Best handgun for first-timer?

[DentThat]

Hey! I'm a 21 year old male, healthy and fit.
I've never owned or fired a gun before but now, I'm looking for a handgun. I want to meet these criterias


Won't jam/malfunction, not much to maintain

Not hard to maintain and keep clean

Good accuracy

Price-conscious ($150-$250)


Thanks! (from a gun noob) :)

[p2000sk]

You drive a hard bargain.

[p2000sk]

A used revolver of high quality from someone you know so that hopefully they would give you a screaming deal.

[XD-40 Shooter]

38 special revolver, you can probably find one used for $200 "ish".

[El Tejon]

Welcome to THR, dent.:)

Do you have a rental range near you? How about heading there and pawing a bunch of different guns and see what you like?

Do you have buddies with a bunch of guns or does your dad have buddies with a bunch of guns? Why not ask to go shooting with them? Learn those Four Rules as they are life.

In your price range, last pistol I bought (last week) was a used Ruger 22/45 MkII for $200. A .22 is cheap to shoot and a great starter gun.

Police trade in revolvers are usually around that. I bought a Speed Six for $225 at a gun show last year.

Bear in mind a couple of things:

1. In the gun culture the subjective is objective. What I like, you may not and vice versa. Don't get so wrapped around the axle about what gun to get or think that you "must" have.

2. Allow software to select hardware. Seek education and training, this will allow you to make an informed decision (and have an informed opinion, but you what opinions are like--everyone has one and . . .).:D

3. All guns break. If you find a pistol you like, buy others just like it. Buy plenty of mags if you buy a self-loading weapon.

[jjohnson]

Well, Rugers are built tough and are reliable to the extreme. In the price range, you're looking at a used Ruger Mk I, MK II, or 22/45 at a gun show or whatever. The Ruger Single Six revolver is great if a single action is being considered.

Rugers are very hard to wear out - I've never seen one, as a matter of fact, though I've seen some that were abused (like left out in the rain all season). Your chances of getting a used one in good shape are very good. I have a handful of them and dollar for dollar, are one of the very best around.

Oh, by the way - welcome! As a new shooter, understand that safety is a big deal - and it's easy to make a mistake with a handgun. If you choose an auto, they're a bit trickier for beginners than revolvers are. Either way, get started by shooting with a buddy who has some experience and can give you some pointers. If you have a range nearby that rents guns, you can give a few a try before you decide what's going to work best for you.

[PX15]

Revolver..
38cal. (or 357 mag).

Look for Police trade in's in good condition.

Don't waste your time and money on crap, buy a Smith & Wesson, or Ruger.

Jesse

[JustRick]

To paraphrase the old engineering rule, reliable, accurate, cheap. Pick any two!

OK, now that I'm finished being funny (heh), reliable, accurate and cheap don't go together in buying new handguns. Careful shopping in the used market can get you there, but your price target is still pretty low. May I suggest saving a little longer and looking for a good used .357 revolver or 9mm pistol? At the $400 level there are lots of lightly-used choices available.

By the way, I'm a newbie, but a newbie that recently spent a month shopping for a pistol. I ended up with a FN FNP9 (9 mm) semiautomatic pistol that I paid $479 for locally. Including a holster, mag holder, and three magazines it was nearly as cheap as other 9mm guns of similar quantity in the used market.

Last time I looked Bud's was selling new S&W M&P 9mm autoloaders for $439. That was a week ago -- and is a fabulous price for a pistol that is normally over $500.

Good luck!

[mayoke]

You may want to wait and save a little more. It will allow you to make a ore informed decision AND help you save towards something you REALLY want and not feel like you have to compromise.

Someone already suggested and I'll suggest again, go to a range. Most ranges will rent guns and then you can shoot and see what feels really good to you. If it feels comfortable and you like it, you will be more apt to practice with it.

If you are dead set on that price range, I just bought a BEAUTIFUL Smith & Wesson model 10-8 for $250 in almost new condition and it's a tack driver so far. (It's out shooting me still.)

Any way you go, best of luck!

[DentThat]

Wow this forum is alive and bustling. Thanks for all the responses and welcomes

Seems like with my budget, it's going to be a revolver or a Ruger (which I was quite surprised to see looks like the infamous WWII German pistol)

Is it ideal for a first timer to use a revolver as opposed to a semi-automatic handgun?

The semo-automatic is what I'm more into.

If I were to raise my budget to around $400, what would be a nice semi-auto handgun for a beginner?

Thanks!

