The CheckerBoard

9Mm is the way to go for what u want imo.

I agree, love my P-89! Have a colt 380 that is perfect size for concealed but not as much fun to shoot.

I will lead this off by providing some credibility by saying that I am a firearms instructor for the USCG, and also apologizing for a long post.
First and foremost, there are a few rules that you should be cognizant of prior to owning/handling a firearm.
1. Treat every firearm as if were loaded, regardless of its perceived condition. (ie. even if you think you unloaded it). Many accidental discharges occur while someone is cleaning a firearm that they thought was not loaded.
2. Only point your firearm at something that you intend to shoot.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger and outside of the trigger guard until the decision to shoot has been made.
These are very common sense, yet important, rules that will keep you from being injured or accidently injuring someone else.

I cannot express enough how important it is to attend a firearms safety course, regardless of your intended use of the weapon. I recommend you attend a course facilitated by an NRA certified instructor. you should be able to google one in your area.

All this said...with the looming gun regulations being considered by our government, handgun prices are currently up, and ammo of all sizes is in short supply. While i do not foresee our government passing any regs that will deny you from owning/purchasing a weapon or ammo, many others do and this is causing a demand that is much greater than the supply. I can't tell you the future, but if you are buying for the only purpose of target practice, then it will likely save you some cash if you wait for the storm to pass. However if you are intended on purchasing a handgun for self defense, then the increased prices may be worth your safety. If you intend on carrying the firearm for defense then it would be worth your time to check out http://www.carryconcealed.net/ , they have good info on the subject.

I thoroughly agree that the mosquito is a great .22LR handgun. I personally own one. Walther also makes a good .22 handgun, i think its called a P22. The Ruger 10/22 is my favorite .22LR rifle. They are very accurate, relatively inexpesive, well built, and there are a lot of aftermarket parts for them so you can fancy it up.
If the only purpose you intend on using the firearm for is target shooting then .22LR is the best round. It is inexpensive at $20-$30 per brick, depending on make of the rounds you get around 350-550 rounds per brick. A day on the range could easily go through 100-150 rounds. A .22 also doesnt give alot of recoil, so shooting to learn accuracy will be easier than a larger caliber. That said however, a .22 isn't as good of a self defense weapon than the larger caliber handguns.
If you intend on carrying it for self defense I would recommend a 9mm or larger diameter round. A .45 may be too big if you are used to shooting, and a .40 is expensive compared to 9mm. There are a lot of really good carry pistols that conceal well in .380(which is the same diameter as a 9mm, it just has a shorter case and therefor less powder and power). If you carry with a 9mm or .380 you will want to use ball ammo(regular round tipped) for range use and hollow point for carry. The hollow point spreads out wide on impact so there is less chance of it exiting the body and hitting something behind your intended target, plus the hollow points provide more stopping power.

Lastly, feel free to PM me for more info.

P.S. Support the NRA. They do a lot toward maintaining our gun rights. A yearly membership is only $35, plus the American Rifleman magazine that comes with your membership is a great magazine.

Thank you so much for your info i have been looking at classes online. The NRA pistol safety class is 4 hours long and gives you a certificate of completion. Then in Tennessee we have a firearm carry permit course. I do not plan on carrying the weapon for anything besides recreational target shooting,but i figured i would take the carry permit class anyway just for the education. I appreciate all of the other suggestions. I just want a low caliber pistol for recreational use, and i may parlay that with a .22 rifle rifle one day for longer shooting.

I have heard this...I guess I will just have to wait. I am in no hurry anyway. Want to take the carry courses anyway. May just buy a high powered pellet gun for now. Not sure if that is good option.

I would check out the Walther p22.