Hi Point C9

E

Excoastie

New member
What's with all of the hate I have been finding surrounding this weapon?

I'm looking to pick up another 9, something that is cheap that I can carry in my vehicle (but not leave there) as I often have to drive through "da hood" and a little piece of mind can go a long way.

The C9 is cheap, it's ugly, and it appears to be a major PITA to break down and reassemble, as well as being a bit top heavy. Is this why so many people dislike it?

Just curious, as two local shops told me not to bother with it when I asked if they had any. Both shops recommended the SCCY 2 and another recommended an SD9VE, both of which I may consider, they're almost twice the price.

Exco
 
IMO your shop made a great recommendation with the SD9VE and it would be well worth investing a little more for it, especially for self preservation purposes. If you absolutely can not afford that then the Hi-Point is a lot better than no firearm.

No matter what you use be sure to take some range time to try it out, verify functionality, and become at least somewhat proficient with it.
 
I have shot a 9 and a 45 a friend had.
I will agree that they are a reliable weapon but no idea for how long.
I don't like them for several reasons
1 horrible trigger, one of the worse I have ever encountered. Both.
2 Ergonomics are poor.
3 Does not point well.
4 I found the sights difficult to pick up when trying double taps
5 When a manufacture uses a roll pin that has to be knocked out to dissemble the gun just to clean, to me its a disposable weapon.
For a little more money you can buy a Taurus 709 which my brother owns which is a MUCH better gun.
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=583641

A good video on shooting the Hipoint
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCNx0Ql2ZZw
 
SD9VE & SD40VE maybe the best value in the handgun market .... I have a SD40VE that runs flawlessly....

If you have a Academy Sports close .. They are on sale
 
The high point is cheap but reliable, and can take some serious abuse as well. In addition they have the best customer service and warranty in the industry hands down.

I bought one just to see if it really was a piece of garbage like everyone says it is, found out it wasn't, and now have a cheap dead reliable pistol that doesn't see the range very often.

As to why folks don't like them, there are several genuine complaints, see ozziemans post, but mostly(and this is only my opinion) its the looks and lack of refinement.

If you plan to shoot often, the S&W might be worth the extra $, but the high point(mine anyway) has a heck of a better trigger than that S&W(I think they have a trigger kit for it?).
 
I bought one just to see if it really was a piece of garbage like everyone says it is, found out it wasn't, and now have a cheap dead reliable pistol that doesn't see the range very often.
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I did the same exact thing with the same exact results. After seeing what the C9 wasreally like I bought a JHP Model (45acp) to go along with. Both amazingly accurate, and 100% reliable.
It would be interesting to know the difference in profit margin between the Hi-Point the shop obviously does not have, and the SCCY or Ruger they probably have in stock.:eek:
The Ruger or SCCY are more refined, lighter, and have a better resale value. But for just a spare knock-around gun the Hi-Point fits the bill at a lower price.
 
I will say I did the same as the others. I bought one years ago just to see what all the fuss was about. I think I gave like 169 bucks for my cordless drill that fires bullets :D. I was blown away at the group I put down with this cheap, top heavy brick with a terrible trigger. I fluffed and buffed the pistol, played with the magazine and it runs like a champ. I will say this if you don't know how to shoot a Hi Point it will hang up every time. I tried this theory at the range with my brother. He has a C9 also and was complaining that the thing is junk and want run. So he met me at the range one day. I took his pistol and I gave him mine ( a KNOWN good running gun) guess what happened my gun hung up every other round in his hands, and his gun in my hands ran fine. DO NOT limp wrist a hi point. You have the consider the mass of that slide, and its a blow back operated pistol, if you let your wrist soak up the recoil it just won't cycle. HOLD the thing and squeeze and they work. Mine is a woods walk gun / fishing gun. Hi Point is worth the money they ask for them. And I believe if they would just spring for better magazines ( I don't know maybe Mec Gar) the things would be a ton better.
 
Thanks for the responses. It seems that the general consensus is that the Hi Point isn't really as bad as "everyone" claims that it is.

I'm going to do a bit more research on the SCCY 2, as it's intrigued me at this point.

I have previously own a Sigma 9 (SW9VE). It was purchased used, and I had serious issues with stove piping unless I used 124 gr ammo, or bought the expensive stuff such as Sig. My only concern with the S&W is the size. It's a very large weapon, where the SCCY2 and the Hi Point are slightly smaller.

Unfortunately I have been unable to find a range around my area that rents guns to "play" with. I go to my gun club at least once or twice a week to shoot both my M&P 22 and Shield 9mm.

Thanks again everyone, sounds like it's time for further research


Exco
 
Excosstie, Well now that is not everyone's opinion! The high Point must be the bottom of the barrel in my choices, just after turning a box of attack rattlesnakes on the bad guy. The SCCY is very well made nut blasty little pistol in 9mm with an excellent warranty and half the size of the Hi.point anchor. I am one who will spend the extra bucks on a Sig or S&W for all of the obvious benefits that accompany a small well designed and constructed....and reliable! Pistol for "driving through the hood".
 
Many years ago, there was a fellow on The Firing Line who had made it his mission to rip Hi-Point every chance he got. And if he didn't get a chance, he'd make one. He must have owned dozens of them from the number of malfunctions he described and the guns he'd personally seen blow up, melt down, wear out, scatter crabgrass seeds on his lawn, and date his teenage daughter. He would argue with anyone and everyone that he wasn't going to argue with them. He was right, anyone who said differently was just plain stupid, or a liar.

