Should I get a semi-auto or a revolver as my first SD gun?

For first gun - .357 Mag revolver. You can shoot the softer .38 Special loads in it to get used to it. It's obvious how it works, it has a fairly hefty trigger pull so there's little surprise that it would go bang if you pull the trigger, and just about everyone can figure out how to unload it. Simpler is less mistake-prone.

There's even a (debatable) slightly positive perception of using a revolver to defend yourself rather than a semi-auto. (The press seems to think "semi-auto" is a perjorative term and if only all semi-autos disappeared the world would be safe once again.)

2nd gun should be a .22 pistol. Put a few thousand rounds thru it to become proficient and learn the fundamentals of marksmanship.

THEN you can start looking at other guns from a position of some experience.

The revolver is to handguns as Cheerios is to food. Everyone should start there! While you may forget about them for awhile you never really outgrow them.
 
A Centennial variant is hard to beat..

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S&W 4046

Truth Seeker, one of my favorite guns is my S&W 4046 (DAO). There are a lot of police surplus of this model and they can be picked up at a very reasonable price, often with 2-3 clips. May be a bit large for concealed carry, but that is a matter of personal preference. Many S&W variations exist of this model - 9mm, 40S&W and 45ACP.
 
Wow, Los, that is one beautifull gun.
Im finding revolvers are not necessarily something you learn on and move on from, quite the oposite...I learned on Semis, and now prefer my S&W 357. Revolvers are reliable, accurate, beautifull to look at, and just awesome to shoot. I think what you prefer has nothing to do with experience or ability, its all in what brings out the best in your shooting, and gives you the most confidence. After shooting 10's of thousands of rounds through semi's, I am finding that I really love my revolver more than any gun I have owned. For a first or last gun, I can reccomend a revolver:D
 
yes you should. Pick the one you shoot best. Either platform is workable. I have two revolvers and one autoloader I can pick from. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
 
If you go revolver, make sure you shoot it double action as you practice for SD. Practice it a lot. I see a lot of folks at the range cocking their DA revolvers and getting accurate hits. Watch what happens when they shoot DA. I know of no Defensive Shooting schools that recommend cocking a DA revolver in a self defense situation.

I am not a Glock guy, but I bought my wife one. She can run the gun well and get good hits. One trigger pull, reliable, and achieving combat accuracy is easier than with a DA revolver.
 
My standards for choosing a gun are low muzzle flip, moderate fps, accuracy, hammer rather than striker, and physical features like low bore axis, decocker, and slimmer grip.

My choices so far are the PX4 Storm 45, SW 4506, PT Taurus, Glock 30 or 21C.
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I would like to know how much experience do you have with handguns and what are these 'standards' based upon?
 
You should practice with your new gun every now and then, so cost of .45 ammo is not that much of a factor. However if you really get into it and start going to the range a lot, the cost of .45 ammo may be a burden on your budget. Consider a Glock 19 or other mid size 9 mm. The 9 mm ball ammo is much cheaper and the self defense 9 mm ammo is very effective. Just food for thought.

If you really want a .45 take a closer look at the Springfield 1911 A1. It is in your price range and a good running .45 is such a pleasure to shoot.
 
I like revolvers, but that said get what you like and will practice with.

My wife likes Autos and likes them in smaller rounds (.380 and 9mm). I like 357s.

I would recommend against a snub nose 357 as your only revolver. I did that for a long time and I got pretty good at it but I shot it a lot. After I had wrist surgery I stopped practicing for about 2 years and when I took the hobby back up I was shooting about 3 feet high until I swallowed my pride and took a shooting class.
 
Think about going to a range or gun store that rents guns for people to shoot. Try the different guns out and see which one you feel most comfortable with using and storing.

My general suggestion for new people is for them to consider a Ruger .357 magnum revolver with a 4 inch barrel. Since it is a .357 magnum, you can also load and shoot .38 special ammo in the gun. This is because the bullets are the same diameter. The 4 inch barrel gives a new shooter decent muzzle control and reduces some of the recoil effects associated with snub nosed revolvers. Also think about getting a couple of speedloaders or extra magazines for your specific model of handgun, a decent holster for it and cleaning gear for it. Ruger handguns are built tough so they'll last you many years if you clean them periodically.

If you get .38 special target loads and have access to a range, test fire your handgun to see if you like it or not. If possible, test fire your model of revolver before you buy one at the gun store I mentioned above. In other words, if the gun store has a Ruger 4 inch revolver that they use for their rental pistols, try one out before you buy it.
 
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