"I think I need a gun....", Kicking the Tires

Alright, you've now memorized the four safety rules and you have given some consideration as to how you want to employ and use a gun. The urge is to go out looking and talk some shop with the gun store guys, handle a few handguns, toss a shotgun to your shoulder, and get a bit real with this instead of only reading about it.

For the uninitiated, allow me to share a few thoughts from someone who has spent a lot of time on both sides of the sales counter.

The bad news first: at least 85% of gun store employees have no clue what they are talking about. The jobs are low paying and unless you find the true enthusiast willing to work for peanuts, you are probably going to hear a lot of baseless opinion. I said they don't have a clue, I never said they know they don't have a clue. Face it, it's a testosterone laden environment. You are going to run into plenty of posturing and gruff talk. It's not unlike a construction site or locker room in that aspect. The inherent problem is that the average American male thinks he is born knowing his way around guns, cars, and the bedroom.
Things are slowly changing. The newer and more modern shops do a better job treating the new buyer like a human being rather than someone who needs to be educated on "the way things are." I like to patronize the smaller, local shops as much as I can because I support small business. Surprisingly, you don't tend to pay more for guns and you can get some very good personalized services. The larger stores such as Cabela's and Sportsman's Warehouse get national pricing structures and so aren't able to drop prices to compete. What the little store will never be able to compete on is selection. There are so many different guns, it would be a budget buster to carry every variation. However, every store has at least one wholesaler on speed dial and they will be happy to order anything you want. Often you can negotiate a substantial savings on special orders. Hey, it's a sale they wouldn't otherwise make, it will never sit on a shelf so it will be an instant return on their investment, and shipping isn't going to cost extra if you let them combine it with their next order.

One very good thing about gun shops is that they are used to lots of people "just kicking the tires" and looking at the toys. This isn't like a car dealership where high pressure is typical and everyone coming through the doors is going to buy a car someplace. Guys like making the rounds of the local stores. Feel free to walk in and look around. Talk to some people, ask to handle a few guns (pay attention to see if the employees and other customers follow The Four Rules, I think you'll find you are already way ahead of most of the "experienced" shooters.)

Don't be afraid to ask questions. The guy behind the counter may not know anything, but then again he might very well be a font of untapped knowledge. I worked in one shop where almost everyone was a well educated specialist in their area of interest. I worked in another shop where everyone thought they were well educated specialists. Either way, you have nothing to lose by asking. No matter the knowledge level of the person behind the counter, the majority of them are happy to tell you their view on things.
I have to say that on average the firearms community is by far the most courteous and well mannered group of people you will ever meet. But, just like with the arrogant car salesman, sexist mechanic, and know-it-all computer geek, the gun world has that occasional person who will just cross you sideways. Egos and self-perception can get wrapped up in things. This seems to be especially problematic with instructors, something of a vaunted position with the gun shop crowd. If you do run into the bad apple who is condescending or suffers from an overblown opinion of themselves, just walk out. Don't feel bad. It's just part of the human condition that shows up in every walk of life.

Because gun shops are where the local shooting instructors work and/or advertise, ask around for opinions on introductory courses offered in your area. Look for those with NRA certification. If your state has concealed weapons permits, find an instructor who also teaches those classes.

There are a number of indoor shooting ranges around the country. I have yet to see one that doesn't offer gun rentals and at least a minimum level of retail sales. If the temptation to touch off a few rounds is jut too great to resist, rent a gun, buy some ammo, have them show you how the gun works, mutter The Four Rules to yourself, and put some lead down range.
We haven't talked about how to shoot a gun. I could write volumes on the different ways of doing things, what I think is best, and so on. But, I'm going to leave that to your instructor. You will get more from one-on-one than you will from anything you read. Once you have a bit of trigger time, you will get a whole lot more from reading than you will now. I am going to cover three very important things you should know about how to shoot and that will get you started.

First, use the sights. "Sights" plural because they consist of two parts, a rear sight which isa notch, and a front sight which is a post. If you can't figure out where they are located, you honestly shouldn't own a gun. There is huge debate about whether a person should use the sights or should point shoot, pointing the gun at the target and shooting. Point shooting can be done effectively, but it takes talent backed up by a tremendous amount of practice. We don't know if you have the first, but we know you don't have the second.
In speed matches where tens of thousands of dollars at stake, competitors all use sights. The most highly vaunted special forces hostage rescue team in the world, shooting more in a week than most people do in five years, the US Army's Delta Force, have a reputation for using the sights (though I had the tremendous luck to run into a a member who did amazing things with point shooting, how did I know he was Delta?, because all the clues fit and he would never say what he did in the Army, hint: anyone who brags about being part of a covert force isn't and never was.) Big game hunters facing down charging lions, upset cape buffalo, or a bear protecting her cubs all use the sights. What do these people have in common? They can't afford to miss the shot. Neither can you.
Second point: when using the sights, you have three different focal plains. Your eyes can only focus on one at a time. Be aware of all three, cut the target in half with the front sight, center the front sight in the notch of the rear sight, buy physically focus on the front sight. Why? Because that is directly above the muzzle and is telling you the very last part of the gun the bullet will touch while headed down range.
Third: the trick is to work the trigger smoothly. Pull straight back, don't rush things, work on keeping the front sight on target while you move the trigger without moving the gun. Slow and easy is the rule. Don't grab the gun with your whole hand. All that should be moving is your trigger finger.

You can't learn all there is to know with only three steps. Shooting is something that is easy to learn but takes a lifetime to master. Right now, you have The Four Rules memorized and hardwired into your thinking. You have a few basic shooting tips. You can safely shoot a gun and have a moderate level of success. Honestly, you will probably get more out of waiting for your first lesson, but sometimes you just want to jump to the end of the book.

The one thing I would urge you to wait on is to not buy a gun quite yet. Take a few lessons, think about what you have learned and how, if at all, it affects your initial ideas of what type of gun to buy. Then, spend the coin to rent a few guns and see what you like. You will have to eat the ammunition cost. It's the gas the gun runs on and the dealer has to cover their overhead on each piece of inventory they carry. But, the rental cost of the gun(s) can often be a negotiated item since the guns are a resource which continues to pay for itself over time. Most shooting ranges will apply the gun rental cost towards a gun if you by it from them. If they don't have what you want, remember the magic of the special order. Yes, you want to walk out with the gun in your hot little hands, but savings can be found in delayed gratification.
Have fun looking around. Don't take anything personally, apply a liberal pinch of salt to anything that doesn't sound right, and remember that this isn't a purchase that should be rushed. If you need a gun RIGHT NOW because of a specific threat, do what you need to do to survive. Realize that owning a gun doesn't make you armed any more than owning a pen makes you a novelist.