People buy guns for a variety of reasons. Many will get one to protect home and family while some will buy a gun for recreation and target shooting. Whatever your reason, the following common mistakes when buying a gun will serve as a guide for people who will be buying a firearm for the first time:
- Not knowing applicable laws – Not everybody can walk into a gun store to buy a gun and go out with a pistol tucked in their waistband. There are requirements to be met before buying a gun. A buyer of a gun, depending on the state, may be required to submit some or all of the following; must present a valid ID, fill out federally required forms, and undergo a background check. Additionally, a gun owner must be familiar with the applicable federal and state laws concerning gun ownership such as where the owner can carry and use it.
- Buying a gun you have never tried – A common mistake of new gun enthusiasts is to get a gun for looks. The gun a person should be buying must suit the purpose for which it was intended and the ability of the shooter. For example, new shooters or light-framed people should avoid a gun chambered in higher caliber because they may not have the power to handle it. Before you commit to buying a gun, consider visiting a shooting range and firing a variety of firearms to feel out the type of gun that suits you best.
- Unfamiliarity with the mechanical function of the weapon – Buying a gun when you do not understand its mechanics may result in embarrassment, accident, or even death. Many gun accidents happened because people thought there was no more bullet in the chamber as they were cleaning it.
- Not getting the appropriate accessories – Gun accessories exist for a reason. You do not buy a heavy handgun and holster it on a $10 contraption attached to your waist. That thing may collapse on your first carry. Buy holsters and accessories that are recommended by the manufacturer or professionals.
- You assume you are safe in the presence of a gun – Owning a gun is not a guarantee that you will not fall victim to a crime. Your safety with a gun depends on your restraint when it’s not absolutely needed and how confident you are using it and your skill hitting your target without endangering other people when it is absolutely needed.
