First handgun when I turn 21

[TOExHEAD]

I am planning on getting my first handgun some time after my 21st birthday. I am looking for a good mid sized 9mm handgun like the glock19 or Springfield XD9. But if you have any other recommendations I'd be glad to hear them. My budget will be around 500$ but preferably under.
I also had questions regarding the used market. What is a good site for finding used cal legal guns? What is the process of buying a cal legal gun on the used market? And I was looking on armslist and saw that some of the guns for sale were listed as unregistered, is that an issue? I tried looking up some of this stuff and asking some family members but not finding all the info I need. I want everything to be completely legal and I don't know where to find all the information I need for purchasing my first handgun.
Thanks for any replies.
Any and all information is great, I am a complete novice to purchasing firearms, but I have grow up with and around them.

[heominhon]

Get a used Glock 19 gen 3 for around $450-500 in Calgun Market place. If you want DA/SA instead you might want to try Sig Sp2022, a used one cost around $400 in the Marketplace section as well.

[teflondog]

It might be expensive initially but I think a good investment would be to rent all the guns you're interested in and trying them out. I did that for my first handgun and I ended up buying the one that was at the bottom of my list.

[heominhon]

Do you have a Firearm safety certificate? Go get it before contacting the seller. They would also require 2 forms of ID: driver license and utilities bills in your name (or car registration in your name). Avoid doing private transfer Turner's due to their super slow and super strict policy (no utility bill accepted).

[heominhon]

Most of the range in SoCal won't let you rent their guns if you are going alone. Unless you bring your rifle or another person with you, they will send you away, which is pretty stupid.

[D.A.V.I.D.]

The guns aren't listed as unregistered the person who posted the gun for sale doesn't have a registered account with armslist.

[DDM4556]

For your budget, Springfield XD all the way. You can go new and stay around $500 OTD.

Hopefully you turn 21 soon. Springfield's 4 free mag promotion ends in summer.

If you want to step up the budget a bit, G19 is always good. Beretta 92 is a sure bet too.

[Ora Serrata]

+1 for go to a range and try out a few to see what platform you feel most comfortable with.

Glock 19, Springfield XD, or Sig 2022 are all good suggestions, but at the end of the day it's your gun and what feels good for someone else isn't necessarily what will feel good to you. When I turned 21 I was partial to the Beretta 92 platform and almost 30 years later it's still one of my favorite guns.

Get your FSC ahead of time, and you can always find good deals on used here on CG marketplace. Just do you homework and make sure it's a good deal. Lots of stuff is posted here that's more expensive than getting a new one (even with the tax, etc.). At the same time I've gotten some amazing deals here.

[boopiejones]

fyi, a new $500 gun is going to cost you about $600 out the door... about $50 tax, $25 DROS fee, and $25 for your firearms license.

if you go used, you pay no tax, but add another $10 in fees and still have to pay $25 for the license.

the license is good for 5 years (I think). if buying used, show up to the shop an hour early and get the license done so the seller doesn't have to sit around waiting for you. other than that, bring two forms of ID and enough cash to pay the seller.

in either case, you still need ammo. you can get steel cased 9mm shipped to your door for about $0.17/round... brass is going to be closer to $0.25/round. so that's another $200 give or take for 1,000 rounds of ammo.

as a first handgun on a $500 budget, i'd probably go with a used glock 17 or 19. they are really easy to disassemble/maintain and aftermarket parts are plentiful.

[559BearDown]

Glock and Springfield are excellent options. You're on the right track.

[nikki#2]

Consider joining GSSF (Glock Sport Shooting Foundation). Although they've increased the membership requirement to two years
to use their Purchase program, as a member you can buy a new glock each year for $489.

I thought I wanted a G19... until I walked into gunshop and held a G19 and G17 side-by-side. Apparently I have a large hand
(cadet size golf glove), because my pinky finger does not fit on the grip of a G19.
So in my case (and opinion), the original G17 is still the best.

[Holding Name 1]

Your eventually gonna get a Glock, so you might as well get it now. G19 or 17.

[SandHill]

Some great advice here about renting and trying out as many as you can before buying. I don't know how much you have shot handguns before, but assuming it is not very much, I suggest you get a large frame, heavy (probably metal) pistol in 9mm for your first. You will enjoy shooting it more and shoot better faster than with a smaller, lighter gun. The Beretta 92 is an excellent choice in this category. Probably pick up a used one in your price range. There are plenty of other candidates (Sig 226, CZ 75 or variants, etc.) but most of them cost more.

A 92 is a lot of gun for a relatively modest caliber like 9mm, but you will be shooting well with it soon, and then you can decide what you want for your second.

[jhmc2000]

Good on you for doing the research and asking around. Im sure with whatever you go with will be well thought out. Welcome aboard.

[calif 15-22]

Springfield XD9 in OD Green was my very first handgun purchase. I still have it. Several thousand rounds fired, zero hiccups, rarely cleaned, great handgun.