May I recommend you check out the Springfield Armory XD line of pistols.
Before Springfield came out with the XD line
they made something called the Champion which
is what I have, smaller than a full 1911 but
not as small as some. I didn’t like my little
finger not having anything to grip on some of
the others.
I used to carry all HydroShok but my friend the
chief of police in a major city told me to
carry ball for the last half of the mag, by
then the perp will be behind cover and ball will
punch through.