Considering your desired uses for a .45 ACP pistol, and that you're experienced with revolvers ...
I'd suggest you rent a S&W .45 stainless steel frame 4566TSW (DA/SA) and a 4586TSW (DAO). The stainless frame will make range & plinking a pleasure, and make recovery fast for defensive use as a "home defense" weapon. Weight of the all stainless pistols probably wouldn't be an issue if you're used to medium sized .357 Magnum revolvers. S&W .45 ACP pistols are NOT ammunition sensitive, and as long as they're reasonably maintained they're about as reliable as the atomic clock ...
The Ruger P-Series are great choices, too, although the aluminum & polymer frames don't offer the "perceived" recoil absorption the stainless frames do. Polymer actually does absorb a significant amount of the recoil impulse, but it "feels" differently than the heavier metal frames in this regard. Again, you'd have to shoot them to decide for yourself. Ruger isn't known for their "competitive" triggers. Hey, I can say that because I've shot a lot of them, and currently own an older P-90 that's digested a LOT of rounds. Big, boxy, reliable as you'd ever desire, but with a long and "less precise" trigger in both DA & SA mode. Great "work horse" pistol. My S&W .45's are a lot more fun, though, because of the triggers.
HK USP's are great pistols, but the triggers aren't ... unless you want to invest in one of the Tactical or Expert models ... Long travel, with unpredictable creep & staging from one pistol of the same model to another ... longer reset, too. Nicely produced, good accuracy ...
SIG's are great pistols. Been shooting them since Browning imported the early BDA version. Used to be very finicky about bullet shape. Better now. The early extractor & breech block roll pin breakage issues have apparently been resolved, as has the magazine fabrication (seam welds) issues, and the current models have benefitted from other improvements, as well. Triggers are different in "feel" from other designs mentioned so far, but generally popular among a wide spectrum of shooters, and apparently fit those with medium to small hands much better than they used to ...
Lighter pistols may not be as pleasureable for extended range use, although you'd have to be the judge of that ...
Single action 1911 design pistols often require a lot of user familiarization before many first time owners are comfortable with their manual of arms ...
Striker fired pistols are offered in a variety of designs regarding their cycle of operation ... DA/SA, partially compressed striker spring when chambered, completely compressed striker spring when chambered ... Aside from the mechanical advantages or disadvantages of these different designs, you'd again have to try them and see if you preferred a particular one over any other.
Even the "traditional" DA/SA pistol designs vary quite a bit from one to another, especially when it comes to trigger travel, "stacking", reset and weight ...
If you're near a public range that offers rental privileges, I'd invest in renting and shooting a different pistol every day you can visit the range. I'd also invest in only shooting quality major manufacturer ammuntion, too, as reloads can sometimes have an adverse impact on your shooting experience. This may cost you some money ... but range time can be fun, especially shooting different and new (to you) handguns ... and you may be glad you didn't buy one or more of them after a rental range session ...
Also, shooting rental pistols will give you a chance to learn how well the various pistols operate after receiving a lot of use, and ocacsional abuse ... and often very little in the way of consistent cleaning and maintenance. While there are naturally ranges that are better about their maintenance and cleaning of rental guns ... about the only worse maintained pistols are those in L/E holsters ...
Take your time ... shoot a lot of them ... great caliber and a lot of great pistols offered out there ... You should find at least one you'll like.