Keep in mind the cost of the ammo, too. Its alot cheaper to shoot a 9mm than a .45. Also, if you're just shooting for pleasure, I guess a pistol is fine to start with. However, if you are actually planning on using it for "training", a rifle is 10x better. The fact is that a pistol is just above a sword in modern combat. Sure, it works fine in close situations (assuming the other guy isn't wearing body armor - then your pretty screwed), but for anything else, a rifle is the way to go. I personally don't shoot pistols very often (I do own a 1911, though), but take my AR and M1A out anytime I can. Oh yeah, I highly recommend getting a .22 first if you haven't been shooting much in the past few years - learning to put the bullet exactly where you want it when you want it is obviously easier with a smaller round. Once you have the basics down (which totally depends on the time/skill you have) then upgrade to something bigger. It'll save you time, money, and frustration in the end.
