Needles and Syringes: Getting Started

**Ernst** · #1 09-03-2010, 08:37 AM

Needles and Syringes: Getting Started

Where can I get needles and syringes?

Many people go through internet supply companies or research companies for their needles and syringes. They can be had in abundance and for cheap. Depending on where you live you may simply be able to walk into a pharmacy and purchase them. I've even heard of people going to needle exchanges like they were junkies or something. I can't recommend doing that for multiple reasons.

What kind of needles and syringes do I need?

Well, this depends. For many of us starting out with our test only cycle we're only worried about a needle for injecting the oil deep IM (that's intramuscular, but we'll delve into that more later). Or are we? Most people will actually use two needles per injection, but one syringe. I can hear you now: “What are you talking about, Ernst?” Don't worry, with most of these 3cc+ syringe designs you'll see the needle just slips on or unscrews from the syringe. We'll use one pin (slang for needle) to draw the oil from the vial or ampule, and switch it with another to inject. The advantages here supposedly involve a more sterile and sharp needle for the injection. Most of us will use a larger needle, at least in width, for drawing than shooting as well. This enables us to draw the oil faster and easier. A longer needle, say 1.5”, can sometimes be helpful for those drawing from amps as well. Is this switching of needles between drawing and shooting absolutely necessary? Nope.

So here's what I recommend:

Buy a sufficient quantity of 3cc syringes with detachable needles that you intend to draw with already attached for convenience. Between 18 and 23 gauge and 1.5inch are good. The smaller the number gauge, the thicker/wider the needle. Then buy the same number or a few more of the size needles you intend to inject with separately, sans syringes. Now here we have more than one choice, somewhat dependent on where we want to inject. First of all I'll say this: a 1.5” 23 gauge can do it all. It's wide enough for most every substance/oil we'd want to hit IM, and long enough for anyone with reasonable bodyfat to hit the muscle in any spot as intended. For those people who are very lean, or those want to inject places besides their glutes (delts, ventrogluteal, quads, etc), a 1” 25ga. is sufficient unless you are dealing with a really thick oil. When you are about to stick yourself, especially for the first time, the difference between the two sizes can seem much more substantial than it really is. Why not just buy a quantity of both sizes to keep your options open? When choosing pins for injecting IM try to stay between 23 and 25 gauge, no less than 1”. Thicker may be no fun and create more scar tissue, thinner and you could have a heck of a time pushing the oil out; go any shorter and you risk not hitting deep enough when you inject. And no, you cannot use the tiny “slin pins” with fixed needles that you stole from the diabetic kid in the locker room for AAS.

A quick note for those of you considering running hcg on cycle:

You may include the water-based hcg solution in the same syringe with your oil-based AAS and inject it IM. No problem. Or, you may use a “slin pin” to inject it SubQ (that's subcutaneously-- the way you might have seen someone inject insulin). So you can buy those mini syringes with fixed needles we call slin pins too if you like, just remember they are not for the AAS. Size is relatively unimportant here-- smaller is better.

*****ALWAYS buy and have in hand EVERYTHING you MIGHT need before beginning a cycle. This includes plenty of needles and syringes. You do not want to mess up everything waiting on a botched delivery, and god forbid you reuse or share needles. Dull and dirty pins are no one's friend. Needles and syringes are virtually endless in supply. They are dirt cheap. Your health is not.