glad to know that my post has become a place for you guys to battle your opinions. anybody have any real advice?

The Ruger SR9 or LCP.

I just am not a fan of revolvers. Mostly because they don't have a safety. Of course many new semi auto's like the LCP don't either which I don't like. I love semi autos and hardly ever have one jam. If you learn what you are doing it's not easy to have one loaded and you not know it.

The single Action and double action mostly refers to revolvers. Double action is basically like a semi auto revolver and the single action you have to manually pull the hammer back every time.

It's an internet forum. What do you expect?

I think you've gotten some good advice on this thread. I also believe you've seen some "not so good" advice. So, what do you believe? Somebody with a high post count on a hunting (versus a handgun) forum? I don't think so, but I only have one opinion, just like everyone else.

Step away from the keyboard and go to a range, or a good gun-store, when they are not crowded and can give you some advice. Soak it all in. See what feels good in your hand. See what gives you confidence (really, it is important in a self defense handgun).

Do you have any friends who are "gun guys"?. And I don't just mean hunters. True "gun guys". Ask them. Do you know any LEO's? If so, ask them if the first time they fired a handgun was at the academy. If it was, then they've possibly been brainwashed by their department and thus aren't true gun guys. You'd be surprised by how little many LEO's (who aren't gun-guys first) actually shoot. If they've been shooting long before they went to the academy, ask for their advice. Or again, go to a range or good gun-store. The key is to find somebody you trust.



Decide:

- Revolver vs. autoloader (or pistol or semi-auto). I have both, although I significantly prefer semi-autos. However what I like shouldn't matter to you.

- If you decide semiauto, you need to decide: single action, double action only (like a revolver), for DA/SA (first shot double, following shots are single action

- You also need to think about caliber. what size person are you? will your wife sometimes shoot it? How comfortable are you with guns? All this will (should) come in to play in caliber selection.

There is more, but I'll stop. Of course I think my advice is sound. I also think nksmfamjp is "bang on". I think some of the specific guns listed on this thread are good for what little you've stated your criteria are. I think some of the others are cr@p for your needs. But they are opinions on an internet forum that does not specialize in handguns. What more do you expect? Next up could be the Ginger vs. Mary Ann debate (the under 40 crowd need not apply!).

You need to get to gun store or range and talk to someone. Soak it all in. Take notes if necessary. And then come back here, if this is where you are comfortable, and bounce off ideas.

Good luck.

I SURE WISH you would kindly explain to me how revolvers DON'T have safetys! As a matter of fact,almost all double action revolvers today actually offer THREE seperate safety features. Just because you don't see them on outside don't mean they don't have them. You MUST be forgetting about transfer bars,trigger rebound safetys,etc.

While I can follow the points both of you make, I believe he was referring to external safety's, which revolvers (and Glocks and many DA/SA pistols) don't have. I'm defining an external safety as something that prevents the hammer from striking a primer when the trigger is pulled.

If you pull the trigger, a round will be fired with Glocks, revolvers, Sig's, and many pistols (revolvers and semi-autos). That doesn't make them less safe, but it is something you need to be comfortable with. Not all handgun newbie's are comfortable with that.

Let's please keep in mind that the OP stated that he was purchasing his first handgun. I think the KISS principle would be a benefit to him as he's trying to learn about something new.

Your right griff-that's why I say you CANNOT get ANY semiauto as simple to operate as a revolver. Revolvers are the simplest to operate of all. Ialways reccomend a revolver for a first time owner. You don't have to worry about:is 1 in chamber,is magazine loaded,is magazine in gun,is safety on,is decocker on,is gun cocked,etc.-you simply have to draw and squeeze trigger.