Hi Point 45ACP Review

How about pride of ownership? My friend has one in .40....it goes bang, and that's about it. It's heavy, bulky and ugly. To each his own I guess.
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:D Sounds JUST LIKE a Glock haters argument, when they can't find a thing to bash a Glock on they say, "WELL IT'S JUST UGLY" :rolleyes: Yes a Hi Point is not the prettiest girl at school. But it works and it fills a need for people who can't spend alot on a handgun. My only complaint is the magazines. There are fixes for them and they can be made to work. And the aftermarket offerings are no better.
 
A number of years ago I bought a Hi-Point 9mm just to see if it was as bad as "everyone" said they were. Well, the one I got just worked like a champ. I shot the snot out of that silly thing. 9mm ammo was still in the 4-5 bucks a box range, I was working steady, I had a blast with it. It was as accurate as any other gun I shot seemed to be. I went through a couple thousand rounds before I got bored with it, and shelved for a few years, and finally sold it for about what I paid for it. I not only sold it, I had four or five people saying, "I'll take if if he doesn't." During the time I shot it, I had about a half dozen malfunctions, and four of them came out of one box of a "range reloads" of unknown quality. I didn't even think the 9mm was all that bad looking.

Just this past weekend I had a chance to buy one of their 995, 9mm carbines. I haven't shot it yet, but it sure feels good coming to the shoulder. Some people say they're ugly, but again, I don't think the carbine is bad looking. It's not a custom Model 70 with a walnut stock, but it's no worse looking that any other "black rifle" out there.
 
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My first handgun was a Hi-Point C9 I bought very slightly used for $125. I wanted to see if handguns were for me. It was a good reliable accurate gun that made me want more. I replaced it with a S&W SD9VE and traded the Hi-Point to my neighbor for an old Taurus 38 special revolver (also a good and accurate gun).

Should I ever need a cheap, reliable and accurate gun, I would not hesitate to buy one. However, with 5 semi-autos and 3 revolvers, I doubt I will ever need another cheap gun.
 
The C9 is almost the exact same size as a Glock 26. The G26 is of course a double stack.
I've never been impressed with any of the other models. The 380 is the same sie as the 9mm and the 40 and 45 don't fit my hands at all and have increased recoil in a straight blowback design.

I have found it is best to ?pack? the magazines like a pack of cigarettes after loading to make sure the cartridges are all the way back. It seems the mag is longer front to back and when the cartridges slide forward I have feeding problems. Not the first metal magazine I have needed to do this with.

If you send it back for warranty repair you have to pay shipping to them. They pay shipping back and include an additional magazine when they return the gun(more or less canceling the shipping to them).

You can ship them a gun and they will clean it and replace worn springs as part of the warranty service.

If I had the money I would offer one to every person in the US who could pass a background check.
 
QUOTE: "...If you send it back for warranty repair you have to pay shipping to them..."

And that can be expensive-especially when you compare the cost of postage with the low price of a Hi-Point.
 
I saw one have a come apart while shooting during a torture test that went on just over 600 rounds. This was about five years ago. The gun did not so much blow up as literally come apart. I don't know if they have changed their manufacturing process or materials since then but kind of doubt it.

The owner chose to give it a military funeral on the range and buried it. I have wondered over the years if I went back out there and dug it and sent it HiPoint would they fix it? I think they would. I still would not want it.

The carbines are better made than the pistols. They tend to be accurate inside 50 yards and run with minimum fuss. Of course a blowback operated gun should run with a minimum fuss.
 
I don't know if they have changed their manufacturing process or materials since then but kind of doubt it.
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If this happened and it wasn't an ammunition problem it was a fluke. Their process and materials are very good for what they are doing. Some of the previous models from the mid 90s and earlier did not have as refined of a design(I think technically made under another incorporation). I have several I have put more rounds than that through without problems. I ended up with one of those in a trade and it was problematic. I usually put 400 rounds through them the first range session(like any gun I buy). BTW, always good to bring friends for such things, but on the HP it is paramount. The guns were not designed with such high volume shooting in mind.
There are some published torture tests that put them through much more rigorous ordeals than 600 factory rounds without issues.
I had an acquaintance who has passed 5000 on several(same guy who ruined the grip with a home stippling job and they replaced the frame at no charge). They don't like people to fully disassemble the pistol, so they suggest you send it back for a complete cleaning, spring changes, and inspection at that point.

And that can be expensive-especially when you compare the cost of postage with the low price of a Hi-Point.
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True, but pistol mags aren't cheap either. Most people seem pretty happy with the exchange.
 
I know a couple of guys who have them. Neither of them shoot a lot, but they both have had good service from them. I have shot both pistols, one a .40 and the other a 9, as well as a few others, including both a 9 and .40 carbine with no problems.

Many of us in the gun community are snobs when it comes to inexpensive weapons in my opinion. Few of us are completely immune to this, including me. I don't own a Hi-Point because I shoot my pistols regularly and don't really think they are made for that kind of service. On the other hand, if that was what I had for home defense I would use it confidently.
 
I saw one have a come apart while shooting during a torture test that went on just over 600 rounds
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"during a torture test"

So, he was trying to blow it up, and did! Not much of a valid condemnation of a product. I wonder at what round count a Glock, Ruger, Sig, S&W, or other pistols would have developed a problem in the same test.
Even more foolish, and leading to questioning the validity of the story, is burying it at the range, and not sending it back for the no questions, lifetime warrantee.
 
A few years back I bought a used Haskell in .45 ACP for $87.33 (Model JS-45). I am not sure why I bought it but have had no regrets.

It has never failed me.

It is as heavy as a boat anchor and as other stated ugly as sin. In fact a couple of years ago there was a thread on the Forum as to who owned the ugliest pistol. There was not a numerical vote, but I seem to recall a majority of comments seem to favor my Haskell as the ugliest of the ugly.

I have no idea of the round count or the date of manufacture. The serial number is 035885. I assume it must of been an early one.
 
Since this is still around...There used to be a guy on this forum who apparently had made it his life's work to rip Hi-Point at every opportunity. I mean I don't think he ever posted about anything else, but man, you mention Hi-Point, and he came out with guns blazing...so to speak. :)

They were cheap...they were crap...they'd blow up...they'd date your teen age daughter, eat all the food in the 'fridge, and kick your dog. If he could think of anything bad to say, he'd say it.

Yet he said he'd owned dozens of them. All makes and models, he'd had one. And they were all junk. Just like the last one.

Never did figure out why he kept buying them. :D


Oh...Since I posted on this the last time, I took the carbine to the range. Didn't have long, but I did put 80 rounds through it, using both magazines that came with, without a hitch. Ammo was Blazer Brass, and my reloads. Fun little gun. I doubt I'll shoot it a lot, I'm not really a rifle guy, but it was inexpensive, and who knows. I might need it when the Zombies show up.
 
I have handled some. They are ugly and clunky-looking and crude. I will stick with my 1911, BHP, CZ75, etc.

But I wouldn't hesitate to buy one if I were poor and needed something for HD.
 
Since this is still around...There used to be a guy on this forum who apparently had made it his life's work to rip Hi-Point at every opportunity. I mean I don't think he ever posted about anything else, but man, you mention Hi-Point, and he came out with guns blazing...so to speak.
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I think he was proven absolutely wrong so many times he got tired, and gave up.:D
He wasn't alone, but thanks to some great videos showing the truth about Hi-Point, a lot of the hate either went away, or has been given up on.
 
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