The under $400 price limit really does cut down on the options. In my neck of the woods, you're not getting a new CZ-75 or a used Glock 17/19 out the door for under $400 unless you really hit on a good deal.
Pretty much the only options I can think of new-in-box for under $400 would be some that have already been mentioned (Ruger, S&W Sigma, Taurus), plus the Tanfoglio CZ-clones (EAA Witness here in the US) and the 9mm Bersa Thunders (not the same pistol as their .380s -- this one is based more or less on the Walther P-88). I don't have any experience with S&W Sigmas, Tanfoglios, or Bersa Thunder 9s, but a search of the site here will reveal some threads about all of them. What experience I have with Taurus and Ruger was pretty positive -- neither one would make my favorite list, but both seem to go bang reliably in my experience with them.
I'd like to know where you guys are getting BHP's for $400, I'll buy a crate of em.
I see a used one for $400 every once in a while, but it is usually a real beater and possibly has benefitted from someone's half-assed attempts at gunsmithing (last one I saw for $400 included a hammer bobbed level with the back of the slide
). Otherwise, they usually go around $600, used, at gun shows . . .
So would I, but I don't believe I've seen many CPO's that cheap.
Cheapest I've seen on a used, good condition Sig (think they were CPOs, didn't check that closely) was $450 for 226s and 229s.