OT - Hi Point handguns

[geobru]

A couple of guys at work brought this to my attention. These are relatively inexpensive guns that sell new for around $175. They are auto loaders, made in the USA, with a lifetime warranty. Does anyone here have any experience with these guns? Any recommendations?


gb

[Stan in SC]

Hi Point handguns and carbines are cheap and ugly BUT...they are effective,they go bang every time,they are pretty accurate and the company has the absolute best customer service in the industry.I own a 9MM carbine and it is fun to shoot.

Stan in SC

[awp101]

I have no direct experience using them but I have noticed that while many "internet experts" pooh-pooh them because they're heavy, look like they were made out of cast iron, have somewhat crude sights and aren't a JMB or Glock design I think I can count on one hand the number of failures I've seen reported by actual owners. And I'd probably have fingers left over too.

I don't know if they still do, but at one time if you sent a Hi-Point in for service the factory would also upgrade it to the current specs at no charge.

The only real complaint I've seen from owners regarding HP carbines is there aren't any hi-cap mags available. They use the same mags as the pistols.

[BenT]

My local gunshop has no problem with them at all. In fact I put a 9mm carbine on lay away earlier this month. I don't own any black guns . But when thi s carbine was delivered while at the shop. The shopkeeper was excited because he hadn't seen one in a while. Another customer in the shop commented on how he has his sighted in at 100 yards and was very accurate.

I thought I might try this for pest control. It was the new style with the attatchment rail and for $239 ,I don't see how I can go wrong. So the gun was in the shop for 20 min and it sold. The shop keeper told me yesterday that he got another one in on monday and it didn't last a day.

[awp101]

I think there is a polymer, aftermarket stock available for the carbines as well. ATI maybe?

[WCF3030]

I own a 9mm carbine bought from the pawn shop for $99. Digest anything I put through it, accurate and goes bang everytime. So when the Zombies come I'm ready!!

[Nixterdemus]

A lot of folks bad mouth Hi-Points. They are big, ugly and look like they came out of a Star Wars episode. Howevah, it's my understanding that if you keep them clean they'll run forevah.

They came out w/new style in the carbine that isn't a butt ugly as the original ray gun lookin' polymer..

Price is right and I wouldn't mind having one in a 9mm or 40 caliber. It is correct that they only use their own pistol mags so no 30 rounders available.

[Andrew]

Yep, ATI makes a replacement stock. I don't know if there are anymore aftermarket ones though.

http://www.atigunstocks.com/m-8-hi-point.aspx

If you want some Hi-Point info you can look here:

http://hipointtalk.com/

My brother has one of their .40SW pistols and it is quite a hoot at the range. The only time it gave us guff was when our big hands would hit the magazine release while firing. Other than that it shot great. I've been eyeballing the little .380 for awhile now but never have jumped on board.

[Blaine]

Wow. I gave a guy at work 80 bucks for one a couple years ago because he was hurting for cash. I just stuck it in back and haven't even looked at it. Maybe I'm missing out....If it runs good, I'll get a few mags and keep it handy.

[COSteve]

Deleted

[Doc Hudson]

Looks like I'm in the minority here, but I'd not have one of those things as a gift.

Not only are they butt-ugly, they are just about as ergonomic as an unsanded 2x4 and are heavier and less shapely than a concrete block.

AWP described the sights as "somehat crude.''Boy is he making an understatement! They are cast onto the slide, they are big and coarse. The ones I''ve eeen around were also not terribly accurate either.

Some have made reference to the High Point's reliability. In the ones I've been around that reliability was definitely a sometimes thing, and only with FMJ. They'd choke every time on JHP ammo.

In general I place High Points in the same category as Jennings, Bryco et al, i.e. P.O.S. They are cheap, clumsy, striker-fired pot-metal clunkers that give one the illusion pf being well armed.

I've never even handled one of the carbine so i can't give first hand impressions of it. But I'd avoid them jus because they come from High Point.

Much has been made o the High Point's low price tag. just remember the old proverb, "You get what you pay for." I'd rather spend the price of a new High Point to purchase an old Taurus, Charter Arms, Iver Johnson, or H&R revolver.

Edit:

When people tell me they are thinking about buying a High Point, I generally tell them:
"

Make sure the seller includes a spool of 40-pound test fishing line and a package of 1-0 fish hooks so you can get some good use out of it.

"

[Hillbilly]

I lean to Doc Hudson's evaluation. High point builds the kind of pistol you run 25 rounds through to see if it works... then leave it in the sock drawer for a rainy day.

