Well, if you live in DC, unless you are in law enforcement, it is illegal to own, possess or transport a firearm. DC has had a firearm ban for years.

If you are not in DC, you should be ok. I would suggest getting an entry level 1911 from Springfield, for about $600 for a basic mil-spec model. You can get a .22 slide for it, so that you have two guns in one.

I thought I just read that congress repeled the gun laws in DC and now it legal. I think that I read this on tuesday.
Go to Officer.com and ask.

Here it is.
http://www.insightmag.com/news/2004/09/27/National/House.Approves.Repeal.Of.D.c.Gun.Laws-737377.shtml
It passed congress, now has to go to the Senate.

the last 1911 I got was a Springfield TRP. Great gun, no problems. My brother got the "loaded" and shoots just as nice as mine. Mine has the fixed Novak Night sites (tirtium inserts) They are much lower profile than adjustable (better for carry). If you are looking for target shooting and enjoy tinkering get adjustable sights. It gives you a broader range of tuning. Since you do not plan to carry the sharper edges and higher profile will not be an issue. I was looking at a Kimber I think Royal which had adjustable sights. Nice piece. 1911's are very much like a hot rod or souped up 911. If you enjoy tinkering than this is a perfect choice. I went Springfield beucase the FBI did and thier sponsored pistol shooter Rob Lethanm lives two blocks away and shoots at my range and is such a nice guy and represents thier product so well I felt it was the choice for me. But, LAPD SWAT uses the Kimber and it is just as nice. So it will come down to personal prefference. Here is a good forum with plenty of Kimber vs. springfiled questions. Either way, Enjoy.

http://www.1911forum.com/

PS: I have the Ruger MKII 22/45 which has a similar grip angle and controls in the same locations as a 1911 and with a 5" bull barrel is super acurate. It is fun to take it with my real 1911's and start out with the .22 to get my squeez down before moving to the .45. I allways shoot better after warming up with the .22

Start with a quality .22 - any one of the Ruger models, a Browning Buckmark, the S&W offering. Put a *ton* of rounds thru it. Learn the basics.

While you are doing that, you'll notice that quite a few folks at the range will let someone squeeze off a few rounds for a quick test drive of "somethign different". Try one of everything, then decide before you spend more money.

My bet is it dies in the Senate.

Tom

My favorite 2 handguns are both Brownings, both Belgium made. One a .22 "Challenger", the other a 9mm Hi-Power. No, neither is for sale. Both 1970's vintage. The Japanese made Challenger models, made later than mine, are inferior to the Belgium models...

Another big 1911 fan here. Here's a great website for the custom 1911 stuff:

http://www.pistolsmith.com/

Im a big fan of 9mm as well. The CZ-75 would be a bargain at twice its retail cost. The P-35 Hi Power is one of the finest production pistols you can own, but I honestly have not put mine in my range bag since I bought my first CZ. If you are looking for a slim grip 9mm the Sig P225 is tough to beat. The P239s are really nice, but I'd rather a P225 any day. The P228 is great, but a little fat in the grip. Glocks work fine also.

Dont worry about adjustable sights yet. They have their place, but a modern fixed site will work fine for anything you are doing at range distances.

For a $700 budget I would recommend a standard CZ-75B in 9mm, a case of plinking ammo, a couple hundred rounds of self defense ammo for function testing, a few extra full capacity magazines, and a firearms safety course.

Good luck!

Lots of great advice here. You should be noticing a common thread by now. "Buy a .22". I'll second that. Go to a range that will let you rent a few and try before you buy (another common thread in these replies). We all have our favorites. Kind of like women and horses. Maybe even cars. My favorite may not appeal to you in the least. There really is no one "best" for everyone. Take me for example. I'm a die-hard single action man. I bought a new-fangled 1911A1 (in case you are wondering, "1911" is the year our military adopted the original version - it's that old) to see what all the hoopla was about. O.k.; they are nice, they are modern, but there is nothing I can do with one that I can't do with a Peacemaker. The old thumb-buster is just more familiar and comfortable to me. I plink with one, carry one for self-defense, hunt with one, and just basically live with one. Other folks can't stand them and claim they are "antiquated". To each his own. There is a lot to choose from, so try a few. But do stick with a .22 at first. And have fun.

"Smokeless powder is a passing fad."