[pps]

Speaking as a revolver person, I'm obviously not going to try to talk you out of a revolver. However, there is no reason to shy away from a semi-auto either. I'd suggest, as was stated above, going to a range where they rent revolvers and pistols. Please go with someone knowledgeable, mature, and above all...safe.

If you know nothing about firearms then TAKE A CLASS. It will be money well spent. After all this, then you might have a feel of where you might lean in terms of caliber and platform.

[357sigRog]

A revolver without a doubt. A 38 special or better yet a 357 mag and you can shoot 38s out of it for practice.

[JustRick]

Seems like with my budget, it's going to be a revolver or a Ruger (which I was quite surprised to see looks like the infamous WWII German pistol)

That would be "Luger." :)

If I were to raise my budget to around $400, what would be a nice semi-auto handgun for a beginner?

Some suggestions:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=396310

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=398832

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=398504

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=395951

[XDShooter07]

A revolver is a great choice but if you want a semi for around $400 you can find just about any used gun in that range from glocks, xd's, etc...

A lot of people are buying Sig P6's for really cheap 200-300 range right now that were once german police issued guns being sold over here.

If you wan't a new semi auto I think the closest you will get to $400 is a Ruger; check out their website for the different models. Taurus has cheaper semi autos as well but quite a bit more mixed reliability reports than ruger does.

The XD was my first about 3 years ago and I love it; don't try to cheapen yourself out of a good gun; if you can suppress the ants in your pants for a couple extra weeks it could pay off in a nicer weapon that you will most likely hold on to for a longer period of time.

[DentThat]

Seems like general consensus is go to a range and test out the guns and it also seems like a lot of recommendation for revolvers. Thanks!

[Pure Kustom]

Smith and Wesson 38 special revolver for about 300. Or a .357 Magnum for about 450. And shoot both calibers!!!

[barry960]

I feel like one should always start out with a .22, mainly because I did, and most people learned with them first, and because you can shoot all day for a few dollars. Also you can bag grouse and rabbits with one. I recommend the Browning Buckmark. I owned a Ruger Mk II before, but just liked the Browning better. That would be the one handgun I'd keep if I had to choose, and I'd even feel secure with it for defensive purposes since I can shoot it so precisely. Sure, I might have to pop off several rounds, but it holds ten, and they'll hit 'em where it counts.

[jc]

what ever you do dont buy a rossi revolver or a charter arms revolver:barf::D

[mgkdrgn]

Hey! I'm a 21 year old male, healthy and fit.
I've never owned or fired a gun before but now, I'm looking for a handgun. I want to meet these criterias


Won't jam/malfunction, not much to maintain

Not hard to maintain and keep clean

Good accuracy

Price-conscious ($150-$250)


Thanks! (from a gun noob) :)

Sounds like a .22lr revolver. A GREAT trainer and fun to shoot gun, and not expensive to -shoot- either.

Ruger, S&W, Taurus and dozens of others. Keep your eyes open at the auction sites, classifieds, gun shows, etc. They -are- out there.

[Vermont]

I got a 9mm (a CZ 75b) as my first handgun. I love it, but I really want one in .22LR so I can practice more.

The Ruger Mk II and IIIs have a great reputation. They are .22LR, so you would be able to shoot lots of ammo for cheap. I don't own one, but I remember reading that they are relatively difficult to take apart and put back together, so if ease of maintenance is really important for you, you might want to get some more opinions on maintaining a Mk II before you buy one. I'm sure you could overcome whatever difficulties they would pose though.

[k-frame]

DentThat, you might also factor in what you want the gun for. Plinking fun and to build up experience? Then a .22 is a good bet. If you're looking for self-defense, then you may want to consider larger calibers as suggested above. Concealed Carry? Then the options just changed again. Just like buying any tool, how it will be used is a big factor in what you select.

Vermont, , you said you have a 75B but are looking for a .22? Will the CZ .22 Kadet Conversion kit not work on the 75B? I thought the kit would adapt to any CZ 75 (but I've been know to be wrong before...).
http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=35

[DentThat]

DentThat, you might also factor in what you want the gun for. Plinking fun and to build up experience? Then a .22 is a good bet. If you're looking for self-defense, then you may want to consider larger calibers as suggested above. Concealed Carry? Then the options just changed again. Just like buying any tool, how it will be used is a big factor in what you select.

Definitely just for self defense.

That means a caliber like 9mm or 12mm?

What options should I like for if I want it for concealed carry?

[Hawk]

Definitely just for self defense. What would be good for that?

