I plan on getting a .22 for practice and potentially a .40 that can take a conversion barrel to 9mm for when I feel comfortable to graduate from the .22. I had several other people point out the polymer added snappiness that could make things a bit tougher on a beginner. The way I see it, the .22 will help me with my technique and getting comfortable with shooting a handgun, and then I'd move to the bigger caliber when I feel up to it. Polymer or not, I expect to get used to the personality of the bigger caliber handgun, and if the polymer snaps more, I'll just have to get used to it. At this point, I think that I have narrowed my choices to either a Browning Buck master Camper .22 and a Glock 22 (eventually with conversion barrel to 9mm), or a S&W M&P22 and a M&P 40 combo (eventually with conversion barrel to 9mm).
I have been told that the M&P 22 + M&P 40 combo would have the added benefit of being a very similar platform, and by training with the M&P22, I'd also get more out of it on how to shoot the M&P 40.
For the Browning Buck Master and Glock 22 combo, I have been told that the fixed barrel of the Browning .22 makes it a bit more accurate overall, and the Glock platform seems to have the confidence of the majority to be the best reliable tested and true, trust with your life platform.
Price wise, the combination of both the M&P 22/40 or the Browning/Glock 22 would come to about the same.
Like I said earlier, I'll make a point of handling each gun at the store to see how they feel, and then see if I can get the opportunity to fire each one.
Again, thank you everyone for your great feedback.