The Best First Gun for Beginners

The best first gun you should buy is a .22lr target pistol. They are perfect for learning techniques on how to shoot properly and here’s why:

• Low recoil, so you can learn how to shoot without developing a flinch
• Ammunition is cheap to shoot and you can buy in bulk
• Extremely accurate, so you can focus on your technique without worrying if you’re doing the missing or it’s the gun (it’s you ;))
• Reliable and built to last (will outlast you)

So, the best first gun your should get is:

Ruger 22/45 Target Pistol

Ruger22/45The Ruger has been around since 1949, and its updated version today is still very popular, for good reason too. It has all the features listed above and you can get it for a good price.

The only con on these guns is the teardown and reassembly for cleaning can be a little difficult, but there are plenty of youtube videos to walk you through it. You may also wonder about buying a new gun versus buying used. I would go ahead and buy a new one. You don’t see these come up used very often because everyone hangs on to them. Also, they hold their value so well, there’s not going to be much difference in price. This is the perfect gun for plinking and learning how to shoot.

If something about the Ruger rubs you the wrong way, then the Buckmark is a great alternative. The teardown and reassembly for cleaning is a little easier, you just need some different tools. Get the 5.5 barrel with URX grips (molded to fit your hand and feel really nice), and a fiber optic front sight. The glowing dot in daylight really stands out!

You can buy additional accessories, such as Magpul products, and you can find cheap Magpul products online pretty easy. There are a couple of things you should get to go along with your new gun that will make ownership easier and make shooting more enjoyable.

Magazines. Both of these guns come with 2 magazines in the box, but I recommend picking up at least 2 more. This will let you have more shooting time between reloads.

Speed loader. The Ultimate Clip Loader should be in every range bag. It’s an awesome speed loader that lets you reload magazines in a flash. The other great thing about it, is it works with both the Ruger and Browning magazines.

Both of these items are time savers that will let you get back to the action sooner.