Beginner's Choice: The Best Handguns to Start Your Shooting Journey

How do you choose your first gun? It’s one of the first big decisions new shooters face. You want a pistol that fits your needs—but as a beginner, you might not have those needs fully figured out just yet.

You’re learning safety, control, accuracy—the fundamentals. So no, you don’t need your dream gun on day one. What you do need is a platform that’s reliable, easy to use, and gives you the best bang for your buck.

So, what makes the best first handgun? All the big names offer solid beginner-friendly 9mm pistols—Glock, Canik, Sig Sauer, Walther, CZ. 

It’s a big deal—choosing your first handgun is a lot like picking your first car: you never forget it. That’s why we put together this guide—to help you understand what to look for in your first pistol, and which handguns are great for beginners.

What to Consider When Choosing a Handgun

What makes a beginner-friendly pistol? Simple controls, reliability that just runs, low recoil, and enough value from a trusted brand so you can either keep it or trade up later for a pro model.

The most important factor of all is Purpose: Why are you buying your first gun?

The answer is simple: to learn how to shoot. Whether you're thinking self-defense, competition, or just skill building—your goal right now is to master the basics.

There are a few solid fundamentals that beginners should keep in mind—caliber, size, and features all matter. So let’s take a closer look at what matters most in a first pistol:

The Right Caliber for a First Gun

Ask any group of shooters about calibers, and you’ll get strong opinions fast. But for beginners, we’re going to keep it simple: start with 9mm.

Why? Because it’s the most popular handgun caliber. It’s widely available, more budget-friendly, and used by everyone from local law enforcement to top competition shooters. 

You might hear people suggest starting with .45 ACP. The recoil is heavier, which makes it harder to control and stay on target.

On the other end of the spectrum, there’s .22 LR. It’s light, cheap, and great for learning the basics—but it’s not likely to be the caliber you’ll rely on for carry or self-defense.

Best Gun Size for Beginners

Size matters when it comes to choosing your first handgun. As a general rule, compact and full-size pistols are the best options for beginners because they give you better grip, more control, and less felt recoil.

The pistol you choose should always fit your hands well. We all have different hand sizes, so trying a few options in the compact-to-full-size range is a smart move.

A lot of new shooters consider going straight to a subcompact for concealed carry. But this is not the best option, as smaller guns can feel snappy, harder to grip, and way less forgiving when you're still building fundamentals.

Basic Gun Features for Beginners

When you choose your first handgun, we recommend going for something reliable and simple right out of the box. No red dots, no upgraded triggers. Just a solid, well-made pistol with great ergonomics that you can grow with.

What are the best pistol sights for beginners? Iron sights. They always work—and that’s exactly what you want when you’re building your fundamentals.

Sure, red dots and fancy upgrades are great—but they’re not where you should start. If you train from the beginning with a red dot or tuned trigger, you're relying on gear that won’t always be there.

Most Reliable Pistol Brands for Beginners

When you're buying your first handgun the best move is to stick with trusted brands. That’s why for the best handguns for beginners, we’re focusing on five standout names: Glock, Sig Sauer, Canik, CZ, and Walther. Each one offers high-quality, well-tested pistols with a solid track record for performance and reliability. 

Also, reliable pistol brands offer good resale value. A good first handgun should hold its worth. So when you’re ready to upgrade down the line, you’ve got a pistol that’s still in demand.

Now we’re ready to break down the top 5 pistols for beginners—all 9mm, polymer frame, compact and full-size semi-automatic pistols that check all the boxes for new shooters.

Top 5 Handguns for Beginners

Glock 19

The Glock 19 is one of the most recommended handguns for beginners—and it’s easy to see why. It’s a compact 9mm with a 4.02-inch barrel, 15-round capacity, and a weight of just over 23 ounces unloaded.

Why do many beginners start with a Glock 19? It’s simple to use, easy to maintain, and famously reliable. You load it, rack it, press the trigger—and it runs. 

This pistol has earned its reputation over decades and it has survived just about every torture test thrown at it. For a first-time buyer, it feels like a safe bet.

But while the Glock 19 is still a solid choice, from Gen 1 through Gen 5, the updates have been minimal. Take for instance its plastic sights. Yes, despite years of feedback from shooters, Glock continues to ship one of the most popular pistols in the world with sights many users immediately want to replace. 

The trigger on the Glock 19 is functional, breaking at around six pounds. Ergonomics are fine, but not standout. If you have larger hands, the grip may feel a bit cramped or blocky.

Other brands—like Canik and Walther—have taken Glock’s formula and improved on it. They offer better triggers, smoother ergonomics, and more value right out of the box.

Still, the Glock 19 remains a favorite among many shooters because of its reliability and brand reputation. And that, folks, is a fact.

Sig P320

The Sig P320 is another popular recommendation for first-time gun buyers—and with good reason. It’s reliable, law-enforcement tested, and simple to operate.

The P320 comes with a 3.9-inch barrel, the shortest in our beginner pistol lineup. It comes with a 15-round magazine and weighs in at 24 ounces unloaded. Overall length is 7.2 inches, with a height of 5.3 inches.

One of the standout features of the Sig Sauer P320 is its modular design. That’s really cool for future customization.

