It would take a good belt, good holster, and some solid dedication but its do-able. Biggest issue would be the fat cylinder. Probably no worse of a challenge than a Glock 45 or similar...
I dislike full length guide rods but merely as a personal preference. The hard core 1911 guys will have to chime in if there is a real functional reason to lean that way. That being said, I still would not like getting a product that was not in line with what was spec'd when I ordered it.
Now that the prices of the XDs have fallen closer inline with the rest of the market, I would see no reason not to get one of them. There is a level of consistency you would be able to maintain by staying with the same brand. That being said, if you like one of the others, the differences in...
Personally I believe that the SP2022 is one of the hidden bargains in the firearms industry. My first personally owned gun was an SP2009 (precursor to the SP2022) and I loved everything about it. If you lve SA/DA guns and are on a budget, you cant beat that gun. I now have an P229 and...
If I had to guess I would say the 1 in a million perception comes from those who use something like murder rate as their benchmark. doctors are doing more to keep that down than anyone. Looking at violent crime as a whole gives a much higher incident rate and shows more clearly the logic behind...
Quick search and all of the below show to be had for at or under your $800 range in some or all variants.
Weatherby SA-08
Mossberg 930/935
Remington 11-87 <----love this one
Beretta A300
Love my G30 (lusting after a G30s...). All my other glocks are just tools in the toolbox but I truly have a connection with the 30 line. Not sure why...