Well,

Im not a huge fan of guns, havent shot a gun since i was 18-20 or so...

but the following has occured in the alley behind my work, where i often am left working until 10pm-1am sometimes.

I work downtown in Denver, in warehouse district, there is a passthrough alley, single lane behind the warehouses.

Its where all the riff raff travels around the city.

1. two homeless dudes were on drugs arguing and one stabbed the other to death

2. a homeless guy was asked to leave the area behind my neightbor across the streets storage units, he left, came back and set all of his own belongings on fire next to the antique storage units (antique stores there) and burned tons of antiques right next to residences above the area..

3. dudes taking shits and pissing on the fences in some sort of marking territory situation.

4. fire truck called for homeless guy getting stuck trying to break into neighboring business.

5. when i was leaving one night around 11:30 on a friday. a guy was walking down the alley about 50 yards out, normal pace.. i decided to close my gates slow as fuck to let him pass by and give myself space, as the gates are 25' deep. i took forever and he never passed by so i figured he turned around, i walked back up closed and latched the gate, and he was walking in front of my car, SLOOOWWWW... so i decided as i got into my car to put it in drive as go as i was closing my door, as my car unlocks all doors when i touch the handle.. as i was pulling off he reached for my car door, came up short and just kept walking.

6. last week, i was here alone per usual, luckily my co worker locked my into the building.. i went to take a shit and heard water running, i checked all water sources, nothing, go to takea as shit, hear it louder and figure its the outside parking lot spout. it was, it was on full blast and tucked into the drain hole in the corner of the lot. I went back in and watched cameras, and a guy appearing to be on drugs, came into the lot, walked up to our back door, tried to get it open, then went to leave, saw the hose came back, turned it on tucked it in the drain and left.

so 6 strikes is enough for me... i have pepper spray here and in my car, but a drugged up asshole probably just gonna get pissed off if i spray him.

so i decided to buy a gun. the process wont be short. i been researching and learning for a week now. talking to friends with guns, hit up 2 gun stores this weekend, i have tiny little bitch hands, and i plan to never shoot it, hit the range once a month to stay comfortable, and thats it.. so i dont need anything special.

So im looking at the Glock 43x, Glock 19, a Kanik forget the model, a Sig forget the model, and a Glock 48.

so far the smaller 43x is my leading choice. cheap, easy to use, more recoil than some nicer models, I also have a buddy in Ohio who has 3 43x and 2 he never even shot, there was a Glock days at his local shop, got hella free stuff and a dumb good deal, so he got a few.. so if i buy one of those, ill potentailly have 2 of the same gun for price of one as he will give me one of his..

I am open to new thoughts, perspectives and ideas...

i do realize now that guns are like cars, everyone has preferences, brand loyalty, or just "likes what they like"

so everything with a grain of salt.

I also hear glock isnt as picky as other guns toss it in mud and itll fire still, etc..

if anyone has any input, i am happy to consider..

Might check out a Ruger LCP. Might also consider a revolver if you're not so comfortable handling a gun. Some folks find them more intuitive or easier to manage under stress. Im sure youve seen the video of the cop ejecting their magazine, having an "acorn moment" & that's someone with (presumably) hours and hours of range time.

also the shitting everywhere is often enough the drugs but imagine trying to find a public restroom at midnight in that part of town while looking unhoused. Some places are investing in porta-potties because it beats having shit all over the sidewalk.

20 hours ago, T-Dub said:

Might check out a Ruger LCP. Might also consider a revolver if you're not so comfortable handling a gun. Some folks find them more intuitive or easier to manage under stress. Im sure youve seen the video of the cop ejecting their magazine, having an "acorn moment" & that's someone with (presumably) hours and hours of range time.

also the shitting everywhere is often enough the drugs but imagine trying to find a public restroom at midnight in that part of town while looking unhoused. Some places are investing in porta-potties because it beats having shit all over the sidewalk.

looking up both, its worth a look, the initial comparisons all give a reliability nod to glock, but the benefits of the ruger like rgonomics and modulatiry could be a winner.. its a bit cheaper but im also not really going to be paying much of anything for a glock 43x as well, so probably a wash price wise in my case...

good recomendation.

I have 7 Glocks, wife has 3, but the most popular gun now is the Sig P365. If I were to buy a new gun, that would be it.

Should probably mention CZ as well. I've not fired their 75 or P01 compacts but their full sized pistols are really nice. Noticeable difference in feel for me.

