[357]

Best advice is shoot whatever you can get your hands on before you buy something. Many gun ranges offer rentals. You can rent a pistol and a lane and try a few out. Might cost you $40, but it'll be better than buying that same pistol for $500-1000 and finding out you don't like it.

If you have friends with pistols get a few of them to bring them to the range at the same time. You can learn a lot about your preferences in just one or two sessions this way.

Revolvers are great, reliable, simple, and can be easy to carry if you pick the right one. Semi-Autos have higher capacity, different caliber options, and offer more manufacturers for different options. I'm a 1911 guy myself, as my Kimber is my only handgun. That said, I'm probably going to buy a .357 revolver next. I'm not a big fan of Glock, but I would never put them down. They are well made and reliable, they just don't feel as good in my hand. Nor do I shoot them as well as I do my Kimber.

Like cigars, there are endless options and opinions on each. In the long run only your opinon counts.