Hey everyone,
I’m in the process of buying my first handgun for home defense.
What are some things you would recommend I purchase to complement the gun in terms of maintenance, storage, and other must-haves or even nice-to-haves?
Already on my list is a carrying case, fire-proof safe, dummy rounds for dry-fire practice, and a good pair of ear plugs for the range. Not sure if I should throw in a speed-loader with that or not. I feel like I’m missing some stuff, hence this post.
For the future, I plan to build the gun out. I have already decided on purchasing an optics-ready pistol, so I can throw a red-dot on it down the line, and also a light.
Looking forward to your responses, cheers!
After the basics like a safe and some ear protection with sound amplification, I’d get some dummy rounds to practice loading and unloading the gun so you’re really comfortable with it and don’t need to use real bullets, which can be nerve-racking at first. You can also use the dummy rounds more safely at home, whereas, when you’re new, you don’t usually want to be loading or unloading real bullets unless you’re at the range. Others also use dummy rounds at the range mixed in with real rounds to try to figure out what they’re doing wrong with grip and trigger pull.
Also, I’d suggest getting a dry fire trainer, basically a laser bullet and target. This will help you learn how to aim and pull the trigger without needing to waste bullets. You can also use this at home. They sell these on Amazon pretty cheap. They are awesome for getting comfortable with the iron sights and understanding how your trigger pull is fucking up your shot.
Finally, once you’re good with the iron sights, see if you want to modify the gun in any way like swapping to night sights, putting on a red dot, and attaching a light.
As always, safety first. Treat every gun as if it is loaded. Check and clear it every time you use it. Keep the damn thing locked up whenever you’re not using it. You want to build some comfort with it, but never get too comfortable.