Doc,
I got into shooting in 2016. I consider myself the resident noob compared to many other regulars here. Below is my XP.
1) I too watched many vids and got advice from others. The issue is, you get info overload. So what works for 1, may not work for another. So like I posted above, pick 1 person/YT advice and go shoot at least a couple hundred rounds trying that method. I say what works for 1 and not others because my old neighbor "tea cups", but is a way better shot than I am. He's been shooting for 40 years. So if he's fast and accurate, why change. There are some concepts that are similar though with all instructors.
When I first started, I shot at an indoor range all the time. The reason is because they allowed me to shoot the way I want, which is from a holster and rapid fire. And at 15yrds or less. The bullseye side at KHSC is boring and not for my type of shooting. But due to prices, you may not be able to afford doing so. They were already expensive pre-covid, now they're even more. Unless you got the budget, then go for it.
Then I heard about the HDF open shoots. They meet my shooting practice requirements and are way cheaper. But the only down side is that it's only once a month. I would go to the indoor range 1-2 times a week. So basically, you need more reps. Relying on the open shoot is like exercising only once a month for a total noob. Don't expect fast results if only waiting for HDF open shoots. You need more range time to get proficient as a beginner. I remember my first time at the open shoot, I shot 200rds in less than 20 minutes.
2) Take what you see online with a grain of salt. Some gun influences were known to speed up their vids to make it appear that they are shooting faster. Then adding in the "ping" sound for hits on steel. Also they may be using reduced loads. Which means the recoil is less due to less powder in each cartilage. My VP9 spits out brass 3 feet away. I've seen another influencer and the brass barely ejects 2 inches.
3) With relation to the influencers above, remember that many of them have been shooting for decades. So their fundamentals are on key. That is why many can pick up any gun and shoot it well. I remember your other post about switching from a Glock to the HK. The phrase "it's the Indian, not the arrow" comes to mind. Most guns are more accurate than the shooter. Even factory Glocks/SIGs.
4) For me, I figured out with all the caffeine running thru my veins, I can hold my pistol on a target for about 7 seconds before I get noticeable front post movement. I also fatigue toward the end of HDF skill builders with my grip. This is due to the weather and using that muscle group only once a month. I do workout a lot and have a stronger grip than normal people. But this grip is for weights, which is a round bar about 1 inch wide. Not for a pistol grip. So even though I can deadlift 400+lbs with out any "wraps", my grip fatigues when using a pistol. Then factor in what I wrote above about the once a month thing. My gym grip is much stronger because I'm at the gym 5x a week. If I only workout once a month, I'm sure my grip wouldn't be as strong.
5) Dry fire does help me, but only so much. I have a mental disconnect once live ammo is used. When I dry fire at home, i line up my front post with the lines on the wall. it barely moves when pressing the trigger. This is slow fire, holster IWB/OWB, what ever. But once I get the range, knowing the gun will now go bang cause me to flinch way more. I'm still trying to train thru this, but will need way more range time than my once a month open shoot sessions. For now though, I'm OK with it.
So in the end, get more range time. The hard part is due to the price of ammo, you may be limited compared to precovid prices. Unless you got the budget, then the ammo cost doesn't matter. After trying 1 method for a few hundred rounds, see if you tweak something and you get better. I would recommend, instead of buying another gun, save the money for ammo and training. Once you figure out what you like or don't like about your current gun, then upgrade as needed.
My only handgun is the VP9. I tried a SIG P320 and didn't like the feel of it. So I won't buy that. I do like the feel of Glocks and the CZ P10C and 1911's. But it took months of training with the VP9 for me to figure that out. This way I have enough XP to compare things to.
1 story that is often told is that when I took private instruction at KHSC bullseye side when I was about 6 months new. I can hit an index card at 25 yards with 1-2 of 5 shots with my VP9. This went on for many mags worth. This was also slow fire (range rules). Then I tried my instructors G17 about 10 seconds later and got 5 of 5 on that same index card at 25yrds. It wasn't a warm up issue either. Today, I can probably get 3-4 shots of 5 consistently into an index card at 25yrds. Which is an improvement from 1-2.
At the time, the G17 was comparable to the VP9 trigger wise, like there wasn't a way lighter trigger. And IIRC the barrel was slotted, but since we were slow firing, recoil wasn't an issue.
Feel free to ask me questions or explain more in detail if there are terms or phrases you don't understand. We are all here to help. 1 thing as a noob that I would often do is ask what does X or Y mean. 1 example was the term FFL was often used when I was asking about guns that the LGS didn't carry. I had to ask what is a FFL. Now I know. And a friend of mine has a Gen 1 Glock. I didn't know what the big deal was so I asked. Now I understand and got to shoot that Gen1 Glock too.