The 1911 Government is pretty large. It can be a challenge to carry if you are new. Make sure your 1911 is reliable -- that means taking it to the range and shooting 300-500 rounds between cleanings. My now awesome Dan Wesson Valor required major surgery by Nighthawk Custom to make right. As much as I love 1911 Governments, I do realize that carrying one requires a "can-do" attitude, strong back muscles to avoid sciatica, and at least two spare mags.
Same goes for a revolver in 44 Magnum. The S&W 29 or 629 carries well and handles 44 Magnum well enough. It is great for 44 Special or 240 grain 44 Magnum at 1,000-1,150 FPS. It too is a challenge and carrying spare ammo is annoying.
Ruger revolvers in 44 are huge and good luck with that.
Regardless, I do recommend the following:
1) Kore Essentials belt with 8# tactical belt and your choice of buckle. If you appendix carry, get the X7. I like it regardless of how I carry because it's small.
2) Loose shirts
3) Carry at least one full reload. Carry two if the capacity of the feeding device is fewer than 11 rounds.
3) +1" or +2" on the waist for pants. Or, at least stretchy waistbands. I like 511 Defenders and whatever shorts they offer.
4) A good holster hides better, lasts far longer, is more comfortable, holds the gun consistently, and conceals better. Milt Sparks, Kramer (Perfectionist), JM Custom Kydex, Tenicor, etc.
Do not fret too much over the gun and caliber. Use 9mm, 40 S&W, 357 SIG, 45 ACP, 44 Special/Magnum, 38 Special, 357 Magnum or 10mm. Get a gun that is known to be reliable and reasonably accurate; you don't need "competition grade" accuracy. You're probably going to practice at 25 yards max and likely defend yourself inside 10 or 15 yards (but not always...so be good at 25-34 yards-- 100 feet).
If you have absolutely no idea what to get, buy a Glock 19 class gun: Glock 19, S&W M&P 9 Compact M2.0, HK P30 or VP9, one of the Walthers, SIG P229 or P320, etc. Almost every company makes the equivalent to a Glock 19. It really doesn't matter. Magazine capacity is 15-17 cartridges and typically conceals well. If you really don't know what to get, then just get the Glock 19 Gen 3 or 4 and you're done until you decide you like something else better.
You can go slightly up in size to a Glock 17 or 45, move into 1911 Commanders or Governments, etc. There are a so many choices that it's almost annoying. Glock 21/20 are great guns but can be difficult to hide unless you have some experience. Many revolvers with 3" and 4" barrels are in this size class, such as the famous S&W Model 66, S&W 686, Ruger GP100, etc. The S&W Model 66/19 with 2.5" barrel and the Ruger SP101 are Glock 19-class guns.
Moving down, you get into the Glocks 26, 43X, 48 and 43, S&W Shield (plus variants), SIG P365 (X, XL, Spectre), and similar sized guns. They're great to carry because they are small and/or thin. I find the Glock 26 and 48 to be great to shoot too. I really like the SIG P365XL (longer grip module with 12 round flush fit magazine). The P365 can be a bit snappy, as is the Glock 43. The Glock 26 is an excellent gun offering great accuracy, excellent reliability, soft shooting, and great concealment. Again, experience helps with this group.
You can try small single stacks too, but those days are mostly over. This includes the Glock 43, but also some 380's like the Walther PPK, Kahr K9, etc. Even smaller are the P365 and Kahr PM9/CM9 (same size but the P365 has 10 rounds). Small guns can be very tempting, but really require a competent shooter to use. If you think you are a marginal shooter, then move back up into the Glock 19-class guns.
Snubby revolvers are a whole different animal. I don't recommend them at all unless you're in the category of "I need a gun and that's all I have, dangit!" They are bad to shoot, don't carry that well, and dealing with spare ammo (as well as getting it into the gun under stress) is tough. They're guns for experts and the SIG P365, Springfield Hellcat, and Glock 43 all supercede it (Kahr PM9 would be on the list but friends don't let friends carry Kahr). I absolutely hated my extremely beautiful and well made S&W Model 19 with 2 1/2" barrel. It was as large as a Glock 19 but couldn't handle moderate 357 Magnum at all. It was not worth the effort required to become proficient when switching over to a Glock 43 yielded instant good results.
After all that, and you're still not sure, just go buy a Glock 19 Gen 3, 4, or 5. Slightly used is just fine and you'll save $100.
I know this comes off as a Glock kool-aid post. I get that. But the fact of the matter is the Glock 19 is probably one of the best carry pistols on the market for $450-600 new. It's easy to work on (need only a manual and a few tools), parts are everywhere, every manufacturer supports it (from holsters to optics), it shoots well, recoil is moderate, capacity as great and it's easy to hide. This is not to say the HK P30 isn't awesome, or the SIG P229 isn't fantastic (I have both)...it's just that the average man with average knowledge can work on his Glock, master shooting it, and can buy mags for $25.
