Are you like a cop or a bounty hunter or something where playing with guns and mace is part of your everyday life? Guy shoots his wife install satelite TV, your story of shooting a hole through your wall reminded me of this.
Bought my first handgun tonight- USP .45. Most money I've ever spent on anything, and don't regret it at all. It was love at first hold. I tried convincing myself to get a Springfield XD .45, maybe a S&W .357 revolver, but nope- I wanted the full-size USP and that's what I bought.
I have a Kimber 1911 Tactical Pro II .45 ACP and I love it. I plan to get a H&K .40 USP Compact soon to keep with me. The Kimber is just too big to be portable. It's a good nightstand gun. My baby: I normally use http://www.bayoushooter.com/forums/index.php for my firearm forums. They have a section for buy and sell kind of stuff and most of these dudes are pretty local.
The only concern I have with the USP is that it's big, but I'm of the mentality that if I need to be carrying a gun, chances are I want people to see it. I may end up getting a compact gun down the road, but as for now I just don't see myself having one.
Don't wait too long. The new stylish democratic firearm bandwagon is banning everything with a pistol grip.
Kimber is tops right now if you're looking for a .45/1911. Too bad you don't like Glock, they're nice, can't go wrong with a Sig either.
All comes down to personal preference. If I could afford it (read: get it cleared past the wife), I would get a Kimber and an HK. Or a used Colt 1911 (there are some unbelievably great ones out there.) These guns are on a different level than just about every other mainstream manufacturer. I'm a big fan of CZ -- well-built, no frills, great price, great reliability. Much to my utter shock, I picked up a Baby Eagle (steel, not polymer) and fell in love with it. Fits my hands and technique perfectly, and seems well-built. Definitely not for everyone though. Next handgun is a Judge from Taurus. Check out gunbroker.com if you want to broadly check prices or buy stuff. It's like a firearm eBay.
That's why I like my Mini-14. It's a semi-auto capable of taking large magazines and firing a military round . . . but it looks like a sporter instead of an assault rifle. "It's for varmints, officer!"