On 5/7/2026 at 12:46 AM, BengalBacker said:

I have 7 Glocks, wife has 3, but the most popular gun now is the Sig P365. If I were to buy a new gun, that would be it.

i did check out the P365, seems like a solid fit as well. I ended up getting two Glock 43x from my buddy, they arrived to the local FFL and i paid the fees and did background, colorado has a 3 day waiting period so i can pick them up thursday.

got the glocks a few weeks ago. i didnt know they were brand new and never fired. so thats a bonus.

i intended to get to the range and shoot a few times before hte CCW class which has a shooting qualifier to pass.. gott hit target 70% of 50 shots. so 35/50 to pass. otherwise you gotta take another training course to pass.

so i sort of assumed i was possibly going to fail, but im also cocky enough to assume i would not fail.

first time shooting a gun with permit on the line and instructor over my shoulder? lol why not.

i hit 47/50 only 20 ft away.. white area is passing. they wanted us to aim for the red square but be sure to hit the white for passing.

i ignored that instruction and focused on hitting the white until i was well past 35. the last 5 they came and said aim for the red so my last 5 i aimed for the heart. hit 4/5

did i shoot well? no did i pass? yes.

so i hit the range for the first time outside of the CCW class yesterday, i was the only one there at 3pm on a thursday.

this is from 60 ft. i definetly have the dominant right eye "missing low to the left" i see instructors talk about most new shooters having.. so i watched some training videos and got some stuff to work on...

a long way before im comfortable carrying a gun around. but its a learning process.

PS: the shot that hit the left edge of the paper i have no idea wtf i did there.. was the first shot i took this time.. thought i missed the whole target... i basically did...

ALSO gun culture is disturbing as fucking shit. the shit i have seen going on at the range, in the store the way people talk, people are fucking insane and it is bothersome.

sadly, it makes me want to be even more sound with some skills, the dumbest most insane retards i have ever seen have 47 guns each.. seems like a decent idea to have one myself.

also....... the accessories for guns are over the top. people walking into class with a red dot, grips, flashlight attachment, band around the bottom of the grip....calm down man...

On 5/29/2026 at 6:43 PM, GoBengals said:

ALSO gun culture is disturbing as fucking shit.

OMFG is it ever.. I have guns as a tool. Imagine making a circular saw or a shovel your entire personality. JFC every out of shape, mediocre 30+ white dude is walking around in their tactical khakis thinking they're some kind of elite operator. Motherfuckers need to settle down and go back to their Call of Duty lobby. 999 times out of 1000 the most dangerous thing in any public setting are these assholes and their hero fantasies. Saw some dude at Dutch Bros the other day with a slung AR15 like.. You, sir. You are the problem, not the solution. If you can't feel safe going to some suburban coffee hut without a damned rifle at the ready then stay your bitch ass home.

STG between Obama and COVID most the white folks in this country done lost their damn minds. there's an event near me twice a year called Big Sandy where people bring all kind of machineguns and stuff to shoot off, lots of collectors and such which generally seem like some cool nerds with disposable income... but then there are invariably the other kind that turn up these days - now that they feel safe coming out from under their wet rocks - and I'm really not trying to go to some shit with a vibe like a klan rally without the pillowcases.

anyway congrats on not blowing your toe off, practice is key and you're already well ahead of most of these bullethead dipshits. one of the biggest advantages of concealed carry is not being approached by one of them trying to get into a pissing contest about whatever ludicrous overcompensation handcannon they're packing. thankfully i've got a chill old school & kinda low key sort of gun shop nearby, doesn't even look like one from the outside. bunch of old timers running it but not fuddy at all, eg not every long gun they sell needs to have a wood stock. between them and the endless amount of public land to shoot on around here i can avoid most of the BS.

On 6/2/2026 at 9:36 PM, T-Dub said:

OMFG is it ever.. I have guns as a tool. Imagine making a circular saw or a shovel your entire personality. JFC every out of shape, mediocre 30+ white dude is walking around in their tactical khakis thinking they're some kind of elite operator. Motherfuckers need to settle down and go back to their Call of Duty lobby. 999 times out of 1000 the most dangerous thing in any public setting are these assholes and their hero fantasies. Saw some dude at Dutch Bros the other day with a slung AR15 like.. You, sir. You are the problem, not the solution. If you can't feel safe going to some suburban coffee hut without a damned rifle at the ready then stay your bitch ass home.

