Beginner gun questions answered: 17 common firearm questions newbies are too afraid to ask
- Jan 8
- 7 min read
Your clear, judgment-free guide to gun basics, safety, handling, ammo, and first-time ownership
Let's be honest: gun culture is chock full of douchebags who you know are gonna look at you like an idiot for asking the most basic questions. That sucks. Nobody's born knowing what “9x19mm Luger” means or what the difference is between "hammer-fired" and "striker-fired."
At Liberty for All Training, we encourage questions — especially the ones you’ve hesitated to ask the dude in the "I Lubricate My Gun with Liberal Tears" t-shirt next to you at the range.
Here are some answers to the beginner gun-related questions people Google privately but rarely say out loud — answered simply, clearly, and without any ego.
And before the Reddit bros come after us: these are the highly simplified and generalized answers to these questions. There are exceptions to everything.
1. Do I need a license to buy a gun or ammo in Texas?
Nope. In Texas, you do not need a license to buy a gun or ammunition. You have to be legally eligible to own a firearm, but no permit or registration is required for purchase. For those of legal age, buying ammo is exactly like buying anything else. You just take it up to the counter and they ring you up.
When buying an actual firearm, you'll have to fill out a relatively short form that'll go to the ATF (called a 4473) that has some basic questions on it (e.g. about your criminal record, immigration status, etc.). The store will digitally send that form over to the ATF, and in most cases, the ATF will respond in 10-20 minutes telling the store you're good to go.
2. Is it normal to feel scared or nervous around guns?
For sure — and honestly, it would be weirder if you weren’t.
Guns are loud, mechanical, purpose-built tools that make explosions happen inches from your hands. Feeling nervous isn’t a flaw; it’s your brain doing a quick risk assessment and saying, “Hey, maybe let’s take this seriously.” Nerves are a sign of respect. Confidence comes from learning why the gun behaves the way it does, how to handle it consistently, and how to build safe habits you can trust — not from pretending you’re a Navy SEAL on day one.
3. How often do I need to clean my gun?
Eh, it depends. Some people clean it after every range trip, some people clean it every 5,000 rounds, some people clean it every time they turn 40.
Your gun will usually "tell" you it needs cleaning. If you're seeing caked-on gunk or just gross shit on the outside of it or whatever, treat it like you would any other object and give it a quick clean. After a certain point, your gun will start malfunctioning more and more often... you want to get ahead of that.
Modern firearms don’t need obsessive cleaning, but keeping them clean will make them last longer and ensure reliability. Perhaps even more importantly: always keep your guns nice and lubed up. Nearly every other malfunction you experience at the range is fixed with a couple drops of lube.
4. How do I know I won’t accidentally shoot myself or others?
Safe habits prevent accidents — not luck, not “good vibes,” and definitely not wishful thinking.
If you follow the Four Rules of Firearm Safety every single time, the odds of an accidental discharge drop to almost zero. Guns don’t just “go off” on their own; they require a human mistake to make something unfortunate happen. Training exists to eliminate those mistakes before they can occur.
Once you learn proper handling, your body starts doing the right things automatically. That muscle memory is what keeps you from drifting a muzzle somewhere it shouldn’t be — even when you’re tired, distracted, or overloaded with new information. In short: safety isn’t mystical. It’s learned, practiced, and actually way simpler than people assume.
5. How do I know if my gun is loaded without firing it?
You visually and physically check the chamber. Remove the magazine, lock the slide open, look into the chamber, and feel inside with a finger if needed. You shouldn't ever need to pull the trigger to “check.”
6. Can a gun fire if I drop it?
Modern guns are designed not to. Most contemporary firearms have internal safeties that prevent the gun from firing when dropped.
But still probably best to not test it. If your gun does hit the ground hard, give it a look-over to make sure everything is still in working order before test firing.
7. Will ammo explode if I drop it or hit it too hard?
Nope. A cartridge needs pressure inside a sealed chamber to ignite properly. Dropping it, stepping on it, or knocking it off a table won’t make it explode.
8. What’s the difference between cheap guns and expensive guns?
Typically speaking, in more expensive guns, you'll find higher-quality materials, better manufacturing consistency and quality control, better ergonomics, and improved longevity. Higher-end guns often feel smoother, last longer, and come with higher-quality triggers, finishes, tolerances, and more.
But the reality is that many budget guns still work perfectly fine. Unless you've got the cash to blow, if you're new to shooting, just get a solid and reliable starter gun and learn the things you like and don't like before any big investments.
