Originally posted on the Hoplotarian blog

Michael Bane had said on his Down Range Radio Podcast episode #619 that SCCY had found a niche - the sub-$300 gun (presumably 9mm). He also focused on Ruger's sub-$200 Wrangler, which is now challenging the Heritage sub-$200 single-action .22 revolvers. Ban'es point was that the big players will eventually see potential in a niche and then invade and take it over.

So how many sub-$300 9mm pistols are out there? And according to Bane, we are talking about MSRP - I think.

To start with, SCCY offers their CPX-1 at $284 and CPX-2 at $269.99. The CPX-2 deletes the manual safety.

credit: SCCY.com

To my amazement, Taurus now offers NO sub-$300 guns in 9mm. They used to - but no more.

Ruger comes in at $299 with the EC9s, a decontented economy LC9s with machined instead of adjustable/replaceable sites and only one magazine.

credit: Ruger.com

Smith & Wesson offers nothing? So where are the big boys with the cheap guns?
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But first let's explore some of the offerings by some of the smaller players. Kel-Tec offers NOTHING. Then of course, there are the extreme-budget makers.

Hi-Point comes in at $199 ($219 as shown) with the "entry level" C-9.

credit: Hi-PointFirearms.com

Cobra offers its Big Bore Derringer in 9mm for a probably MSRP of around $187*. The Cobra Patriot 9mm is priced out of the competition.

credit: SportsmansOutdoorSuperstore.com

Jimenez, possibly the smallest and cheapest pistol maker, offers the J.A. Nine at $199*.

credit: JimenezArmsInc.com

Now price and quality start going up. Diamondbnack's DB9's MSRP is $269.

credit: DiamondbackFirearms.com

So where are the "big-boy" manufacturers with this? Remington offers nothing below $300. So it looks like the sub-$300 9mm semiautomatic niche being invaded is a myth, or MSRP is not really the benchmark, or Michael Bane has some top-secret info under NDA wraps.

So what are we talking about? Also, we are also looking at a window in time, because of inflation. My first-ever firearm was an SKS that my uncle purchased as a dealer for $89. So adjusted for inflation and dealer markup we are looking at a gun that would retail for $300 now.

Let's get back to the current sub-$300 handgun thing and what Bane was getting at. Since SCCY had "such a niche," I'm going to make a few assumptions: (1) sub-$300 MSRP and (2) 9mm, and (3) quality, (4) 10-round magazine. All that would make the SCCY 9mms really the current niche firearms.

credit: SportsmansOutdoorSuperstore.com

So since quality is subjective, and this is my blog post not Bane's, this is a list of the guns available despite quality:

Sub-$300 Guns: Contenders

1. SCCY CPX-1 (safety) & CPX-2 (safety delete)
Price: $284.00 & $269.99 (base prices)
Capacity: 10+1
Weight: 15 oz

2. Jimenez JA-NINE
Price: $199*
Capacity: 12+1
Weight: 30 oz

Sub-$300 Guns: Pretenders

1. Ruger EC9s
Price: $299 + ~$17 = $316
Capacity: 10+1 (with aftermarket magazine)

Weight: 17.2 oz +
Disqualified: Price & Form-Factor Violation

2. Hi-Point C-9
Price: $199 +$21 = $220
Capacity: 10+1 (with "accessory" magazine)
Weight: 25 oz +
Disqualified: Form-Factor Violation

3. Diamondback DB9
Price: $269
Capacity: 6+1
Weight: 13.4 oz
Disqualified: Lack of 10-round magazine

4. Cobra Big Bore Derringers
Price: $1122
Capacity: 12
Weight: 84 oz
Disqualified: Completely Ridiculous

So in the end, SCCY does not have a niche, unless you factor in weight and overall quality. I think in my follow-up post the two factors will be mitigated, if I think I know what Michael Bane is getting at. So the Jimenez JA-NINE stays for now.

*Genitron.com