quattroworld

wrong selection based on price ultimately can be a waste of money. rent a few guns from Glock, Sig Sauer, HK, Springfield, & S&W. Sigma would not be a choice of mine.

i know Kalifornia kicks you in the balls on selection. However Glock offers some pistols that are easy to shoot and have great build quality. I like HK and Sig Sauer. I prefer 9mm due to availability of ammo and "shoot-ability."

The caliber becomes an argument due to preference. Revolver choice is always a good choice.

pick one you like, and what you shoot well. first gun will teach you what you like and don't like. you'll most likely move up from there.

there's a bunch of opinions out there, as i've added mine. each person has their selection for particular reasons. i carry a variety of pistols. each pistol, plus holster, plus the type of car you drive will make an impact on how comfortable it is to carry. given CA is difficult given licensure and most likely your pistol will be home defense, i'd look at the highest capacity, easiest to shoot, easiest to use if you're woken up in the middle of the night. i'm not a fan of firearms with safeties for carry. and for carry, definitely would not pick a single action like a 1911. but that's me.... people have preferences so it makes it a personal choice.

Sigma--I'm not a fan. I think quality is low and there are better pistols out there for the money, or a bit more. Caliber is another area of preference. Some like larger .45, or .40. I like .45 for carry in a Glock 36, but it's not the easiest to shoot. I like 9mm for capacity and follow-up shots. Shot placement too is important. I carry a Walther PPK/S in .380 at times. It will work. My daily carry, (even if carried in a pouch with a holster is a full-sized HK P30 9mm....if you didn't have a budget, I'd recommend this pistol. Ergonomics are excellent, easy to shoot, and extremely accurate.

Depends on your needs, and when you need to carry. My state is pro-gun, so I'm not limited on what I can buy, so I understand the significance of your decision...and understand guns aren't cheap. Test shooting before you can buy. See what is easy for you to shoot and what is most comfortable. Especially with caliber. Some will dispute, but I think .40 caliber is a compromise, and a difficult caliber to shoot well. I find .45 easier to shoot than .40, and 9mm easier to shoot than .40. However if you can shoot .40 well, go for it. I find .40's snappy recoil unpleasant compared to other calibers. I find .45, which is more powerful easier to shoot. 9mm has less recoil and easier follow up shots than either but with good ammunition very, very capable. I even find .357 with 6" bbl more comfortable....and if needed I could find a holster to carry my Colt Trooper if needed.

Ammunition supply...yes, that is a concern. However the common ammo will be more easy to find. 9mm and .45 did get gobbled up after Newtown....and so did .40. Everything was gobbled up from 7.62/.308, to 5.56, .22, .38, .357, 9mm, .380, People even picked up surplus rifles, such as Lee-Enfields in .303 British that were cleaned out. In the panic times, everything will be bought up, so I would let that be a lesson. If you purchase ammo, purchase a supply amount for your personal "supply" and buy ammo to target shoot with. There's a difference between your self-defense ammo and target shooting ammo. You need to practice with your personal defense ammo to get used to it, but don't use up that supply. Use target fodder. However a good FMJ ammo is worth while to have a supply of. That may differ from target fodder that's sold in bulk at gun shops.

Point comes down to I've given my .02. Other guys too here have given them opinions all with good intentions. It comes down to a personal choice what shoots well for you, and what's comfortable to you. I've found over buying guns on my own for almost 20 years is the less you spend on a pistol, it is more likely you will dislike it. You'll go through a process of upgrading--it's not unlike golf clubs. If a price seems good, that doesn't mean necessarily to go with it. You'll lose money.

All the guys here (except freakness) that are posting are giving good advice. find what you like, but don't underspend on something that after firing 200 rounds you'll find out you dislike. that's where the waste comes in.

Best of luck. It's not easy to find what fits you well and shoots well for you, but you have to start somewhere.

many choices, and not easy.