Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests buying my first handgun...suggestions?

He's is right on that account; you'll want to pop a few rounds off just every now and then just to get an idea of the blast that's going to assail your senses. Do this OUTDOORS and away from anything that will reflect the sound back towards you (don't stand under trees and do this), unless your a fan of long-term hearing loss (which means don't even THINK about taking your muffs off at an indoor range). The sound can send your head for a spin, especially with quick, repetitive shots.

I have a bit of upper-freq loss due to being a dips**t teenager that decided to completely unload a semi-auto Benelli 12 gauge in a barn one summer day; rats in the hay were just too tempting of a target. My ears rang for close to a week and it did stun the snot out of me...