Interesting yin-yang effect in that case.

A revolver is generally considered easy to learn and a good handgun for a beginner. However, it's also the most difficult to master for defensive use as the consensus states you should restrict yourself to double-action only.

A revolver is a mechanical version of the game "go" - 5 minutes to learn the rules and a lifetime to master.

IMHO, proficiency comes a lot faster with semi-autos.

But you're young - that's an advantage if you start with a revolver. If you wait as long as I did it'll take thousands of rounds and a fair amount of time and money to get your DoubleAction-Fu up to snuff.

The "rent all you can" idea is a sound one.

[jimk0512]

Don't know where you live, but where I live the state requires a class before they give you the license that allows you to legally carry concealed. When I took the class, there were a few people in the class that didn't own a handgun. I think that was smart for them because the instructor let them shoot different handguns when we were at the range shooting the required target shoot.

Check the laws where you live. If a concealed carry class with range time is required, call the instructor, and take a class where they will let you shoot all the handguns - then go buy a handgun like the one from the class that you like the best. I think you will have time to buy the handgun while you are waiting for the license. Where I live, it takes several months after you finish the class before you get the license mailed to you.

[ripcurlksm]

Welcome Dent -- Here are my semi-auto suggestions from the heart

I would recommend a 1911 - on the low end will cost $500-$700 new. But this is a solid piece of American history and craftsmanship. All pistols I own are 1911's. No regrets.

I might recommend the S&W MP, which retails new at $400-500 -- its a polymer bodied firearm but very nice -- I almost purchased it if it wasn't for my love of all things metal (ie- 1911).

[mljdeckard]

Your price range is a bit low. The good news about guns is, that as long as you provide a little bit of maintenence, they pretty much last forever. The bad news is, the used ones hold a lot of value for the same reason.

Honestly in your situation, I would narrow it down to some traditional, uncomplicated choices. Look at a Glock and a revolver.

I say Glock, because they are very simple, more rugged than any other gun, and I would trust a used one in most circumstances. (Your price range is saying 'used'.) Look at the other new striker-fired guns as well, like the S&W M&P, the Springfield XD, etc. But there is a huge market of used Glocks out there. If you buy a police buyback gun, it has been examined by a department gunsmith, and reconditioned by the factory. If it has night sights, jump on it.

For revolvers, I will steer you towards S&W and Ruger, but your price might move you towards Taurus, Rossi, and Charter Arms. Honestly, for your first learning gun, you could live with one of them.

Small guns are NOT easier to shoot than big guns. They have a shorter sight radius (determined by the distance between the front and rear sight) making them more difficult to aim, and they have less weight, meaning that your hand gets more of the recoil. Don't worry too much about caliber, but know that a .40 is a bit snappier in recoil than a 9mm or a .45. No matter what you get, learning to fire quickly and accurately is part of the learning process. 9mm or higher, with premium SD ammo, is adequate for the job. Don't listen too much to dealers who characterize by saying "This is a ladies' gun," or "This is a beginner's gun.", if you are comfortable with it, get it. If it turns out later that you think you want something else, take a hit, trade it in, and get something different. WE HAVE ALL BOUGHT A GUN WE WERE IN LOVE WITH AND CHANGED OUR MINDS LATER. Don't carry a gun you aren't 100% comfortable with.

[psyopspec]

Since no one has suggested it yet, the market has recently become inundated with SIG P6 pistols. These are West German Police trade-ins. Most have been carried a lot, but shot a little. Plenty of them out there in the $300 range. It's a semi-automatic 9mm SIG 225 built for the purposes of government contracts. Mine runs great; I dare say it's one of the best and easiest-to-find deals going on a handgun right now.

Feed it with a good quality hollow-point and you'll have a gun that's great for defense, and carry if you choose to get a permit.

That means a caliber like 9mm or 12mm?

I'm not aware of a 12mm cartridge.

[lions]

There isn't a 12mm, there is a 10mm but that probably isn't what you're looking for. The big three for semi-auto pistols are 9mm, .40sw, and .45acp. Of course you can get whatever you want but I would recommend one of these. Welcome to THR.

[Old Grump]

Ruger single 6. Not glamorous but its cheap to shoot, almost bomb proof, easy to maintain and the ammo is cheap, cheap ammo means you can shoot a LOT without breaking the bank. Single action means you have time to take that aimed shot every time instead of just throwing lead down the range in large quantities because its easy to shoot fast. You will get to be a better marksman shooting them one at a time and time on the range will introduce you to other shooters. They will introduce you to their favorites. By the time you get to the point where you can buy a gun for serious you will have a lot better idea of what you want and when you get it you will be a better marksman. Never underestimate the mouse gun.