I had never even heard of Hi-Point at the time, so naturally I had to buy one to see if it was as bad as he said they were. I must have gotten the one good one they made. ;) I bought a C-9, 9mm, and I put a couple thousand rounds through it before I got bored with it and tossed it in the safe and more or less forget about it. I experienced a half dozen malfunctions with it, and four of those came out of the same box of reloaded ammo. If just kept chugging along.

Knock out a roll pin to clean it? You're kidding? I cleaned it with WD-40 and used a pencil to push a paper towel patch down the barrel. I cleaned the gook out of the chamber area with a Q-tip. It just kept on working.

I finally sold it for almost what I paid for it. I probably could have gotten more because I had a half dozen "I'll take it if he doesn't" responses to my add. The first guy was tickled with it.

I've got a Hi-Point 9mm carbine now. I don't shoot it a lot, but it works the same way. Except my reloads are better now.
 
Excosstie, Well now that is not everyone's opinion! The high Point must be the bottom of the barrel in my choices,
Click to expand...
How many Hi-Points have you owned? That seems to be the differentiating factor in Hi-Point love/hate. People who have never owned one, and probably never shot one parrot the hate. People who own one or more find out very quickly how accurate, and reliable they are. Granted, despite their appearance.:D

Hi-Point C9-------------------$150
Box of cheap 9MM ammo----$10
Range time--------------------$15
The look on the face of the guy in the next lane when you outshoot his Sig-Priceless!!!
 
Thanks for the responses. It seems that the general consensus is that the Hi Point isn't really as bad as "everyone" claims that it is.
Click to expand...

Kind of like saying that McDonald's food isn't really that bad. Each to their own.
 
If it's all you can afford, get the Hi Point. They have a fixed barrel-so they are inherently accurate. It's inexpensive. Most of them work.
And, they are instantly recognizable in the "hood."

That said, they are made of die-cast zinc-which does not wear well, and doesn't flex like steel-it breaks. They are blowback pistols with ungainly slides.
 
I bought a C9 as my first handgun to see if I liked shooting handguns. It was slightly used for $125 and I kept reading the bashing from gun snobs. I proved to be a reliable and accurate weapon that was ugly and heavy. I replaced it with a SD9VE for concealed carry and traded it to a neighbor who wanted a heavy semi-automatic gun with a manual safety for an old Taurus 38 special revolver. We still don't know which one of us got cheated. The same gun snobs that bashed to C9 bashed Taurus just as bad. I figured if they were so wrong with the C9, maybe it was the same with Taurus. The Taurus proved so reliable and accurate that I bought a new one.

I took the C9 apart once just to see if I could do it and though it wasn't hard, I don't see why you would need to do it except every few decades.

If I wanted a reliable gun to beat around with and not worry about it, I would not hesitate to have a C9.
 
Hipoint says the gun only needs to be disassembled after 5,000 rounds.
When you hit that point they recommend you mail it back to them. They will refurbish and clean the gun for you. The one person I know of who put that many rounds through a C9 was not charged and received an additional magazine back.

There isn't a competitor in the same price range at normal market price.
 
I'll stand with several others. If you bash Hi-Points, I doubt you have ever owned one. I bought a .45 first. Loved it so I bought a .45 carbine. Love that one too. Then I decided I wanted a smaller "carry around the farm" gun. Bought a CF-380. Fires every time and hits where I aim it. Shoots any type of ammo I put in it. I have lots of other much more expensive guns to use, but I still shoot the Hi-Points often. They are fun and reliable. And did I mention, they don't cost much. And I still think they look better than a Glock.
 
I was looking at the Hi Point not because that was all that I could afford, but because it was a cheap gun that I could carry in the vehicle. I also wouldn't have to worry too much about it, if it breaks I'm not out much while I wait for some sort of repair/ replacement from the manufacturer.

I have watched several videos on YouTube about it, and most seemed to say that it was a decent, if extremely ugly gun, especially considering the money that it costs.

My original question was why so much hate over it. Two of my local shops said that they would never have a Hi Point in their inventory. That sort of threw me for a loop, especially considering all of the videos praising it.

I have a friend that is going to loan me a "baby Glock" .40 and another that is going to loan me his XD .45 to shoot a bit. Granted both are pretty expensive (though many have told me that they're worth every penny) guns, so I doubt that I'll actually buy either one. I'll most likely stick with something 9mm, as that is what I'm comfortable with, and I already have all of the cleaning supplies and ammo, so I won't have to buy any new stuff, except for perhaps a holster, but maybe not even that as I know that I have at least one extra holster lying around.

At this point I'm not sure what I'll end up with. I want to take a closer look at the SCCY, but I'm concerned that the fat grip and my small hands won't be compatible. I'm also going to check out the Taurus PT709 and probably a few others. My personal preference is to have a thumb safety (I know the arguments, I just prefer to have it) but it's not a deal breaker though. I'd also like a little smaller than the Sigma, but a little larger than what most compacts are, though a compact would work too.

I was originally thinking a budget of less than $200, but now I'm thinking closer to $350, so I have many doors open, along with many different options from many different brands.

Time will tell in which direction that I go

Exco
 
Due to complicated circumstances I owned one briefly as part of a series of trades. My friend at the LGS had no qualms about taking it in as part of a trade. He called it a "cheap ugly gun that works just fine". He doesn't stock them, I am assuming because of a low profit per gun, but he takes one in trade every now and again.

I hear pretty much the same thing from actual owners. There are those who won't own an inexpensive pistol and will bash them incessantly, and there are those who will actually give one a chance.
 
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