Active Self Protection

Hello from Massachusetts!

My wife and I are in our fifties, and have never owned fire-arms. A developing situation with an old acquaintance has led us to conclude that having the means to defend ourselves might be very prudent. And no, nothing has happened that would justify getting law enforcement involved; we are very much in an-ounce-of-prevention-is-worth-a-pound-of-cure territory.

Neither of us has much experience with firearms; we both grew up in anti-gun households. I'm not sure where to start with the process of becoming familiarized with firearms and getting trained on how to use them properly, safely and prudently. I do expect that this process will take some significant time, and I want to use our time wisely.

What suggestions would you have for people wanting to embark on this journey?

I would start with this series on the ASP Extra Youtube channel for sure! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkjkKbdZgxVDsEnZbq_SxOlT5QnfDev2X

And from there, I would start by taking a basic firearms class and moving forward from that point. If I can help you find a reputable instructor in your area I would love to. My email is john at activeselfprotection.com

If I may add to John's advice: work with one of the instructors John recommends, and start by taking the class that instructor recommends as a first class for new shooters. That class might be NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting, USCCA Basic Pistol, or some form of Handgun 101 custom designed by the instructor. That first class will focus on basic knowledge of handguns and safety, safety, safety.
Next, do not buy a gun until after you have taken that class, using firearm(s) provided by the instructor. Discuss with experienced instructors what to consider when selecting a gun to buy. Also, consider purchasing separate guns for yourself and your wife, in order to get the best fit and feature for each of you. Sharing a single firearm means both of you are compromising from what would be best for each of you to learn, practice, and use.
(Advice from the clerk at the gun shop or sporting goods store is not going to be the best advice for what to buy!)

Hello from Arizona!

Someone named Ralph Mroz wrote a list of 25 very important things a defender should be able to do. Only a few of them are related to firearms, and Ralph himself pointed out that the list was just a starting point and not exhaustive, but I think you will still find this list to be meaningful in prioritizing your time.

The complete article can be read in his blog compilation which is available for purchase on Amazon, but the list itself can be found in the following link on Karl Rehn's blog where he responded to it:

https://blog.krtraining.com/stop-practicing-shooting-response/