[Deanimator]

A used Ruger Mk I, II, or III .22lr semi-auto handgun.

A very large percentage of beginning bullseye competitors start with a Ruger. They're also extremely popular as plinking and small game guns.

They're accurate and reliable. They're easy to disassemble, but somewhat tricky to reassemble until you learn how.

The new guns aren't that much. Their not particularly rare, so you should be able to get a good deal on a used one.

[swampshooter]

It's extremely expensive to learn how to shoot a handgun if you buy a .38 or other centerfire. Try to find a good price on a used Ruger .22

[mgregg85]

Either a used gun or possibly a kel-tec.

[psyopspec]

I wouldn't suggest a .22 given that the OP is asking about a handgun for self-defense. Kel-Tec is great for CC, but not a great piece for people who plan on spending a lot of time learning at the range.

[QUICK_DRAW_McGRAW]

H&R .22LR revolver, can be had for around $100, accurate, fun, and great starting place to learn and imprint into your functions of the 4 rules.

[Kino74]

Since no one has suggested it yet, the market has recently become inundated with SIG P6 pistols. These are West German Police trade-ins. Most have been carried a lot, but shot a little. Plenty of them out there in the $300 range. It's a semi-automatic 9mm SIG 225 built for the purposes of government contracts. Mine runs great; I dare say it's one of the best and easiest-to-find deals going on a handgun right now.

Feed it with a good quality hollow-point and you'll have a gun that's great for defense, and carry if you choose to get a permit.


+1. Down here the last P6 I handle was definitely not issued or shot and was selling for $379 a little higher than other locals. Needless to say Sigs are great guns and at less than $400 are simply a steal. May be the only time one can get a SIG for so little money.

[wnycollector]

Try to find a used S&W, ruger or colt in .38 (or .357) w/ a 4" barrel.

Here are a few examples of what to look for:
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=112668462
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=112337343
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=112491854
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=112584462
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=112602151
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=112413309

[Old Grump]

Stand by recommendation of a 22. Learn to shoot first or the handgun will do little good and a 22 you can shoot accurately beats the living daylights out of a major caliber you can't afford to shoot much so you don't get good first.

[Hook686]

The problem with raising the price level of the handgun is, "Will you be able to afford shooting it ?"

[baryon]

I will give you a easy answer. A newRuger P95 9mm I don't own this but I still recommend it highly. It is around $300 and you can buy with your eyes closed.

[C-grunt]

+1 on the Ruger P95. Great gun, low price, reliable as hell, accurate and lifetime warranty. The only bad part is that it is a good sized pistol, and will therefor be harder to conceal if you get a permit. But the extra size and weight will help soak up recoil.

Another good gun in that price range is the SW Sigma. Its a little smaller than the Ruger but I would say the Ruger is a better choice.

[C-grunt]

Oh Yeah....A good used revolver from Ruger or SW in either .38/.357 would make an excellent first handgun. A SW model 10 can be had easily for a little over 200 bucks.

[Evocatii]

Welcome to THR!

As was said, you drive a hard bargain. You brought up your concerns and one was price. Am I to assume money can be an issue? If this is the case, I recommend a 9mm. Ammunition is cheap. Not as cheap as .22lr but for a defensive round, it is as inexpensive as its going to get.

I am a revolver guy at heart but I think you can get a CZ Rami or Rami P from Gun Broker under $400 in some cases. I have been looking at the Rami (not P) in 9mm for myself just for the reason of ammo cost. I've heard nothing but good things about the 9mm version and if it shoots like the CZ 75B, then it must shoot like a dream.

Best of luck in your search and buy smartly. Hopefully you will find the one that will last.

[MacTech]

I'm relatively new to handguns myself, but have been a long gun shooter for ages, here's what my experiences with handguns have taught me;

If this is your first handgun, a .22 is pretty much a given, dirt cheap ammo, you can shoot it all day, no recoil to speak of, and it will teach you good habits that will transition to other firearms, revolver or semi? that's a personal choice, the revolver has a simpler "user interface", you don't have to deal with jams, tempermental magazines and the like, but it generally holds less rounds than the equivalent semiautomatic

a .22 isn't the ideal self-defense (SD) gun, but it'd be better than nothing

the next step up in power would be a .38 or .357 revolver (you can shoot .38s out of a .357, but not the other way), or a 9mm semiauto (10mm is the semiauto equivalent of .357 Magnum, however you can not shoot 9's out of a 10mm, .40 S&W is a lower powered, shorter version of the 10MM), as you step up in power, you generally get both more noise, and more recoil, a semiauto's recoil will be slightly less than a revolver, as it uses the recoil energy to chamber the next round

