Company and the German Shepard both sound like good ideas. If you're still looking for a pistol though, something like that Taurus (above) would probably fit the bill nicely.
South of Bloomington
Anyone have a recommended overnight trail south of Bloomington? My "places to backpack" list became irrelevant when I escaped from Kalifornia.
Not nearly as old as some of the others here. But the oldest I've got is a J.P. Sauer and Sohns 12 ga side by side, was given to me by my grandpa. I'm not sure of the age, but it's stamped "West Germany" so it's not new.
I've been considering purchasing a JP Enterprises Enhanced Bolt in .308, but I'm not finding many opinions on it. I know JP has a good reputation in general, anyone want to give me their opinion on the the enhanced .308 bolt?
I've got a MKIII threaded and waiting for me to pick up my huntertown arms suppressor. I'm hoping it goes better than what you've described. I rarely have any trouble with the MKIII on it's own though. The few problems I've had were maintenance issues. But that's just my experience.
I'll throw in a vote for the XD
I've got an XD that I really like, so that's my vote. But if you've got a bit more to spend, I've shot a Walther P99 a few times and it sure was nice.
You would definitely get a better understanding of the system if you build it yourself. I'd see that as a benefit, you might even save some money in the process.