Also, going to a gun store is a lot like going to a jewelry store. You are going to get your own salesman, and they are actually there to help you. This is a major purchase and they make a good margin on it. The same way that women look at the whole case of jewelry and try on a few rings, the gun store is happy to let you "try on" a few pistols (hold them, point them in safe directions, etc.) You can dry fire **some** guns after asking. Some guns can be damaged by dry firing, and the clerk will let you know which ones, which is why you ask. If you are holding a gun and it doesn't feel **right** then it is probably a bad purchase* and you should move on to trying another pistol. People don't work in gun stores for the money, like at Target. They work there because they are gun nuts, like the comic book store. That guy (if he seems down to earth and not an obvious nutcase) is almost certainly going to give you good advice -- at least better than guessing. *There aren't many "bad" gun purchases -- unless you vastly overpay -- because guns rarely depreciate in value (unless you break them) and usually appreciate. Investing in guns is probably safer than the stock market. But you can certainly end up in a bad purchase in that you don't like the gun and end up trading it six months later. BTW, selling trading guns to a gun store is also common. They have to get a margin, but you can also trade guns on some gun forums.