As the title states, I am about to make my initial purchase on a handgun.

Let me state, before I begin, the reason I am purchasing a firearm: I am purchasing a handgun to become a Proficient Marksman.

That is to say, I will make trips to my gun range regularly, become comfortable with the given firearm, learn the nuances, develop some technique, blah blah blah.

Just so we are all on the same page, I've already rented and fired the following:

• Glock 19, 9mm, 100rds
• Springfield XD, 45ACP, 50 rds
• Beretta 92 FS, 50 rds
• Springfield 1911 (standard gov't), 45ACP, 50 rds
• Springfield XD, 9mm, 5" Tactical, 100rds
• Springfield XD-9, 4" Duty model, 100rds

The reason I have listed what I have rented and thus tried out is so my claims are backed with (a little bit of) experience.

Glocks: I disliked a few aspects of the Glock. I nearly broke my thumb every time I tried to put the 10th round in the magazine. (10 rd mag). Perhaps that particular mag is trash? Perhaps Austrians have stronger thumbs than me? I also refuse to purchase a firearm with a composite slide.

(I am aware that there are plenty of glocks with metal slides)

Additionally, I am a bit nervous about having a firearm with no handle-safety. I have found that, (with the exception of the 1911) I despise external safeties. That being said, though, I do like having that "back of the handle" safety, at least, so my firearm has less chance of going off unless I am holding it squarely.

1911's: I understand why there are basically 5 different brands making anything from 5 to 20 models of the "1911 government" handgun style. It is a really comfortable firearm and quite solid.

What I will say is that the Springfield TRP is one firearm I wish I owned. (specifically, the one that is all-stainless with Black grips, oh boy) I got my hands on quite a few of them, but, sadly, nobody is willing to rent them out. I don't blame them, it is a $1400 handgun.

My problem with the 1911's: 45ACP ammunition is terribly expensive compared to 9mm. Fiocchi is a brand of ammunition that appears to be very clean, very fresh, and very reliable (it is most of what I fired while testing the above firearms) That being said, Fiocchi 9mm 50 packs are $12.50 at my preferred gun store, and 45ACP is something in the area of $20 a box. I also am not sure I like having a firearm which only has single-stack magazines. I suppose an expert only needs 7-8 rounds in their magazine. I am not an expert. I am a novice. I guess the bottom line with Springfield 1911's is that I love them, but, most of them are pricey and fire pricey ammunition.

The bottom line: I see no reason to go 45 ACP. If anyone feels I am missing the boat here, please say something.

Beretta: I was not overly impressed with the Beretta. While I was surprised with how easy it was to control the firearm, most likely due to the massive handle, I did not like the HUGE external safety. I frequently bumped said safety while trying to rock the slide.. which decocked the gun. I also do not like the chamber style of the Beretta. (cannot +1 this firearm). Also, in only 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition, the weapon jammed Twice, forcing me to rock the slide, ejecting the not-properly-loaded cartridge. I wonder if that was more the fact that it was a used weapon, perhaps an unlucky fluke, etc.

XD's: As you may have noticed, I have fired quite a few of them. As I continued to rent firearms, I realized that the XD I fired early on seemed to be more ergonomically comfortable, more accurate, and "simpler" in comparison to some of the other firearms I had used, such as the Beretta. I am getting this vibe that the Springfield firearms are some of the finer products on the market. I also like the "indicators" on the XD weaponry. (Chamber loaded, Striker Cocked) It is not a big deal to me, but the rail on the handgun is a nice feature as well.

The bottom line: I am basically prepared to purchase a Springfield XD 4" "Duty" 9mm handgun. It seems to be the most practical firearm that has the features I like. My gun store is asking $519, and my understanding is ... that is cheap as dirt.

I am providing a link to the website Gun Directory so everyone can see what this particular handgun looks like:
(I assume this is alright to link an image)

Anyway, I would love feedback on my imminent decision. If anyone thinks I am going wrong with this decision, please tell me! Tell me what you think regardless!

Also, if anyone has any particular pointers on this issue, I'd love to hear them.

Thank you so much for reading, and I look forward to discussing