Newer than Newbie

[ChrAnt]

Hi All,

Happy to join this community.

My short-winded question is, where do I start with firearms?

My PAL is en-route and I expect it at any time.

I am new to the firearm scene, and have never owned a firearm, so I do not know where to start.

I am interested in long-range shooting and eventually getting into it competitively.

Do I start with joining a club, or taking a class, attending a few competitions?

Should I join any associations NFA, or the ORA?

Any recommendation is much appreciated.

Cheers,
C

[keeping6]

Hello and Welcome! Great to hear you took an interest. Im surprised nobody has commented to this post yet, but maybe it got missed by many.

Short answer? - all of the above!

Joining a club is a great start. Depending on the club, they might offer classes, or information sessions for newbies. Don't be afraid to ask questions and meet people. I've found its a spectacular community. Also, start reading and don't stop reading. Learn as much as you can. Go to the book store and buy a few books about firearms. See which models you like and strive towards your first purchase.

CGN is a spectacular resource. Read all the newbies sections and FAQ's. There are some long time members that know more about firearms than most know about anything.

[Zoidion]

Personally, not being comfortable being a newbie in front of others. (But that’s just my own self concious mind)
I bought a cheapish 22 cal to start, bought snap caps so I could practice the motions at home without damaging anything. Then went out doing some target practice myself on crown land.

And after a bunch of research I felt a little more comfortable asking questions.

My first experiences in a couple different gun stores, were that the staff seemed annoyed by my lack of knowledge and “dumb” questions. So I felt the need to do all my research on my own. This forum has been helpful for learning some stuff, even if some members have the same annoyed response to dumb questions.

[cattabliss]

Personally, not being comfortable being a newbie in front of others. (But that’s just my own self concious mind)
I bought a cheapish 22 cal to start, bought snap caps so I could practice the motions at home without damaging anything. Then went out doing some target practice myself on crown land.

And after a bunch of research I felt a little more comfortable asking questions.

My first experiences in a couple different gun stores, were that the staff seemed annoyed by my lack of knowledge and “dumb” questions. So I felt the need to do all my research on my own. This forum has been helpful for learning some stuff, even if some members have the same annoyed response to dumb questions.

Ha. The good ole gun store staff attitudes, probably a lot of threads about that. Gun store staff are a special breed. 22 is good advice for OP

[MilitaryCollectorMark]

Hi All,

Happy to join this community.

My short-winded question is, where do I start with firearms?

My PAL is en-route and I expect it at any time.

I am new to the firearm scene, and have never owned a firearm, so I do not know where to start.

I am interested in long-range shooting and eventually getting into it competitively.

Do I start with joining a club, or taking a class, attending a few competitions?

Should I join any associations NFA, or the ORA?

Any recommendation is much appreciated.

Cheers,
C

Welcome to CGN! A good first rifle is a .22, CZ make good quality rifles.

[Sweetness]

Hi.

Welcome aboard.

[J.Hancock]

Bolt action .22. Less expensive works for me since I mostly use .22 for practice and varmint , I've got a savage MK2. Inexpensive optic with good range and parallax. Again, the firearm doesn't need to cost too much it's not going into battle, ammunition is where you want to spend. Quantity will eventually phase into quality as your ability climbs but starting out, stack deep and cheap.

[Wendell]

I am interested in long-range shooting and eventually getting into it competitively. Do I start with joining a club, or taking a class, attending a few competitions?

Yes. What you need is a competent mentor (or mentors) and lots of quality instruction, coaching, & practice. The best place to find that is at a club, a class, and in competitive sports.

Should I join any associations NFA, or the ORA?

Yes. You don't have to, but if you do they'll keep you apprised of legal developments. Your membership in one (or more) of these groups (whether NFA, CCSA, or CCRA) will keep you well-informed.