Handgun Buyer's Guide ― A Comprehensive Manual on Purchasing and Owning a Handgun

The market for new handguns is expanding rapidly, and that’s good news for consumers. Each year more and more new models break cover and there has never been a better time to be in the market for a new handgun, whether you’re a recreational shooter, a concealed carry permit holder, a hunter or a serious competitive shooter. Today’s handguns offer superb machining and utilize some of the most technologically-advanced alloys, polymers and finishes to help make the current crop of handguns lightweight, accurate, durable, and affordable.

This increase in product offerings stem from new interest in handguns, primarily as a result of nationwide issuance of concealed carry permits. As laws have been enacted that protect the rights of gun owners and defend our personal liberties, more and more new shooters are showing up on the range. But first-time shooters and new concealed carry permit holders are not the only segment of the handgun market that is seeing growth and interest. Pistol competitions have become more popular and more advanced, evolving from slow-fire matches at local gun clubs to modern IPSC, IDPA and 3-gun competitions.

Handgun Buyer's Guide will help both the bewildered new shooter find their feet and purchase a handgun, find the best accessories, and locate a place to practice on hone their skills. You'll find all you need for owning a handgun in theHandgun Owner's Guide!

Brad Fitzpatrick is an outdoor writer and contributing editor for the magazineRifle Shooter. He has written over a hundred different articles for several different outdoor publications including Petersen’s Hunting, Gun Digest, Gun World, Sports Afield, Outdoor Life, Gun Dog, and other magazines. In 2010 he won the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers Best of Best: Media award of excellence. He was a member of Northern Kentucky University’s Trap and Skeet Team and holds a masters of fine arts in creative writing.