I think your friend is a little over excited.
Companies like SCCY, Kel-Tec etc are niche players IMHO. They’re the kind of small startup that many of us expected to become common in American manufacturing. Combines that are using CNC and “new” design and production methods to make products the dominant companies in a field weren’t.
If you look at Kel-Tec they’re a company that came up with a nice tiny 380. They expanded to small 9mms and built up a big following for inexpensive conceal carry guns. They expanded into shotguns and rifles with new designs and features.
Kel-Tech was fortunate in that they came about during a major gun buying frenzy.
From what I know about SCCY they’re a similar company offering small inexpensive guns. Unfortunately for them gun sales have slowed and they haven’t been able to expand beyond small inexpensive handguns.
Both companies also have reputations for “cheap” guns and the quality of them is often debated. Some saying they make good products to at a low price, others saying quality is hit or miss or worse that they make junk.
As part of what I do for a living is look at new technologies, how it’s used and how companies position themselves these companies have some interest to me even though they’re not ones I watch closely. With that said, I don’t see them joining Glock, Smith & Wesson, Sig, Springfield etc anytime soon as one of the major players in the gun industry.
Longer term, these companies could grow like Hundai did in the car industry but I doubt it. And I’d predict Kel-Tec would before SCCY as they have a much larger product line.
Like you I don’t see the fit and finish of the guns these companies produce being as nice as the top tier companies. I also don’t see discussion of their products online forums like I do for the major companies. SCCY is occasionally mentioned but they don’t seem to have the excitement that Kel-Tec did about 8 to 10 years ago. They also don’t have the benefit of a hot market and coming up with new and unique products at the right time like Kel-Tech did.
So if I were betting I don’t see SCCY being anything but a niche player anytime soon. Kel-Tech might grow beyind one if they’re not overleveraged and if they didn’t overbuild their capacity. But that would take more analysis and they’re not who you’re asking about.
That said, if you need a cheap small pistol I’d look at at SCCY and compare it to the many low cost ones. Unfortunately for SCCY they have a ton of competitors who aren’t much more expensive. Some making real junk and some making decent guns. So SCCY isn’t an easy sale.
Otherwise I’m biased to Smith and Wesson as I think they’re kicking butt with the M&P 2.0 line. They’re much more expensive than a SCCY but they have a full line, an excellent reputation and are aggressively working to expand their market share.
Glock fans will rightfully argue they have a huge part of the market. And no one can disagree with that. So they’re not going away any time soon. Like S&W they have a full line, and a great reputation. Imho if they have one “flaw”it’s their pricing which I think is a bit high. Maybe I’m missing something but I don’t see the premium Glock charges as justified. Or maybe I see S&W’s as being more in line with reality. (My bias here may skew me so no flames, it’s just an opinion) Only time will tell if they have to adjust that to compete. Otherwise I see them as one side of the Classic Ford vs Chevy with S&W as the other.
So take what anyone says with a grain of salt. There are tons of guns out there. Find what’s right for you. And if your next gun is a SCCY I’d be surprised and your friend may be on to something. Otherwise I think they’re misguided.