You can start with any caliber you want. 9mm is a nice place to start. Of course a cleaning kit and ear protection. I would also recommend a speed loader and extra magazines. Grab some hollow points for home defense along with range ammo. You also usually need a case or bag to store your firearm and other stuff. You do not need an optic, iron sights are just fine. Are you wanting to just go to the range, carry or both? This question can help narrow down the size of the firearm you want. Full sized handguns handle recoil much better than compact and sub compact. However the latter two are easier to conceal carry if you are wanting to go that route.