Originally Posted by racerxj17

i dont recommend a .22, at all for self defense. simply not enough stopping power. unless its a well placed shot, its not going to be a cut and dry stop.

how large are you hands? this plays a big role in being comfortable with a handgun.

also, i strongly recommend a glock. virtually maintenance free, fairly cheap, very reliable and easy to shoot well.

for me, i shoot better with a glock .45 than with a .40. simply put, the .45 fits my hands better, and the recoil is more of a "push" than a "snap".

based on that, i would choose on of the two above. i have shot more handguns than most people have/will, and i still go back to the good old glock. I trust my life with my glock .45 every day, and feel confident in doing so.

edit- based on that you want it for only home defense, a shotgun is very hard to beat. very good stopping power, and you only have to get "close". i would recommend a 870 remington....