Suggestions for handguns?

[Jim NE]

I am new to owning guns. I am looking for a small or medium sized semi-automatic handgun with a mild to moderate recoil. Gun would be used for target shooting and self defense in the event of home invasion.

Welcome to the forum, Mongoose1175.

I agree with RickMD. May I ask - if you're new to owning guns, how did you so quickly arrive at the opinion that you need a semi-automatic?

I'd never want to portray revolvers as "starter guns" but they are an excellent place to start. Double action revolvers are what I call "more intuitive" than semi-autos. These guns all basically function the same. Once you learn how to load and shoot a DA revolver comfortably, you know how to load and shoot most other revolvers comfortably as well.

Semi-autos can have safeties, or de-cockers instead, or maybe have NEITHER safeties or decockers at all, and those devices can be placed in slightlydiffferent places on different guns. Same with magazine release/catches. And you may have to own a DA/SA before you realize you don't really like DA/SA semi-autos.

Also, if you're looking at semi-autos, be prepared to include "learning how to clear misfires/jams" in your required skill set. Even if you buy a high end semi-auto. A good semi-auto on a good day is as reliable as an average revolver on an average day.

There are a lot of good reasons for buying a semi-auto, and it ain't rocket science to shoot one safely. I just think every gun collection is incomplete without a good revolver, and revolvers are a better place to start. JMO.