I have been hoping to get a pistol recently and had a chance to shoot a few of my friend's this weekend. I thought I wanted an HK USP .40, but really liked the Springfield XD he had. Anyone have good or bad experiences with this gun? He recommended buying from gunbroker.com, and I have found the one I would like (4" 9mm), but am curious if anyone knows a good shop that will transfer it? Are there any classes ever offered to learn the ins and outs of pistols? Any other advice for a new guy would be appreciated also.
The Springfield is a fine firearm, and a solid value. Gunbroker.com is a great site, especially for checking a wide range of prices, but I recommend the following as well: 1. Go to a local gunshop and chat them up. Most of these places are awesome if they think you're a serious buyer and/or enthusiast. They'll have info on classes that are available. You may even get a good deal on a gun. 2. Go to a gun show if you don't get a good deal at the shop. 3. Practice, practice, practice 4. Then clean, clean, clean your gun. You'll hear that guns don't need that much cleaning - that they'll still shoot. That may be true, but you have a gun for that one time when it absolutely, positively must function properly. Care for it as such. I like drinking beer and listening to country music when I'm cleaning mine. It's very relaxing.
