Well I can tell you one thing for sure, if you don't have other handguns don't make Taurus your first.

Walther is an okay handgun, but you'd probably be much more happier with a sig over all other things you said...

Best bang for your buck tho is a Glock lol

Go with the PPQ, it's getting pretty good reviews and Walther makes a good gun. Here's a pretty good review on it: Military Arms Channel • View topic - Walther PPQ 9mm Reivew

If your hand hurt after firing the Sig that should tell you maybe the 229 isn't a good fit for you. As to the PPQ they review really well but as they are just starting to show up around here I have heard no real hands on talk about them yet much less had a chance to fire one. The P99 is a known quantity and has a rather good rep. If it fits your hand and all the buttons and levers(mag release, slide stop, ect) do not require a change of hand position it would be a good choice. Or wait till a PPQ come to your area and you can et your hands on one.

I think you are doing the right thing by taking your time and trying different guns before you purchase. All of the major brands make accurate pistols. The Beretta 92 is a great gun and very accurate, not sure why the one you used shot poorly. Some of those range guns never get cleaned. I love a Glock, but lots of people don't like the angle of the grip. Taurus also makes some good pistols (24/7). Sigs are great, but tend to be over priced. Others to look at would be Springfield XD, Smith M & P, and Ruger SR9. They all shoot accurately, what matters most is what you prefer. I can shoot some guns better than others due to my own preferences. When I first bought my Beretta 92 I was disappointed with my groups, but now they are tight. Just got use to it with repeated times to the range. Some pistols I shoot well the first time. Don't know why?

Sorry, meant my hand was bothering me from the Beretta when I started shooting the Sig. My main issue with the Sig is the price, I'd like a .22 as well, and can buy it in addition several of the other brands of 9mm for the price of the Sig. Have a feeling I'm going with the Walther I guess, hitting a gunshow in two weeks, and hopefully someone will have one to take a look at. Semi-eyeballing the Jericho as well...think it may be more about the name however Thanks.

As jdw68 said:
"I think you are doing the right thing by taking your time and trying different guns before you purchase. All of the major brands make accurate pistols.... " I would give that a big +1.

I knew I wanted a 9mm (esp a compact version), and tried the Glock 26, M&P 9mm, Springfield XDm9, a Sig 9mm and the Ruger SR9 (SR9c wasn't available as rental). I didn't like the feel and hence didn't shoot well with the Sig or XD. The M&P was OK. I shot the Glock 26 quite well but it just didn't feel as good in hand as the SR9c I had looked at. Shooting the SR9 rental made up my mind and I went with the SR9c for purchase. Haven't had any regrets. Try as many as you can beforehand and I'm sure you'll be more satisfied with your ultimate purchase.

If you liked the P229 you might want to check out the SP 2022 Sig for under 400. as it has three different sized grips and is considered by us Sig lovers as the best kept secret in handguns..I have one each in .40 and 9mm as well as a P229......had a Glock 23 and hated the trigger and traded it and never looked back...

You can pick up a used SIG for $500.00 to $600.00 and buy a 22LR conversion for it, which solves the price problem and keeps your 22 on the same platform for practice. You'll find most used pistols especially the high dollar ones are far from being worn out. Most people can't afford to shoot them enough to hurt them much.

You've tried a lot of autos with bad results. Maybe you're a revolver-person. You won't know until you pick a few up and handle them. A .357 with a 4" barrel will weigh about the same as a Beretta 92. A S & W Night Guard will weigh less, and will carry 7 or 8 rounds (depending upon the model). In a pancake holster it will conceal as well as a 1911 or a Beretta 92 in my opinion.

You can load it up with .38 +P and get about the same energy as a 9mm, or you can load it up with .357 magnums and have one of the most potent anti-personnel rounds available. Or use light target loads for practice. Very versatile.

What do you intend on doing with this handgun? If you were considering the Baretta 92, then I doubt you were intending to use it for concealed carry, but let us know anyway. If it is for home defense and shooting at the range, then a full-sized handgun is a good choice. If you like the Sig P229, then you should take a look at the Sig SP2022 as suggested by chessail77 above. Another handgun which most say is very comfortable is the CZ 75.

Just take your time and try as many 9mm hanguns as you can. Everybody is different and selecting a handgun is a personal desicion.

Good luck.

2 other classic and proven 9mms to consider...

CZ 75B (or other derivative models) - which someone else mentioned, has a reputation for feeling very comfortable

Browning HiPower

If I were to give you some advice I would say look at the CZ's also. Blaming a weapon for shooting a loose group after not shooting for 10 years.........hmmmmmm. I personally do not like the 92 but it can shoot better then I can and I am a fair shot. The Sigs are good guns, Walthers are good guns, all the guns mentioned have their advantages. My first gun was not a CZ, my last 3 have all been CZ's, and the 2 before that were clones by Tangfolio. My next gun will proabaly be a Sig or a FNP. Get what you like. don't go cheap just because its cheap. I always tell my friends and my kids, if choice #2 is 50 bucks cheaper then choice number 1....do not go with 2 save another 2 weeks and get choice number 1. Saving a few bucks to get the second best is only a good idea when there is no way for you to get the extra money.

RCG

How about a Sig 226? You can usually find a nice one used - so it will fit in your budget.

Another thing to consider is cost of magazines. If it's a range gun, it is very nice to have a good number of mags -- so you can spend more time shooting than reloading.

Having a Sig 226, a Beretta 92FS, and some Glocks, I find that my ability to shoot any one of them well varies with how often I practice with any one of those pistols. They are all more accurate than I am, so it's a case of getting reaccustomed to different triggers,,etc.

Please don't judge any pistol one one limited experience -- Berettas are really fine pistols that an awful lot of folks love. My experience is that they are "soft" shooting, so why it would hurt your hand is puzzling.

In any case, please choose carefully, and don't look for that "magic" pistol -- usually, the magic is in the shooter.

The three that I zeroed in on when looking at my first handgun, i wanted something fun at the range, home defense, and possible CC.
Springfield XD
Sig 2022
CZ p-07 duty - THE WINNER, couldnt be happier.