[cajunbass]

Hi-Point on this board?

Seems you can't mention one of these on some boards without having to dodge arrows all around.

I had seen so much bad about these guns that I bought one over the weekend to see if it was a bad as everyone says. I had never even seen one until Friday. I looked it over, and OK, it's not a Colt, or a Browning, but it costs $140.00 NIB. I figured what'd I have to lose? I had a 38 revolver I didn't like, and never used, so I swapped it and 7 bucks cash for a C9, 9mm, and a box of American Eagle, 9mm, 115 gr, FMJ.

I think the gun is comfortable in my hand. Others have said they're top heavy. It's not pretty, but does have a solid, functional look about it. Like a tool. The Single action only trigger is not bad at all. The sights are good, and fully adjustable. The gun holds 8+1 rounds. The safety is too small I think, but is positive, and in the right position for me. I'd like to see it a little bigger. The front of the trigger guard is hooked for a two handed hold. The magazine release is in the push button in the grip style.

I took it around back of the shop, to the range, and ran a box of ammo through it with no malfunctions. Every round went BANG. Every empty shell kicked out. It then loaded the next round until the magazine was empty. And it made some really impressive groups on the target when my wife did her job. (She's a better shot than I am.) When I shot it it refused to co-operate the same as all my other guns do. It's a conspiracy I tell you.

With nothing to do yesterday, we went back to the range, and put another two boxes of the same American Eagle ammo through it. Again no malfunctions, and some groups that measured 1" at 7 yards.

Now, I'm not going to tell anybody that this is as good a gun as you can buy. I will say that so far it appears to do the job it was designed to do. To be an inexpensive handgun that a person could buy and take home without having to break the bank to get it. For a lot of people it might be all the gun they can afford.

I'm going to keep on shooting it to see just what you can expect for $140.00 bucks, made in the USA, and with a lifetime warranty. You can probably tell I like the silly thing. It's sort of like an ugly puppy no one wants.

Got my nomex suit on.

 

[Bob Reed]

Hello,

I've heard nothing but Good about their Carbines & Customer Service, their Pistols aren't for me, But, Their Carbines would be, if they wern't cursed with such low capicity mags.

Glad Your Happy,
The Sockman

 

[jonnyc]

They are just so damn ugly!

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. There is no problem here discussing any firearm, good, bad, plastic, steel, alloy, revolver, semiauto, etc so long as it is done politely. The only verboten issues are
political or religious issues that seem to creep into gun boards or topics not related to shooting. Civility is demanded. 100% agreement is not. Mild profanity is accepted but the stuff stronger than a "hell" or "damn" is not really welcome. We all have political leanings and probably religious views but we're trying very hard here to discuss only firearms and shooting. The Hi Points are firearms and fair game for civil discussion, pro and con.

Best.

 

[cajunbass]

Thanks SAC. The "ok to mention" was meant to be very tongue in cheek. I know enought about the way you run a rodeo, to know that it wouldn't be a problem.

They are just so damn ugly!

Jon, I don't really think they're ugly. They're certainly not "pretty", but they have a functional look, like a tool. Maybe like a anvil, which you might could use it for. I do admit they ain't no Hi-Power though.

 

[jonnyc]

Not an anvil...more like a lumpy cordless drill.
I know you mentioned a safety, but is it one that allows carry with a round in the chamber? Is it a pistol that should be carried in the "Israeli" method of draw & rack?

 

[Guest]

Ban him! Ban him now!!!!

 

[cajunbass]

Jon, according to the owners manual the thumb safety blocks the sear when engaged. It seems to me that works at least as well as the safety on most shotguns, and I never hesitate to carry a shotgun with one in the chamber. Am I wrong? It is a single action, so you are carrying it "cocked and locked" it would seem to me.

The owners manual says, "We strongly recommend that you do not store, carry or handle this, or any other firearm with a cartridge in the barrel until you are ready to shoot. A cartridge from the magazine supply can be placed in the barrel, ready to shoot in about the same length of time as required to move the safety slide from safe (S) position to the Fire (F) position." That really sounds like CYA lawyer talk, especially with the "any other firearm" bit added. (It also sounds like they wrote this with the non enthusiast in mind since they use the word "barrel, rather than "chamber".)

It also has a couple of passive "drop safeties" that are supposed to block the sear if dropped, and a magazine safety.

Actually the cordless drill is a good analogy. Not so much for the C9 (compact 9mm) but I handled a 40 S&W one in the shop, and that is what I thought of. The 40 S&W and the 45 acp ones are a different frame.

 

[erich]

I've always been a big fan of inexpensive firearms that work. Perhaps this is all a single mother can afford to defend her home - a Hi-Point 9mm at $139 retail will do the job, and I'm not going to condemn her for using it.

Also, I just think that guns that work are neat. I could see having fun with a Hi-Point, and even being happy to own one. It's no Registered Magnum, but - hey - there's certainly no call for the abuse I see loaded on Hi-Point owners on other boards.

So, Cajun Bass, I wish that you would make it a real thread . . . with pictures of the Hi-Point at home and on the range next to a target that you've shot with it!

 

[cajunbass]

I don't have any pictures of a group I shot with it. I don't shoot well enough to brag about.

HOWEVER... There was a fellow at the range who watched my wife shooting it. She's a lot better shot than I am, and he asked me what kind of gun it was. I told him, he said he'd never heard of it before, and asked if he could try it. I loaded 5 in the magazine and handed it to him.

