You will get much advice from others on the net who read your post. But what seems to be the best advice we can give you, in my opinion, is to get enough info so you can make an informed choice yourself. This is not only a consumer issue, but also a safety issue. Before you buy, I strongly encourage you to take a basic firearms safety class, such as the NRA Personal Protection course. I suggest the NRA class in particular because it is generally of very high quality, at comparatively low cost (e.g., my wife and I, who are both certified NRA instructors, offer this at our cost of materials); many classes offered commercially, on the other hand, offer far less comprehensive a syllabus, and charge much more. The NRA class not only covers the basics of operation in a firearm, but safety issues in use, storage, transportation and cleaning. We also bring in both a lawyer and an officer to discuss both legal and practical issues related to use of a firearm in self defense. Its a great way to get a lot of questions answered!
In general, we encourage people to take this course *before* purchasing a firearm, since it can help you make up your mind about even *whether* to purchase. But also, by being more informed about use and operation, you can't help but be a better consumer when you go shop. Many people find that some firearms felt comfortable in their hand while they were absolute novices; but once they learned the proper way to handle the firearm, other models or configurations become preferred. Finally, by getting hooked up with other knowledgeable shooters (who take or teach the class) you can often try out many different types of firearms, to help you decide which you like. You wouldn't invest in a car without a test drive; don't invest in a firearm you've never driven either. These same people can help you find safe and economical places to shoot, that is important to help you stay safe and proficient with the firearm if you choose to buy.
Please feel free to ask all the followup questions you like; safety is that important to us here. Also let us know of your experiences, and give us feedback on how to best help the next novice who inquires. Welcome aboard -- stay safe --
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