Help How to "get into" guns?

[newlifeimmigration]

I know there's already a thread about guns specifically for ctb. I've already read it and I'll probably reread it a few times again. What I'm wondering is about how to start getting knowledge on guns in general?

Shotgun to the head is my ideal method. I have the money for it and everything but I feel like I need more knowledge on them before actually going out and buying one. I want to know enough that I could act like I'm just getting into it as a hobby. And also I have no idea on how to even shoot one. I have genuine interest in guns too, I just feel kind of lost on how to start learning about them. Every time I try looking stuff up all the logistics just go over my head.

It feels like everyone else learned from being around family or friends with guns, but my family has always been really against guns. And I dont have any friends. I'm a very scrawny girl who is very visibly maladjusted & improperly socialized too so I don't feel like I really fit in with the average gun owner. It makes me nervous about even trying because I feel like I'm just going to make a fool of myself

It's kind of open I guess but my questions are:
does anyone have any tips on how to not look like you're just buying a gun just to ctb?
What can I expect from going into a gun store?
Is there any good starting resources for learning about shotguns, so I don't look like an idiot?
What do people usually do with shotguns? I know there's hunting and shooting ranges but I'm kind of confused on what that actually entails irl

Thank you^^

 

[newlifeimmigration]

Bumping this because it was in review for a while. I hope that's ok! @.@

 

[hellworldprincess]

I've never held a gun before and also I couldn't in my country, so take all of this with a grain of salt.

If you're generally interested in guns, there are countless gun nut youtubers you could check out. Sadly, they tend to not be the nicest people around. Being into guns is kind of a right-wing coded hobby. But for education about functionality and vocabulary it should be fine.

I assume that you're based in the US, which has something called the gun show loophole. For example it's used by felons to buy guns.
If you look for a private seller (maybe at a gun show) you might find someone who isn't as responsible as a professional gun salesperson.

Honestly tho, I think that most gun shops also don't care.

You could say that you want to use it at a shooting range (idk anything about hunting at all so I can't tell you how that would work), but if you don't have experience holding a gun, that might be suspicious. The seller could advise you to start off with something smaller than a shotgun.
That's why I would say that I want to own it for home defense purposes. Gun people love all of that "my home is my castle" stuff.

Hope this helps in some kind of way.