STG between Obama and COVID most the white folks in this country done lost their damn minds. there's an event near me twice a year called Big Sandy where people bring all kind of machineguns and stuff to shoot off, lots of collectors and such which generally seem like some cool nerds with disposable income... but then there are invariably the other kind that turn up these days - now that they feel safe coming out from under their wet rocks - and I'm really not trying to go to some shit with a vibe like a klan rally without the pillowcases.

anyway congrats on not blowing your toe off, practice is key and you're already well ahead of most of these bullethead dipshits. one of the biggest advantages of concealed carry is not being approached by one of them trying to get into a pissing contest about whatever ludicrous overcompensation handcannon they're packing. thankfully i've got a chill old school & kinda low key sort of gun shop nearby, doesn't even look like one from the outside. bunch of old timers running it but not fuddy at all, eg not every long gun they sell needs to have a wood stock. between them and the endless amount of public land to shoot on around here i can avoid most of the BS.

exactly..

i am still feeling out the shot/range i prefer, i stay quiet go in, check in for the range, blow through 150 rounds in 20 minutes and head out..

there are 2 dudes and 4 women i have worked with there so far, last week a teenager kid was also working there, all friendly and cool, but the vibe is wierd as customers are sketchy as hell everywhere..

the other shop i scoped out before i made any decisions was fnacy as hell but jesus christ the vibe in there was togshit.. the chick who helped me, the only one to bother approaching me as i stared into the endless gun cases, was die hard kanik (sp?) brand and tried to push those on me, i mentioned glock as i had the 43x on my mind before i had mine on the way. i asked her what the difference in brands was, she said relability and durability, i asked what that means longevity wise, she said a glock would lost me about 2000 rounds before i started having issues with it.. and her favorite brand would last me 8-10k no problem. that shop was a Sig platinum dealer or whatever.. so she seemingly my obligation showed me those, told me glock feels cheap, and that i would want a steel gun, not poly, as it feels better.

read reviews for the store and they are rough, constantly telling people wrong prices on purpose then when they show up say "oh thats the member price, youll have to sign up as a member for that price" even folks dricing an hour or so to get something.. like 15 of those exact reviews..

the monthly membership there gets you range time M-TH, F-Sun you gotta pay still unless you do a higher end membership. i pay $35/mo for my range, and its 1 mile from my house.

took my CCW there, was fine, did FFL transfer there, was easy and fine.. so so far so good.

been shooting once a week so far.. gonna be tough to fit one in this week but friday is my best bet.

here is the target from my 3rd range visit (counting CCQ qualifier.)

started aiming just chest, got bored of that and went for head shot. a few off target.. the far right one of the head i was standing on a shell on the floor and tried to take finger off trigger but was apaprently pst that point of no return.. was glas it went right and not up to take out the retriever ..

they charge a buck for targets.. so i think ill get a few of my own, its more expensive but saves a few minutes checking in. and ringing a dollar on a debit card.

also i found gameflip has a seller slanging cabelas gift cards for 32-35% off, so i bought a third (lol) 43x in cotoye/peanut butter color... and grabbed some more card and grabbed a gen 6 glock 19 to fuck with..

reviews say the gen 6 19 has a smaller eelig grip due to a shape change.. so i figured id try it.. cost me $476 out of pocker for a brand new gen $620 gun, $700 locally with excise tax.. so if i hate it i can sell for $600 no problem. i pick those two up thursday or monday depending how cabelas handles the 72 hr holding period.. some wait till after the background same do it from the purchase date on the receipt.. i assume itll be monday.

almost didnt get into the range but was able to slide in Today, i was always told how packed it was on saturdays and during my CCW class it was, but there was 1 guy shooting when i got there, when i left there was a group of young dudes who had never shot before who were shocked by the power of whatever they were shooting, which had to be high caliber as it was loud AF..

they did not hit the target once while i was there.. i heard the cannon going off but the target stood just fine in perfect shape 10 yards down range..

they were having fun though.

anyway..here is todays shooting progress.. mild improvement, still down and left..

i also shot the clip holding the target on the backer.. which was interesting... they have a bucket of clips on the table.. so that seems to be a fairly common occurance..

this was at 20 yards/60 feet, an 18x24 target so not the huge ones..

i think next time im going to take a second one, i got these yellow backing and orange backing.. and shoot at 10 yards as well, see the difference in my accuracy with the distance change.

shot 180 rounds today.

Finally made it back. shot about 200-210 rounds.

I bought another 43x and a Gen 6 Glock 19, didnt care for the gen6 Glock 19 with my tiny bitch hands... im gonna give it a few more tries before i sell it i think.

slowly cleaning up my down to the left issue, still no where near comfortable enough to carry a weapon.

this was at 20 yards.

moved to 30 yards today.. little sloppy.

On 7/17/2026 at 11:23 PM, GoBengals said:

moved to 30 yards today.. little sloppy.

Still good...

Bought a couple of AR-15's, but one is illegal here so gonna exchange it.. wanted a 10.5" and a 20" going to end up with a 16" and a 20" 223/5.56 the 10.5" is only legal here in pistol format, which is cool looking but less functional, and im not going for cool looking..