The P320 also comes with steel contrast sights out of the box. For a compact 9mm, it handles recoil well. About ergonomics and gripping, if you’ve got larger hands, you might prefer the full-size model for a better grip and more balanced feel.

Now for the trade-off: the trigger. It’s not bad, but it’s on the heavier side. Most models come with a trigger pull somewhere between 5.5 and 7.5 pounds. That’s a little much for a beginner trying to work on precision and trigger control.

All in all, the Sig P320 is a solid, battle-proven choice with room to grow. Just keep it simple at first, and you’ll have a good first pistol.

Walther PDP

The Walther PDP comes with a 4.5-inch barrel, 18-round magazine, and weighs about 24.6 ounces unloaded. At 7.5 inches long and 5.7 inches tall, it’s got a solid presence in the hand.

One of the first things you’ll notice is the slide—deep serrations, easy to rack. Some people feel they are too aggressive, but others think they are really beginner-friendly.

The PDP is an extremely reliable gun, it can run thousands of rounds without a hiccup—and it doesn’t need flashy marketing to back that up.

The trigger is a standout feature. Smooth, light, and crisp—well under five pounds—with a short reset that helps you shoot faster and more accurately. Pair that with the excellent grip texture, and you’ve got a pistol that really locks into your hand. 

It also includes a few nice extras: an extended magazine release, ambidextrous slide release, and loaded chamber indicator.

Out of the box, the PDP has white dot adjustable sights. They’re nothing fancy, but still a step up from Glock’s plastic ones. 

One of the main cons of the PDP is the higher price, usually over $600 MSRP. For some beginners, the sharper recoil might be noticeable. It’s fast and accurate—but may take a little more time to master.

Still, if you're looking for a high-end first pistol with room to grow, the Walther PDP is one of the most rewarding platforms out there.

CZ P-10 C

The CZ P-10 C comes with a 4.02-inch barrel, 15-round capacity, and an overall weight around 26 ounces. The total length is 7.3 inches, and the height comes in at 5.2 inches.

Right away, you’ll notice the grip texture—it’s excellent, even when wearing gloves. The trigger guard is large, which makes it a comfortable fit for shooters with bigger hands. It’s also fully ambidextrous, with a slide release and mag release on both sides.

It has one of the best stock triggers in its class. It’s crisp, clean, and has a short reset. Add in the solid slide serrations—less aggressive than the Walther PDP, but still very effective.

As for reliability? The CZ P-10 C is widely tested and built tough, with great fit and finish, and it feels solid in the hand.

Recoil management is good, though not the flattest shooter on this list. Still, the low bore axis helps with muzzle rise and makes follow-up shots feel smoother.

The standard CZ P-10 C model comes with fixed 3-dot sights and is not optics-ready out of the box. There are optics-ready versions available, but they come at a higher price point.

One nice touch for beginners is the striker status indicator and loaded chamber indicator, adding an extra layer for safety.

If you're looking for a pistol that balances comfort, reliability, and trigger performance—the CZ P-10 C is a good first handgun.

Canik TP9SF Elite

The Canik TP9SF Elite is the best pistol for beginners, and for one simple reason: it gives you more for your money than any other pistol in its class. It features a 4.19-inch match-grade barrel, 15+1 round capacity, and weighs in at 28 ounces. The overall length is 7.28 inches, with a height of 5.27 inches.

When it comes to reliability, the Canik delivers. This pistol has been tested past the thousand-round mark without a single malfunction—thanks in part to that match-grade barrel and tight machining. 

In terms of recoil and control, the TP9SF Elite may have the edge over other options on this list. Its lower bore axis and slightly longer slide help reduce muzzle flip and make follow-up shots smoother.

Add a 45 Blast compensator, and you can cut recoil and muzzle rise by up to 80%, taking an already controllable pistol to another level.

Out of the box, you get Warren Tactical iron sights, with a fiber-optic front that gives you a crisp, high-contrast sight picture. Also, Canik triggers are widely celebrated: Clean, crisp break and a minimal reset, is a standout feature that beginners and pros alike love.

On the ergonomics side, the TP9SF Elite feels great in hand. The top contour of the grip locks your palm in naturally, and the aggressive texturing gives you confidence under pressure. 

The TP9SF Elite also includes ambidextrous slide and magazine releases. Slide serrations are well-designed and provide a secure grip for easy racking—smooth, consistent, and beginner-friendly. On top of that, Canik includes both a loaded chamber indicator and a striker status indicator for added safety and awareness.

With all its premium features, the Canik TP9SF Elite is hands-down one of the best first pistols for beginners: reliable, easy to shoot, and best value for money.

The Next Step: Buy Your First Handgun

Our goal with this first pistol ranking was to offer a concise selection of reliable, easy-to-shoot, and affordable guns. You now know what to look for from trusted names like Glock, Sig Sauer, Canik, Walther, and CZ.

This is your starting point—the pistol you’ll always remember as the one that got you hooked. So choose smart, get some solid range time, and enjoy the process of becoming a better shooter.

And if the Canik TP9SF Elite caught your attention as our top pick for beginners, be sure to check out compensators to reduce recoil and level up your performance.

Ready to make your first handgun purchase?

You’ve got options. You’ve got the knowledge. Now go make it count.