Semi Automatic

This is where most handgun buying happens, and the modern striker-fired pistol has largely converged on one formula: polymer frame, no manual safety, one consistent trigger pull, and a double-stack magazine. Glock, Sig's P320, the M&P, Walther and CZ's striker line differ far less than the arguments about them suggest.

Choose on fit, not features. You need a high grip with the bore axis low over your hand, the pad of your trigger finger reaching the trigger without shifting your grip, and a magazine release you can work without breaking that grip. Interchangeable backstraps and grip modules genuinely help. Optics-ready slides are now close to standard and worth having even if you do not mount a dot immediately.