A 1911 requires a more hands on type owner... (or it has the potential for that) As the 1911 has some quirks about it. You may get a gun that fires anything reliably, or you may get one that is ammo picky, or magazine picky.
All semi-autos function similarly on the outside, but inside they differ widely... The 1911 is fairly simple internally, its just the knowledge needed for when they do not run correctly that is the big hangup and experience helps.
The 1911 is too big for CCW purposes, for the most part anyway. It can be done, but not very easily.
A single action trigger like on a 1911 is not a good option for a beginner if they want to use it for defense. Nervous inexperienced hands and a light short trigger do not mix well.
There are "compact" (not really very compact... I would call them small full size pistols, as opposed to large full size pistols like the 1911) they can be CCW with some care, and make good home defense pistols. The XD/XDM, M&P and some Glock models fit this category.
Sub-compact pistols are better for CCW, but are not best for home defense and the range. (though you should practice with them if you carry them) Harder to hold on to, harder to aim, less accurate overall, and added recoil are all reasons.
(here is a copy/paste of a reply I did for someone else, it may repeat a few things)
First some thoughts on what to think about to help focus your direction/choice:
What you want the pistol for is an important consideration. Competition, home defense, general plinking... its important.
For one, 22lr is just not a good choice for defense. Its better than nothing, but a good centerfire caliber is much better. .380 and up preferably for a primary defense round. (some even exclude the 380 from primary defense status) The .25 is not considered much better than the 22lr (but is generally more reliable being centerfire) the .32 can serve but many feel it too is not good as a primary caliber. (they can all serve in the backup role, but some choose the smallest 9mm they can for that purpose instead)
Plinking and just shooting for fun can be done with either competition or defense focused firearms if you so choose. A 22lr gun is fun and cheap to shoot, but beyond plinking and small varmint hunting, are limited in the role they play.
A full blown competition gun is not really a good choice for home defense. Light competition triggers are not a good idea when the adrenaline is flowing, especially for those new to firearms. They also tend to cost a lot more than basic guns.
Rifles and shotguns are better for home defense from a stopping power standpoint, but they are larger and can be unwieldy in narrow halls and doorways. Also over penetration becomes a concern. A shotgun is a little better in that regard, as #4 buck shot is a good combination of stopping power/penetration without over penetrating walls and the like. A basic Mossburg 500 series shotgun can be had for less than $300 and target shells for practice are cheap.
You are in the handgun section so I will assume you want a handgun.
We will stick to the big three calibers for simplicity. (9mm, 40s&w, 45acp)
Of the big three, 9mm is the cheapest to shoot, 45 is the most expensive, with 40 in the middle. Other calibers (380, 32, 25, 10mm, etc) tend to run as much or more than 45acp. (for example .380 cost is about the same as 45, maybe a little less, 10mm is much more expensive)
9mm has the lightest recoil, followed by 40, and 45 having the highest. (I personally don't feel the 45 has too much recoil, but that's subjective to me, and I am an experienced shooter)
The 45acp cartridge is also much longer than the 9mm and 40 (not to mention larger diameter) this means that any pistol that fires 45 will need to be larger in size to hold it. (well for double stack designs. single stack designs like the 1911 tend to be slimmer) This size increase can be a problem for some people due to hand size and other factors.
22lr is of course very cheap to shoot if you get the bulk packs, and has little to no recoil, but as mentioned it is not a good choice for defense use.
Which caliber to choose? Well, if its for defense... there is really no right or wrong when using quality ammo. Shot placement and adequate penetration are the most important things. Some want the biggest holes, others like the lower recoil, and yet others choose the 40 as they feel it is a good combination of the different factors. (40 is my personal choice, but my fiance's pistol is 9mm) One way of thinking is that even with quality hollowpoints, proper expansion is never guaranteed, and that bigger is better for that reason. (along with adequate penetration) The choice is usually personal, as the numbers/statistics only give slight differences between the 3 calibers effectiveness.
If cost is a concern, then 9mm may be the way to go. Check prices locally and online for the different calibers and then figure out your budget. The more practice you can get/afford the better.
Any pistol that offers a 22 conversion would be a good way to go to allow for both cheap 22 plinking and larger caliber defense use. Just be sure to practice with the large caliber regularly.
