first off , stay away from the gun .. it takes to long to heal and causes scar tissue .. the best thing is to go to a good reputable shop and get them pierced with a hallow needle ( not punched ) . alot of people on here recommend getting them done at a 10 ga or even 8 ga .. that way you dont have to worry about the tiny sizes and you can start right out with a good set of plugs ... make sure that after you get them pierced you wait at LEAST 6 MONTHS before you do your first stretch ..... you lobes need to be more than healed - they need time to strengthen the fistula before you try to stretch . after the initial 6 month healing time .. you can start stretching one size at a time - dont skip sizes , and do not rush .. take at least 4-6 weeks between each stretch ..
if it hurts or requires force then its to soon .. wait longer . your ears will loosed on their own " stretching " is kind of a misleading term because when your ears are truly ready for the next size you really dont have to stretch anything , you just slip in the next size plug and it should feel no different than changing out one pair for another pair the same size ... does that make since ?
stretching should never hurt more than a slight tugging pressure , anything more intense means your not ready - again wait longer , time is the best thing for your lobes .
stretching should never bleed , if you bleed you have ripped something and you must downsize for it to heal with as little scar tissue as possible ...
your ears should not swell or produce any liquid after a normal stretch
so basically - go to a good pro shop get pierced with a hallow needle ( size is up to you - but 10 or 8 ga is a great size to start with ) do sea salt soaks while it heals and wait 6 months before you start stretching - Good luck , and happy stretching
Go SLOW dont rush ITS NOT A RACE