Hi JimTom,
I've recently been in your position. Went around and around in circles. Ended up picking a few up at the gun stores and the ones I liked best were the Miroku ML11, Browning 725 and Miroku Mk38.
The 725 is outside your price range, but you can pick up the Mk38 for slightly less, and the ML11 for just slightly more.
Now, I also liked the Beretta 694 High Rib, but our budgets combined wouldn't get one between us!
I've settled on the ML11. The Mk10 is also a solid gun, and you can pick them up for just over $2000. Don't look at the Deluxe models though, unless you've got $6000 burning a hole in your pocket!
The Miroku Mk10 has been my borrow-a-gun at the club, alongside the Beretta 686, which can also be found for sub $3000. I would have been happy with either, but the ML11 isn't much more and kinda felt like it mixed the 725 with the 694, but for less. I hope that makes sense!