If you want a high quality gun that stays in a budget, you can't go wrong with a Ruger. If you're wanting a revolver, I'd say a 357 mag is the best choice, since you can shoot 38 special and 357 mag, and Ruger has some excellent choices. If you're wanting a pistol, I recommend a 45 ACP, the P345 being an excellent choice. You can put a little more money into it, and buy say a Glock, H&K, Sig, Beretta, S&W, etc But about the difference I've seen in all these firearms is the price tag. Since all of them function nearly flawlessly. It's hard to go wrong with any of these companies, it's just the features you want and the amount you want to spend.