Guns are an enormous part of American culture. If you've never shot a gun, chances are you at least know somebody who owns one. Many people find themselves wanting to experience gun culture, even if it's by doing something as small as shooting a gun for the first time. Although your buddy's offer of his big intimidating rifle might be exciting, it's a good idea to do a little research. Hopefully, this article will point you in the right direction. Keep in mind that this is in no particular order.
1. Marlin Model 100
The Marlin Model 100 is a single shot, bolt action .22 caliber rifle. What does this mean? It means you need to load each bullet into the gun before firing, every time. It fires .22LR, .22 Long and .22 Short rounds. These are the cheapest bullets you can possibly buy and can be found by the literal bucketful in any store that sells guns. It is a fairly accurate gun and is very lightweight, shooting a very small bullet, making it easy for a new shooter to focus on technique and not needing to worry about a heavy gun that may recoil excessively. Once a bullet is loaded, the only way the gun can fire is if the round tab on the back of the bolt is pulled backwards, revealing a red stripe. Without doing this first, the gun absolutely will not fire. This makes it a very safe gun, especially for a new shooter who has not yet developed muzzle discipline (keep it pointed down range!) Although Marlin is no longer making these rifles, they can be found selling for between $100-$150 for a good condition rifle. They were also sold under the name "Glenfield Model 10", denoting a gun sold from Sears before 1968.
2. Ruger 10/22
No "Starter Guns" list would be complete without mentioning this rifle. The Ruger 10/22 is a semiautomatic .22 caliber rifle. Bullets are loaded into a detachable magazine, which is then inserted into the rifle. The rifle will automatically load the next round, allowing the user to fire a single shot with each trigger pull. This is another lightweight, lightly recoiling rifle that is very accurate. It is also very simple to disassemble. All these characteristics allow shooters to develop good technique, while the semiautomatic nature of the rifle will let you let loosen up a little bit and have some fun. There are also tons of aftermarket accessories for this gun. The Ruger 10/22 can typically be purchased new for anywhere between $200-$350 depending on the exact model.
3. Mosin Nagant 91/30
This bolt action rifle is famous for being the rifle that won World War II for the Soviet Union. After updating its design in 1930 over the original 1891 design, hence the name "91/30," the Soviets manufactured millions of these rifles to fight against Hitler's Third Reich. After the war, they were sold to other countries and have found their way into every corner of the world. They have the distinction of being seen in more wars than any other firearm, having been spotted in almost every major conflict including the recent situation in Ukraine. This rifle is a big step up from the aforementioned .22 caliber weapons, firing a Russian designed 7.62x54r mm cartridge. This is a much larger bullet than the .22 caliber. This large round combined with the steel buttplate on this rifle means it kicks like a mule and can give you a sore shoulder; however, it is extremely simple in operation and incredibly reliable. They can be found for roughly $150-$200 in good condition, although prices are steadily climbing. This is a real bargain, as a comparable new rifle from an American manufacturer would cost four to five times as much from a gun store. These rifles were designed for illiterate peasants to be able to disassemble, clean, reassemble, load and fire. Their design makes them an excellent choice for a beginner looking to step up from the .22 caliber rifles.
4. Mossberg 500
For those of you who love the sound of a shotgun slide being racked, the Mossberg 500 is a good place to start. Shotguns are among the most versatile guns out there. The Mossberg 500 is available in a variety of gauges, which are basically calibers for shotguns. As shown above, the 500 includes a variety of options from the factory and there are hundreds of options for aftermarket pieces. A new shooter can practice using what is known as birdshot to help reduce recoil and develop good shooting technique. A 12 gauge birdshot shell has significantly less gunpowder in it and thus has much less recoil compared to what is commonly known as buckshot, a shell with much more powder and thus recoil. The only downside to shotguns is that many shooting ranges require the use of slugs, which is a shell that fires one single piece of shot. Slugs typically have very intense recoil and are not ideal for a first time shooter. However, shotguns are required for the most popular of shooting sports, trap and skeet. Many new shooters enjoy the challenge of trying to hit a flying target, and for about $300, you can certainly give it a shot yourself!
5. Glock 19
Almost anybody who has seen an American TV show or action movie has seen one of these pistols. Known colloquially by many as the "Glock", that term is actually the manufacturer's name. The pistol pictured here is the Glock 19. It fires a 9x19mm bullet. The Glock 19 is a striker-fired, semiautomatic pistol that uses a detachable magazine. As far as a new user needs to know, it's a pistol that uses a magazine as opposed to a revolver's cylinder, and does not have a hammer to cock back. What's a hammer, you ask? It's that thing that they pull back with their thumbs in those action movies we were talking about. On many pistols and revolvers, pulling back the hammer will shorted the trigger pull and is sometimes required to fire the gun. The Glock 19 does not have this, and instead is cocked by pulling the slide back, which also loads the first bullet into the chamber. Glock's pistols are known for being utilitarian, accurate, and extremely reliable. The 19 is the compact version, and those with larger hands may prefer the full size Glock 17. Handguns in general are more expensive than rifles or shotguns and the Glock 19 reflects that by being the most expensive gun on this list, clocking in at about $550 for a new one. The light weight of the gun as well as the lighter recoiling 9x19mm round makes this a good choice for a new shooter looking to get experience with handguns.
Although these five firearms are certainly some of the most recommended guns for new shooters, there are literally thousands of different guns out there. It would be impossible to examine every last one, but you will not go wrong by following the trends set by these five. The most important thing to remember as a new shooter is, no matter what gun you bought or inherited or found laying in the street, to practice over and over until you are fully comfortable with your firearm.
