Is There a Budget Pistol You'd Trust Your Life To?

[Doc Safari]

We all make fun of cheap pistols like Lorcins, Jenkins, etc., as being junk (and usually they are).

But have you ever run across a budget pistol that you shot, carried, and would trust your life to?

For my own experience, I can't name a "recent" offering that I thought was an inexpensive gem, except my Ruger LCP, mostly because I don't keep up with the handgun market anymore.

I currently have not had a single malfunction with my Ruger LCP, but mine has a very low round count.

Back in the 1990's I thought the Makarov pistol was an inexpensive gun I'd trust my life to. I had several Russian and one East German Makarov. Those pistols were generally around $200 each for a time and they were more reliable than the $600 Walther PPK/S that would malfunction at least once per magazine.

Most Maks are chambered in 9x18, but the one or two I had that had been made in .380 auto were as reliable as the ones in the original caliber.

Deep down inside I wish I'd kept my Makarovs as a "budget" handgun that I thought was worthy of carry.

Any others?