[rfuerst911sc]

Being a novice the advice of a wheel gun ( revolver ) vs. a semi auto is good advice . Basically when you pull the trigger on a revolver they go bang vs. a semi auto which has a more complicated firing system . Semi autos are very very good these days but not as drop dead reliable as a revolver in my opinion . A .357 with a 5 - 6 " barrel would be a great gun for what you have explained . Like others have said you can use .38 ( cheaper ) to practice with and then load up with .357 for self defense . A good self defense hollow point will put a lot of hurt on the victim .

In my opinion the most important factor is practice , practice , practice ! First off being a novice you need to become comfortable handling a gun safely . You also have to be able to hit your target ! If your scenario is you have just ridden two miles on your mountain bike , you are out of breath and suddenly you hear/see a coyote or bear . Now your adrenaline kicks in and you may find your hands shaking so badly you'd be better off throwing your bike at them ! You need to get to a point where shooting the pistol becomes second nature . Just my 2 cents .