9mm is a perfectly acceptable SD round, as is a .38 Spl, .357 is one of the most powerful handgun rounds available, but it is both a fast moving, and light projectile, and has a nasty tendency to overpenetrate soft targets, tear right through them with sufficient energy to still be dangerous, .357 also has substansial recoil, due to the high pressure, fast round, but it's *LOADS* of fun

My personal favorite is the .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) it's synonymous with the 1911 style semiauto pistol, it's a large, heavy, slow projectile (most common .45 loads are subsonic and lack the supersonic "crack" common in 9mm/.38/.357), a .45 emits a low, meaty *BOOM* when fired, but surprisingly, has a very manageable recoil, less in fact, than a hot loaded 9mm

9mm/.38/.357/10mm/.40 S&W recoils tend to be sharp and snappy, torquing at the wrist and snapping the barrel, along with a strong pressure wave and sharp, supersonic "crack"

.45 ACP recoil is more of a gentle push backwards, towards the shooter, with a very slight upward lift, the report is a solid, meaty *BOOM*, and there is no supersonic "crack" as the bullet never breaks the sound barrier (with conventional factory loads)

I actually find my Glock 21's (.45 ACP) recoil more comfortable and more manageable than my CZ-75, a gentle backwards push with slight lift with the Glock, as compared to a more wrist-snappy recoil with the CZ, even though the G21 fires a bigger bullet

[WVMountainBoy]

You can find a good .38 revolver in that realm if you shop. Keep an eye out for Ruger and Taurus as you won't paying for name and just the guns merits. Can't really think of any high quality autos that routinely fall in that range.

[ClemY]

For someone young and new to handgunning, consider a .22 revolver as a first gun with a .38/.357 revolver, closely matching the .22 as a second handgun. Spend most of your time learning on the .22. With the current cost of ammo, using any centerfire will be pretty expensive.

As to what to get, a current production S&W 617 and 686 would be ideal, but expensive. To try to get close to your budget, you will have to spend a lot more time looking at older guns.

[Luke Miller]

if u raised it to 400 a rock island 1911, its the first pistol i have ever bought and i have put 400 rounds threw it so far and it hasnt jammed once

[Crazy Fingers]

Gentlemen, if he only has $200 to spend, then he certainly doesn't have the money to buy multiple pistols. Given that this pistol will serve self defense duty, the .22 is out. This one pistol must be able to do a bit of everything, that means cheap to shoot (consider his budget... can he spend $20+ a box on ammo?), effective enough for self defense, and inexpensive to buy.

The answer is obvious to me. He needs a 9mm. A Ruger P89 or P85 is available used for about $250, reliable as all get out, and built like a tank. In addition, 9mm FMJ is the cheapest centerfire pistol ammo there is to shoot. Nobody can truly argue that 9mm HP +P isn't effective enough for self defense.

I would also look into the Sig P6s, although they are running about $325 where I am at. Also you can look for a used Bersa Thunder 9 for around $300.

Personally, I am not a revolver fan. Although I hear tons of people talking about getting used revolvers cheap, I haven't seen them around here. They also suffer from poor capacity and are difficult to shoot well in double-action mode. As for ammo, even .38s are pretty expensive nowdays. Some people swear by revolvers, but in a straight up gunfight I would take a double stack 9mm any day. Not only do I think it's better for combat, but you can actually afford to practice with the darn thing.

[Crazy Fingers]

Another thought... and this is only if you are truly unable to afford anything more than your budget. Look into the Hi Point 9mm. Lots of people hate them because they are ugly and they are cheap, and by definition people consider them saturday night specials.

However, nobody who owns one says they are unreliable. A Hi Point will kill somebody just as dead as a Sig. Again, I would recommend something of better quality, but the Hi Point is an option if you are truly unable to spend more. I would rather see you with a Hi Point than nothing.

[DentThat]

Thanks for all the great replies!

I'm not really into revolvers...it just doesn't attract me :o

I've read the entire topic and I've narrowed it down to either a Glock or a Ruger because they are rugged and popular.

So......

What's a good specific Glock model for me? (self defense)

And what Ruger model would be recommended? (85, 89, or 95?)


Thanks!

