Hi-Point Thoughts

[southin]

Lost mine too, but due to stupidity on my part.
NOTE TO SELF:
Check the "remember me" box dummy, else get auto logged out.

 

[southin]

C9 was $135.00 2 weeks ago.
JHP and JCP (.45 and.40 respectively) both $149.00 down here.

It may be the cousin to a toaster, or the uncle to a brick, but when I'm out of town for a week at a time and knucklehead x of hers decides to get drunk and violate the restraining order. I feel better knowing there is more in the house available than a toaster or brick.
I'll have "better" guns when the finances get in better order to allow me to do so, but these right know, are better than nothing.
She won't touch a .357 wheel, nor a shotgun (both of which are borrowed and in the house as well).

 

[Bubbajms]

I've tried the handguns at the range, and has been said before, they're clunky and ugly but they work as they are advertised..

I've got more experience with the carbine. My dad, a former MP and retired firefighter, is a longtime shooter that was struggling with what to have in the house, due to lots of health issues from 30 years of firefighting. He bought a 1911 like what he had in Vietnam, but that didn't go so well. He tried a Glock, figuring it was more simple and less to work with, but that didn't go well either. He's got an old S&W revolver now. He did the same thing with shotguns - the 12 guage got put away, and he tried the Hi Point Carbine in 9mm. He figured it was cheap to buy, easy and inexpensive practice, and they seem to take care of their customers.

I picked up the carbine for him and took it to the range with a couple hundred rounds to break it in, and it was a hoot!! Easy to shoot, no problems with WWB ammo, and it kept me entertained for a few hours. I even had a guy offer to let me try his AR if he could try the Carbine..

There was a hitch, though - dad has back and neck problems from fire gear, so getting his head down low enough to see the sights wasn't going so well. He could point-shoot, but not very accurately. I called Hi-Point and asked for ideas, and they suggested a red-dot site. I rigged it up to get it a little higher than normal, and now it's his go-to carbine. Suprisingly accurate - he calls it his "poor man's AR" and while there's little comparison, it's good to know that he has something that will work for him in a pinch..

The handguns kinda look like star trek phazers or something, though :P

 

[Dr. Dave]

I had one up until last winter, mine was a jamo-matic, tried all the tricks to prevent the fte's and I still had problems (no limp wristing either). When I tried to trade it in at the dealer I got it from they wouldn't give anything for it. Sold it to a friend who has another one. I've got another friend who owns at least 2 and he has had no problems. I guess I was just unlucky. Customer Service is supposed to be fantastic though.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Jammo-matics usually come from the mags that they give. The ones that we had at eagle Creek seemed to do okay. One or two jam up, but looking at the mag, it was a promag, not the factory one. If you stick with factory ones, then you are okay.

I dont like the looks or the heft, but they are relatively decent guns for the cost. They cut corners on a lot of things, such as design and controls, however, make up with a low cost. They are alot like Kimber, you get a good one: its wonderous. get a bad one, the factory itself cannot repair it. The only thing is that a Kimber wont strip rifling or explode.

They are half and half. At least they come with a great warranty. I considered buying one or two on a lark, last resort type of gun. These would be the guns you test fire, reliability check, clean, then cosmo it for a rainy day to pass out to those that need protection.

Yes, its a better idea to get a third gen Smith or police trade in Glock, but when some folks are on a fixed income, then a Hi Point may be the way to go. But that would have to be some screwed up income though...

 

[shooter521]

They are half and half. At least they come with a great warranty.

I've heard the same thing said about Kel-Tec and Taurus.

"The warranty/CS dept. is great"

"Good thing, cuz you'll probably need it."

I work at a shop that sells a LOT of Hi-Points, and I've shot a few. Here are my thoughts:

PROS
1) The company is FANTASTIC to deal with - courteous, professional, and quick to fix problems. Light years ahead of Taurus in all regards, when it comes to warranty service. And they're also close by for us Hoosiers, which means reduced shipping cost/time if a gun needs to go back.

2) The guns generally work OK, at least with FMJ ammo. Reliability with hollowpoints is hit-or-miss, varying widely according to bullet style and individual weapon.

3) They are inexpensive, which enables folks on limited budgets a means to protect themselves and their families. A new C9 runs about half the price of most police surplus revolvers or autos, and the money saved can be used to buy ammo/holster/mags/training.

CONS
Just one - you get what you pay for.
• Construction is generally poor, featuring a cast slide, burrs/machine marks aplenty, a chintzy plastic frame that can crack if you over-torque the grip screws, and a sheet metal safety that is prone to breakage.
• Blowback operation requires an overly large/heavy slide, but produces disproportionately high felt recoil for the caliber. Bulky design precludes easy/comfortable CCW.
• Trigger pull sucks wind.
• Field stripping is a huge PITA; we recommend locking the slide open, hosing it down with your favorite cleaning agent, and just wiping down what you can see.

BOTTOM LINE
I regard the Hi-Points as the top of the bottom end. I'd much rather put a customer into a Hi-Point than a Jennings/Bryco/Lorcin/Davis/Cobra/Jiminez/etc., and while they don't come close to a Glock, SIG, Smith or even a Ruger, they beat the heck outta nothing...

 

[southin]

275 through the C9 now (limited budget, and all that)
No FTF's on the last couple boxes.
Not match competion by any means, but with 25 rounds @ 10 yds, and another 25 @7, I think the house, as well as myself, is covered pretty well until the "household deficit" gets paid down some.
Approx. 8 rounds in 5 seconds per mag., with the occasional double tap on a few mags., puts it "in the ballpark" of acceptable .

If 8 from the C9, 6 from the 28-2 S&W, and 5 from the 870 don't do it,
The knucklehead needs to be Cali's Gov.

Sharpie marks are mine to see hits from different mags.
Sight pic. was top of green, centered (as much as I could manage).
This is 50 rounds of range bought Magtech.