Okay, I am not a gun owner, and would have to contact my ex if I needed some advice on what to learn on first, so how about an old persons first gun. I don’t want a pistol. I’m a good shot at theme parks and with toys, probably from shooting my camera for 30 years. How about a long bow? I love archery. Could still poke an intruder’s eye out.:)
If your going to get creative then you should use a fire extinguisher, preferably a CO2 one.
Go to Walmart and buy a 20 ga Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 pump shotgun. Look for an 18 inch barrel. Its simple, easy, does not kick like a 12 ga and its guaranteed to work every time its tried. Its also very intimidating to whoever is looking at you. Then buy a box of number 1 buckshot. Then go shoot it a few times. No need to shoot more than 3 or 4 shots to get the feel. Of course, more is better when practicing. Enjoy the feeling of being equal to anything that walks the earth!.
Ruger 10/22.
Easy to use, very accurate, very dependable, still a value. I started my kids on one at 8 and was amazed how easily they dialed it in.
Good luck and good shooting!
Poke an eye out???? That longbow will skewer your intruder from stem to stern! It'll take a lot of practice to be good with it, though.
You could do a lot worse than a Remington 870 pump. It's a GOOD shotgun -- our hunting retriever club has standardized on it for hunt tests. If you'd rather have a semi-auto (and certainly you can get a second shot off quicker) I'd recommend a Rem 1140 or 1148.
I wouldn't get a 12 ga., I'd get a 20 (that's what I have) because of the lower recoil, in a home defense situation that's still plenty of lead.
Then get out there and learn to shoot it and familiarize yourself with its operation. You'll probably wind up getting involved in sport shooting and having tons of fun.
Please get some training from a bona fide expert. I have been shooting for way over 50 years and still learn something every time I sit in on a class.