For a pistol, plan on spending between $500-700 for the base gun, and get an optics-ready model so you can grow with it. For an AR-15, you should be able to get a quality setup for around $1,000; and for a shotgun, you can get the gold standard of pump-actions for around $600 all-in.
9. Does the color of the gun make any difference?
Nope — it’s purely cosmetic.
Black, FDE, stainless, rainbow, Tiffany blue… color doesn’t affect performance. Choose a good model of firearm and then if you have options of colors or finishes, get what you think looks cool. Pick what you feel confident and comfortable training with.
(One small caveat: often times, FDE/tan or ODG/green models will be slightly more expensive — that's because along with being cosmetic, the Cerakote or anodized finish will help protect the gun from scratches, etc.)
10. There are so many different kinds of ammo like “9x19mm Luger” and “FMJ” — what should I buy?
9mm, 9x19mm, 9mm Luger — it's all the same thing.
If you're just getting ammo for the range, get some affordable brass-case FMJ (full metal jacket) rounds.
For training: 9mm FMJ (Full Metal Jacket). There are tons of reliable brands of FMJ training ammo. Anything from Winchester, Federal, CCI/Blazer, Monarch, Fiocchi... they're all good to go. Just be sure to not get steel case or aluminum case ammo — most indoor ranges don't allow steel ammo and aluminum ammo isn't great for your barrel's longevity. 115 grains or 124 grains... either is fine.
For a gun you'll be carrying or keeping in your nightstand, splurge on a box or two of 9mm JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) from reputable brands like Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, or Hornady Critical Duty. These rounds contain bullets that are designed to expand on impact, making them considerably more impactful than FMJ ammo, which acts as more of a hole-punch. Regardless of what you buy, if you're new to the gun or new to the brand of ammo, get a small quantity at first and make sure it cycles in your gun reliably. This is especially true with defensive ammo. The last think you'd want in a SHTF scenario is for you to realize that your gun actually doesn't like this or that brand of ammo. Some guns can be pretty picky about what ammo they do and don't "like."
11. What happens if I put the wrong ammo in the gun?
Best case: it won’t fit. Worst case: it fires and damages the gun — or you. Always check the barrel or slide markings to match ammo to firearm. When in doubt, ask.
12. What’s the difference between a magazine and a clip?
Generally speaking, a magazine is the thing that feeds ammunition into the gun, and a clip is something that feeds ammunition into a magazine. Almost all modern semi-automatic guns use magazines. Calling a magazine a "clip" is the fastest way to out yourself as a noob.
13. Speaking of semi-automatic, what are the differences between semi-automatic, fully automatic, and machine guns?
Semi-automatic guns fire one round per trigger pull. With fully automatic guns (otherwise known as "machine guns"), pulling the trigger will fire rounds until the magazine empties.
Generally speaking, fully automatic firearms are heavily regulated, extremely expensive, and pretty rare outside military use.
14. How bad is the recoil of 9mm, and what does it feel like?
It really is manageable for most people. It feels like a quick, controlled push backward — not a painful snap (it definitely doesn't "hurt.") With proper grip and stance, recoil becomes predictable and easy to manage.
15. What should I do if a round doesn’t fire?
Keep the gun pointed safely and wait a few seconds. Then tap the back of the slide and rack the slide to clear the malfunction. Misfires happen occasionally — knowing how to handle them is part of basic training.
16. Do I need a laser or an optic or a red dot, and what are those?
A laser projects a dot onto the target. An optic (for example, a red dot sight) helps you aim more easily once you learn how to use it. Slightly controversial take, but we at L4A are big proponents of learning on a red dot — it really is much simpler and quicker to train on than iron sights.
That said, irons are perfectly fine to learn on, and accessories can definitely come later.
If you're going to buy a red dot, just as with the gun, make sure it's a high-quality optic from a reputable brand. Expect to spend about half the price of the base gun on an optic.
17. How do I become a good shooter?
Fundamentals + repetition + good instruction. Grip, stance, trigger control, and sight alignment matter far more than gear. Good shooting isn’t natural talent — it’s learned technique.
18. What’s the smartest first step if I’m still on the fence about gun ownership?
Get education before equipment. You don’t need to buy a gun to learn how guns work.
A beginner-focused class lets you handle different firearms, understand fundamentals, get your questions answered, and make an informed decision about whether ownership fits your lifestyle, comfort level, and needs.
No pressure. No assumptions. Just clarity.
If you’re curious about guns but not ready to commit, start with a class — not a big purchase. We'll walk you through the basics and you'll get to try different types of guns in a comfortable, hands-on environment. Book a beginner session, feel it out, and decide from there.
