Hello! I am new to the group, and have thumbed through some of the old posts regarding first gun ownership, etc. I live in Lexington, KY, and the nearest firing range is in Paris, a town some miles away. I called and they do not have guns for rent, but are awaiting a pair of 1911's as loaners (no idea yet on eta). Does anyone know of another place I might be able to practice/try out new weapons? Some days ago I visited a local gun shop and saw the S&W's and am terribly tempted to pick up either a .40 or a .357 sig... the .40 has nite sights, the .357 has regular sights and is less expensive, however, I am wary of the .357 sig from stuff I have read about them. So far, my actual shooting experience is limited to having fired a .22 rifle (liked it, very accurate), a pair of 12 gage shotguns (the heavier one is too heavy, the lighter one "kicks" or recoils too hard), and a .357 revolver shooting both .357's & .38 rounds at my brother's house while on vacation. I can handle the .357 better if I cock the hammer first, because the pull weight is too heavy at almost 8 #. The questions: do you all know of any firing ranges in or around Lexington, KY where I might try out different weapons? Which would you suggest, if financially strapped (but lured by the S&W sale), the .40 or the .357sig? Thanks, and happy shooting!
Not sure about Lexington, but Lville has a couple of options to include KCR just south of there. I would imagine that there has to be one somewhere that will rent. Good luck
dr, 4/24/08 Can't help you with the firing ranges but maybe I can offer some input on SW pistols. I have a number of them in .45 and 9mm and they all have been reliable and accurate, and SW customer service is usually excellent. Regarding the caliber, if you are tight on money you may want to look at the 9mm over the .40 or .357-sig caliber. You will get a lot more shooting with 9mm because it is much cheaper. Especially if this is your first handgun the 9mm has a lot of advantages- cheap ammo, less recoil, high capacity and the 9mm is a great caliber for self-defense with the proper bullet (ie- Remington golden sabers, Speer gold dot, etc.). Good luck with your search, it sounds like you are doing the proper research and trying different guns before you buy. best wishes- oldandslow