Can't give a lot of specifics, but I own 10 or 15 year old Smith and Wesson (you can tell I'm not a gun nut, since I don't even recall what's in the safe), but buy a name brand, Beretta, Smith and Wesson, Colt, Sig, H&K, Glock, etc. 22's are incredibly cheap and 9 mm, aren't too too bad either. Lots of good advise on renting at the range.

Neat topic. I started with a .22 (Ruger Single-Six, which is a single-action revolver). Virtually free to shoot, fairly accurate with the 7" barrel, that neat mechanical clockwork feel, and really good for beginner safety since you have to cock the hammer for each shot. Came with a second cylinder chambered for .22 Magnum, which I never used.

If you are sold on a semi-auto for your first gun, I'd second (or third, I've lost count) the Ruger Auto recommendation. It is accurate, nice heft with the bull barrel, reliable, cheap, and the ammo is super cheap. Nice sights, great to learn with.

Then I got a P-08, just a shooter not a collector, took it to a gunsmith for trigger and sight work, then it was the most accurate pistol I've ever used. Jammed a lot, though, despite work on the feed ramp.

When I got the Glock 19, I deliberately never cleaned it. After almost a year and thousands and thousands of rounds (crummy range reloads) it had still never jammed, and I finally decided it had proven its reliability. Had a laser sight on it, that was fun too.

My next pistol, which won't be soon alas, might be a Mauser 1896. Such a cool, archaic gun, with a lot of history.

I also have a hankering for one of those .22 short Hammerli target pistols.

Ah the Broom handle. Remember that John Wayne movie where the guy who plays Niles on Frazier, Shows up on a Motorcycle with a Broom handle in his holster. John Wayne was on his Horse with his Peace keeper?

http://www.northwest-denture.com/mauser1896/

I live on a Farm about an hour west of DC. You are welcome to come out and try some different types. I have everything from a tricked out National Match to a Ruger 22 . You can get a good idea of what you might want.
PM me.

I'll throw in a vote for the Mk II bull-barrel also, if you're buying used stay away from the 10" bull- barrel; it has a very cool "Boris and Natasha" look but has an odd balance with all the wieght out front.

DO NOT BUY A LARGE CALIBER FOR YOUR FIRST GUN. you will not be used to the recoil and will develop bad habits that will just make it that much harder to learn to shoot.

get a good .22. most people recommend the browning buckmark, ruger markII, or ruger 22/45. i have a 22/45 in stainless steel with a 5" bull barrel and love it.

I have always bought GOOD QUALITY GUNS....they are the easist ot resell if the need arises...I have stayed with the tried and true names...Colt, S&W, Winchester, Browning, Ruger, Glock, SIG, Walther.....you can't go wrong..sure you might pay more...but your return is better.

Also I would keep my eyes open for a GOOD used gun...like cars once you take them out of the show room the thing depreciates... They sell alot of Ruger Mark II's, so there is bound to be a used in like new condition floating around somewhere close.

right there in Middleburg, VA is a well known Antique Gun Dealer by the name of David Condon....I have bought a couple of stellar guns at his auctions for very reasonable prices...He always has a nice selection of Old Timey Guns...

I am good friends with the Condon's.
Britton (his son, who now works in the business) was in my class (grade school) growing up. And yes, they have some amazing stuff.

My favorite handgun is the Beretta 92FS 9mm. Give it a a try...

The main advantage of an adjustable sight system is that you can calibrate it to match your ammo and shooting distance. So, when you line up the front and rear sight, you can be confident the round will hit where you aim. If you are target shooting, adjustable sights are absolutely the way to go.

Fixed sights usually come close, but rarely as spot-on as you can get with adjustable sights. If you practice enough with the same ammo and distance, you'll learn to see where the fixed sights actually aim, and can adjust a bit.

As others have mentioned, start with a .22 caliber; the Ruger Mark II with a bull barrel is an excellent gun, inexpensive to buy and shoot. Even if you move up to a larger, centerfire caliber (9mm or such) you'll still enjoy shooting the .22 for its low operation cost.

I'll also say start with a .22, get some training for safety and gun handling and then practice - I still find it the best way for me to unwind after a crap week, 20 minutes total concentration on sights and target and I'm relaxed.

Adjustable sights are also used to correct your "tendencies", mine is to group high left. First start to get your shots in a group and then use the adjustable sights to move the grouping to the centre of the target. Don't bother fiddling with sights until you start shooting recognisable groups.

Tabs is right, the Sig 210 is the ultimate 9mm, but I prefer it as a 7.65! Buy quality brands and they will always have good resale value if you look after them.