re: Educate me on a pistol

I'm a big fan of having people start out with a revolver. They are very simple to use and extremely reliable. I would suggest a 4 inch Ruger GP 100. You can shoot .357 magnums and .38 specials out of it. Start by shooting .38 specials out of this gun. It will offer very little recoil and allow you to focus on overall technique while still providing enough for self-defense. When you are ready, you can then start shooting .357's which is all the power you will even need. The versatility is what makes this caliber so awesome.