Sigh... I think I want to buy a firearm. (updated)

[Nuclear Unicorn]

33. Find a friend who is a shooting hobbyist.

Make sure they are responsible and safety minded, obviously.

Ask if they can spend the day with you showing the various parts of a pistol and how to use it. Familiarize yourself with those parts so that you can point to them without hesitation. Learn the rules of gun safety, i.e. always assume the weapon is loaded, never point it at anything you aren't prepared to shoot, finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot, etc.

Then go to the range.

Make it a day of relaxation. Divorce your mind from the sense of mystery and danger associated with guns (but always mindful of safety) and focus on the principles of shooting: breath control, steadying yourself, good sight picture, relaxing the body, calming the mind.

It's kind of like golfing, if you think about it.

When you're done, thank your friend for the afternoon and go have a cookout.

Don't buy a gun.

That's how I learned to shoot and because of that I learned to respect guns instead of see them as a thing of killing.