Reddit mentions of Otis Technology Ripcord for 9mm .380 Cal.38 Cal, 357 Mag, 22.5-Inch

Definitely the safety part, cleaning and disassembly (trust me its very zen experience once it becomes routine). I use Shooter Lube for my cleaning and oiling stuff. I also bought micro fiber cloths for it. Qtips are also very handy. Lastly I use an Otis 9mm ripcord after I use the included Glock brush. Keeps my barrels super clean.

Another thing to do is stockpile on ammo. Sounds very zombie-apocalypse, however i use 100-150 rounds per range visit and go to the range easily 2-3 times a week. And since you already paid the DROS, buy ammo on the day you pickup. Otherwise its a hassle and they charge you a $1 each time.

Practice-wise the best recommendation I gave my new-shooter friends was to “shoot small”. Everyone likes to get the “hostage” or zombie target and the range, but I told my friends to get the 5-circle targets and focus on grouping. Once they were relatively focused I brought out these 3” Splatter Target Stickers and placed them on the paper target and told them outside the sticker is fine but inside is better because it changes color. Within a few sessions their grouping went from a 12” grouping at 20ft (yes they were that bad) to 3-6” groupings. Still not marksmen, but the “shoot small” logic paid off.

Lastly once you master disassembly, and basic shooting skills using stock parts, a Ghost 3.5 connector might be good upgrade. After that a flat trigger might be worth trying. The Overwatch Precision DAT is budget friendly and has many a kudos from other shooters as well as myself. But learn your stock gun first.

I grew up around guns but never got into it until January this year. I’m a 9-month newbie so feel free to msg me on any info about mods or new shooter recommendations. I’m in So Cal too.

You're going to hear a LOT of different things. My advice is to read as much as possible. Don't just take one person's word as gold, because what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for everyone else. My opinion? $600 isn't enough to be competent and comfortable with a setup, if you're not already experienced with guns.

On a budget, here's what I'd do:

First, I'd go with 9mm. I'm a firearm enthusiast, and I primarily shoot 9mm. There are pros and cons to both, but to me, the single biggest benefit of 9mm comes down to affordability. I can buy twice as much 9mm as I can .45. Thus, I can shoot twice as much, and be far more prepared. 9mm won't hit quite as hard as .45, but it hits hard enough to kill. You'll be able to carry more 9mm than .45 ammo, you'll be more accurate (because there's less recoil from 9mm), and you'll be trained better before anything even happens.

So the bare minimum starter package for a gun owner (regardless of caliber) should include a firearm, ammunition, safety gear, and a cleaning kit. Forget about carrying, for the moment. Without those basic things, owning a firearm is completely pointless. Having a firearm in your home that lives in a drawer and can be used against home invasion is better than not having a firearm at all, even if you don't ever carry it outside of your home. And it's a good starting point. A dirty firearm doesn't fire. You must be able to maintain your firearm with regular cleaning, and oiling. A dirty firearm malfunctions. A rusty firearm malfunctions.

On a tight budget, I'd go with a Taurus Millennium G2. People on here love to bash Taurus as a brand, and maybe they deserve that bashing. But the Millennium G2 (that's 2nd generation of the Millennium) get great reviews. Look it up, read reviews of any firearm you're thinking about. Watch videos on Youtube. Don't just talk to people who have never handled that specific model, but do as much research as possible.

So, here's the list-

Taurus Millenium G2 - $209, free shipping. + $35 (average) FFL fees to get it from your local gun store.

Break Free CLP (cleans, lubes, and protects- all in one cleaning product) - $7.99, plus something to wipe the bore($10.97), plus some rags and an old toothbrush to clean the gun.

Disposable ear plugs. Not as good as over the ear, active noise cancelling, etc... but they're a start. $7.86

Shooting glasses. $7.19

This is a start, and it's half of your budget. The other $300 can be put toward something like a holster, a belt, ammo, and classes. I highly recommend classes. If you're not intimately familiar with firearms, they're basically a must. Even if you are, they're still a good thing. Even without classes, you'll still need a range, and ammo adds up. Defense ammo is going to run you ~$30/box, and I recommend shooting that at least occasionally, so that you know what it feels like to shoot (hint: it's different from 115 grain target ammo).

Then, shoot as much as possible.