In more than two decades in this business, I will admit that I have, in the past, made the mistake of telling a few people which gun I thought they should buy. I never do that anymore.
During that time, I have also made lots of friends who have strong feelings on the topic. I especially like watching really smart and experienced women respond to men who tell them why they “must have” one gun or another. Usually I sit back and think, “Get me some popcorn. This is gonna be good!” I have learned to ALWAYS root for the woman in such a debate; not only because she is always right, but also because I don’t want her to turn that anger my direction after she annihilates her first target.
If you are one of those lifelong shooters with a strong opinion on the “best” handgun for self-defense, I’m going to ask you to rethink your position just a little. You see, I know what the best handgun for self-defense is … FOR ME. But it would not be fair of me to tell you what the best handgun is for you (unless you are exactly like me, and I’m guessing you are not exactly like me).
Well, what is a knowledgeable firearms enthusiast supposed to do when a noob comes forward with a question? First up, don’t puff out your chest and start with a phrase like, “In more than two decades in this business…” Um. Er. Well. May I ask you to not look back to the opening line of this column? In my defense, I was admitting a mistake, not making a blanket statement. So I’m hoping you can let that slide this time.
Seriously, though: When someone asks you for help, swallow your pride and focus on solving his or her problem, not proving how smart you are. The person asking the question already thinks you are smart enough to help. That’s why he or she asked you for help. You don’t need to rub it in.
Rather than make a lot of declarative statements, start by asking the person some questions: What is your primary goal of owning the firearm? Will it be a nightstand gun? Is this a preliminary gun to get you started down the path of more shooting? Do you want something easy to carry and conceal? (Getting a gun like that might mean you give away some comfort while firing because tiny, lightweight guns aren’t always the most fun to shoot.)
Ask the person if he or she has been shopping around to see how certain guns feel in the hand. If not, offer to take that person to a gun shop or a gun show and just lay hands on a few different guns. Typically the gun that “feels right” will be the right gun for a new shooter. Check out the person’s hand size and try several guns. Get permission to dry-fire the guns so the newbie knows what the trigger pull feels like.
Here is the most important thing: Anyone can learn to effectively fire just about any gun. Do not ever push a person away from one type or style of firearm because YOU think the gun is too complicated or the slide is too difficult to rack or any other reason. If the person selects a gun, help that person learn to operate that gun as effectively as possible. If the gun is truly wrong for the person, he or she will figure it out in short order and start the process all over again.
The right to bear arms is also about the right to choose. Don’t take that choice away from someone who is really interested in buying a gun.
