Let me add to my prior post, that as in everything else in life, you get what you pay for. There are cheap guns out there such as the S&W Sigma series. But read the reviews. The trigger is horrible on many of these guns. It comes down to little things like that in a life and death situation. One of the reasons I will reiterate my belief int he 1911.
The 1911 is single action.....no heavy DA for the first shot. Additionally, the trigger weight is between 4 and 5 pounds compared ot the S&W Sigma (and others) which have it closer to 9 or 10.
There is a reason that LAPD SWAT, the US Marines and so many other use 1911’s......they have stood the test of time.
A Kimber Cutom II can be had for about $700 or so. A bargain when compared to most of the other guns you will see recommended here.
Good comment. I'm thing about a 1911 for my next gun- either Para Ordnance or Kimber or (if wife won't object) a Nighthawk :)
As to S&W autos- yes, I've read bad things about the Sigma series. But folks should not confuse those with the new Smith& Wesson M&P autos- great guns!
I do not agree. IMHO a 1911 is not a beginner’s pistol; it is an expert’s pistol. Unless somebody knows and accepts going in that it is going to take time and money (for rounds and range fees) to break the gun in and to become proficient with it, the 1911 is not a good choice for a beginner. Any quality modern auto (Sig, Beretta, Glock, SA XD, etc.)is more dependable out of the box and easier to use than a 1911. I was a small arms repairer/armorer in the Army for many years while the 1911 was the standard pistol and also when they transitioned to the M9. I was at a lot of ranges during my career and I saw a lot of folks fail to qualify with the M1911A1 but just a couple fail with the M9. The M9 is simply much easier for the casual user to shoot well than the M1911A1 is. That is one of the many reasons that the 1911 was replaced, a lot people used to gripe about them and could not shoot them well. I agree that the triggers on Glocks and such may not be as crisp as match 1911 triggers but they do not need to be for defense pistols. They are plenty good enough for the vast majority of police departments in the USA to use. I own many pistols including a couple of quality 1911s. My favorite self defense autos are Sigs with the DAK trigger. I own 3 of those in various models/calibers and really like the simplicity of use and consistent trigger pull. The DAK eliminates the decocker and makes the pistol a truly point and click system. There are no safeties to think about with that system, just line up the sights and shoot. The type of gun I most often find myself carrying when I am home is a J frame S&W revolver. They are light, simple and utterly reliable. They are also very easy to carry. I bought a 340 M&P (.357 Magnum) a couple of years ago and that is now my favorite J frame. It weighs only 13 ounces and can chamber full power .357s. All of my J frames are equipped with laser grips which make them more versatile and easier to use in high stress situations. You do not even have to use the sights, you can focus all of your attention on the threat and just put the laser dot on the target and pull the trigger. I think highly enough of J frames that when all of my kids turned 21 I paid for their CCW courses and licenses and bought them their choice of J frames (with Laser Grips) to carry. All of the above is just my opinion based on my personal experiences. The best advice I can think of for somebody contemplating buying a handgun is to go to their local range and rent a few different makes/models/styles of handguns to see what works best for them before deciding on one and spending money on something they may end up not liking. The best gun is the one you have with you when you need it. A snubby .38 in your pocket beats a combat custom .45 you left in the truck because it was too heavy and too much hassle to carry around all day.
PS: I work in Iraq and see a lot of Marines. I have yet to see one carrying a 1911. I see them carrying mostly M-9s. When they do carry something other than an M9 it is a Sig, Glock or H&K. I remember seeing only one 1911 in the 5+ years I have been here and it was being carried by a civilian PSD type.