Depending on the forum, there are firearm snobs, ammo snobs, car snobs, beer snobs, golf snobs....you name it - it happens on every single forum there is.
I wouldn't worry too much about it - they aren't paying your bills, you are.
When I was 19, the only car I could afford was a beat up AMC. The thing was a piece of crap, but I loved driving it. "What you can afford" is not the same as "what is reliable", your personal feelings on the item in question notwithstanding. If you like the low-cost gun, then that's great and everyone else can get bent. But that doesn't necessarily make it a well-manufactured or reliable gun. Stop worrying about what everyone else thinks about your gun. It's not a contest and you're just going to give yourself a complex.
Not certain if the OP is still reading this thread and kinda' hate to be the a-hole here (well, my wife says I do it too often for me to actually "hate" it) but if I were still in a situation like yours I would avoid the .45 carry gun for a little while, and even then I might avoid the Hi-Point in favor of a used Ruger P90 or similar <$400 pistol.
My first and foremost reason is the cost of ammo. Right now, .45acp FMJ is running $25-30/50rds when you can find it and even 6 months ago it was often $16-20/50rds. Carry ammo can often run $0.75-$1.00/rd at local stores, although can be had for much less once you can buy in bulk online. Considering that most folks (snobs or not) would suggest a minimum of 3-400 trouble-free rounds before you start carrying the gun. Additionally, most folks would also suggest you make certain the gun likes you carry ammo by running at least 30-100rds through it. (In honesty, these round counts would be on the low side for me and many of the users on the forum, but they represent the lowest range I have heard over the last few years.)
If I go with 250rds of FMJ + 50rds of HP, I end up looking at roughly $165 on the lower end just to get the pistol ready for carry. Add $50-100 for accessories (carry holster, spare mag, etc) plus a couple hundred for the pistol and you have a significant investment. From your original post, that $4-600 will create quite a pinch in the budget.
As for the Ruger (or similar manufacturer) suggestion, the way I look at it Hi-Point has earned a solid reputation as a baseline handgun manufacturer but with some questions as to the durability of their designs. A new or used Ruger, on the other hand, can still be had for <$450 (I saw a P90 earlier this year for $400 w/ 200rds of HP and Bud's last had them listed new for $443, for example.) In the scope of the purchase, I would much rather spend the extra $150-250 a Ruger or similar manufacturer knowing that the extra money is not that large of a difference in costs over the first year ($850 at the high end vs $600 on the Hi-Point) while the return would be knowing that have a pistol which has earned high marks for durability over the years.
FWIW, my first pistol was a Ruger MKII that took all I could scrape together to purchase, but that pistol is still with me and still shoots well 1000s (10,000s ?) of rounds later and is the pistol I used to get my wife comfortable shooting.
As you already have a handgun that is serving you well, I would suggest you save a little longer until you find the right Bersa, Ruger, CZ, Springfield, S&W, Taurus (?), EAA (?), etc that fits your budget.
Hello INGOers.I have to rant about something because it is starting to bug me.First,I'll give some background on myself for those of you who don't visit my profile and maybe you can then understand where I'm coming from.
I am nineteen years old with a wife and infant son.I work nights as a custodian for $10.78 per hour and no benefits.I have two car payments per month along with various other bills.We literally live from paycheck to paycheck sometimes.My very first firearm that i could call "mine" was acquired at age eighteen and was a Cobra .32 semi auto.I had to save up for almost two months to get the $125 for my lifetime LTCH.
Now for the rant...
I am getting tired of reading posts from people being gun snobs.It seems like every time I jump on INGO,I run across a post saying that (insert name of any "affordable" firearm)s are junk.It used to make me feel inferior,now it just makes me angry because people such as myself are getting advice that they have to pay high prices for any good guns.Am I wrong for loving my Kel Tec,DPMS,Maverick,or my Remington?These guns were what I could come by and they all go bang every time that I pull the trigger.I'm now looking for an affordable .45 for carry and my best option,money wise,looks to be a Hi Point due to my financial situation.I have heard stories of Hi Points,Kel Tecs, and other lower-priced guns being junk.I have had great experiences with these "undesireable" guns.I've also heard horror stories about the almighty Glock but I still wouldn't mind having one.My own belief is this:a Hi Point in hand is better than a Kimber on the "SAVE FOR" list.Why do people have to talk so much crap about good guns just because they don't set you back $1000 when you get one?
Bring on the gun snobs...I wouldn't mind some friendly discussion either.
The word "proud" is being thrown around in this thread a fair bit. Its a gun. A tool. A means to an end. Why do we need to be proud of it? If it accomplishes the desired task, what does it matter? I don't typically feel pride over my possessions, but maybe over my accomplishments and skills.
For some of us, our firearms are a product of our gunsmithing skills.
If you need a sub $300 gun then go with Soviet milsurp because there's still plenty of value in that market and you get a gun that's made to last.
Someone is always going to have a better gun than you.
You buy a M&P. Someone else will have a better gun, a Glock....
..."Am I wrong for loving my Kel Tec, DPMS, Maverick, or my Remington?"...