I am donning my flame suit for this, but the HiPoint pistols are a good, very inexpensive ($150-$200) semi-auto with a lifetime warranty. My EDC is a HiPoint .40 S&W in an alien gear IWB. If I had to wait until I could spend more, I would not have been able to get a 9mm for my spouse and the .40 for me. They always go bang when I pull the trigger, and don't stop until I need to reload.
Plus, if I do get into a situation where I have to use it, I don't worry too much about how long the police will keep it for evidence.
I don’t carry, living on the Liberal Coast in S. CA, but I do own a Hi Point 9MM.
Outside of being a bit heavy IMHO, it always goes bang when you pull the Trigger, always...