How to test-fire and choose a new gun and/or rifle

Scott, thanks again for meeting up with me! I really enjoyed shooting your rifles, and was very surprised (though I probably shouldn't have been) at the accuracy a person can get with the iron sights.

Range Report

Today I shot:
- Several Taurus .38 Revolvers (all of my family use them for EDC)
- Sig P226 (9mm)
- Kel-Tec sub-compact (9mm)
- Glock 19C (9mm) (thanks, guy-in-the-stall-next-to-me!)
- Scott's AR (shot with .223)
- Scott's AK (7.62x39mm)

All handguns were at 7 yards. Rifles were at 100 yards.

I shot as well as I usually do with the revolvers, which I've used several times. I shot almost as accurately one-handed as I did two-handed, but only when I pre-cocked. Shooting with the full trigger-pull, I was very inaccurate; I need to practice this.

The Sig was very accurate and comfortable, and I was punching out 4" groups (plus 1 or 2 outliers) with every mag.

I borrowed a Glock 19C from the guy next to me. This was the first time I've been able to shoot a Glock, and it was as good as all the rave reviews have led me to expect. I shot 2 full mags and kept every shot within the 4" ring. Barring an unexpected love of the XD-9 (which I haven't shot yet), I'll be getting myself a Glock 19.

I shot the Kel-Tec poorly. I imagine it was due in equal parts to the smaller grip, the shorter barrel, and the condition of the gun (a flea-market acquisition of my uncle's, which looked to be in mediocre shape).

I shot Scott's AR and AK at 100 yards using iron sights. I was really impressed at the accuracy a first-timer like myself could attain with only iron sights. With my very first try on the AR, I put approx. 12 of 30 on an 8" target. I'm not sure about my accuracy with the AK (Scott and I shot at the same target), but it felt just as accurate.

I really enjoyed the AR; I don't think I'll be getting a .223 or .308 bolt-action, as I discussed in my original post. I'll probably get a .22 rifle and scope for plinking at the range, and hold off on a .308 until I have a desire to go hunting (which may never materialize). I would be utterly unsurprised to find myself assembling an AR in the future.

Thanks everyone for your help and input!

- Harry

Sorry that I'm a bit late on this. I'm bored and looking up older threads.

One word of advice for learning to shoot rifles. I believe it is very important to start with rimfire and work your way up the power range of centerfire rifles. If you start with a heavily kicking rifle early on you are going to develop bad habits that will be difficult to undo later. Trust me, I know... a particular very lightweight .300 Win Mag that I shot early on really messed me up and it took a long while finally get the bad habits gone.

I would stay start with a .22, .22 mag, or .17 rifle.
Then go to a 9mm carbine or something similar.You could jump right to .222, .223, etc.
Then .243s, .257, 6mm, 6.5 mm, or .30 caliber intermediate cartridges like 7.62x39.
Then go for high power 30 calibers and larger.

Now some would say this is excessive, and it may be. Just my opinion and how I wish I would have done it, and how I would teach people nowadays. You can feel free to skip a step or so. But the biggest thing to do is get to the point where you have zero flinch, have controlled your breathing and kept your heart from pounding, are sort of surprised when the trigger releases (part of this is having a great trigger on the rifle), don't rush the shots, and have absolutely no flinch or fear of the scope hitting you in the face. I have found that if you are keeping your eyes open as the shot goes off you are probably doing fine.