What kind of firearm should i buy? (CA people)?

im getting my CA firearms permit in a couple days for my job but haven't bought my gun yet. i'm qualified for (what the paper says) 38/357, 9 & 40. but i dont know anything about brands or prices. what should i get? try to keep it around $300. and dont say something dumb like "get a bazooka" or "a machine gun" for all you little kids. pistols and revolvers only.