Oh, then I’m excited for you. Have fun and remember the four rules of gun safety.
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look down the barrel to make sure it’s clear
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aim to the sky and pull the trigger to finish off the last few rounds before you’re done for the day.
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make fun of anyone wearing hear protection
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always hold the gun sideways when shooting, only fags hold it upright. And proper stowage while reloading mags is tucked in your underwear like they do in the movies.
Springfield Range Officer is now on the post-deployment toys list.
You never did explain. Did something recently happen that prompted further interest?
Looks like you did your homework otherwise. 
Sorry about that. About a year and a half ago, we had a break in attempt at our house. They ended up leaving when they heard me open the basement door in my living room (they were attempting to enter the basement door on the outside). Ever since then, I haven’t felt completely safe. Especially, with 3 females in the house that are counting on me to protect them. My wife and daughters deserve peace of mind, knowing that I’ll be able to protect them if things get bad. We’ve had some new neighbors, also, that have been rather shady. I suspect they may be selling drugs, as there are numerous “knock and go” visitors at their houses. They just pull up, come to the door for 30 seconds and leave. This will happen at least 3-5 times a day, on average.
I don’t trust any of these shady people, and unfortunately, moving isn’t an option at the moment, as it will cost a lot more to move into somewhere safer and bigger, than it would be to get a gun and have a little bit of peace of mind. The police are watching the area very closely, now. I have 3 friends in the town’s PD who have said they are being investigated. One of the guys apparently is wanted by the FBI for being some kind of scam artist. I don’t know, or care, how true that is. But, I know for sure that I don’t trust them, and if they attempt anything stupid, I will defend myself, my family, and my home, with lethal force if it’s justified.
See if you can shoot any IDPA matches near you. If you are going to own a gun for any type of self defense, continuous training is a must.
Also, call the police about the shady neighbors. Just make sure they get the address correct–last thing you want is a no-knock at 3 am at your house because they got the wrong address…
Oh yeah. The police already know about the neighbors. I have friends in Front Royal Police Dept that are watching them like hawks. Ever since they have been watching, a lot more stuff has been going on out the back door, as opposed to the front. The buyers are even parking down the street, or around the block, and walking to the back door to do their business so it isn’t as noticeable.
One neighbor who was open to me about her dealings, said she was moving out because “she can’t pay her rent anymore since she’s been unemployed.” I’m not stupid. She never had a job the entire time she lived there. She had been bitching that the police presence had her worried. Then, all of a sudden, she moves. The people that just moved in are just as bad.
The place I’m getting the gun offers a lot of classes from beginner level stuff, to advanced classes. If you buy from them, they offer a small discount if you attend classes through them. I’d be interested in learning as much as possible, especially defensive techniques. I’d also be doing their course to obtain a CCW permit.