Guns 101: A Gun Guide for Beginners

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Brand new to firearms? This quick-start guide cuts through the noise and provides you with the must-know terms, smart store strategies, safety rules, and a lifesaving medical tip.

Gun Talk: The 8 Terms Every New Shooter Must Know

Something many longtime gun owners seem to forget is that we were all new once. No one is born dual-wielding Glocks and ringing steel from a mile. Everyone starts somewhere, and when you’re brand new to the world of guns, it can be a little daunting. There are a few helpful tips that can get you started, including understanding basic terminology. We’re here to help.

The first thing to consider when you’re getting into guns is what all the words mean. I’m not talking about going way off into the weeds with things like DOPE cards and induction annealers; I’m referring to basic terminology. It helps if you know a handful of small things before getting started (or going into a gun store). These are some of the terms it’s helpful to know as a newbie in the gun world.

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Bullet: The bullet is the projectile part of a round of ammunition. This means you don’t refer to a complete round of ammunition as a bullet because that isn’t what it is. The bullet is one part of the whole round.

Grip: This can refer to either the vertical grip on a firearm that you hold onto during live fire or how you hold your gun. Much like gripping a coffee mug, you grip firearms, and they’re also made with grips meant for gripping. Sure, it’s a bit redundant, but you get the idea.

Handgun: It might seem obvious, but there is some confusion about what constitutes a handgun. Handguns are designed to be held and fired with one hand (yes, we typically use a two-handed grip, but the definition remains, and we’re not bracing them with our shoulders). The term applies to derringers, revolvers, striker-fired handguns like Glocks, hammer-fired semi-autos like 1911s, and certain bolt-action pistols. Yes, you can call a revolver a handgun, because it is one.

Magazine: Many guns are fed by a magazine. This is a word that’s often confused with “clip,” but there’s an easy way to remember. Magazines feed guns, and clips feed magazines.

Muzzle: The muzzle of a gun is the end of the barrel that faces the target. One of the four rules of gun safety is that you don’t aim the muzzle of a gun at anything you aren’t willing to destroy.

Optics: Pedantic gun owners will tell you optics are riflescopes, meaning the long scopes on top of rifles that allow the shooter to see targets at greater distances. However, it’s often used as a blanket term to cover anything that’s mounted to the gun to help you aim (except for iron sights). This means riflescopes and red dot sights of all sizes and types are all optics.

Red dot sight: Red dot sights come in many types. As a general term, it applies to all the small non-magnified optics with a dot projected on the small viewing window or lens. Not all red dot sights are red; red dot sights come in red, green, and even blue. These sights are used on handguns, rifles, and shotguns for reasonably close-range shooting due to their non-magnified design.

Safety: Some guns are made with external thumb safeties, and some are not. Just because a gun doesn’t have a manual, exterior safety that you can flip with your thumb doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any safety. There are numerous safety mechanisms used in guns that work automatically with the inside components to stop the gun from firing unless the trigger is pulled.

Gun Stores Not All Experts: How To Vet Advice Fast

Understandably, you might assume the people working at a gun store are experts. After all, they’re surrounded by firearms every day, so they must know their stuff, right? Not exactly.

No matter how much confidence the guy behind the gun counter exudes, there’s no guarantee he actually knows anything. In fact, there are a lot of people who work at gun stores and pass out awful or outright inaccurate advice. Ask a friend who is knowledgeable if they can recommend not only a good gun store, but a specific employee you’d benefit from talking to. Better yet, take your friend with you. And unless you’re completely confident your gun store source can be trusted, fact-check them later.

Finding a great gun store is a gift, and it’s not as easy to do as you might think. If you’re totally on your own, visit multiple stores and see how they treat you when you walk in the door. Take advice with a grain of salt and a hefty dose of fact-based research, and try not to make any major decisions without sources to back it up. It might seem excessive, but your gun experience will be far better if it starts with a solid foundation of knowledge. You don’t have to know everything, and you won’t, but you can learn a lot before taking the plunge into gun ownership.

Handgun Size Myths: Why Smaller Can Kick Harder

A common mistake made by new gun owners is assuming that smaller handguns will be easier to handle. After all, they’re small, so the way they recoil during live fire must be less than how a larger handgun would. That isn’t how it works, though. Larger handguns in calibers like 9mm are going to be easier for you to handle than tiny micros chambered in 380 ACP. Those little guns can be surprisingly snappy and uncomfortable to shoot. The same goes for snub-nosed revolvers. Don’t believe the hype that smaller guns will be way easier than big ones, because it’s not accurate.

What you’re looking for is the balance between a handgun that fits your hands well but also has enough size and weight to cut down on felt recoil and muzzle rise. That doesn’t mean you should go for something like a Desert Eagle in 50 AE, it just means you should be considering moderately sized pistols in something like 9mm. Don’t follow the fads, Hollywood, or what you see on social media. Do the research and figure out which gun is best for you. When possible, rent some at the gun store or try out a friend’s guns before you buy.

Safety First: The 4 Rules You Never Break

If you stick with this gun-themed path, you’ll find out that a lot of people aren’t careful with their firearms. There are four golden gun safety rules you should know, memorize, and follow:

• Treat every firearm as though it’s loaded (never assume a gun is empty, regardless of where it comes from or who tells you it is).
• Don’t aim the muzzle of the gun at anything you aren’t willing to destroy (this goes for living and inanimate objects).
• Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re on target (learn to keep your finger off the trigger and index high on the slide or receiver of the firearm).
• Know your target and what’s beyond it.

Part of safety is getting some training. If your state requires you to take a basic firearm class to get your carry permit, great, but that class won’t do you much good at all. Plus, with the increase in constitutional carry, many people are skipping carry permits entirely. Taking classes from a reputable firearms instructor is a great idea, and taking classes beyond the bare basics is even better. Guns are tools we use to defend our lives and get game meat for our families, and they should be treated as such.

Carry A Tourniquet: The Life Saver You’ll Actually Use

This one isn’t discussed nearly enough. If you’re going to have a gun, you should have a tourniquet. It’s the old: if you’re going to carry something that makes holes, you should be equipped to close holes, too. In reality, you’re more likely to need your tourniquet at the scene of a car crash, but that only further recommends your owning one (or more). Having a tourniquet available saves lives, and it isn’t a difficult or strenuous practice. Throw one in your range bag, the console of your car, or even in your purse or pocket.

Above all, have fun, but take it seriously. The gun community can be a fantastic family, and there are many possibilities for enjoyable activities, such as shooting matches or hunting. Just remember that being a responsible gun owner is important, and carrying a firearm for protection is a major responsibility.

Have questions? Drop them in the comments below.

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Specifications Example For New Shooters

Model	N A
Caliber	N A
Barrel Length	N A
Overall Length	N A
Weight	N A
Capacity	N A
MSRP	N A

Pros & Cons For First-Time Gun Owners

• Pros: Clear terminology, realistic size guidance, core safety rules, practical med preparedness.
• Cons: Not brand specific, training needs vary by state, gear choices require research, and range time.

Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest

• Beginner Handgun Reviews
• Training Tips and Drills
• Red Dot and Optics Basics

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