Melissa, Get to a rental range or a friend and fire some firearms. There are so many great options out now. Research and decide on the caliber you want: example .380 caliber, 9 mm. As far as value and a great novice shooters firearm you can't miss on the S&W Shield in 380 or 9 mm. Even if you move on you will always have the Shield in your collection.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/101524/smith+%26+wesson+m%26p+380acp+37%22+8%2b1 budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/82836/s%26w+m%26p9+shield+7%2b1%2f8%2b1+9mm+31%22

This is a complicated question to answer in spite of some of the simple answers you will get. My advice is to go to a local gun range where they rent guns and/or sell them. Find one in either a 380 ACP or 9mm the fits and feels comfortable in your hand. If a gun is not comfortable fit, you will never be happy with it. Hopefully you find one that fits well and you can rent it. If you’ve never fired a handgun before, let them know and I’m sure they will be glad to instruct you on the proper and safe use of the gun. At this point you are not so much looking to see how accurate you are (that comes with practice and familiarity of the gun) but rather if you can handle the recoil. The weight of the gun, caliber and recoil spring tension (assuming a semi-auto gun) all play a roll in this. You may find that a 9mm is no issue for you or maybe a 380 ACP is a easier for you. You also want to check and see if you can rack the slide without a problem. Sometimes the recoil spring has very high tension and is difficult to rack. Once you find the gun and caliber that suits you, come back to Bud’s for that ideal handgun.

I would stick to the 9mm section and look for a name brand, that fits your hands well. I like the Smith and Wesson full size for myself. The extra weight dampens felt recoil. Also keep in mind that you can go to a range and pay a little, to test a hand gun out.

Melissa - a difficult question to answer without some additional information, but I can confidently recommend either the S&W Shield budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/82836/s%26w+m%26p9+shield+7%2b1%2f8%2b1+9mm+31%22 or, the SIG P365 9mm budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/101156/sig+sauer+p365+9mm+nitron+10%2b1+xray Both are good quality all-around handguns.

Melissa, I would recommend the S&W Shield 380 EZ here : budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/101524/smith+%26+wesson+m%26p+380acp+37%22+8%2b1 ------ It is designed as a "First Time" Handgun - Video demo here : youtube.com/watch?v=ZJWD-NsFdYE