Taking the $159 and making a down payment on a higher grade gun would be my A choice.

[Nate C.]

In general I place High Points in the same category as Jennings, Bryco et al, i.e. P.O.S. They are cheap, clumsy, striker-fired pot-metal clunkers that give one the illusion pf being well armed.

My thoughts exactly. I'd be more confident were I carrying around a sharpened stick rather than a Hi Point.

[alnitak]

I think they're a bit higher on the food chain than Jiminez, Jennings, etc. ... but not by much. I'd take the money and get a Bersa before a Hi-point. Bersa makes fine, reliable guns...and much more appealing, looks wise, than the Hi-point. Geez, buy an older CZ-52 or 63, Mak or Tokarov if you are looking for an inexpensive shooter.

[BAGTIC]

I think the original design looks better than the newer one.

[wavetrain75]

I have not and will not own a Hi-Point. However, the carbine is universially regarded as a fun reliable range toy and the people who run down the pistols are the people who have never owned one. People who actually have one say that if you can get past the look they are actually a pretty good firearm.

[COSteve]

Make no mistake, the carbine ain't no fine piece of hardware. Its clunky and basic, the trigger is 'interesting', and the mags only hold 10 rds. That said, it is accurate enough at 100yds for a pistol round and it does go bang every time you pull the trigger. Like I said, I got it for my son when he was younger because . . . . . well, because I got it really cheap.

[kooz]

I would like to try one of the .45acp carbines when they come out. I saw a review once that put the Hi-point carbine against the Berretta Storm carbine, and the Hi-point was more reliable and more accurate.

[BenT]

My father had a Jennings that I couldn't get it to run more than 4 rounds and jams. The friend of mine that works at the gunshop has shot the carbines and says it works and puts a smile on his face when he shoots one. Also the fact he sells more expensive models of handguns that he sends back for repairs more than the hi points .

I probably wouldn't buy a handgun for a carry gun, but for plinking and the night stand. The carbine I plan on carrying on the ATV for varmits and seems a little more handy next to the bed. I let you know if it turns out to be no good. But it's going to set on lay away for awhile , until the snow goes away. Then I'll bang it around and see how it holds up.

[Steve Collins]

I've had people bring them to classes; I've also watched parts, including the rear sight, fall off during firing! There is no way I"d tell anyone to get one. You can find an S&W police turn-in revolver for not much more, and get a whole lot more gun for the money.

[colo native]

make aw great canoe anchor..

[Sixgun]

Junk/Ghetto guns. In the same field as Ravens, Jennings, Bersa.

Nothing personal to the boys here who have them. Its just that if I'm gonna put out my bucks, I'm getting a Marlin, Ruger, 'Smith, Colt.

My buddy Tom ,who owns Targetmaster, will not carry them. He says it brings in lower life forms into the store.

The reason they are cheap is that they are put together cheap with cheap componets and inferior craftmanship. Sure, you might get 2 or 3 hundred rounds out of them without a problem but try pushing then 5,000 rounds and see if they hold up. You can shoot 10,000 rds. out of a Ruger and if it does break, the company will fix it free. Thats cheap ---------------Sixgun

[Ridgerunner]

Real thing's. I see several every week, always something falling off. It takes a punch and a hammer to disassemble. To echo others, it is a (false) security blanket and not much else. They also fail to feed quite a bit....About as ghetto as ghetto gets, just need sights on the side of the slide for the proper ghetto shooting technique....

[76/444]

I have never owned or shot one,.... but, I feel very comfortable agreeing with everything posted because it is what I have read for years, over and over again, both pros and cons!

These weapons are what they are,... they (imo) were designed for those who can not afford a better self defense piece and they do it very well.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

The Hi-points have been around for some time. Before there were Hi-points I think they were Haskell's or something like that, then Mavericks I think, and Stallard.
They are all based on the same design and tooling. probably one company making them then selling out the tooling to the next guy.
The main reason they are so big and clunky is this is a straight blow back design rather than a delayed blow back. The straight blowback design is the most common design for 22 rim-fire semi's but it doesn't lend it's self well to centerfire. That's because of the obvious power difference that the weight of the slide and spring has to deal with. Unlike 22RF which is relatively consistent with all the ammo available centerfire ammo even in the same cal can be quite different in power levels and bullet weights. A straight blow-back action won't handle a wide range of ammo's.
I believe that is why you have two camps here. The folks that like them have most like used a limited variety of ammo's. The folks that don't like them found the weak spot early on. They either didn't work well with light ammo or beat themself to pieces with heavy ammo.

