my opinion for a starter is a larger(so long as it feels okay in hand and your finger can reach the trigger with ease) duty sized 9mm WITH a safety. duty is another word meaning, full-size. Home defense you say? also being your first, your going to the go shoot the range a lot too? so stay with 9mm. now there are not a lot of duty sized guns that are striker and a safety, they exist, but I wouldn't bother, but that's ME. There are plenty of larger 9mm sa/da that do have a safety, and sa/da is better anyhow, don't let the Glockers get you all single minded. I will give several suggestions for a duty sized or even compact sized pistols that I think are easier for most anyone to shoot. I will NEVER recommend a .22 for a first pistol, they don't teach you anything and they are barely reliable( my stepdad has the prettiest Ruger 22/45 lite and several other .22's, all less than 95% reliable, I shoot them extensively, especially the 10/22's and yet to find one that I find is reliable enough to protect my family's lives). I fancy myself a pretty good shot, and I have never/will never own a .22, so I don't see the training ting, practicing with 9mm I easy if your over 13 years old, IM MY OPINION. I LOVE revolvers, easiest thing for a new shooter, not sure why, but it is in my wife's and my mother's experience......on the same note, I don't feel a "home-defense" pistol should be limited by capacity, since around here anyway, it is not uncommon for several people to break into homes together, I know even though I feel I am decent with pistol, 5-6 shots is pushing it big time if there's two-three-more attackers breaking into my home(just last week a lady nearby had 5 at one time with guns.) and I don't want a shootout with limited capacity(combat super-tactical reloads?....okay fine, but you said a "new" shooter and "first" handgun). And the main selling point, CHEAP ammo, really cheap. 9mm is practically free at the moment. Also, don't go blowing your wad on a pricey expensive pistol, after a few eeks of really shooting, your going to see things that you didn't before and will make better decisions based on your needs the second or third time around. and by the way, everyone here will have a different reason you should get this, or that, of the one over here....because we all shoot and have found what WE like and what fits OUR needs. example, I think a new shooter should have a safety, that's MY opinion, others will debate this back and forth for days on end, but that's what
I think, so that's the opinion you are getting. I don't care about you getting a striker or a sa/da really, but sa/da are more common to have safety's, but I would also recommend any of these styles in a striker form as well if avail with a safety. Lastly, compact guns are not very much different that full-size really, NO sub-compacts for you, right now, no matter what....
First Choice. Beretta M9 "Commercial". this isn't a budget gun, but affordable and shoots slicker than a greasy string out of a cat's a$$!!! Reliable and strong, heavy to soak up the recoil, heavy first-shot if in "double-action" and light and wonderful on subsequent shots.
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/23504
Second- Taurus 92b. This plays off the first, as it is a Berretta "clone", but has some features that make preferable in my opinion. You will hear many say "NO FREAIN' WAY I"M BUYING NO TAURUS", believe me when I say, this is not a Taurus that has ever been plagued by QC issues or shoddy workmanship, hey are every bit as good as Beretta and maybe better, made on the SAME equipment that Berretta made their pistols on as well. These pistols have stellar rep's for quality, accuracy and fit. the active frame safety make this already great design a little better, plus the addition of adjustable sights on the PT99 version and this can be carried "cocked/locked" with a positive safety and with looks that won't et you thrown outta the range. poke around and see reviews on the web yourself, tough to beat his pistol, that comes in under 400$ and shoots like $600.....(and note this gun is for right-handed folks, not saying t can't be used for lefty's, just not easily)
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/13585
review-READ IT!!! explains the differences well :
http://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2012/10/taurus-pt92-9mm/#safety-and-hammer_phatchfinal
want it a little prettier? tonnes of options---
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...p?keywords=Taurus+92&x=0&y=0&typeid=1&sort=3a
Third- the CZ 75 is actually my "first" choice. This is a duty-size sa/da that is in a lot of folks opinion, the perfect battle gun. combines the high capacity, lower axis and a wonderful trigger. The Cz "compact's" are just as easy, if not easier to shoot than the full-size. I don't list this as "first" for everyone because some folks have issues with reaching the trigger comfortably when in "single-action"(first shot only and not required in SA at all).
