Best First Handgun - Our Expert Picks

Buying your first handgun can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. While some handguns can fit almost any bill, having an intended use in mind can help you narrow your choices.

When you're considering handgun types, note that getting comfortable with a .22 LR is always a great idea for new shooters. A handgun chambered in .22 LR will be easy to shoot because of low recoil. It will let you get accustomed to the mechanical basics of a handgun, and as a bonus, many manufacturers make other caliber handguns in the same silhouette as their .22 LR models. This will save you time getting used to the new, higher caliber handgun, because the muscle memory is basically the same. Only the caliber, internal workings, and recoil are different.

Here are the best first handguns for a variety of purposes from plinking to everyday carry.

Best First Handguns

Starter: Browning Buck Mark
All-Arounder: Glock 19
EDC: Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro
Home Defense: Taurus Judge Home Defender
Plinking: Ruger Mark IV
Competition: CZ 75
Hunting: Magnum Research BFR

Best Starter Handgun: Browning Buck Mark

Why It’s Our Top Pick: The Browning Buck Mark was my first handgun and remains one of my favorites to shoot. Available in a variety of models, the Buck Mark is a good choice if you’re looking for (what I like to call) a gateway gun – something to get you used to the basics until you’re confident enough for something with a little more firepower. The soft-shooting Buck Mark is chambered in .22 LR, which is affordable and fun. It’s not only a great confidence builder but also great for competition, plinking, and everything in between.

Caliber: .22 LR
Standard Magazine Capacity: 10 rounds

Best All-Arounder: Glock 19

Why It’s Our Top Pick: Whether you’re looking for a reliable everyday carry gun, something to hit targets with at the range, or something to keep in a nightstand for home defense – the Glock 19 fits the bill. Glocks are super popular and known for their reliability in any condition. While not super compact, the G19 is popular for self-defense carry, but it’s also right at home on the competition range and the nightstand. This smooth-shooting pistol with manageable recoil is a great all-around choice.

Caliber: 9mm
Standard Magazine Capacity: 15 rounds

BEST EDC HANDGUN: Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro

Why It’s Our Top Pick: The Hellcat Pro combines the performance of a full-size handgun with the concealability and reliability you’d expect from Springfield. This striker-fired handgun boasts a standard 15+1 round capacity. The Hellcat Pro is optics-ready and features an accessory rail and a hammer-forged barrel. It’s light yet balanced in your hand with a smooth trigger. Because of its incredible standard magazine capacity, it’s my choice for everyday carry. It was voted “Handgun of the Year” by multiple agencies in 2020 and makes an excellent EDC.

Caliber: 9mm
Standard Magazine Capacity: 15 rounds

BEST HOME DEFENSE HANDGUN: Taurus Judge Home Defender

Why It’s Our Top Pick: Revolvers are easy to use and deliberate to shoot. That’s why I chose the Taurus Judge Home Defender for best first home defense handgun. With its 13-inch barrel, the dual-cartridge Judge Home Defender is a large gun. Because it’s chambered in both .45 Colt or .410 bore, you’ll have all the stopping power you’d ever need to protect your home.

Caliber: .45 Colt / .410
Standard Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds

Best Plinking Handgun: Ruger Mark IV

Why It’s Our Top Pick: Plinking isn’t the only activity to do with a Ruger Mark IV, but it sure is a fun one! The ambidextrous manual safety makes it a great choice if you’re left-handed, and the internal cylindrical bolt construction aids permanent sight-to-barrel alignment for accuracy. The Ruger Mark IV also offers single-button takedown, making it easy and safe to field-strip and maintain. Bottom line, it’s a smooth-shooting plinker that can do much more.

Related: Best Plinking Handguns

Caliber: .22 LR
Standard Magazine Capacity: 10 rounds

BEST FIRST COMPETITION-READY HANDGUN: CZ 75

Why It’s Our Top Pick: CZ pistols are popular with many top competitors. The CZ 75 has a high beavertail and undercut trigger guard, allowing the shooter’s hand to be as close to the bore axis as possible for an accurate and stable shot. This gun also has an extremely low bore axis, making it ideal for competition, and the SP-01 Competition and Czechmate variants are specifically geared toward competition shooters. You'll find plenty of aftermarket parts and holsters customize your CZ 75 pistol, another reason it remains so popular.

Caliber: 9mm
Standard Magazine Capacity: Varies between 16 and 26 depending on model.

Best Hunting Handgun: Magnum Research BFR

Why It’s Our Top Pick: Simply put, the Biggest Finest Revolver from Magnum Research is our choice for best first hunting handgun because of the variety of chamberings offered. Whether you’re looking to hunt whitetails, or just keep a gun on you in bear country, this one will drop game both large and small. The all-stainless construction and choice of two different precision-grade barrel lengths mean the BFR will deliver unmatched accuracy to make every shot count.

Calibers Available:
Long barrel: .30/30 WIN., .444 Marlin, .450 Marlin, .45 LC/.410, .45-70 Gov't., .460 S&W, .500 S&W.
Short barrel: .375 Magnum, .454 Casull, .44 Magnum, .50 AE, .500 Linebaugh, .475 Linebaugh
Standard Magazine Capacity: 5 rounds