Get some protection first.

Typing the word gun into the gps it does a search but doesn't find anything nearby, trying other ideas of the same you eventually get a hit on a little store that sells guns. You head across town a little ways and find the little shop near the edge of town. Walking in you see it is only a half hour till it closes. The only person inside is a middle aged farmer looking type with a short beard and mustache, short black hair, and ruddy complexion. He is wearing a blue flannel shirt over a gray t shirt, jeans, and hiking boots. He has a holster on his hip that is plastic that seems to be more gripping the black gun rather than the gun being in it. Walking up to the counter you see all kinds of firearms all over the place, long guns on the walls behind him and handguns in the trio of display cases that make up the counter. Around the store are all sorts of ammo, knives, gun parts, and targets, plus a rack of hearing and eye protection next to a door that has a sign above it stating, “Ear and eye protection must be worn beyond this door at all times.” As you get to the counter he looks up from a disassembled pistol he seems to be working on a tiny piece, a spring perhaps with an equally tiny file. “Hi miss. Can I help you?”

“I hope so. I need a gun for self defense. Something small enough to carry I suppose.”

“Not in Illinois.” He says standing from the chair. “Not legally at any rate. Some day maybe. Anyway, are you familiar with firearms?”

“My last gun was a nine millimeter, but I didn't like it.”

“I see. So are you looking for a revolver or semi-auto?”

“I am not sure. What do you recommend?”

He smiles. “Well I suppose I would recommend you try out a few in our range and buy the one that feels the best. Tell you what, you buy the gun and I'll throw in ten bullets for say five different guns that you want to try.”

“Sounds good. Why don't you pick two you think I will like and I'll pick the others.” He smiles and you look over all the pistols in the case. Wanting to keep sort of small and reading the tags you pick out a little silver and black Walther pk380, another small gun, this one black, a sig p224 subcompact in .40 cal., and finally a bit larger Taurus model 617 .357 magnum revolver. He watches your selections and decides to throw in a Springfield armory xds a very compact .45 pistol, and a very small Taurus ultra light .38+P revolver that is black with a silver cylinder. As he picks the last one out he laughs and says, “Might as well try five different calibers. You didn't like the 9mm so I didn't bother with that. Here put these on and I'll grab the ammo.” He hands you a pair of plastic glasses and a pair of ear protection that looks like old headphones. You pull on the protective devices as he grabs a few targets and a puts each of the guns and ammo into a large plastic carry box. The sound of the room deadens to the point that your breathing seems loud, and as he finishes you offer to help him carry everything. He hands you the targets and carries the rest. You follow him down a hallway through a second door and into a firing range with a table to set everything on. “Smallest to biggest?” He asks smiling.

“Sure.” he hands you the Walther and a handful of little .380 bullets while hanging a target and running it down the range on a little mechanical wire. You stuff the bullets into the clip, each one getting slightly harder than the last, as you push in the 8th bullet you notice the clip is full. You pull up the gun and have seen enough guns used to know you have to rack the slide. It is stiffer than you would have thought, but still basically easy. Taking aim you squeeze off round after round into the target. As you empty the clip you can't help but smile. He runs the target back to you and you are pretty happy with the results. Next he replaces the target with another and takes the gun, handing you the little .38 revolver. You can't help but be amazed at how light the gun is as you load the five bullets and click back the hammer. As the gun fires you instantly decide that it is much more painful than the last. You finish off the other four bullets before setting it down. As the target arrives you notice you shot that one better than the last, but the recoil was worse. Third you are given the .40 Sig. It kicks like a mule isn't any more accurate than the first gun, but is clearly more powerful and the clip holds ten bullets. Fourth you try the other little powerful compact, the .45. It only holds five bullets and as the first bullet fires you can't help but let out a little squeak. You want to say it hurts your hand as it kicks violently back, but really it is more startling than painful. Gripping it tightly you finish off the last four rounds of the powerful ammo. The target reflects the power and you are really surprised at how well you shot. Last you are given the largest gun, not a compact by any means, and you load the seven long bullets. Holding the gun tight enough to make your finger tips turn white you cock the hammer back and let the first round fly. It rips through the center of the bulls-eye and while the gun kicks pretty strong the soft rubber of the grip and the weight of the gun keeps it from hurting, in fact as you fire the rest of the bullets you decide that the only one with less recoil is the weakest of the guns, the .380.

Once you are done he leads you back out front and asks, “What did you think?”

You can't contain your smile and say, “Very cool. I think I liked all of them really.”

He smiles, “Well then it is settled, that will be $2300 cash or charge?”

“I can't buy all of them.” You say before you realize he is kidding.

He points at the little .38, “I have this one in pink and black if you want also.”

“Why do I get the feeling you are picking on me?” You ask him smiling. Then ask, “So how much are each of them?”

“Well what you have picked out is not very much as far as firearms go.” Pointing at each gun as he says the price, “The Walther here is $390 with an extra mag. The Taurus .38+P is $299 with black or pink grips, the other Taurus is $340 with the 2” barrel, the Sig is $599 and last the .45 is $549 with two extra clips and a holster. All a pretty good deal really in my opinion. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.”