

Sorry, but it's true. I'm a pessimist by nature and can't get over how bad shit has gotten.

I was at the range in easton the other day and i simply asked the guy next to me what he was shooting (it looked like a dan wesson). He told me what it was and immediately offered to me to shoot it .

Weezer cover is good. Metal version comes off as a parody. Didn't care for it. Original is the best out of the three.

.....ahhhh cherry ridge.. 100yd line.... when all the fancy schmancy newfangled optics boys need benches mounts sleds etc..to shoot targets at 50 to 100yds...and cant hardly hit crap... And when 52/60 rounds of wheel weight hand loads slams steel time and again...off hand... And they just look ..... priceless... 17gr Alliant 2400... lr primer... cast wheel weight 168 grain drops at like .312..sized and lubed to .311 ...with gas check.... nice soft shooting... paper next time see how she groups...and no signs of pressure spike.

I would love a kimber usa team match ii in 9mm too. As for revolvers, ive been eyeing some cheaper leo trade ins. One is a s and w 10-14 .38.

No revolver, regardless of PC or otherwise, will have a match grade trigger out of the box. That's part of the fun of owning a revolver. Plus, even if it was a "good" trigger, it is vastly different than anything you'll encounter on a semi-auto - even the vaunted PPQ. Adios, Pizza Bob

A barbers brush is all you need. @Handyman my go to for untreated ( non lacquered or poly) wooden handles is linseed oil. Butcher blocks, bowls, cutting boards etc is mineral oil.

Or you are riding the slide release.

Up to you bud. Could be a Friday gun. You might like cz moar. Dunno But whatever you do, if the gun jams on white box; don’t throw it over the berm repeatedly..

No lube. Thomas dissent was informative. This nov is more important than ever for America.

Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I live in an apartment and I came up with this. DeWalt folding workbench (got mine at Home Depot) 4" Irwin vise (probably from Lowes) Trigger clamps 20" x 7" x 3/4" oak board Bolted the vise to the center of the 3/4" thick board. The bolt holes on the vise happen to line up with an X pattern on the bench. Clamped the vise to the bench with the trigger clamps. I take the vise off of the bench when folding it for storage. Portable, folding work bench that easily fits in a closet when not in use. I've built a few ARs with this. Never had any issues torquing on or removing barrel nuts. Finding a good gunsmith here in SC was kind of a pain. Either they're not open when I'm free, or are part time because it's just a hobby and aren't available since their primary job comes first. I used one highly rated "smith" to swap the barrel on my AR and after I got home found that nothing was torqued to spec. After that, I vowed to do it myself from here on in. Sure, I spent hundreds on the bench, vise and tools, but now I can do all the work myself whenever I want and I know the work is done correctly.

BLM is a business...and their business is influence. They don’t give much of a shit about anything that doesn’t fit their narrative. Keeping the strife going, makes them money. I should clarify, BLM is a 501C, non profit (made that way under the Obama Administration). The organization is (largely) tax exempt. Don’t let that fool you, they ARE making $$, and staff/organizers are getting paid. The Soros Open Society is funding them, and there are many corporations donating to them. Hmmmmm.....getting paid to rabble rouse, under the guise of social injustice.....