I agree with DRTY - it's hard to beat a Glock as an all-around gun. If I had to pick just one handgun for all purposes, I'd probably pick my Glock 27 - it holds ten potent .40 S&W rounds, has a 3.5" barrell, recoils less than any other .40 S&W I have shot (I own 6 of them) yet is smaller than a Walther PPK/S.
Yet, respecting your perceived need for an external safety, semi-auto, and 4"+ barrell, my favorite with those limitations would be this in .40S&W:
http://www.hecklerkoch-usa.com/index...tNumber=704501.
I've had one since 1994. It's worked flawlessly ever since, and shoots better than I do.
Of course, IMO, you'd be crazy to be in many parts of Alaska where the Griz and Brown bear roam with anything less than a .44 Mag revolver. If I were in the Alaska wildernesses, and if I really didn't want to carry a rifle around, I'd probably have one of these:
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firear...=5505&return=Y in .454 Casull.
The .44 Mag-and-greater semi-autos, while novel are kind of silly IMO.