[wjcsux]

Revolver/Semi: that needs to be settled first.
I agree 100%. That being said, here is what I recommend in your price range.
1911-A1 variant- Taurus makes a nice one. I shot one a couple of weeks ago. It is a great gun for the price.
9mm- CZ-75 is hard to beat.
Revolvers- Charter Arms, pick your caliber of choice.

[Stentor]

9mm- CZ-75 is hard to beat.

Put up one of those targets that's segmented to tell you what you're doing wrong. At ten yards I put 5 rounds in the center. I know that is no massive feat of marksmanship, but I've just started shooting again after skipping my 40s and 50s and the sights are kinda blurry and one arm is 5 inches shorter than the other. I expose these defects to say that the 75 is one accurate and shootable weapon. I love my CZ-82 and I like my Stoeger Cougar but I don't shoot as well with them. Now the CZ-52 is another story. I put everything somewhere on the target.

[Red in Blue PA]

9mm- CZ-75 is hard to beat.

Gotta say I agree with this. For 9mm, this would be my recommendation. (Quality/Price cannot be beat) For .45 ACP, definitely a 1911.

[Joe 6-pack]

I have a CZ75B in .40 S&W. It’s probably the best gun for the money I’ve ever bought. In the early 90’s it was actually the first choice of sidearm for the SAS, but the British Gov’t didn’t want to contract with CZ until the political and economic situation in the former eastern bloc had stabilized, so they opted for Sig-Sauer instead.