44 minutes ago, GoBengals said:

Bought a couple of AR-15's, but one is illegal here so gonna exchange it.. wanted a 10.5" and a 20" going to end up with a 16" and a 20" 223/5.56 the 10.5" is only legal here in pistol format, which is cool looking but less functional, and im not going for cool looking..

Is this a longtime hobby or you've developed a passion for firearms?

You seem to know your stuff..

39 minutes ago, claptonrocks said:

Is this a longtime hobby or you've developed a passion for firearms?

You seem to know your stuff..

i dont know much about anything sadly, but im learning as i go.. firearms are fairly easy to resell if needed, and i found a cabelas scheme that saves me 35% so i have margin to play around with..

found loopholes and discounts for ammo from across the country.. so being frugal knowing anything i dont like, i can sell for profit.

colorado has a 16.5% tax on firearms accessories and ammo. so even finding ammo in store for 32 cents a round you end up around 37 cents a round. i found a outdoors store in maryland that doesnt charge shipping or any taxes of any sort.. for 25.9 cents per round. so i buy by the case, i have about 4,000 range rounds and 200 self defense rounds.

found a legit site with someone selling cabelas gift cards at 35% off occasionally, how they get the cards to sell i dunno, thats not my business, the marketplace is legit tho so im washed of that side of it.. so i bought my Coyote 43x for $390 with that discount after state taxes and all, retail is $520. grabbed the Gen 6 glock 19 for $490, retail is $620 $710 after taxes... used some discover card loyalty rewards points for one of the AR's, used buddy referal 15% off and a $200 gift card i had from work a while ago towards the other one..

so out of pocket for all 6 firearms im at like $1,400 i think retail on them all is roughly $3,000 so if i had to sell them all tomorrow i think i could get $2200.

so im grabbing a lot of stuff to try out and learn about... but i expect to sell off what i dont like down the road...

if that makes sense

48 minutes ago, GoBengals said:

i dont know much about anything sadly, but im learning as i go.. firearms are fairly easy to resell if needed, and i found a cabelas scheme that saves me 35% so i have margin to play around with..

found loopholes and discounts for ammo from across the country.. so being frugal knowing anything i dont like, i can sell for profit.

colorado has a 16.5% tax on firearms accessories and ammo. so even finding ammo in store for 32 cents a round you end up around 37 cents a round. i found a outdoors store in maryland that doesnt charge shipping or any taxes of any sort.. for 25.9 cents per round. so i buy by the case, i have about 4,000 range rounds and 200 self defense rounds.

found a legit site with someone selling cabelas gift cards at 35% off occasionally, how they get the cards to sell i dunno, thats not my business, the marketplace is legit tho so im washed of that side of it.. so i bought my Coyote 43x for $390 with that discount after state taxes and all, retail is $520. grabbed the Gen 6 glock 19 for $490, retail is $620 $710 after taxes... used some discover card loyalty rewards points for one of the AR's, used buddy referal 15% off and a $200 gift card i had from work a while ago towards the other one..

so out of pocket for all 6 firearms im at like $1,400 i think retail on them all is roughly $3,000 so if i had to sell them all tomorrow i think i could get $2200.

so im grabbing a lot of stuff to try out and learn about... but i expect to sell off what i dont like down the road...

if that makes sense

It does.

On 7/23/2026 at 5:10 PM, GoBengals said:

Bought a couple of AR-15's, but one is illegal here so gonna exchange it.. wanted a 10.5" and a 20" going to end up with a 16" and a 20" 223/5.56 the 10.5" is only legal here in pistol format, which is cool looking but less functional, and im not going for cool looking..

that "pistol brace" stuff is a legal gray area i dont see much cause to trifle with.. that shit is 99% the realm of LARPer tactical dad types from what ive seen

I forgot the AR's dont come with magazines because they come with 30 round mags and colorado has a 15 round mag limit so they just remove them... which is infuriating..

so i need to grab some mags. 15 round native mags are tough to find, i dont want larger 30 round pinned to be 15 round.. clunky for no reason...

found out my shorter AR isnt illegal, its considered a pistol, so its fine. so i have a20" AR-15 and a 10.5" barrel ar-15 pistol. i have no mags and no ammo for them yet

been about a month so im rusty but was mediocre / ok.

the two newest additions. 20" and 10.5" AR-15. Short one is Palmetto State Armory and the Long is a Bear Creek Arsenal, both low end but reasonable quality.

Colorado has a 15 round mag limit so i had to order special mags for them, little bitch ass baby mags.. they look borderline silly in them, but it is what it is.. If i add a handle to teh short one its a felony to own..

Colorado gun laws are some of the silliest i have ever seen.