Almost 20 million Americans bought a gun in 2021 alone. If you’re one of them or from any other part of the world, there’s a lot you need to know and invest in than just buying your first firearm.
Buying guns may be relatively easy, but taking care of one, and storing it correctly, should be your utmost priority. Read below to find out which gear for first-time gun owners is essential.
Gun Safety Items (Gun Safe/Gun Lock)
The first thing you have to buy (in fact, it should be purchased while buying your firearm) is a gun safe. If you cannot invest in one, you should buy a gun lock and ensure that your firearms are always away from kids.
Do not leave your gun unattended lying around in a drawer, and invest in a trigger lock. If you’re worried about accessibility in moments of an emergency, always remember that the chances of a child finding your unlocked gun are much higher than a burglar breaking into your home and you not being able to unlock your gun in time.
Safety Gear for Yourself
Now that you’ve protected your gun, it’s time to protect yourself. If you own a gun and like to visit shooting ranges frequently, you need safety gear. Most gun ranges will not let you shoot without safety gear.
Even if you do not go to a range and are shooting somewhere like your family’s farm, you should still have the appropriate safety gear. The two most essential items you will need are safety glasses and ear protection. Additionally, you should also have a range bag.
Sturdy Storage Case
Buying a bag that is right for your gun is the first step in careful portability. Although most handguns come with their cases, they aren’t always the sort of quality you should aim for. Invest in a sturdy storage case/range bag because even though you may not plan on transporting your gun anywhere, there may come the point when you have to. It is better to be prepared in advance than to leave this for the last moment.
Targets
If you’re a first-time gun owner, the chances are that you need to practice too. Invest in rangefinders and high-visibility targets. There are many types of targets, one of the most famous being the body’s silhouette, which is what you usually see in movies. Once you get experienced with those, you can move on to more advanced targets, such as those that explode on impact.
Gun Holster
Holsters are the best friends of handguns. If you have decided to buy a handgun as your first gun, you need to buy a concealed gun carry holster, too. Before purchasing a gun holster, make sure that you have adequately checked the specifications of your firearm so that the model of your gun is easy to fit into the gun holster.
As such, it will also be easy for you to carry around. If you aren’t sure which gun holster is the right fit, you can do a simple search online with “[gun model] holster” to find the appropriate one.
Ammunition
A gun without bullets is merely a showpiece. Whether you plan on using your gun as a way to learn how to shoot, or you’ve bought it for self-defense, you need proper ammunition. This should be purchased at the time that you are buying your gun.
Buy at least one hundred rounds to securely keep at home and another hundred rounds that you can use for training. Also, do not let your bullets sit at home, unused. Regularly rotate your ammunition so that you use the oldest bullets first.
Gun Cleaning Kit
Cleaning your gun correctly is just as important as storing it properly. If left uncleaned, gunk can build up, leading to your gun not working as smoothly and efficiently as it should. Not only do you require the right cleaning tools, but you also need to know how to use them properly.
Every time you shoot your gun, you need to clean it as well. If you are storing your gun when you require it, you still need to clean it every six months to keep it in pristine condition. If you plan on buying more guns later, buy a cleaning kit that can clean multiple calibers of firearms. Here’s a list of things that should be in your cleaning kit.
- Gun Oil
- Wipes
- Brushes
- Brass Jags
- Brass Patch Holder
- Cleaning Patches
Final Thoughts
Though it may be significant to own a gun in this day and age, it is also quite important to know the liabilities of owning one. As such, it is very critical to have all the gear you need, especially if you are a first-time gun owner.
