Respectfully, I must disagree. I am able to afford an array of firearms, but to anyone on a budget, consider that SHooting Times gave the HiPoint .40 and the HiPoint .45 what amount to near glowing approval.
Sure, if you shoot 50 to 250 rounds a week, there may be a longevity problem with the HiPoint - may, I said. But that is meaningless for the home defense buyer who shoots a few boxes a year. Cost and time make this the case for most Americans.
Let's look at the $500 level. One can buy about three .45 HiPoints versus one "high end" pistol. In terms of home defense, three guns at strategic in ones home is better than one pistol.
Lastly, read the Shooting Times review and note what it says about the "shootability" of the HiPoint pistols.
While I enjoy fine firearms, I also recognize that for many Americans, the HiPoint makes more sense.
Other posters pointed out you can buy a Mossberg 500 for less than 200 dollars. I have already bought cheap guns just for fun since I had others to fill the self defense mode.
If someone can only afford one gun and one gun only for self defense, I think they should buy something that has a level of quality since even known gun have a chance to fail. Quality also holds it's resale value.