Do some research, type of gun depends on what your main use is, concealed carry, home protection, etc. Also age and hand strenth can be a factor (it was for my mother).
then go to a good gun range and ask them and test fire several ones. I have a Ruger, a Baretta and a Bersa (all semi autos) for my handguns and my mom has a Taurus 7 shot revolver with an easily adjustable trigger. For her, a revolver has less of a chance of misfiring and/or jamming which considering her weakness could be an issue in a semi-auto.
How often does misfiring happen with a semi auto?
For my first gun, I'm looking for something that's not too heavy and easy to carry around.
What would be a good shtf weapon?