Shooting is easy. Shooting effectively is NOT.
It is indeed very easy to pull the trigger; however, there are many factors to be taken into account; after all, your aim is to hit what you're shooting at. Simply put, you must achieve good sight picture, good sight alignment, proper trigger control--and do all of them at once while you're pulling the trigger.
However, even that is easy compared to the second part of the equation.
Buying a gun is simple, indeed--local laws notwithstanding.
Are YOU ready to use that firearm?
A firearm may only be used when you are in immediate threat of death or serious bodily harm. (Check your local laws for more.)
And, you can not brandish--meaning pulling your gun without intent to shoot.
To put it bluntly, are you ready to kill? To take life to preserve your own? Are you ready to put another human being through intense pain and suffering? Most importantly, can you pull the trigger without questioning yourself--or (as it has been said before) will you hesitate at the moment of truth, when life hangs in the balance?
Do you gamble? Are you ready to make the biggest wager of your life--betting everything you own, your liberty and freedom, your good name, your reputation and your future on about 5 pounds of pressure? You will be doing that if you ever pull the trigger on another human being. Indeed, you might be doing that if you simply pull a gun on another human being.
Before you carry a firearm for protection, do the following:
1. Contact your local prosecutor, and ask them to explain the laws in your jurisdiction concerning the use of deadly force.
2. Contact the attorney of your choice, and ask them how much it costs to successfully defend a case where a shooting is involved.
3. Contact someone who is competent, and is able to offer you proper training in armed self defense. Trust me, there is a world of difference between this and any other type of shooting.
If you do not have time to do this, you should not consider carrying a gun. Forgive me for being blunt, but simply buying a pistol and sticking it in your waistband or purse does not prepare you to defend yourself. Please get some training.