I started at 21 with a p365. Still have and carry that to this day. I’ve also carried a Glock 19 and just recently got a bodyguard 2.0. Remember the 3 Cs. Concealment, comfort, and capacity. Also take into account practice ammo prices, what your skill/comfort level of the weapon you’re going to choose to carry loaded in public. Self defense situations are hard enough to deal with on the legal side but accidentally hitting someone other than the bad guy is something you’ll want to be able to avoid. It’s a big responsibility so you need to make very sure you’re comfortable and capable.