Greetings from Manassas

[CapnDiesel]

Hello everyone. My name's Brian. My wife, Rachel, and I live here in Manassas. I work as a mechanic at a tire shop in Burke, and she works as an unarmed security guard in Crystal City. Both of us have armed security licenses from DCJS, even though neither of us is currently working as an armed guard. Our armory, such as it is, contains nothing but hopes and dreams. I would like to eventually get a pair of pistols, 9mm preferably, so that she and I can practice shooting.

Admittedly, I want a firearm a lot more than she does, but I'm a much bigger fan of mechanical devices than she is. Personally speaking, I think I'm a decent shot, considering that I've only fired a pistol twice in my life, for a grand total of 180 rounds down range, with a year of no gunfire at all between the first and second set of 90 rounds. Both times were for the armed security qualification. 90 rounds spanning ranges of 3 yards, 7 yards and 15 yards, in timed (30 second) bursts of 12 rounds, 6 per magazine. Scoring is 5 points for hits in center mass of a man-sized target, 0 points for hits anywhere else. Maximum score is 300. Our first time out, both of us scored 240 using Glock 19s, which I had a hard time firing because where my thumb naturally rests is right over the button to release the magazine. When we re-qualified a little under a year later, we were using Glock 17s, which fit my hands much better, but she has a hard time holding since her hands are considerably smaller than mine. She scored 230 that time around, I scored 285 with one round left unfired due to it falling to the ground when my gun jammed for the third time. We were told that we could supply our own firearms to qualify with but no one who was re-qualifying with us provided their own, and we don't own any, so we were using weapons provided by the school we were getting our qualification through.

Once I get some spare cash, I plan on getting myself a Hi-Point C9, mainly because they are affordable. Yes, I've heard the saying "You get what you pay for", but I don't have $500+ to spend on a big name weapon. Granted, if I was going to be carrying it for personal defense then I'd find some way to afford it, but since I only plan on using it for target shooting, a cheap gun will suit my purposes fine.

I'm open to any and all advice on how to go about getting started in the exciting land of firearms ownership, and I'll try and be a helpful member of this forum.

Thanks for reading my rambling everyone.

[OakRidgeStars]

Welcome to VGOF, Brian

[GeneFrenkle]

Welcome! Used handguns work well, too, and good ones can be had under $500. Check the pawn shops/va gun trader, ask to do a field strip, do a function check, and examine the bbl.

I'm not suggesting hi-points are poor quality as many folks are satisfied with them. Other options do exist.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[gunderwood]

[Snakester]

Welcome Aboard !

[bryanrheem]

welcome aboard!

[moss20]

Welcome from another in the DCJS family.

[rlbellco72]

Welcome to the forum Brian. My son has three Hi Points, a 40 S&W, a 45 Cal, and a 995 ST Carbine. I have the carbine as well and regardless of what you might hear, they are great guns and you can't beat the price. If you look on Youtube you can find reviews of the Hi Point C9 and their other guns.

Again, welcome to the forum.

[Palladin]