First pistol

...buying a handgun is personal... you have to find what fits you well, and what features/functionality you like and dislike... what makes this tricky is the ever increasing array of options out there?.. single/double action, striker-fired, exposed hammer, thumb safety, grip safety, no safety, full size, compact, sub compact, slide lock, no slide lock, single-stack, double-stack, changeable handgrips, fixed handgrips, and so on!

you'll spend more than $400 for new... some worthy candidates for you to try; ruger SR9/40 ("feels" good but I don't like the thumb safety), walther PPS (slim single-stacker 9mm or .40, but I don't like walther's mag release mechanism), glock (glocks don't "fit" me ), S&W M&P (good capacity, trigger sucks, but alas this is my carry), walther PPQ (awesome crisp trigger w/ short reset, ..kinda big, hoping they make one in a compact someday!!!), Sig Sauer (handled many at NRA shows, can't say I liked any of them), FN (expensive?, ...like Sig, can't say anything draws me to these), springfield XD/XDm/etc (handled and liked some of them, can't remember which ones), ...

 

ok, here is what you do:

- spend your wife's $200 budget on going to the range and renting a ton of different guns/calibers to figure out what you can shoot well.

- then spend your $450 budget and get the one you want (forget about 1911's unless it is used)

- go home and tell the wife you spent the $200 and came home with your new piece.

 

What she does not know (how much you spend) will not make her mad--GET WHAT YOU WANT.

 

Springfield XDS 9mm

 

My first carry gun was a sig P239 40 cal. I love it and still carry it pretty much daily. I like the sig because of the external hammer, idk, Im just more comfortable seeing the hammer and knowing where it is. I also like the hammer release lever it has

 

I will say glock as well. 23 being my 1st choice. As another poster said make sure you hold as many guns as possible. While I love my glock I did have to dremel off the finger bumps on the handle as well as undercut the trigger guard because I have big hands

 

Nice avatar.

That dude is a pimp. I saw his speech in the senate (I think it was senate). Inspirational.

 

sub'd

 

SCCY CPX2. Check it out.