Do what feels comfortable to you for your stance. Your grip should be firm, but comfortable as well. Relax, and like you say squeeze the trigger. The Beretta is a fine gun, but I to would go with the Springfield as well. It's kind of hard for me to give pointers in writing, you should pick up alot from your b/f and this course your going to take. Good luck GG.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

What exactly does this mean? i demand an explanation! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

I am glad to see Women taking up shooting . good for you..first saftey ,glasses and hearing protection are a MUST. well you asked for advise, this is what i gave my wife . take it or leave it.. we as posted above by another. went to my gun club , a lot of people will let you shoot there weapons just ask. i shoot 7mm mag and ar15 in 223. 260 savage striker pistol. 3030,357ruger. for first timers IMO, you should shoot from a bench rest, i like shooting bags my self just get comfortable with weapon before you shoot and just for starters try a light cal. weapon ,like a 22 or 17cal.(one)you would be less likely to flinch witch gives accuracy probs and then go to larger when you are comfortable. my wife shoots 17cal.hmr on leage and loves it . also she shoots the 7,and loves the 3030, sorry about rambling on but like i said before imo i would just go to a local gun range and ask them if they could help get you started in shooting . when you are shooting from a bench you are less likely to wonder with your sights,and you are steadyer. and in turn it you are hitting the bulleseye you will shoot more and more often. like when you say your shots are up and down. you will shoot better and for many yrs if you have good teaching on how to shoot some of the worst things ive seen are when some one gives a new shooter a large cal and they shoot and get turned off . because they dont know what to expect and imo i beleive thats where you start to flinch because you arnt used to the noise and the recoil.hope this helps and im sure some will and some wont agree but there it is.

 

Like Nitro said, it's good to see women shooting, just not at me, please..[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Having said that, you didn't mention why you're interested in a gun. If it's purely for recreation, the 32 Beretta is a great gun, and if it fits you, so much the better.
If you're looking for something for self defense, the 9mm is probably a better choice, but don't limit your choices to the Springfield, there are a ton of great 9 mm s out there. H&K makes some really nice guns as well, a little more compact than some of the North American choices, and better quality IMO.
Don't buy too much gun, if it's not comfortable to shoot you're not going to want to shoot it, and after all, wanting to use it is what it should be all about.
My fiance tried out my .270 Featherweight last year (we have some coyote problems) and while she hit what she was shooting at, she didn't enjoy using the rifle at all, and I have to say I agree with her. It's a sweet gun to look at, nice to carry, but not a pleasant rifle to shoot all day. She would be better off with a .243 or a .22-250, but we don't have THAT big a coyote problem.
But I'm rambling. Get the gun YOU want, one that fits like a glove, and that you can handle safely and shoot with enjoyment, and you'll enjoy it for years to come. Try some different stuff first, and get anything used checked out by a good gunsmith before you buy. And like the good ol' boys said, take the safety course, and have fun too..