Gun advice.

[morgana]

My personal is an old Garcia-Star .38 semi-auto. Fits my hand(s) perfectly, strong safety, a recoil I can handle no matter what I push through it, easy for me to conceal. YMMV.

Take the range up on their rental offer. Just handling a firearm in the shop won't tell you what you need to know.

[Taurus52]

I live way out in the boonies, but only 3 miles from a prison. I just bought after a great deal of research a Taurus Millennium Pro PT140 as a carry gun. It is DA/SA (double action and single action) Has a thumb safety that both locks the trigger and blocks the firing pin. It is within your budget and all Taurus guns have a lifetime warranty. I have relatively small hands but I can hold it comfortably. The .40 cal does have a snappy recoil, but not a problem. I've fed a 100 rounds of jacketed hollow point through it with no misfeeds. It is a compact auto with a polymer frame and weighs 18 oz empty. It holds 10 in the mag and one in the pipe. I carry in condition 2 (loaded with one in the pipe, safety on) and feel very safe that way. In all of this YMMV rent some at the range and shoot for yourself so you know what you can tolerate.
Personnaly I think HP is safer than ball because I am concerned about over-penetration. Going all the way through and hitting something behind. Good Luck in finding what you want and let us know.