You also need to choose a good hollowpoint ammo and put several rounds of it through the gun to ensure the gun runs reliability with it. Bare minimum would be 50 rounds, but 100+ would be preferred. (some would say a few hundred is needed) Plus a healthy dose of target ammo for familiarity with the function and recoil.
Being a first gun, you probably do not have a preference between striker or hammer fired action, or DA/SA (Double action/Single action), DAO (Double action only), decocker/safety, or SA (Single action). So that means you can choose whatever you find feels best in the hand, as a good solid grip is important. If you don't feel confident in your grip on the gun, you will not shoot well.
Some argue that for defense guns you want a gun without an external manual safety. You want a striker fired like the XD/XDM or Glock, with their internal safety features... or a DAO or DA/SA with a decocker. One less thing to worry about in their opinion. Under stress one might forget to disengage the manual safety. Also it is felt that SA guns are not good for beginners as defensive guns. In addition to the manual safety... The short and lighter trigger pull requires a practiced hand when under stress, as it can be much easier to accidentally pull the trigger.
Another important factor:
You also need to consider your budget. Not only will you need to pay for the gun itself and some ammo to start with, (plus range fees) but you will need some basic gear as well. Like hearing protection, eye protection, a cleaning kit and supplies.
200 rounds of 9mm target ammo will run around $50 at Walmart, you might find better deals if you look around. Hearing protection and safety glasses, a basic setup of one each is about $20 more if you want better quality. (some ranges will let you borrow this stuff, but getting your own eventually is a good idea) You can get a cheap cleaning kit for under $10, but spend a little more and get a better kit. (I have had cheap bore brushes separate in barrels, not good) You can get a basic kit from Otis for around $30, spend a little more and get some good cleaner and oil/lubricant to go with it. I personally use Hoppe's #9 for basic cleaning, and a foaming bore cleaner for the barrel. Hoppe's is fairly cheap, and the foaming cleaner varies by make. For lubrication, I use a quality oil for the trigger group and a quality grease for slide rails and barrel lugs. You may need to pick up a pack of cleaning patches as well, those are cheap. If you get the Otis kit, you do not need to use their special patches, you can make normal patches work with it.
The debate on cleaning and lubrication techniques is a whole different can of worms... But as a general rule, its accepted that you can't really go wrong with CLP. The spray version tends to creep into nooks and crannies better, and the liquid seems a little thicker for areas were it needs to stay put. (at least the Breakfree brand stuff I bought did) The good thing about CLP is that is can be used as a decent cleaner too, I just find it lacking for cleaning barrel bores. (It cleans, but I find it slower than the dedicated cleaners)
As far as some choices to get you started...
I really like the CZ75, (or the ambidextrous version CZ85) in fact I own two. Its a quality pistol at a reasonable price, (basic versions run around $550 with fancy finishes like stainless costing a little more... but the basic black is the toughest) and its an all steel gun if that matters to you. All steel makes the gun heavier than polymer, but the extra weight helps lessen felt recoil. Also the low bore axis of the CZ and its overall design help lessen recoil as well. Many feel the CZ is one of the best feeling pistols in your hand. The trigger is really nice, it can be heavy, but it smooths out nice. A competent gunsmith can do a basic trigger job that really smooths and lightens the trigger. (I did mine myself, and added a slightly lighter hammer spring) Its DA/SA and you can get it with a decocker or safety. (the manual safety version can be decocked by hand, but I suggest lots of practice to learn to do it safely) CZ also offers a 22 conversion (but it isn't cheap, its an extra $250) They offer it in 9mm and 40s&w... I own both... I found them both to be reliable, but the 40 version did have a few teething issues during the first few hundred rounds. (a couple failures to feed and one failure to extract) I would choose the 9mm for a beginner, mostly for the fact that it was designed around the 9mm originally and mine proved 100% reliable without any tweaking by me. There is also a 45acp version, the CZ97, it is basically a beefed up (read: larger) version of the CZ75. (I'm babbling... but I really like these pistols)
EAA Witness is a CZ clone that is a bit cheaper and they offer caliber conversions for cheap, but they use the larger frame size like the CZ97. This allows the one pistol to convert from 9mm up to 45 and even 10mm easy (even has 22lr available) you just need the conversion kit. Personally, I can shoot the larger frame, but I prefer the smaller frame of the CZ75.
