I got my SIG P-229 for exactly $550 as a factory refurbished. I have not tried other .40s but the SIG is crazy accurate and you can buy the .357 SIG barrel and convert back and forth easily. If you want to save some money, look at Hi-Point, they are ugly, heavy, and often maligned here and elsewhere, but my C-9 has exhibited nothing but excellent reliability and reasonably good accuracy, and you can purchase 4 of them with an unconditional lifetime warranty for the price of 1 SIG. Some have mentioned S&W; My FFL rails on the S&W automatics, and says they are all junk, and he definately knows more about guns than I do, but my personal experience with S&W is limited to revolvers (which I find to be excellent firearms), The only exception being my buddys' Sigma 6 which is chambered for 9mm but is also available in .40S&W, which has performed quite well whenever he or I shoot it and is available for under $300. Of course the Glock is always an excellent choice, but I personally find them to be even uglier than Hi-Point, although certainly higher quality. And just a warning about the .357 SIG barrels - I am told that many dedicated .40 guns, that is, guns designed around the .40S&W, do not have the strenght to hold up to long term firing with the .357 SIG, whereas the 229 was designed around the cartridge and has the strength to put hundreds of thousands of rounds downrange without suffering any significant damage. I have not tested this theory myself, but perhaps another member with more knowledge could elaborate on the subject? Either way, if you're willing to plop down five bills, you could do a lot worse than SIG P-229
