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zippy13 · January 14, 2010, 01:35 PM

Greetings SkrillaMane, and welcome aboard.

You're right, usually with a gun purchase there a lot of questions to be asked before we can narrow the field and develop a short list. Your situation is not unusual, you don't have enough experience to answer the typical questions. And shooting skeet with a turkey gun was probably more an exercise in shooting holes in the sky instead of breaking targets.

There are some general questions that do apply, are you: Left handed? Tall, short, or average size? Young (and still growing)? Any handicaps (blind in one eye, unbelievably clumsy)? Obviously, if you're a 6'-7" pro athlete, it will make a difference.

I second Smitty's recommendation to get a combo as a first gun, you won't be alone. Although not ideal for any one function, it's a great introductory gun and a gateway to future purchases of environment specific guns.

Please, don't jump at the first deeply discounted combo your area big-box gun store offers. Shop around and get to know what's available. Which gun fits you best (a very important aspect of gun buying)? Wood or synthetic stock? Do the local gun clubs have guns to rent/borrow… try them all. Talk to other shooters and they may lend you a gun for a trail round. The more you learn up front, the less likely you'll make a regrettable purchase. Set a realistic budget, all to frequently we see a new-B wanting a top dollar gun for a bottom dollar price (they frequently wind up with a used shout-out junker).

January 14, 2010, 01:35 PM	#3
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	Greetings SkrillaMane, and welcome aboard. You're right, usually with a gun purchase there a lot of questions to be asked before we can narrow the field and develop a short list. Your situation is not unusual, you don't have enough experience to answer the typical questions. And shooting skeet with a turkey gun was probably more an exercise in shooting holes in the sky instead of breaking targets. There are some general questions that do apply, are you: Left handed? Tall, short, or average size? Young (and still growing)? Any handicaps (blind in one eye, unbelievably clumsy)? Obviously, if you're a 6'-7" pro athlete, it will make a difference. I second Smitty's recommendation to get a combo as a first gun, you won't be alone. Although not ideal for any one function, it's a great introductory gun and a gateway to future purchases of environment specific guns. Please, don't jump at the first deeply discounted combo your area big-box gun store offers. Shop around and get to know what's available. Which gun fits you best (a very important aspect of gun buying)? Wood or synthetic stock? Do the local gun clubs have guns to rent/borrow… try them all. Talk to other shooters and they may lend you a gun for a trail round. The more you learn up front, the less likely you'll make a regrettable purchase. Set a realistic budget, all to frequently we see a new-B wanting a top dollar gun for a bottom dollar price (they frequently wind up with a used shout-out junker).