Author Topic: Beginner looking for advice  (Read 2713 times)

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Offline Hat_man

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Beginner looking for advice
« on: August 18, 2018, 03:05:29 PM »
Hello everyone,

 I know it may seem like I'm jumping the gun a little bit (no pun intended) not having a gun in my possession yet, but my philosophy has always been plan the work and work the plan.   

 I know that I have a lot of learning to do especially on things like maintenance and cleaning and especially gun safety so I'll be on here quite frequently asking questions.  I do know that there will be a lot of trial and error when it comes to actually shooting, but I think that will be a question for another time.

 I guess what I'm looking for right now is any advice you all might have to help lessen the learning curve on ownership and safety. And, any advice on accessories (bag/case, cleaning products, or other assorted "stuff").  Safety and ownership are my main concern at this point though. No matter what my wife's position on guns is, I want to be a responsible gun owner first have fun with the sport second and get better and advance my skills third.

 As soon as my FOID card comes in and I am legal, my friend has agreed to sell me the BRNO for a very reasonable price. Once I have it home I will gladly post pictures of it so you all can see what I'm starting with.

If nice guys finish last, are you willing to pay the price to finish first?

Offline Jiva

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2018, 03:20:09 PM »
Welcome and congratulations on what sounds like a great first rifle. If you have an outdoor range/club nearby, I would go there, meet some folks, plan on attending at least one class or event, and hopefully find someone who will mentor you along the way. It is often difficult to navigate the information/misinformation available on the internet but this site is a good place to start.

I will say this though, if rimfire rifle is your passion, may I suggest heading over to Rimfirecentral where you will find a mind-blowing wealth of information, opinions, experience, and advice for just about every rimfire discipline out there.
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Offline Practical Shooter

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2018, 06:14:47 PM »
I only have 2 safety advises for you :
1. Never point a gun at something you don't intend to shoot.
2. Consider your gun as loaded, even if you know it is unloaded. I once shot my oven thinking my gun was unloaded, it took me a full day to recover from a serious moral trauma, thinking I could have shot my wife or my daughter. Now, I NEVER have my ammo and gun together, exception for the dedicated home defense handgun that I know is loaded.

Offline timetofly

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2018, 10:30:21 PM »
Im sure that your local gun store or range has classes for beginning Firearm Safety.  I started at that point and watched and learned from what I considered to be the knowledgeable persons at the range. 

Don't be afraid to ask questions.  If you have a doubt, ask the question. 

Read the range rules.  They are there for a reason.

When you are not on the firing line, keep your head on a swivel and be aware of your surroundings.   

As far as a range bag, I looked at what other people were using and noticed what seemed to very useful features and then bought a range bag.  My pistol range bag has a pocket for almost everything and it is easy to keep organized.  I believe it is made by GPS. 

Good luck and stay safe.
All of life’s journeys begin by putting one foot in front of the other.

Offline nettle

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2018, 10:38:50 PM »
Welcome. Once you get the gun home become familiar with it. Handle it, work the action, and practice safe handling and carry. All of this with the gun unloaded and in a safe place. Trying to do all of this with a loaded gun, especially in front of an audience at a public range, can be an uncomfortable choice.

 

Offline PogoJack

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2018, 07:19:36 AM »
Congratulations on your impending acquisition!

Great advice above mine.  Get yourself a cleaning kit,  bag for the  range, and ear and eye protection. Midway frequently has sales on range bags. 

Also, memorize the 4 rules below.

-All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.

-Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.

-Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target. ...

-Identify your target, and what is behind it.

Get some snap caps in your caliber and practice dry fire. Practice as much as you can and have fun!


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Offline Jiva

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2018, 12:18:46 PM »
I recommend avoiding rimfire central.  No reason to start off handicapped with bad info right out of the gate.

I definitely agree, by all means, take EVERYTHING you read on the internet with a grain of salt and know the firearm community has some of the saltiest folks on the planet.
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The Guardian

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2018, 06:09:59 PM »
....... my friend has agreed to sell me the BRNO for a very reasonable price. Once I have it home I will gladly post pictures of it so you all can see what I'm starting with.

If this is the semi-auto model......the mags are CRAZY expensive, $250 for a 5rd steel mag caused me to pass on a BRNO Semi-Auto (priced @ $900) that I really badly wanted.....just could not stomach the prices on spare mags.  Awesome gun though.........  ::)

Offline Hat_man

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2018, 09:53:57 PM »
Thank you all for the great advice. I definitely want to do this right. I'll be looking for a local club and or range, but I think in this area they are mainly outdoor. That only gives me a few months before the weather turns. That is unless I can find an indoor range in the northwestern Illinois area.

It's a BRNO Model 2 he is selling me. Made in 1969 IIRC.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2018, 10:00:05 PM by Hat_man »
If nice guys finish last, are you willing to pay the price to finish first?

The Guardian

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2018, 10:05:35 PM »
It's a BRNO Model 2 he is selling me. Made in 1969 IIRC.

Looks a lot like the newer Model 455's........though I think the Model 2 looks better for some reason......congrats on picking that up from your friend! :)

Offline Wiley Coyote

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2018, 12:19:19 AM »
Very Good Hat_man! Congratulations.
Clayton

Offline Jiva

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2018, 07:24:38 AM »

It's a BRNO Model 2 he is selling me. Made in 1969 IIRC.

Looking forward to the pics :D
75 P-01 Compact 99041
75 D PCR Compact
75 SP-01 Tactical 9mm
612 HD
452 2E ZKM Lux .22LR
452 2E ZKM Classic .22LR
452 2E ZKM Varmint .22LR

Offline Old-Duckman

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2018, 01:24:34 AM »
Welcome to the brother/sisterhood, we always need more responsible gun owners and it sounds like you are going about it the right way.

Much good advice from the other posters, one piece of advice I did not read (may have missed it)...JOIN the NRA ! They are facing a tough time in their fight for our rights. I know some here are probably not great fans and nothing and no one is perfect but what with Hogg and his like we truly have a fight on our hands to keep the freedoms we currently enjoy alive and well.

Rimfire Central...Hmmm well I used to spend much time there and there surely are many great members. Any forum will have bogus info now and again and as someone else said, take all advice with a grain of salt and, I will add, do research in places and resources other than just Internet forums. Seek out and join a local gun club, most have NRA certified instructors that run classes on basic gun use and safety.

Back to Rimfire Central (RFC). IMO too many amateur "comedians" and those in charge are waaay too controlling. God forbid you post anything that might vaguely be construed to be...dare I use that nasty word..."POLITICAL" Ahhhhh !! I left there probably over a year ago and was back once just to check PMs. I don't miss it in the least. But, that said, there are good posters there if you can weed through all of the "funny" comments and the overly controlling nature of the place...Your choice to be sure.

Have fun and stay safe. It might possibly become an obsession ! Albeit a pleasant one !
 

Offline Hat_man

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Re: Beginner looking for advice
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2018, 09:21:20 PM »
Well good news.  My FOID has been approved and is in the mail.  Once it's here I'll get in touch with my friend and I can get the ball rolling.  So much to learn. 

Thank you all again for the great advice and the welcome.

If nice guys finish last, are you willing to pay the price to finish first?