How do you plan to carry? All the time, for work, weekends, restaurants? It’ll make a difference on what and how you carry. I used a .38 S&W snubbie with a modified hammer and a paddle styled holster. I actually liked carrying the Beretta 92 and the compact EAA .40 better but the snubbie left less of a bump for concealment purposes.
Think about why/what purpose you want to carry and go from there. It might make sense to get a smaller gun. Then find a comfortable holster (you very well could go through a few before you find one that works.)that fits your body and allows you to draw safely. I always loaded self defense ammo and my buddy used the frangible stuff for his .40
Suggest to look at the entire decision pragmatically and not get too hung up on caliber and looks but focus in your own comfort and security and confidence. A .45 is a great caliber but it does you no good if you miss and hit a kid in the next room. Dead from a .38 or 9MM to the sweet-spot is the same dead as from a .45 or larger. I’m no expert but my dad was (Army MP and NYPD weapons instructor)and that was the advice he gave me.
Good luck..
“How do you plan to carry?”
Good question. I should have mentioned, I actually intend to carry pretty rarely. Mianly I’m excercising my right, etc.
The problem is there are so few places I got that you ~can~ carry.
Work? Nope. Bar / Restaurant? Nope? Store? Usually nope.
And I live and work in very safe neighborhoods.
To be honest, I’ll probably carry a few times a year. We go to tea parties here in Cleveland Oh (not all that hospitable to conservatives), so I’ll probably carry there, just in case...