Next step up?

A "budget" means different things to different people; what are you looking to spend?

Without any more info we cannot offer any suggestions other then what we like which does not really help you...

If you are concerned about recoil for you wife, a bigger pistol will be better for her as it will have less felt recoil. Go fondle some and the largest pistol she can comfortably hold chambered in 9mm (cheap to shoot as center-fires go) made by a reputable company will be adequate for your needs.

Makarov or CZ-82.

For self defense, your going to have to move up to center fire cartridge. The cheapest one to shoot is 9mm. The 9mm is the most popular which makes it the least expensive.
The price of a gun purchase is irrelevant compared to the money you will spend over the your lifetime of shooting. Think about it. In 35+ years of shooting I can't begin to add up the money I've spent on ammo.
There are lots of guns out there to fit every budget. The ammo is what will really put a dent in your pocket.
As far as your wife goes, I've seen petite women shooting all kinds of full size handguns in every caliber. A full size auto pistol is much easier to shoot than a little bug gun. For range shooting and home defense, nothing beats a full size semi auto.
My advice for you is to find an indoor shooting range and try some of their rental guns. Full size polymer handguns aren't really that heavy and tend to soak up recoil much better than a sub compact. At the very least, look at some compact pistols with a 3.5 to 4" barrel.
I don't steer people towards revolvers simply because they never learn how to shoot them in double action. A revolver is IMO useless if you can't just pick it up and fire it without cocking the hammer in a self defense situation. {I happen to love wheelguns though.} Besides, 38spl. ammo is more expensive than 9mm.

Good luck

Rookie21 said:

Im looking for my first self defense pistol, on a budget. I'd also like to use it for target practice and what not so the bullets would have to be somewhat cheap and locally available.
Any suggestions? I really like the Beretta Neos, but it's a .22 and that just won't cut it for self defense. - is there a next step up?
It also cant be too big of a gun because it would be used by my wife as well, 105 lbs. and short.
Thanks for any suggestions!

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Look at these;

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=521723

Even though the .22lr may not be recommended as a defense round, it would fit your needs perfectly. It is very easy to develop bad habits as a rookie shooter, centerfire rounds typically compound your mistakes because of increased muzzle blast and recoil.

When it comes to choosing a defensive pistol one of the most important things to consider is: can you operate the safetys/mag release/release the slide...etc on the pistol. Don't go by other's opinions or looks alone. Handle the gun, rack the slide, drop the magazine, feel the gun and determine if it fits YOU and your wife. You may not both be comfortable with the same pistol in the same way you don't probably wear the same shoes.

Seek professional advice, weigh your decisions carefully, try out as many types of pistols as possible, and seek professional instruction.

A gun for you and for your wife may be different. I hate revolvers, but my wife is dead-on with them.

If you both plan on carrying then you need 2 anyway.

In the end realize it's an addiction, you'll get more eventually it's only a matter of time!

My recommendations: Your Neo is about 250-300 new. For that price you can get a decent .357, which makes you able to shoot both .357 and .38. For that price you can also find a Sigma in 9mm or 40, which I hate to say has proved it's self on the boards.

I will also put in master the .22lr first, then move up to a centerfire. I recommend a used S&W from J&G sales dot com for around $260. They have 38 spec revolvers which force you to slow down and take precise shots due to being a 6 shot wheel gun. 38s are considered the next step as they are a medium caliber along with 32s and .380s.

Go rent a bunch of guns, look at what is available and what you like, then realize that $100 isn't that much, hell it's maybe 5-6 boxes of ammo, and you can burn that in ONE range trip, so a quality gun isn't that more much of an investment, or better put,

BUYING A GUN YOU WON'T REGRET IS WORTH EVERY PENNY

It also cant be too big of a gun because it would be used by my wife as well, 105 lbs. and short.

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My girlfriend is the same size, except maybe a little shorter. She shoots a G19 (2 of them actually), Sig P250, Ruger LCP. She has also shot my 1911 and .357. She shies away from the .357 and 1911 because of the weight of the guns mostly, the recoil form the .357 is an issue too. The Glock 19s are a perfect fit her. The 9mm is cheap and common.

BUYING A GUN YOU WON'T REGRET IS WORTH EVERY PENNY

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That's worth mentioning again

Look into revolvers too.

http://www.jgsales.com/product_info.../2441?osCsid=28afd37c2c3170332ccb91639d26bf7a

Thats about as cheap as you are gonna find for a GOOD defensive handgun. Also on that website is the CZ-82 which is around the same price...another good option.

Id also suggest a fairly large framed handgun for home defense. The larger frame and weight soaks up recoil and the bigger guns are easier to shoot accurately.

My partner is a female and is all of 5'02". Our duty gun is a full size Glock 22 which is a .40. Not the lightest recoiling gun and she shoots it pretty well.

I like the CZ, ammo is pretty cheap, but selection is limited, a 9mm isn't bad as a center fire you don't have super expensive ammo, and you have a wide selection of plinking and SD ammo, a .357 fills the same for a revolver, as you can shoot .38 to learn and carry .357 SD (and shoot cause it doesn't do any good not to shoot your SD ammo)

But, a smaller 9mm isn't really the gun to learn on, a .22 is great to learn the basics of marksmanship and safe handling, but not so great for SD, Consider what your wants and needs are, and try to find a gun that meets them, also look for used, as you usually will get the same quality with out the premium of new, but know what you are buying so you don't get suckered.

Although spending the money on a .22 might seem like a waste, the cost of a practice gun can offset the price of practice ammo in a hurry.

A decent practice .22 pistol can be had for $200-300. A big (300-500 round) box of ammo, $15-20.

1000 rounds of cheap 9mm practice ammo will cost almost that much. You can learn skills and practice often with a .22. Those skills will play directly into shooting a larger caliber. You could buy the .22 and start shooting often as you save and shop for a SD gun.

Besides, everyone needs a .22 handgun.

There are a variety of semi's that also have a .22 conversion kit that allows for less expensive practice - you might want to look into those. IIRC, Glock, CZ and the generic 1911s all have that possibility - there may be a few more