Needs for a first handgun
By MARJ LAW
“I’m planning on buying a handgun,” says Addie to me.
“Wow! I never thought you’d want one!” Yes, I’m shocked. Addie has frequently told me she doesn’t like guns, won’t shoot one, and will never own one.
“Yes. Since I live alone and out in the sticks, it’s probably a good idea.”
“It seemed to me a good idea 5 years ago, Addie. So, why is it a good idea now?”
“Well, ever since my nutzo nephew got out of prison, I just don’t feel secure. He threatened everyone in our family.”
“Why would he do that?” I wonder. After all, we’re talking family here.
“Several years ago, he was doing drugs, got caught and wanted us to pool together to bail him out of jail.”
“He would have gone to jail, anyway.”
“Yeah, but back then he had this idea we’d get him out on bail and then he’d skip the state. But we wouldn’t give him money, so he said he’d come after each one of us personally, then break in and steal our stuff too. I just don’t feel secure in my house now.”
“OK. Did you have something in mind?”
“Yes. A big one. Like a .45. My neighbor has a .45, and he says he’s never worried about defending himself. Except I want one that doesn’t have much kick. I’ve got a lot of arthritis in my hands and carpal tunnel syndrome too. What should I get?”
“Well, Addie, I’ve never come across a .45 with just a little recoil. A .45 is a lot of gun for someone with your hand and arm problems.”
“Oh. Well, what gun would be good enough for defense and have just a small recoil?”
“Let’s think about this. First of all, have you decided whether you plan to carry it or keep it in your home? Will you keep it by your bed?”
“I want to be able to carry it. Should I put it in a purse or carry it with me?”
“That’s a good question to start. Do you always carry your purse with you?”
“No. So, maybe it’s better to put it in my pocket. Most of my shorts have big pockets. There’s plenty of room.”
“Even if you carry in your pocket, Addie, you’ll need a holster. But you might not always have a pocket. Have you considered an inside or outside-the-waistband holster?”
“No. Which is better?”
“If you have it inside the waistband, it will be easier for your clothing to conceal it.”
“OK. Let’s get back to the size of the gun. If I’m going to carry it in a holster inside my waistband, then I’m going to want a pretty small gun, right?”
“Yes. With your small frame, you will need a fairly small handgun. So, we’ve established that you want a gun with low recoil. It has to be small to carry easily, and you want to carry it in an inside-the-waistband holster.”
“Yes. Can I wear it, carrying in the car?”
“You can, if you’re in Florida. Again, it should be small enough so you can sit comfortably.”
“What if I’m in the house? If I’m doing housework, I may not want to carry it. Since I live alone, I can just put it near where I’m working, right?”
“That’s not a good idea, Addie. Don’t you have friends who come to the door? And family. You have a granddaughter. And what about the guy who helps in your yard? You can’t leave a gun lying around in the house. It must be where anyone else can’t get at it. A gun is a huge responsibility.”
“But I will want it beside my bed while I’m sleeping. I can have it there, right? No one will be coming in the house at night unless I let them in. Only a bad guy would knock in the door at night. I’ll need it where I can get to it.”
“Sure, Addie.”
“Then I guess I’ll need some sort of a safe for it during the day. Then no one can get at it but me. I saw an ad for a safe where you stick your finger on its pad, and it unlocks.”
“Yes, Addie. I’ve got one of those. But good thing that it also opens with a key because it’s hard to put my finger in exactly the right place for it to unlock. And Heaven forbid that I need to get it out in a hurry! The key works better for me.”
“Doesn’t Joe use the finger pad?”
“Yes, he does.”
“So, if it works for him, why shouldn’t I get one?”
“Because it does work for Joe. However, he says it works just fine three out of five times that he puts his finger on the pad.”
“Oh. I don’t think three out of five is good enough. I’ll get one that unlocks with a key or is digital. So, tell me which gun fits all my requirements.”
“The gun you try out that you can shoot well. One that fits your hand. One that doesn’t hurt your arm or hand. One with recoil you can manage. One that you can wear inside your waistband in a holster.”
“So, Marj, tell me which one that is!” Addie is sounding a bit frustrated. “I took a concealed carry class and they only had me shoot a tiny .22 revolver. Yes, I did learn a lot of rules about where I can and can’t carry, and I learned to protect my eyes and ears while shooting, but how do I know exactly which gun to choose?”
“Only you can decide that, Addie. Tell you what, I’ll bring a couple .380s and a couple 9mm handguns to the Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office range on Wednesday. After we discuss the WCSO’s range rules, you can try our guns, and see if one of them fits your needs. If it does, you can go down to a local gun store and buy it.”
“Will I have to wait three days to take it home?”
“No. You took the concealed weapon class, so you won’t have to wait.”
“Good. Now, if I decide to fly out west for my vacation, I’ll have a gun. Everyone out west carries guns.”
“Flying with your gun, and having it in a different state requires research on your part. You can take your gun on the plane, but you need to know the TSA rules about how to pack it. I looked on thegunplace.com and found a clear discussion on how to travel by plane with your gun.”
“And since I have my concealed weapon license, I can carry it out west.”
“Not necessarily, Addie. Rules can vary from state to state. You’ll need to research each state you plan to travel in, and find out their rules for carrying.”
“Well, then, maybe I’ll just leave it locked up at home. In the meantime, I can’t wait to go to the range!”
Marj Law is the former director of Keep Wakulla County Beautiful who has become an avid shooter in retirement.