re: Help me buy my first handgun

First question - what's your experience level with guns? If your a novice, consider a revolver. A 22 is a great start if you've never used a hand gun. It's convenient to have one if you're introducing your spouse or kids to shooting later on.

Shoot it a bunch, get comfortable with it, and then buy your next hand gun, which should be your choice for your self defense gun.

If your already comfortable handling a semi-auto, skip step one.