The S&W 9mm's were among the first US-made 9's, and perhaps the first of the double-stacks, after the Browning HiPower. In the early days, they were often compared to the 1911 .45, usually unfavorably; but bear in mind that was not too long after WWII and a lot of ex-GIs loved their 1911s (plus there was an active shooting sports competitive program that favored the .45). Also, a lot of folks never liked the set-up and operation of the slide-mounted safety (even though that's now the way it is on the current GI-standard Beretta). I also think the S&Ws got a "bad rap", in general ... perhaps based on the earlier versions; but I think it was mostly a .45 vs 9mm thing (which obviously continues to this day).
That said, I've had 2 S&W 9's, a 469 and a 669. Both were extremely well-made guns and functioned flawlessly for me. I regret having since traded them (initially for a Colt Officers .45, which never worked well for me).
If you're used to the 1911, you may find the S&W safety a little hard to get used to; but I personally found it better for a carry gun (never was crazy about cocked-&-locked carry). Bear in mind, also, there's now a heap of alternatives in the 9mm arena, with a variety of operating systems. For the price you indicate, however, go with the S&W ... why not?
