Visit some gun shops, call some shooting ranges. There are some ranges that have demo weapons and charge a fee for you to fire them. Some work with local shops and have an inventory of demo weapons. They may not have the exact one, but check the differences between revolvers and semi-autos.
Each type has certain strengths, best to see what works for you. Example, revolvers are easier to maintain but slower to fire and reload. Semi-autos are nice but much more complex. Maintainability is very important, you need to clean it every time you fire it. In the shop have them take it apart and show you how many parts it has.
Look in the shops to see what you might want. Then go to the range and test fire some different weapons.
Common mistakes people make when buying;
Too large. Bigger isn't better if you can't hit anything with it.
If you are going to carry it, get something you can hide 100%.
Think about where you'll keep it in the house, securely.
Think about the style of trigger lock you'll use. All locks don't work on all weapons. A trigger lock is a 100% essential item to have, and a cleaning kit.
Getting the right ammo makes a difference.
Can't stress this enough. Practice and training. Take a class, get some training, fire it often. Get comfortable with it and don't be intimidated by it. You want to practice so much that drawing, firing, and reloading become second nature. Practice with the scenario you'll most likely use. Removing the trigger lock, turn off the safety, then fire, something like that.
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