In the days after the election, people on social media have been worrying for all kinds of reasons. Some think that Donald Trump will become a dictator or something. Others are worried that Democrats will do something in response to Trump winning a fair election. Whatever your reason for worrying, there’s one thing you shouldn’t do: rush into buying your first gun.

In this article, I want to explain a few things you should consider before going out to the gun shop to make sure you’re not making a mistake.

The Big Thing: Guns Can’t Solve Every Problem

As much as I like firearms, they’re not the right tool for many jobs. The old saying goes, “When you’re holding a hammer, every problem starts looking like a nail.”

Both morally and legally, there are only a handful of legitimate uses for civilian-owned guns: personal defense, recreational shooting, competitive shooting and hunting. If you want to know the ins and outs of hunting, be sure to check with your local game and fish authorities. For personal defense, it’s important to understand gun law as well as proper shooting technique and tactics because the stakes are far higher shooting at people over deer or other game. A hunting violation can result in a fine, while shooting at a person even in self-defense can land you embroiled in the legal system with the possibility of serious jail time. And that’s assuming they don’t shoot back and kill you on the spot!

Guns are only for use as a last resort when it’s a reasonable amount of force needed against an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm. I’d recommend reading this booklet if you want to learn a lot more about what “reasonable” means, as well as everything else in the complicated and incomplete statement I just made in that last sentence.

Guns are definitely not a good answer to losing an election either way.

Training First

There’s a common myth out there that a gun is easy to use, and that anyone becomes an effective user simply by buying one and handling it like you see on TV or in the movies. But, the fact is that you’d be more likely to harm yourself or get yourself in heaps of trouble if you do that. You need to learn basic safety rules, marksmanship and then regularly practice to keep that perishable skill up.

Buying a gun for personal safety is kind of like buying a pet. It’s not a one-time purchase that yields results through mere ownership or having it on you. It’s a commitment.

Buy A Quality Gun

There are an endless supply of opinions on what the best gun is, and many of them are wrong. Going out and buying a subpar handgun is a terrible idea.

I know the comments section will have all sorts of other recommendations, but I’d have to say that you can’t go wrong with a Glock or a Smith & Wesson M&P with an optics cut (so you can add a red dot sight later). Not only can these be found inexpensively (especially police trade-ins or clones like the PSA Dagger), but they’re just decent, basic, no frills guns that will be reliable. They’re not as pretty as a 1911 “BBQ Gun” or some tricked-out race gun, but they won’t let you down.

If you don’t have prior experience shooting and it’s your first gun, go with a 9mm for ease of use as you learn and for plentiful ammo. Many people stick with 9mm after learning, and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as you use a well-constructed expanding round for personal defense.

Commit Yourself To Gun Rights

If you’re buying a gun because you’re concerned about protecting yourself from fascism, you’ve obviously come around to the idea that guns themselves aren’t bad. After all, you think one in your hands would be a good thing. But, you have to keep in mind that people fought hard for hundreds of years to make sure your right to do that remained intact. In fact, thank a veteran today for defending that right!

It’s the height of hypocrisy to take advantage of that and then turn around and act like you’re some special person who deserves those rights while everyone else does not. If rights are only for people with certain political beliefs and don’t apply to everyone else, you’ve joined the ranks of the very fascists you fear. Instead, commit yourself to defending the right to keep and bear arms you’ve now decided to exercise!