If you are just starting to shoot, a Ruger MK-III would be a great first gun. Not sure if they are CA compliant, but I know they are Mass compliant... thats the whole reason they upgraded the MK-II and made the MK-III
My vote goes to Springfield Armory XD (M,S,) series of handgun,
XD stands for Xtreme Duty.
The best proof of pistol quality is fact that this pistol was declared as pistol of the year in the U.S.A in 2003., 2006. & 2009. by NRA (National Rifle Association) i think it was for XDM model.
Just few ones from my collection. Steel body: CZ 75B, Browning HP custom, Beretta FS 92,
plastic ones 
: Glock 19, Glock 17, XDM 9mm
XD (m) series is like you have improved Glock. You can feel and see improvements.
I am selling whole collection of steel ones and I will use safety action polymer pistols.
don’t let that plastic frame fools you. They are far more durable than steel ones.
Although steel ones may look nice & fancy. But polymer are EDC pistols with tenifer/melonit finish.
XDM has better finish than Glock.
+1 have an XD40 and love it. $450 from a private dealer about 5 years ago.
Beretta 92/96
I haven’t shot a lot of guns but in my limited experience the Beretta feels best in my hand. Go out to a range with a store attached and shoot as many as you can before you buy. There is a big difference between mfgs/models/calibers. Buy the one that is the most comfortable.
Can someone from the PRK tell me what the laws are regarding buying a gun from a E-retailer and having it shipped to a FFL for the transfer?
http://www.e-sarcoinc.com/pistols-2.aspx
The Hi-Power is the spiritual AK-47 of handguns. Cheap, reliable, easy to understand and clean. Plenty of 10-round magazines available. Steel frame and 9mm so it recoils easy. The FEG Hi Power is a very well built iteration and the Arcus-94 is internally the same, just a different look.
My only concern with the Hi Power is getting one into Cali, as I’m sure it isn’t on CDOJ’s roster.
Taurus TCP 380 is a great budget friendly pocket pistol. Mine black/blued one was $200 + taxes and fees. That is about the normal price for one with 1 mag. No issues with mine, and I really like the design for its size. I also really like my PT-709 Slim from Taurus (about 100 more) for a 9mm.
Of course there is fancier arguably better options that are generally more expensive, but these have been quite reliable for me.
I would have recommended the PJK-9P but as you suspected, its not on the list. I’ve had mine for more than 15 yrs and with the exception of some russian steel rounds, will take whatever I feed it. The original Browning HP costs over $900 now and its currently unavailable (no stock) here in prk.
+1 have an XDS45 and love it. Grabbed mine after looking for months to find one at a gun show $500. I don’t think I would recommend a .45 for a beginner though. Should probably go the 9mm route.
You really have to define what you want the pistol for. There’s a huge difference in wanting one for target shooting, hunting, and self-defense. Although all can do these tasks, some do it better than others. In my opinion 1911’s are ideal for target shooting, less so for self-defense unless you shoot it often, are extremely familiar with handling it under stress, etc. The traits that make it good for target shooting are also the ones that make it dangerous in untrained hands (single action, light trigger, manual safety). On the other hand the Ruger P series are decent self-defense guns but are poor target range guns.
Barrel length, size of the gun, magazine capacity (max limit of 10 but some have less), and caliber are also important considerations. In my experience the cost of the gun is minor compared to ammo cost, so get something you’ll like shooting and is going to last.
Stick with common calibers such as .22, 9mm, .40, and .45 (if you don’t reload these are usually the cheapest, and in that order).
Don’t forget to get extra magazines…you should have at least 5 extra one.
As Old4570 said…get instructions both for safety and proficiency reasons. One can develop extremely poor habits without knowing it. And poor habits can lead to serious consequences as well as poor shooting.
It’s easy to have a negligent discharge with a semi-auto (there’s no such thing as an accidental discharge unless something broke), so you need to decide if you want a SA, double-action/single-action, double-action only, etc. However safety is in the mind and actions of the shooter.
If you can’t spend more than $600 then that leaves out lots of pistols. In this range Glock’s and Springfield XD’s are reasonable choices for all-around guns. If you are using it as a house gun and range gun then I’d get a Glock 35 with a 9mm conversion barrel.
You can also get a .357 magnum revolver in your price range. Something like a Smith&Wesson L frame. This also allows you to shoot .38’s at a lower cost.
As I mentioned in the beginning, the requirements drive the purchase, especially if you will only have 1 gun.
IMO .45’s aren’t any harder to shoot than 9mm’s if one has the proper instructions and the right gun. Plus the holes are bigger so the groupings look closer together when plinking paper
I’d even suggest starting out with an air pistol before taking on the .22 rimfire ones. They’re fun to shoot paper villains with, really!
