By torpedo the progressive wing you mean enact the most progressive party platform in this country ' s history ? <| sep |> hey xogi love ui killed under 1 min but im p 2 w scrubhehexd <| sep |> There are several good options . The next question you need to answer is what caliber you want . Probably the most popular today is 9 mm for several reasons , but primarily because the ammo is cheaper and it is effective and easy to shoot . . 380 has a good following and the guns themselves tend to be a little cheaper , there is argument that they aren ' t as effective as 9 mm or . 45 but they can get the job done . . 45 is Gods gift to man , but people are slowly moving away from it for concealed carry because they guns tend to be heavier , slightly thicker , they carry less rounds and the ammo is more expensive . . 40 claims to be the perfect mix between 9 mm and . 45 but it tends to inherit only the bad traits from each , many will say to stay away from . 40 though there isn ' t anything wrong with it . Once you determine what caliber you are interested in you need to go to a range and rent a few to try out . Try different makes and even different calibers if they are available . Most major brands glock , sw , Springfield will have a . 380 , 9 mm , and . 45 version available in a different mix of sizes ranging from subcompact to full size . Try them all out , take your time . See what fits your hands the best , what you are comfortable shooting , and what you would be comfortable carrying . If you aren ' t comfortable shooting it or it will be uncomfortable to carry then the likelihood of you having your firearm ifwhen you need it will go down . Everyone on here will agree a subcompact . 380 carried every day is much better than a full size 1911 in your safe at home . You being comfortable and competent are much more important , not just for you but others around you . Once you get that nailed down start shopping around for good deals and sales . You can find amazing deals online but it can ' t also be important to have a local guy you have a relationship with . Don ' t discredit used firearms from dealers or pawn shops . Slickguns . com and rgundeals are great places to start looking . There are a lot of expenses on top of the gun . I dropped $ 100 in ammo for a 45 minute trip to the range just the other day . I also had probably $ 200 in licenses fees to get my permit . $ 80 holster , and about to spend $ 80 on a belt . My gun was probably the cheaper part of this process . Glock , smith and Wesson , Springfield all make fantastic firearms that are very dependable and are very reasonably priced and will last you a life time if you take care of them . My shield was about $ 350 6 months ago . Remember this tool may be used to save your life and your families life one day . Don ' t cheap out just because you want something right now . You are better off in the long run to save your money and get the right tool for you . Everyone on here will have different opinions of what the best caliber or the best ammo or holster or best make is , but it is all personal opinion . Get what works for you and makes you comfortable . I ' ve had several friends that were dead set on getting a high end carry pistol and a year later they never carry because the gun doesn ' t fit them and they buy something different . Best of luck . Remember , buy once , cry once .