I am a new resident of the City of Lewiston Maine. My family moved here in 2013 from Massachusetts. A lifelong Catholic that fell away from the Church in my teens and came back in 1999 after a journey through first the Presbyterian then the Episcopal Church.
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John Patrick, I see that Scarborough has a Cabelas. I’d go talk with them. If you can also find a (shooting) range nearby, you can also hear their points of view. And at a range you should be able to rent firearms. Both places are interested in not just selling you a firearm, but should be, I think, equally if not more interested in teaching you about them. I must say that saying “Glock is your friend” is not helpful at this time. A couple of passes into the weeds. Your broad choice is between revolvers and semi-automatics. Revolvers have less capacity, usually six rounds. (The bullet is what comes out of the end of the barrel; rounds, or ammunition is what the firearm is loaded with.) Revolvers are quite fool proof; pull the trigger. Nothing happened, pull it again. Semi-automatics can be subject though not prone to failures to fire. Training should include failure to fire drills. (Not that I shoot a great deal, but I’ve only experienced FTF in my semi auto .22 Marlin rifle.) My preference is, of course, the semi-automatic.
Somewhere along in here you may hear about the ‘caliber wars’, “Don’t shoot any round that doesn’t start with a 4”, the implication being that only .40, .44 and .45 caliber are the only real rounds. 9mm is the most popular, probably followed by the .45, also know as the .45ACP, automatic colt pistol, the 45, designed by Browning and brought into service in 1911. (A fine firearm.) If you go to Cabelas, on the first trip I’d ask them “What questions should I be asking you?”. (With very little experience, how does one know what to ask?) Ask them to explain single action, double action, SA/DA, and striker fired weapons. (Greek to you now; Latin later. Heh.) The other thing to do for certain, is put your hands on a lot of pistols. And ask more questions, and take notes. They may even have their own range; at the least they should know where to send you to rent shooting time. You may want at Cabelas to buy hearing protection and eye protection, both mandatory. (By the way, I wear foam earplugs and ear muffs when I shoot; hearing loss is permanent.) You have my email to ask more questions. Kerry