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?
600
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:
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.
