1) reliable 2) ergonomic - fits my hand better than any other and points almost as naturally as my finger 3) flat and concealable - true I give up firepower, but most high cap pistols feel like I'm holding a big square box in my hand - the one exception being the Hi Power, not to mention being more comfortable in an IWB holster 4) power - is a compromise. A 9mm isn't going to be as powerful as a .45, but its lighter recoil means I can shoot it a bit faster 5) accurate - I can shoot it as well or better than any other pistol, pure target pistols aside, even with its relatively small size. An accurate pistol gives me more confidence. 6) good and consistent trigger pull - it's a smooth short slide rather than a crisp breaking glass pull of a 1911 but it's easy to get used to and easy to manipulate. An inherently accurate gun isn't practically accurate without a good predictable trigger. 7) weight is heavier than some others, but in a good holster it's never been a problem for me.
Second choice would be a Colt Detective Special with hammer shroud in a pocket holster. 1) reliable 2) ergonomic - fits my hand pretty well and points naturally with a custom grip 3) concealable in a pocket 4) power again is a compromise 5) accurate - I shot it in a "snubby" match where everyone else was using a 3" K frame S&W and came in in the middle of the pack. it will shoot as well as I can point it.
I prefer it to the Agent/Cobra because I can shoot the heavier DS better (faster, more accurately) than the lighter Agent/Cobra. That's worth the weight trade-off to me, though I admit it hangs kind of heavy in a pocket. I also find it easier to shoot well than the J-frame Smiths, more comfortable to shoot, and of course it has the extra shot while being only minimally bigger.
