If all you want to do is punch paper and do it cheap, a nice Ruger .22 target pistol is cheap and fun. If you want home protection, get a short barreled .12ga. pump with an extended mag tube, I like a Remington. If you want a decent handgun that's versatile, accurate, small enough to CCW later (frame size and weight) I really like the Glock 27 .40 cal. I'm pretty partial to the .40 These guns are tough reliable and quite ugly. I never though I'd own a partially plastic gun, but they are reliable and very accurate right out of the box. If you're "brand concious" and you want to drop the coin I like a Sig Sauer or a Kimber. But, if the gun has to look great and you're not partial to a semi, I love that S&W 500, that is a Man's Gun! Ammo is pricey though, about $60-65.00 a box,,,,, for 20.