Girls, you should get "the husband" a gun that has a lot of kick. Because men are all very strong and can't deal well with light recoil guns.
You should get him a gun with a lot of levers and knobs because all men feel lost when their machines are too simple.
You should get him a gun that requires a lot of disassembly and cleaning because all men like to handle and work with their guns before and after trips to the range.
You should get him an expensive gun because once he starts yacking with his buddies, they'll compare the cost. Your man will feel small if his gun is cheap.
You should get him a gun with night sights. There's really no good reason, but men all like that.
You should get him a well known brand name gun like Smith&Wesson, Colt, SigSauer, Glock or at very least Ruger. Don't get him a Rossi or a Taurus or a DayStar or any other "off brand". Similar to the cost parameter, he'll feel embarassed around his buddies that all have Glocks, when he has a Rossi.
And finally, there's no need to go to the extra expense of paying for lessons or training. Men all know how to use guns. It's in their chromosomes. He will only feel embarassed and inadequate if you suggest that he doesn't know something.
Hope that helps...
Sgt Lumpy