purchasing gun anxiety

[katiedaniels13]

Just got my drivers license so I can purchase a firearm to ctb. However, I'm a little nervous just about purchasing the firearm. I feel like the people working at the store will be suspicious or something . I've never used a gun before or know much about guns and I'm an 18 yo girl so I feel like they will wonder why the hell I need a gun. Or if they try to ask me questions or try to show me different firearms. I need a good reason to justify my gun choice. It probably won't be a big deal and this sounds silly but I just am anxious.

 

[Ritter]

Just got my drivers license so I can purchase a firearm to ctb. However, I'm a little nervous just about purchasing the firearm. I feel like the people working at the store will be suspicious or something . I've never used a gun before or know much about guns and I'm an 18 yo girl so I feel like they will wonder why the hell I need a gun. Or if they try to ask me questions or try to show me different firearms. I need a good reason to justify my gun choice. It probably won't be a big deal and this sounds silly but I just am anxious.

Say you want a gun for self/home protection. If you think you can't pull off a confident look you can be sorta honest, say hey it's my first gun and I don't know much etc etc

Not knowing jack about guns won't stop them from selling to you!

 

[realjunes]

Good advice, say it is for protection, never had one, could they please recommend a shooting course, to get them talking so you can relax. Of course
you won't have to take the course. I dont know what state you are in, but most states now have background checks so you have to wait 7-14 days, not
a big deal, just an extra trip. Google your state, "requirements to own firearm" I assume you are looking for a hand gun..

 

[dedalus1238900]

If that's a problem a handful of states rifles and shotguns (some pretty short) don't require background checks and a 12 gauge shotgun is not pretty but about as effective as there is.

 

[Wayfaerer]

Are you in the US? They won't ask you for a reason.

 

[realjunes]

If that's a problem a handful of states rifles and shotguns (some pretty short) don't require background checks and a 12 gauge shotgun is not pretty but about as effective as there is.

Wayfarer is right, many state you can buy the shotguns and long rifles. Wayfarer pointed out some are short, which very important if you want it for CTB. I have long arms, have fired guns, but I am not sure I could hold a shotgun or rifle steady enough to pull a trigger and accomplish the deed.

Suggestion though: If you have never filed a gun, you should ask the gun store guy if you can dry fire it, meaning see if it fits your hand size, can you grip it. Can you pull the trigger. And you may want to look at revolvers as opposed to automatic pistols.

I imagine a gun store guy will be happy to teach an 18 year old girl about how to hold and operate a gun.

 

[Wayfaerer]

Wayfarer is right, many state you can buy the shotguns and long rifles. Wayfarer pointed out some are short, which very important if you want it for CTB. I have long arms, have fired guns, but I am not sure I could hold a shotgun or rifle steady enough to pull a trigger and accomplish the deed.

Suggestion though: If you have never filed a gun, you should ask the gun store guy if you can dry fire it, meaning see if it fits your hand size, can you grip it. Can you pull the trigger. And you may want to look at revolvers as opposed to automatic pistols.

I imagine a gun store guy will be happy to teach an 18 year old girl about how to hold and operate a gun.

At 18, you can only purchase long guns (rifles & shotguns). The guns at the store will also be trigger-locked so you won't be able to dry fire them. for CTB purposes, you really won't need any expertise and recoil is not an issue. I'd recommend reading the Megathread on firearms.

 

[dedalus1238900]

Wayfarer is right, many state you can buy the shotguns and long rifles. Wayfarer pointed out some are short, which very important if you want it for CTB. I have long arms, have fired guns, but I am not sure I could hold a shotgun or rifle steady enough to pull a trigger and accomplish the deed.

Suggestion though: If you have never filed a gun, you should ask the gun store guy if you can dry fire it, meaning see if it fits your hand size, can you grip it. Can you pull the trigger. And you may want to look at revolvers as opposed to automatic pistols.

I imagine a gun store guy will be happy to teach an 18 year old girl about how to hold and operate a gun.

True, although all the modifications for hanging, mixing chemicals and gases, and other methods, if you can get a the shortest shotgun to fire into your head, avoiding recoil. That is 99% effective in a second vs. some other really tricky methods that could take days, be found, hard to be sure survival instinct doesn't stop you, prolonged pain, vomiting, failure to find the right arteries. It's near the top of my list. But you are right about handguns being ideal, just much more difficult in some states.

 

[Wayfaerer]

True, although all the modifications for hanging, mixing chemicals and gases, and other methods, if you can get a the shortest shotgun to fire into your head, avoiding recoil. That is 99% effective in a second vs. some other really tricky methods that could take days, be found, hard to be sure survival instinct doesn't stop you, prolonged pain, vomiting, failure to find the right arteries. It's near the top of my list. But you are right about handguns being ideal, just much more difficult in some states.

The shotgun doesn't need to be short, you can press the trigger with your foot.

 

[MissNietzsche]

At 18, you can only purchase long guns (rifles & shotguns). The guns at the store will also be trigger-locked so you won't be able to dry fire them. for CTB purposes, you really won't need any expertise and recoil is not an issue. I'd recommend reading the Megathread on firearms.

At least shotguns are statistically more reliable than handguns for suicide :D At least, I took solace in that when I was considering ctb'ing with a gun before I turned 21..

Way too much effort to get my gun license just to kill myself though..Plus, it's like thousands of dollars...on top of that, I'm not 100% sure I can bring myself to put a gun to my head (unlike I'm certain I can pull a bag of gas over my head and fall asleep). I commend you, OP; I couldn't do that hahah

 

[dedalus1238900]

The shotgun doesn't need to be short, you can press the trigger with your foot.

Definitely you can, but I've read some bad stories where they used their foot, the gun recoiled or the butt wasn't against anything and it was not a good outcome. But absolutely you can use your toes. That's just the way I would do it. A shotgun is about as effective as it gets but any failure. I can't imagine that amount of pain and your life.

 

[Wayfaerer]

Definitely you can, but I've read some bad stories where they used their foot, the gun recoiled or the butt wasn't against anything and it was not a good outcome. But absolutely you can use your toes. That's just the way I would do it. A shotgun is about as effective as it gets but any failure. I can't imagine that amount of pain and your life.

You'd already be dead before the shotgun could recoil even a centimeter.

At least shotguns are statistically more reliable than handguns for suicide :D At least, I took solace in that when I was considering ctb'ing with a gun before I turned 21..

Way too much effort to get my gun license just to kill myself though..Plus, it's like thousands of dollars...on top of that, I'm not 100% sure I can bring myself to put a gun to my head (unlike I'm certain I can pull a bag of gas over my head and fall asleep). I commend you, OP; I couldn't do that hahah

Gun license? What a pity!