I do think the carbine could be more forgiving than their pistol. Straight blow-back long guns allow the use of long springs which have a flatter/longer spring rate and you have more space/time bolt travel.

[mklwhite]

Ugly guns. I had to say that. I shot their 9mm pistol and the trigger was a bit gritty, but cleaned up, and was accurate enough for the shooting I was doing with it. In all honesty I have seriously considered buying one and (after testing it out well) throwing it in a BOB, there to be ignored except for the occasional cleaning and checkup.
Their website says that the carbine section is "in the process of updating our carbine selections." I have heard rumors of a 45ACP carbine from them. If they do that it might make a fun gun to pair up with a 45 BOB gun.

Most of the folks that I know who have one or have had one say that while it feels like a tonka toy in your hand it goes bang with regularity. It does seem to be a gun that many who could not do better could afford if so inclined and so it fills the need of a cheap (and seemingly reliable) home/family protection when the other option (due to financial situations) may be a baseball bat.

[piller]

Gun Tests Magazine tested them a while back and found them reliable. Other than what I hear from others, that is all I know. I am not interested in buying them as they will not do anything that I can't to with what I already have. Nothing against them, but just not interested.

[piller]

By the way, the worst gun for reliability that I ever had was a Walther PPK/S. I have heard nothing but good about them, but after owning one which would never feed right or would stovepipe on each shot no matter what brand of ammo used and even when totally clean, then that is what I would use as a canoe anchor. Two different gunsmiths and a trip to the factory could not fix it. Maybe it should have been named "Christine". To each his own.

[Doc Hudson]

By the way, the worst gun for reliability that I ever had was a Walther PPK/S. I have heard nothing but good about them, but after owning one which would never feed right or would stovepipe on each shot no matter what brand of ammo used and even when totally clean, then that is what I would use as a canoe anchor. Two different gunsmiths and a trip to the factory could not fix it. Maybe it should have been named "Christine". To each his own.

You can't use a PPK/S as a canoe anchor!

It ain't heavy enough!

you'd have to use it for a paperweight!

FWIW, i've heard lots of folks say even worse things about the Walther TPH. And they are almost too light to be a good paperweight.

[horsesoldier03]

I definately like the carbine versions but the pistols are a little too blocky for me. I am still comptemplating the purchase of the carbine. I just wish they had a better magazine for them. A 20 rd would be awesome!

[KCSO]

I have worked on a few and returned a few and the main weak point seems to be the magazines. They are lightly built and are easily deformed in the smaller calibers. The Hi Point carbines either work 100% or they don't and if they don't you send it in and get a new one.

[pharmseller]

I bought a 9mm carbine years ago and I really enjoyed it. Went bang every time and no jams. Ugly as a mud fence but I didn't care.
I have a Mech-Tech for my Glock 34 so the Hi-Point went down the road.
The Mech-Tech is so accurate it's boring. It might travel, too.

P

[Buckeye]

I think its strange how some people put down,make fun of a handgun they never owned...or fired I have owned several Hipoint handguns and carbines..they work... they work well..they serve there purpose ...
some people may not be able to afford Glocks or high end 1911's, or they my want a truck gun or a work gun. And do not want to damage ther high dollar guns....
Hipoints are AMERICAN MADE ...They are TUFF...They funtion ..and they are affordable.....
I can understand why these rag writers don't spill ink over 'em unless they are exerciseing there great absence of common day knowledge,and knock a gun that don't advertise in there gun rags..thus not paying them...
i know sevral owners of gunstores that certainly praise the Hipoints....referring to them as "utmost reliable " and how MKS offers a lifetime warrenty for the gun no matter how many different owners hands it may have went through.

I had a 9mm carbine that my brother accidently backed over with his truck ,,breaking the stock and damaging the receiver...I called MKS and asked about repair cost...they said thet would take care of it..and they did the gun returned as new....

I have fired 1000's of rounds through different Hipoints ...they are overall less picky about ammo than any of my Glocks....!!
They also handle +P ammo without a hitch..and they work well dirty ..actully I only swab out the barrel ever once in a while...

i sold my Glocks after some quality (or lack of quality issues) I now own a Ruger P97 a S&W 5906 and a Kel-tec P-11 and a Hipoint 9mm and that is all the semi's I own.... I feel those Semi handguns are the best I've owned (for there attented purpose) and are the most reliable I ever owned.
The only problem with Hipoints ,they can not be made fast enough....and bone heads knock them .....while they polish there high end ,I'm afraid to carry ,much less shoot'em ,jam-o-matics .....

And thats all i gotz to say bout that.......