He shot this group, first time he'd ever had the gun in his hand at 7 yards.

The picture is a bit out of focus, but you get the idea. I actually didn't find out until the other day that you can adjust the sights, hence it seemed to be shooting low. DUHHHHH.

I just figured a gun that inexpensive didn't have adjustable sights. (It also comes with a "ghost ring" peep sight that I haven't tried.)

I like what you said about a single mother buying this kind of gun for home protection. When I first heard of them, I thought they sounded like the kind of gun people buy, but don't shoot a lot. We who really enjoy shooting know that you should shoot enough to stay proficient with a gun, but not everyone does. So the first thing I was curious about was how would it do, if I had just taken in home, loaded it, and never fired it until I really needed it. The first thing would be would it shoot at all. It did. (Ok. This didn't allow for the magazine spring taking a set, but I didn't want to wait that long.)

It then emptied the magazine the first time out of the box with just basic economy ammo that I think this type user would buy. They'd probably be on a budget, and wouldn't know enough about guns and ammo to go shopping for high performance ammo. They'd just ask for a 'box of cheap bullets".

 

[Josh Smith]

Cajun,

My first centerfire pistol was an old Hi-Point. I got it by trading a Ruger Super Single Six. If I had known then what I know now, and expecially if I had read some of Oldgranpa's postings, the Single Six would have stayed.

But... that's the way that cards fell. This one was all metal. IIRC it held 10 rounds (it was full-sized). The only thing I didn't like was that the safety slid on and off with no click.

This thing ate everything I could find. Ball or the widest hollowpoints I could find, it made no difference. I'm not sure about their pistols, but that carbine is +P+ rated from what I've heard.

The only question I have now is this: Does the safety make a "click" when it slides on and off? Mine never did and, being on the wrong side anyway, I just carried it in condition 3 (loaded mag, empty chamber).

Josh <><

 

[cajunbass]

Erich, I tried to take a couple pictures of the sights, but my digital camera won't focus down close enough to get a good picture. The sights are actually quite good, with high visibility orange dots that make sight acquisition fast and easy. The "ghost ring" is a peep type sight. I think you can find pictures of them by going to the Hi-Point website and looking for the manuals for the particular gun.

I haven't shot any HP's with it yet, but out of curiosity, I loaded the magazine and hand cycled some. They fed just fine that way. What that tells me I don't know, but it's there. They were 147 gr, Hydra Shocks for what it's worth.

Joshua, the safety is very positive, with a "click" that can be both heard and felt.

The one thing I didn't like at first was the magazine lips were very sharp. I cautioned my wife not to cut her hand. A little firing has corrected that.

I've got a Single Six too. I like cowboy guns. I like 22's. Does it get any better?

Don't feel bad about trading the Ruger. I had a Colt 22 Single Action (With the hammer block safety inside the loading gate) that I traded off for something or other. Duhhhh

 

[erich]

Thanks for the info.

Josh, you don't have time to hear about all the trades that I shouldn't have made . . . I feel your pain, brother!

 

[Guest]

I'm fond of inexpensive guns that work. I generally limit myself to spending no more than $300 for a gun and have had good luck finding lots of quality guns in this price range. If it is reasonably accurate from 10-20 feet and is reliable, then you have a winner and lots of money left to but ammo. My favorite carry pistol is a $220 Bersa Thunder 380 that I think is a very well made pistol.

 

[cajunbass]

One last range report, and unless something really out of the ordinary happens, I won't bore everyone with the report.

We took the Hi-Point to the range yesterday and ran another 50 rounds or so through it. I had one failure to feed, that upon examination I thing was caused by the round not being seated all the way back in the magazine. Other than that one, no problems with the rest.

 

[erich]

Scarlata reviews a couple of these in the current issue of Shooting Times, BTW. I don't believe Hi-Point even advertised in the issue

(although I could be wrong ).

 

[car0linab0y]

I've had one - C-9 hi-point polymer frame - for several years; shoots anything I feed it.

A group of us had a poker shoot (7 shots at playing cards from 7 yards; make your best hand). I used my wife's ruger mk II. Afterwards, I shot 8 rnds at a card from 7 yards; all 8 hit.

I have shot 8 shots into the 9 - 10 ring at 15 yards when I focus and do my part.

Feeds Hydra-shoks just fine; also mag-tech 115 gr JHP's.

Gunshop around here sells them for $99. Can't go wrong with that!

CB

 

[bompa]

Well it's not quite in the same class, but the reputation is the same,is the S&W Sigma..Now that is an ugly job also..The problem is the gun is a shooter when you get used to the long hard trigger pull,it gets better with time and use..It is a bit more expensive,about $300,but it is a bargain for a big name makers gun..The early,1st gen. guns had a lot of problems but it seems that S&W got their act together with the VE series and have a great utility gun..I like mine even though it is no target pistol..

 

[Guest]

I actually have a great deal of respect for any manufacturer that makes a cheap gun that works.

I feel like Kel-Tec, Hi-Point, and other "low-end" gun manufacturers that turn out quality product are engaged in an EXTREMELY noble pursuit. They're the ones that make sure that the 2nd Amendment is, indeed kept true to form. After all, if there are no guns that a down-on-his-luck factory worker, or an old woman with nothing but her social security check can afford, then hasn't their right to keep and to bear been infringed?

Every decent human being deserves the opportunity to own a solid, functional weapon, and Hi-Point is one of the few companies that truly helps preserve that right.

 

[erich]

Yup.