First Hangun recommendation?

Look on EE for a CZ 75 SP-01 Shadow. They pop up regularly for between $700-$800. Can't recommend this pistol enough.

If I had the permission, I'd love to have a look through EE, but for now I'm just looking through local stores.

It seems a lot of people reccomend the CZ so far, definitely looking into it
 
OK, you're giving Toronto as your location. Where are you going to be shooting? What sort of shooting are you going to be doing?
Or are you just wanting to get a handgun for the sake of getting a handgun?
I would suggest that you make contact and visit the club where you are going to be shooting and talk to the folks there. It is entirely possible that you will be invited to try different pistols. I would suggest that you try, or at least handle, as many pistols as possible before purchasing. Avoid investing in something that just doesn't suit you.
G17s and 1911s are very different pistols, different controls, weight, handling characteristics. You might even consider optic versus iron sights. Good to try both.

Good stuff, thanks for the advice! So far I've only been able to try some Sig Sauers at the range; fun pieces of equipment!

The range I visit is northern ontario, and outdoor for the most part. Just used to plinking targets, no competitions or challenges.. yet!
 
I second the 2.0 range kit option. It comes with 3 mags, holsters for mag and pistol as well as a mag loader. The content for the price really can't be beat?

Plus you can choose between 9mm and .40

That's definitely in my budget! Thanks šŸ‘
 
...I guess it comes down to the notion that I need to get what "feels right" in my hands.
...but first, get someone who knows what they are doing to show you the proper grip. It can influence the ā€˜feel’ you will be judging.
 
If I was going to get my first pistol I would look no farther than the new Glock Gen 5 offering which is the G45 model. I did have a chance to get the feel of one and it felt very good in my smallish hands.

All the latest Glock improvements are in this handgun and in my opinion and others (Ken Hackathorn) it is the best Glock yet produced. It comes at this time in 9mm which is the most widely used and cheapest centerfire ammo made. The original barrel length is 4 inches so the barrel length that will be available to you will be the slightly longer Canadian version.

I can see a lot of public agencies in the U.S. and Canada transitioning to this in the future as it will take flush the 17 round mags and also be short enough to be fast and handy.

There was a very good write up in Caliber magazine (CSSA) recently.
 
Try the czp10f. I’m really liking this striker fired pistol. I usually shoot 1911s but this pistol rocks and the factory trigger is really really good
 
The first handgun I shot Deglock 9mm Gen4. The first handgun I bought Beretta APX. Both firearms would serve you well as your first. These days there are so many excellent handguns its a matter of studying what would be best for you. I went from wanting a Glock, Sig, FN, and ended up with the APX combat!.
 
S&W SW22 Victory ($380) for ingraining the fundamentals and a CZ P10C ($580).
So $960 before tax with free shipping and you get two guns.

Lots of cheap ammo floating about lately and both are very solid performing pistols.

Ammo:
22LR 1375 rounds for $75 and 9mm 1k rounds for $250.

I wish I would have heeded to all advice and started out with a .22LR.
Would have saved a lot of money, a lot of frustration and would have learned faster.
 
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Since in Canada you guys have de limit in magazine capacity, I think that a 1911 in 9mm makes sense. And they are delicious guns to shoot a lot!
 
Great choice or a Glock 17 for even more options accessories etc

In my (and only my) opinion the Glock 17 is a safe bet...Unless you have small hands, then maybe the M&P 2.0 could be a better choice.
I do not think a 1911 is a good pistol to start with. Simple striker fire is designed for all categories of shooter while the 1911 may require more experience to operate safely.
Definitely you should at least handle the pistol before buying. The unfortunate truth is that if you are a new pistol shooter, you really don't know what feels good yet.
Therefore, I suggest you buy a pistol that has a low bore axis and fits your hand so that you can operate the slide lock/release and mag release easily without changing your grip much.
My two cents for what it is worth...
 
I see that you're in ontario; best thing to do is drive down to Jane and Finch in toronto (best do it during daylight hours) and buy an un-registered nice little prohibited sized concealed carry unit. I think you'll find that handgun ownership will be much more enjoyable without all the rules and regulations which are only designed to target you and lead to your inevitable defeat....
 
Start with a 9mm. Buy a gun that will be stone-cold-reliable:

HK USP - find a used one under $1,000. Look for one with a newer date code (BF, BG, BH, BI, BK)
 
Go small for your first pistol. .22 ammo is cheap and plentiful.
I recommend a Browning Medalist. With the dry fire mech you can practice for hours on trigger control.
 
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