I didn't buy my first gun until I was 19 and living on my own. It was a standard Ruger 10/22. I'd go out by myself early mornings to Grantsville and shoot bottles and cans, or whatever other garbage was scattered around out there. One time I was walking along a path and about 10 yards in front of me a skunk rounded a corner on the same path headed straight for me. I raised and fired before he had the chance to notice me and spray me. Didn't feel real good about killing it as I wasn't out there to shoot critters, and I ended up getting back in my car and moving to the next spot over because the smell was pretty bad. Another time I found a horse that had been shot out there.
Din't buy my first handgun until I was in the Navy, a Ruger SP101 snub nose .357 revolver. Never really liked that gun. Too small, too loud and hard to shoot accurately.
Bought one of the early XD40s, one of the ones still made in Croatia. Loved it for a while but it developed an issue that caused the slide to lock back when there were still rounds in the magazine. Sent it to Springfield and they said they couldn't find a problem, so I sold it.
I'm slightly uncomfortable saying this over the internet, but I currently own no firearms. My son is in his early trouble making years (13 in less than a month) and I was going through a lot of issues and my wife and I had a temporary span where, understandably, things were more contentious than normal, so that and based on my family history I decided not to keep guns in the house.
Due to my poor eyesight shooting is less and less enjoyable for me. I like hitting my target. I like guns for their precision. I've never really thought of the guns I owned as self defense weapons. I have no desire to kill anyone. I'm willing to take my chances in the world unarmed.
Ahh the good old days when you could find .22 LR...
FWIW, I don't keep guns for self defense. It takes way too long to get to them if you want any reasonable amount of safety from them.