[Rick Lee]

You can buy a good handgun for $500, you don't need to sight it in and you can buy good ammo anywhere. Best prices are usually online. Look at the classifieds sections on Glocktalk.com and Sigforum.com. You won't be able to get through one day's worth of listings (there are that many) and there are some good deals out there. Most semi-auto handguns these days have fixed sights that need no adjustment. In fact, a lot of them come from the factory with a target in the case with three rounds through it they used for testing before shipping the gun. You can find most Glocks for under $500, a few SIG's, a few Berettas, lots of S&W's, any CZ, any Steyr and no H&K's. If it's just gonna be used for shooting at the range, buy the cheapest ammo you can find, either at Wal-Mart or some online reloader. A lot of folks now refuse to ship tp CA because of new restrictions on FFL's. So you may need to buy locally.

If you're a total noob, you should rent a few guns at a local range and try them out to see what you like. IMHO, SIG Sauer is the best, most ergonomic, most durable and highest quality all around for the money. I have four of them. YMMV.