I don’t envy the people who really have to rely on a pistol for self-defense purposes; yet, if there are no other means of protection (i.e. a low crime rate to begin with, a low unemployment rate, police officers on patrol and taking their job seriously but not being overzealous at the same time, and generally high morale standards within the population), then be it.
I’ve always liked the full sized Glock17 lots, although they are much dearer in Austria (and have been in the UK) than they are in the US.
Oh, an English Webley .455 is REALLY fun to shoot! I do miss mine, had to sell it to a collector in Belgium. I’ve also had an Enfield No.2 Mk.I, which I had to have deactivated by a local gunsmith. Silly laws in Europe we do have, don’t we? But I may still hold on to a 12gauge double-barreled shotgun - as if that would make any sense.
Anyhow, target shooting can offer you loads of fun; start with an air pistol, work your way up to the .22 rimfire cartridge, then try out the ubiquitous 9x19 and the .45 ACP. Oh, if it’s got to be a revolver, I’d try a .357 as well - you may shoot a much tamer and much cheaper .38 round with that, as well.
Others might disagree on my opinion, eventually; but I still believe that proper aim is still more important than the size of the bullet.
My Taurus PT92 and Bersa 380
I got this for .22:
A 125gr bullet over 2.5gr of Bullseye in a 6” Smith&Wesson L frame has as little recoil as a .22, and is lots more fun to shoot
ruger MKI-MKIII .22 and a keltec p11 9mm are my picks.
ruger for backyard plinking and pistol target fun and the keltec for pocket duty. its a great pockt gun that holds 10 rds and accepts SW59 mags as well. its double action only too so its as safe as a revolver. (aka firm trigger pull so negligent discharge is very difficult)
Brian
If you want a nice .22 to start out with, the Ruger SR22 is a really nice pistol. I have one and it hasn’t had any FTF or any other problems. They are about $350 new and only hold 10 rounds so CA compliant. This is a fun gun to take to the range and let off some rounds. Only thing that sucks is it is still hard to find .22 ammo around here still. The Ruger 22/45 is also a really nice target pistol. My grandfather has a SS hunter and that thing was really accurate and fun to shoot.
SS Ruger Hunter 22/45
Also the Glock 19 is a nice pistol as well.
will they ship worldwide ?
Springfield XD 40, I live in California and bought one over the internet about 6 years ago… Shipped it to a local dealer with a 10 round magazine to be Cal. legal. Passed a test then took a course. Gun range personal instructor, etc.
So far have only used it at the gun range. About a month before I purchased the XD two guys jumped me in my driveway. Didn’t do much to me (I ran away!) but they damaged both cars in my driveway. You know…. broken mirrors, glass, kicked in door panels.
Should I be lucky enough to meet them again I think it will be a teachable moment. I now carry a very bright flashlight when I investigate noises at night.
Love the XD. Went to several gun shows and held 30 to 40 different hand guns and researched the XD like I research flashlights now. The XD was one of only 3 or 4 models that fit my hand and “felt right”.
TriStar C100. Excellent CZ75 compact clone with an alloy frame. Amazing gun for the price. So good I'm almost thinking of picking up a second, but my next purchase might be a M&P Shield.
Think we need some more info. on your needs in a gun.
- you want a semi auto, check
- what is it going to be used for, target/recreation, hunting, protection, gang-banging lol
- is it going to be carried on your body(concealed or in a visible holster), at home only, in a car
- how big are your hands, what size gloves do you wear
Some things I would suggest you avoid in a first gun
- double action only guns, too easy to misfire
- single action only guns, too slow when needed if uncocked, too easy to misfire is cocked
- 45ACP caliber, too much recoil for a first gun, slower follow up shots because of recoil
- guns with small ejection ports, more chance of a jam
Some things I would suggest for a first gun
- double action auto, first shot is double action and subsequent shot are semi auto, first shot can also be semi auto if you cock the hammer
- 9mm caliber, more than adequate stopping power and much less recoil than a 45ACP, if you want something in between go with a 40S&W. 9mm ammo is also a lot cheaper than 45ACP ammo. Smaller bullets also have less of a tendency to jam because of the smaller diameter, don’t have to make such a big jump from the magazine to the barrel
While I own a lot of the guns I’m about to bounce of your list, these wouldn’t be my choice for a first gun.
Browning Hi-Power and variants, small ejection port
Colt 1911 and variants, single action only, 45ACP
Glock, double action only
Of the guns people have listed this would be my order of preference
Sig Sauer P226
CZ75
Baretta 92
Taurus PT92