I am also a fan of the XD/XDM series of pistols, built tough, accurate, handles well. I owned one in 40s&w and it ran flawlessly, and I loved it. Yet another gun I highly recommend, decent trigger, but not great, accurate, and felt nice in the hand. I do like its ergonomics a lot, especially the XDM version. Its a polymer gun, but its a little heavier than a Glock. It was my CCW for a while. They are also nicely priced, depending on model a basic version is around $500-650. They offer variants in 9mm, 40, 45, and 357 sig.
Glocks are good guns, I just am not a fan personally. (Ergonomics, grip size, and other personal reasons) I think they start out around $550-600. They come in all the major calibers as well.
The Sig 2022 is fairly inexpensive, (I have found it NIB for $350 before) feels good in the hand, (to me) and I have read good things about it. It only includes one magazine though. It has a 9mm and a 40s&w version.
I like the Sig P266 and its derivatives, they feel great in my hand, have great triggers, but they can be expensive. You can find certified used versions for around $600, you just need to search around to find one that was used very little. Not easy for a beginner to do, you need experience in knowing normal wear from damage, slight use from heavy use and the like. Preferably a German made version... people seem to not like the US made ones. There is also the P250, I am not a fan of it, but many seem to like it, and they are reasonable in price. They offer several calibers, most are in 9mm and 40 due to frame size.
I do not recommend a 1911 as a first gun. While the platform is a good one, but as was mentioned, the Single action trigger needs an experienced user or a lot of practice if you are wanting to use it as a defensive gun. Also the cheaper ones might not be as reliable out of the box, and even the more expensive ones may need tweaking. It just needs a more active/experienced user.
The Browning High Power is a good shooting and feeling pistol (similar to the CZ in feel) but is SA, so probably not a good first choice, unless you are willing to get ample practice/training.
All the above mentioned firearms come in basic versions, enhanced versions (with either a defense or competition focus), and full blown competition versions.
Now for a little insight into what I did when training my fiance to shoot for the first time:
First... I was with her... I think that is important, having a willing experienced friend (preferably very experienced and/or had good training) or going to a class with a qualified instructor. Having someone there with experience will help you learn the basics and the common mistakes/bad habits to avoid from the beginning.
I helped her learn sight picture and alignment, proper grip and stance, trigger control, and how to avoid flinch. I also taught her the basics of firearms. (and she also started looking it up online on her own)
Second... my experience allowed me to noticed little bad habits and problem areas right away... Any flinch, sight alignment/picture issues, trigger control... things that a person new to firearms will usually have issues with when starting out.
I had a simple fix for that.
We had a simple cheap spring powered single shot airsoft pistol at the house, I set up a box with a target and let her practice. Basic sight alignment/picture was really helped, and then with a little coaching before she started practice with the airsoft, and over a couple range trips, flinching was eliminated and trigger control was improved. It didn't take very much practicing with the BB gun to see a great deal of improvement.
So I do think that someone who is completely new to shooting can benefit from BB guns or 22lr shooting. Especially in the areas of trigger control and sight picture/alignment. You reduce or eliminate the heavy recoil and muzzle blast/noise and its much easier to focus on the fundamentals of shooting.
Third... Aim small, miss small... use the right target when first starting out.
Everyone likes to use those silhouette targets, but they are poor choices for someone who is first starting out. A large monotone target... They are very poor for learning sight alignment/picture for beginners.
You see that... no contrast, the color may make seeing the sights against the target harder, meaning alignment is more difficult, and even if you can see the sights well, its harder to get consistant sight picture with the sights pointed in the same spot on the target every time.
See that target... it has a definite point of aim in the center, that makes sight alignment/picture much easier for beginners.
After you get the basics down... you can use whatever target you want.
This seemed to work well for her. She has only been shooting for a few months now, and we don't get to shoot as often as we want. (around twice a month, about an hour, a few hundred rounds at most) She gets a lot of compliments on her shooting from the range officers whenever we go. It makes her real happy to get them and she is really loving shooting. She has her own pistol, (a CZ75B 9mm) a 10/22, and she wants an AR-10 next... really an AR-10... big jump up I know, but she saw one and fell in love. She got to shoot one and wasn't put off by the power either. I also made the mistake of letting her shoot a 1911 one day (rental) so now we have to get one of those as well. Not that I am complaining. Been wanting to get one for years.