IN MY OPINION and my experience, this is the most reliable firearm ever built. and although not "cheap", it 's not over the top and your going to likely want one someday. The best thing is, even the "clones" offer al the benefits of these pistols with just some fit/finish inequalities. I have a Canik clone with nearly 7-8000 rounds WITHOUT EVER HAVING A
SINGLE MAFUNCTION.....EVER!!! I would go with a Canik or a Tristar to start, since they are incredibl firearms and give you the CZ 75(the ultimate "battle" pistol) for up to half the cost giving up nothing but the better finish. If you find a bad review on this pistol it is like because the poster had no clue what he was talking about. And note, that there a about a billion variations of this pistol, all amazing. I prefer a "manual" safety" over decocker only(cz-75 BD), but go grab any at the store and you'll see why it's one of the most beloved. CZ-75 "B" is my fav, with a frame mounted safety, and prefer it in the compact version, for everyone. Every thing a said goes for the 75, 75b and compact, CZ p01 and all other similar. I don't own a P-07, but from what I understand, those are even better. just check out CZ period, if it fits you, you'll have a mighty fine weapon in anyone's eyes.
original-
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_82/products_id/13655
compact(-2 capacity but shoots just as nice, nicer to me)-
https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/13656
the "clones"(these ones very rarely have a complaint(canik and tristar are the same, find any of the metal ones and you essentially have a CZ but at less the cost, I use the TriStar T-100 compact, would recommend to any new shooter that doesn't have baby hands)) -
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...552795/CANIK+S-120+CZ-75+Clone+9MM+BLACK+17+1
Fourth?- M&P9. So, you went and shot a Glock or similar, and you liked it(not sure why, but everyone is entitled), but you want a manual safety. although I said your options are limited, they're not impossible. The Smith & Wesson M&P 9 is a fine, reliable, battle-pistol that has a reputation paralleled by Glock and the like. Some fell that trigger upgrade kit is required to put this in the same tier, but it' s a quality duty gun. The safety is easy to reach, small and doesn't appear to be a total after-thought. This likely the most affordable full-size "striker" on the market that has the option for a safety. As good as any other polymer, high use duty pistol. focuses on capacity, acquisition, reliable under extreme circumstances rather than refined triggers and match accurate chambers/barrels. If you want a safety, look close at what you buy, since they are usually sold in the "passive" safety config, but available in both.
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/57858/S&W+M&P9+17+1+9mm+4.25"
M&P 9c(compact, smaller, but not unweildly or difficult size to manage, but not as easy as a full-size like a cz vs cz-cmpact, these ARE significantly smaller but available w/ or w/o safety as well.
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/57866/S&W+M&P9c+12+1+9mm+3.5"
the list of firearms that are affordable, reliable, and shoot well are endless. it just depends what YOU like at the range, the guns individual fit, recoil impulse, location of controls, trigger pull/feel/distance, backstrap comfort and/or interchangeability, sights and much much more. again, the use a manual safety for a new shooter is a preference that is
MINE and you may look at it from a different viewpoint, and that is just fine. It' s ahotly debated subject, and I am not in it to debate, just that
I,
ME and some others like it this way. I focus on larger guns for a couple reasons, one being your new and the weight, grip/surface area and sigh radius are things that makes pistols easier to shoot. I
LOVE revolvers, they are so accurate, simple and beautiful pieces and will rarely let a shooter down, but I didn't recommend these simply because the needs or an HD pistol, in my opinion, need to acclimate from "normal" burglary situations to some pretty extreme circumstances, the beauty of an HD gun is you can really go as big as want with very little consequence, unlike a carry pistol. Striker pistol are great BTW, my every-day-carry is striker, but they don't have safeties, which is an issue to ME for EDC and children and my own safety between my ears telling me that it's a bad idea. Others feel that it' an unnecessary extra step to protecting your life, and if your follow the proper rules and training, it shant make a difference, and they are 100% correct, the choice is very personal to the individual. etc. I also am much more accurate with an SA/A pistol and the metal frames make them all that much easier. buy what fits in your hands, your budget, maybe your wife's hands and take the time to shoot, at least, the few different "platforms" of pistol....from sa/da, striker, revolver, and DAO. I think DAO(double-action only is the safest choice but also the most difficult choice especially for a new shooter. please note that I was a "new-shooter" just six or so short years ago, went through many pistols before settling on the sa/da platform for HD anda striker with mnual safety for "carry". My wife went through six pistols, all small and cute, from striker to DAO, before she put here first five shots from a snub-nose .38spl right in the bullseye right outta the box, and she refuses to even think about a striker again. it all personal, your going to just have to garb one, safety or not(maybe a passive safety like an XDS grip safety), and just get started. it'll be a year long journey, at least, to find that perfect piece. 9mm is a great cartridge, it is lightweight, light recoil, allows high capacity designs and is cheaper than any other centerfire ammo as ar as I know. A .22, I dunno, never had one and after playing with dozens and dozens of them, I likely never will, do NOT feel they have a place in training for a "real" gun, but have the possibility to make it worse, again, tjis is how widely our opinions on guns will vary, and choices are yours.....nothing wrong with consulting experienced folks for guidance to a new endeavor, but nothing anyone say will 100% mirror your experience or your needs.
good luck