What Should I Look for When Buying my First Gun?

As of 2023, there were estimated to be more than 80 million Americans who own a gun. Many of these are the hunters, target shooters, law enforcement agents, security personnel, sports shooters, and home defenders that directly contribute to one of the uniquely American pillars of our culture. However, many of those gun owners also belong to the less desirable elements of society: the murderers, the looters, the rapists, the petty thieves, and all the other criminals that compel the average citizen to have a 9mm in his nightstand or a shotgun dangling on his headboard.

Maybe that same idea is making you think about getting a gun of your own? After all, you can’t rely on the police to instantly appear before you in the few minutes it takes for a drug-addled home invader to burst into your home and put two holes in your chest. The matter of fact is, you’re your own first responder.

But perhaps your reasons for owning a firearm are more down to earth. Maybe someone’s recently introduced you to the joy of hunting with a borrowed rifle and you heard the horn of the hunter: that primeval urge latent in many humans that gives stalking, killing, and eating our prey a certain pleasure not found in any other activity.

Then again maybe you just like the sound of a gun going “boom.”

Whatever your reason, you’re here because you want to buy your first firearm. However, it’s not always as simple as “get an AR, those can do anything!” You first have to consider what you’ll be using your gun for. Even if you go to a gun store and say “I want a gun,” the very first thing that the guy at the counter will say to you will be “what for.” Let’s consider the possibilities.

Before you make your first purchase, it's important to really think why you want a firearm. Guns, like any tool, are designed with specific uses in mind, and choosing the right one can mean the difference between giving your gun the love and respect it deserves with regular training and maintenance or casually tossing it in your nightstand drawer never to see the light of day again.

Home Defense

If you're buying a gun to protect your home and loved ones, you'll want something reliable, easy to operate under stress, and powerful enough to stop a threat. Many first-time buyers gravitate toward handguns like a 9mm for their compact size and ease of storage. Others prefer shotguns, often regarded as the ultimate home-defense weapon for their wide spread and stopping power.

A semi-automatic pistol with a large magazine capacity such as a Glock 19 is simple, accurate, and compact. It doesn’t have any safeties you could forget to disengage, and has a plethora of aftermarket accessories, allowing you to customize it to your particular needs. This is especially important because you'll want a light like the BattleTek Weapon Light if you anticipate you'll be fighting off home intruders in the dark.

If you're looking for something to wield with both hands, a short-barreled pump-action shotgun with a stock is your best bet. Why short-barreled? So you’re not awkwardly poking the muzzle around corners for your assailant to grab on to. And pump-action? Because they’re reliable and less likely to jam than traditionally finicky semi-auto shotguns. In home defense scenarios, shotguns tend to beat out rifles for one simple reason: over-penetration. Rifle rounds don’t just stop at walls—they keep going, through drywall, studs, and maybe even your neighbor’s new flat-screen. Shotguns, on the other hand, have much more versatile ammo, and many are configured to deliver maximum damage to their target and nothing past that. However, they’re considerably slow to reload, so they require a fair bit of training if you want to keep up a steady rate of fire.

If you think you'll ever be in a situation where you'll have to be in a prolonged firefight with more than one adversary, a rifle or PCC (Pistol-Caliber Carbine) might be worth considering. While rifle rounds, as previously mentioned, are notorious for over-penetration, their accuracy, power, and ability to sustain fire make them a viable option for defending larger properties or facing multiple attackers. On the other hand, PCCs, which fire handgun-caliber rounds like 9mm, strike a balance between stopping power and reduced over-penetration. They’re easier to handle than rifles in tight spaces, more forgiving on your walls, and often offer higher magazine capacities than handguns or shotguns, making them an increasingly popular choice for home defense.

Hunting

For those feeling the call of the wild, choosing the right firearm is all about matching the tool to the game. For small game like rabbits and squirrels, all you need is a trusty .22 rifle. Lightweight, accurate, and cheap to feed, a .22 lets you stalk your prey without blowing it to smithereens—because no one wants squirrel confetti for dinner.

If your sights are set on bigger game like deer or elk, you’ll need something with more power and range. Bolt-action rifles chambered in large calibers like .308 or .30-06 have been the gold standard for decades, and for good reason—they’re accurate, dependable, and capable of cleanly taking down large animals at a distance. Add a high magnification scope like the Rapidstrike 5-20x50, and you’re ready to head into the woods or the mountains.

For bird hunters, a shotgun is indispensable. Whether you’re chasing pheasants, ducks, or turkeys, the key to success lies in choosing the right choke and ammunition. A good choke ensures your shot pattern matches the size and speed of your target, while the right shells provide the stopping power needed to bring your feathered dinner to the table. A hunting shotgun requires a longer barrel than a home defense variant for increased range and better stability, so having a tactical shotgun for fowling isn’t the best idea.

And then there’s pest control. If your idea of hunting is keeping feral hogs from wrecking the countryside (or your property) a semi-automatic rifle is your best friend. Hogs don’t scare easily, and they very often travel in large groups called sounders, so the quick follow-up shots a semi-auto provides means you can bag more bacon bandits before the whole sounder vanishes into the treeline. Think AR-15 or a similar platform, preferably chambered in a caliber with enough punch to stop a charging boar. Practical, efficient, and downright fun when you’ve got a destructive pest to deal with, a semi-auto gets the job done.

Target Shooting or Competition

Maybe you’re looking to get into recreational shooting or test your skills in competition. If so, don’t jump the gun (pun intended) and rush into advanced competitions like three-gun just yet. For beginners who want to just plink at the range, starting with a .22-caliber pistol or rifle is a great choice. These firearms are affordable to shoot, easy to handle, and perfect for building fundamentals like grip, sight alignment, and trigger control without the added challenge of recoil.

However, if you’re considering practical shooting sports like USPSA or IDPA, keep in mind that most competitors use 9mm or other common centerfire calibers for their pistols and pistol-caliber carbines (PCCs). These rounds offer the balance of power and accuracy needed for competitive shooting scenarios. Stick with a .22 for training until you’ve built a solid foundation—then you’ll be ready to step up to the challenge of centerfire competitions. After all, even the sharpest competitors started with the basics.

Personal Carry

For those considering a concealed carry firearm, compact handguns like the Glock 43 or Smith & Wesson M&P Shield are popular for their reliability, ease of use, and portability. Remember that carrying a firearm comes with great responsibility, so be sure to research your local laws and commit to regular training.

Choosing Your First Gun

Once you’ve identified your primary use, it’s time to start shopping. Be sure to handle different firearms to see what feels comfortable. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and take advantage of the expertise at your local gun store or range. Renting a firearm to try before buying can also give you valuable insights into what suits you best.

Firefield offers some of the best accessories for new firearm owners. Click here to shop our various offerings.