[jcsturgeon]

I have to preface this by saying I don't carry but I do have some advice on picking a handgun. I wouldn't weigh the cost of ammo in making my decision. If you find a good gun, that suits you and that you are comfortable with then a few dollars on ammo shouldn't sway you either way. Defense rounds are going to be fairly expensive, even in 9mm.

You seem to have discounted the 9mm, which I think may be a mistake. Like Ruark said, you can pack a lot more 9mm in a clip than you can with the larger rounds. I would assume this is also the reason you want a semi auto as opposed to a revolver.

If you do stick with .45, I might suggest checking out a Springfield XD. I haven't personally handled one, so you may want to pick it up at a gun store and see how it feels. Better yet, if you live by a range that lets you rent firearms you should try that. See how it feels in your hands, how well you can hit with it and get a feel for size and weight. I've heard nothing but good things about the XD and every gun shop owner I've talked to says they have a hard time keeping them in stock because they're so popular.

Normally I'm not one to jump on the bandwagon, but they seem to be similar to Glocks for less money.

Also, have you considered a .40 cal? Plenty of stopping power and it'll allow for a higher capacity magazine.