[PX15]

DentThat:

If you can't appreciate the beauty of this old nickle J-frame you are missing the "purty gun appreciation" gene...

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/Laserlips/100_7024.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/Laserlips/100_7023.jpg

But, if you insist, either a Glock :barf: or Ruger would serve you well..

Not as well as a 3rd generation S&W mind you :), but the Glock or the Ruger will do the job..

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/Laserlips/100_9857.jpg

Best Wishes,

Jesse

[3KillerBs]

When I took the class, there were a few people in the class that didn't own a handgun. I think that was smart for them because the instructor let them shoot different handguns when we were at the range shooting the required target shoot.

We did that.

IMO, investing the first $100 or so in training and gun rental is a great way to make the rest of the money go further by teaching you enough to make wise decisions.

The best first step, IMO, is the NRA's Basic Pistol class. You'll learn gun safety, basic marksmanship, and be able to hold and handle a number of different guns to see what fits your hand best. (Newbies don't usually know that guns need to fit like shoes or office chairs).

:)



*This is assuming that you are not under any kind of known, immediate threat such as being the target of a stalker, being hunted by a gang, etc.

[Loosedhorse]

Just saw your latest post--ixnay on the evolver-ray, huh? Too bad: just deleted my revolver recommendation post.

Glock 19 or 17 (used) might be easy to come up with for short cash--but more than $250. Not much difference between the two (except for CCW), so go with whichever's less expensive. 9 mm ammo is still cheaper than .40, so avoid G22 or 23.

[C-grunt]

A Glock 17 or 19 (slightly smaller) would be a good defensive pistol. But I doubt you'll find one for under 300 bucks.

As for the Rugers. The P89 was the original I believe. Then it was replaced by the P85 and then the P95. As far as I know, I dont own any of them, they are all good pistols. I think the P95 is a little smaller than the others. The Rugers are very good pistols. The only reason they are not more popular is because they are full sized pistols.

[kludge]

As an instructor I've seen a lot of new shooters bring their new semi-auto in to the NRA Basic Pistol class.

About half of them go home saying, "I wish I had bought a snub-nose 38."

Before you make a choice, I would recommend taking the NRA Basic Pistol Course; most instuctor will let you try out a few. If you tell them about your financial circumstances, they may reduce their course fee... the course materials from the NRA are only $7.00. The rest is range fees, the instuctor's time, gas, NRA fees, and insurance.

The prerequisite for buying semi-auto is the commitment to practice, practice, practice.

Many of the new students fumble with all the different controls... for a new shooter simplicity is your friend... from a simplicity standpoint I will make the following recommendations for semi-autos

Kel-Tec P-11 and PF-9 (Kahr not on the list, because of price). My P-11 has never had a jam, misfeed or failure to eject.

Ruger. Look for the Ruger P89 or P95 that has "decocker only" for the safety lever. Look for the "D" in the model number, e.g. P89D15, P95DPR15 (without the 15 at the end you get a 10 round low-capacity magazine instead of the 15 round standard-capacity magazine). They look chunky but they feel good in the hand.

You can check them out at gunbroker.com

You may have to find a used gun to get into your price range.

That said, if you dedicate the time you can learn to use any system. For something with 1 more level of complexity (a manual safety), try looking at the Bersa Thunder 380, Thunder 9, Thunder 40.

[Smaug]

For self defense (non carry) a Glock 17 is the one.

For self defense (carry) a Glock 19 or 26.

They're going to cost more than a lightly-used Ruger though.

Look for a used Ruger P85 or P89, and you can stay within your original budget and still have a quality gun.

I sold my used P90 (45 ACP version of the P89) for $250. It had many thousands of rounds through it, but hardly showed any wear. You might even be able to find a used P95, which is a lighter & slightly shorter version of the P89.

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q112/jzorns/Guns/RugerKP90_1.jpg

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q112/jzorns/Guns/RugerKP90_2.jpg

Good luck.

[unreal45]

Look for a police trade in glock either 17 or 19 but thats probably about $50 more than you want to spend. Check out CDNN they have police trade in Smith and Wesson autos in your price range, shipped to your FFL.

[jc]

nice gun can anyone recomended a single stack gun thanks. preferabily a s&w thank you.

[JT in VA]

Find a used Smith and Wesson 4 inch .38 special - look for police trade ins such as a Model 10, 15, or 64. Lots of other models available in .357 too (which also fire .38s) - use same to shoot relatively cheaply and learn marksmanship and safe gun handling techniques. Same gun is also a fine defensive weapon.

Then start saving for your first auto.