Suggest First Handgun

Decent 1911 is going to run you ~1k.  for a first time handgun and something you want to use for home defense and allow your wife to able to use if the unfortunate situation arises, i would recommend a medium framed .357 revolver.  won't jam, and easy to operate; you just pull the trigger.

you can take it to the range and shoot .38 Special rounds through it all day without breaking the bank, and keep some .357 HP and FMJ rounds alternated in the cylinder for home defense.

edit: i have a taurus .357, and much prefer it over all the rugers i have tried out.

I used to LOVE the glock frame.  But now it looks a little boring compared to some of the other composite frame offerings from H&K and such.

Safety is the other option.  I'm sold on the internal safety of the Glocks, but an external safety would probably make the wife a bit more comfortable.

For this, Mossberg 500.

Funny you should mention... I found that exact one - tactical version that's super sweet.

Truthfully though, I lof my M1991 Gold Cup National Match. I think a base 1911 ACP runs around $700. Mine is prob worth around $1500.

Do not get the Colt Commander... It jams often, only has a 5 rd mag, and if you hold it wrong when firing, it'll slice open your hand with the slide.

I don't know much about guns, but I've got some rather impersonal Christmas cards you can use as targets at the range!  

It's a war zone down here!  Personally, I keep my keyboard at floor level...I'm lying prone as I type this message...I figure if they shoot, they'll shoot at window level.

Hardly.

I'm suprised nobody mentioned a springfield XD. Plenty of striker fired polymer guns to choose from, but the XD just has a great combination of features. Excellent ergonomics, point and sight aquisition. Striker position indicator. Loaded chamber indicator. Double safety mechanisim... trigger saftey system ala Glock, hand grip safety ala 1911. You have to be holding the gun and pulling the trigger for it to shoot. Excellent quality and accuracy right out of the box. All calibers, every possible size.

The real special one is the .45. I have smallish hands. A double stack mag of .45 sounds nice but it is too big. The XD45 is 13 rounds that feel like a 9mm. It is sooo comfortable in my hand... but that does not mean it is right for you and the wife. I just say it because if you are going to have just one gun, a 13+1 of .45 is a good one to have.

I don't consider the XD to be the end all be all, plenty of high quality race guns to choose from... but whith all the features you get for the money, I think they have set the bar for what you are looking at. For the same money, I don't see how Glock manages to win. Next up from that for me would be a H&K... but those are outside your price range... mine too.

Shotguns are a good choice, but they are a handful and the wife might not be willing to pick it up. And the last thing I am going to buy a gun for is to "intimidate" an intruder.

Iused to carry a 9mm.  In FL it's kind of hard to conceal such a large gun.  Now I carry a Ruger LCP 380.  It's super light and super thin.  Go check one out.

Ignore all the talk about "stopping power".  Even a .22 to the face is going to stop all but the most wacked out criminals.

Just scanning the posts and have the following comments. First most woman seem to be more comfortable with revolvers over semi autos.  second you do not need 1k to get good 1911 I have a metro arms American Classic II, I shoot my wife shoots, and my kids shoot, it is a great 1911 400.00 at a gun show used. My wife now has 2 .38' she loves them they are easy to load easy to handle and go boom when she wants them to. So forget what you want at least for your wife take her to a gun show and spend an hour or two walking around and handling the guns, she will find out what feels good.  Talk to the venders and let her ask questions who knows you may walk out with one for each of you.  My wife and I are going to a gun show tomorrow she intends to get us a pair of .22 revolvers just to target shoot with. Who am I to disagree. You do not have to spend alot to get a good gun.  I suggest the following brands for quality at a good price. Metro Arms, Bersa, Charter Arms, Ruger.  Oh yea be sure to dry fire, a hammerless has a very hard trigger pull and both of you may not like that so try first this is what makes a gun show so much better than a store.  Here is a link so you can look up where a show
is. 

http://www.gunshows-usa.com/

http://www.gunshows-usa.com/

For the money, I LOVE my XD. Very good firearm for a very good price. I've never cared for Glocks at all.