Practice is good. More practice is better.
There is generally nothing wrong with public ranges. Indoor ranges are better.
Be sure to purchase and learn to safely shoot a weapon you can be proficient with and are not intimidated by. If you can’t afford Front Site then get a friend or relative who is proficient with firearms to take you to the range and show you the proper way to handle and shoot a weapon.
I go to a public range. They have at least one range safety officer on duty, sometimes more than one if they are busy. We are also self policing. Someone does something unsafe, the nearest person to them straightens them out. Doesn’t happen much though, mostly military (active and retired) and various law enforcement types there. Only the occasional newbie. The RSOs spot them and take special interest in them, knowing they can leave the rest of us alone. I’ve never felt in danger there (I have at a private club run by idiots), and I don’t mind helping others learn, even if it is only by setting a good example.