Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Hi Point Pistols

We tend to sneer when we hear about Hi Point pistols, at least, at the gun shop where I work. We lump them in the same pot with Jennings, Brayco and Jimenez, but, is that fair? I know it isn't objective.

Today I ordered a Hi Point, 9mm, to use in a test. We are going to burn up a thousand rounds of various brands of ammo and bullet weights and evaluate the results.

Anyone on this forum care to admit they have one or speculate as to the results?

I believe the Hi-Point is comprable to a Smith & Wesson.

You should have about 900 rounds left over.

-- Anonomouse

My bet is it'll be a frustrating experience and that you won't make it through the 1,000 rounds - you'll tire of clearing jams.

Any body got any experience, or just guessing? IIRC they are made in USA and are guarateed for life. Where are all of the people that wants us to buy USA/UNION made stuff? miles

I think it will fire every time that you pull the trigger as long as you do not try to rapid fire it.
They are just a big bulky heavy gun.

From what I've heard, I think the same thing. I was at the range this fall and a guy showed up with one. He couldn't hit squat with it but I don't think he could have hit anything with any gun. However, he went through 3 boxes of shells with out a single glitch. That's all that some people need, they don't need beauty they don't need a great trigger, or to hit little bitty circles they just want it to go bang every time and his did.

TackDriven is right on. My local shop can't keep the things in stock, and to be honest, I've actually thought about picking one up just to abuse.

Every single one that I've dealt with, and that's been quite a few, are heavier than he!!, but accurate (probably because the weight settles them nicely), durable, and reliable. Would I want to carry one? No. Would I probably count on it to go "bang" if SHTF, yes. I haven't seen one really fail badly yet, nor fail to be accurate. For what they are, they're pretty danged good. I'm just pickier than that in my handguns.

I just bought the Mar/Apr 2006 issue of "American Handgunner" magazine. In response to a letter to the editor about H-iPoint pistols, they promised "a comprehensive article on inexpensive autos by Alex Hamilton in a future issue. The results may be surprising. Editor"
I'm thinkin' that means some of them work surprisingly well. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Dave, Hi-points and S&Ws....must have had some very bad experiences.

The Hi Point 9mm carbine, which IIRC uses the exact same mechanism, has earned a reputation for long term durability and reliability at ranges where they loan or rent 'em out.

You'll cringe if you take one apart though and see just how crude the mechanism is (I know I did), but they DO work. I figure these things are the Sten gun of our age.

If I had the time and skill for IDPA, it might be fun to compete with a Hi-Point just to embarass folks <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Birdwatcher

Quote:
------- ...Bad experiences with Hi-Point and S&W?

Me? No, actually I have never even fired either one. I think I was just trying to Tick someone off. So, ...I do apologize to all the Hi-Point aficionados here.

A little research has shown me, (via Forums) that Hi-Point pistols are actually held in very "hi" regard by many owners and shooters. One poster speculated that the negative responses may have come from people who had experiences with the older metal stock Hi-Point models, and not the current Polymer Hi-Points.

I also came across a Shooting Times magazine article that tested the 40 S&W, and the 45 ACP HP pistols. The extensive shooting and handling tests were climaxed with 3 shooting drills. 1- Slow aimed fire. 2- Repeated double tapping on target. 3- Rapid fire drills.

Both pistols proved 100% reliable. Not a single misfire or jam in 200+ rnds. fired in each gun.
Felt recoil was found to be "very soft". The author, Paul Scarlota, was: "...suitably impressed, with the reliability, accuracy, and handling qualities displayed by both pistols." "Great sights and excellent triggers". "Well balanced ergonomicaly friendly grips."

Scarlota: "You can say that the Hi-Point pistols are inexpensive, but don't ever say they don't shoot.
They shoot darn well."

Well, that just might be my first 45 ACP.
(Luxury, I can afford.)

-- Weed

Geez, you guys almost have me convinced to rethink a few things. My "loaner" 9mm, the pistol I bring to the range for friends and family to abuse, is a S&W 5906. The all steel 15-rounder has proven to be a real Energizer Bunny, often consuming over 10,000 rounds a year - somewhere over 50,000 rounds total.

I've been considering replacing this pistol because, well, I dunno - it seems like maybe it's time.

Mebbe I should think Hi-Point?

I had heard the same thing about hi point. S"tay away from them, they are cheap, they are a waste of money" But I just kept seeing them out there. One day I saw the hi point carbine on sale and thought that would be a nice little plinking gun, so i bought it. Thousands of rounds later I have had absolutley no problems with it. No FTF, FTE, jams, etc. Not to mention the thing is very accurate. I say if you need a plinking gun go for it!!!!

I don't really know a thing about Hi Point pistols but I was given a 9mm carbine a few years ago. It is funky looking for sure but it is a shooter. It has eaten everything I've fed it without a hitch and the kids love shooting it. It came with a flash suppressor and a laser on it and I mounted a cheap red dot. Birdwatcher is dead on about disassembling it, I quit doing that several thousand rounds ago. Still won't quit shooting.

Quote from p weed: Me? No, actually I have never even fired either one.

funny I suspected as much. Have never met a S&W auto that didn't work exceedingly well. I've got 5 and they will feed empty cases. Would take anyone of them to a gunfight as easily as a revolver.

There but for the grace of an army math error, the standard service pistol might be a S&W instead of the Beretta M9.

C'jack, if you shoot around enough people shooting a bunch a different irons, you'll see every brand malfunction sometime. I've seen Sigs, Berettas, HKs, SWs, Glocks choke. I've seen revolvers sputter on occasion. Some just seem to do it more than others. Nothing wrong with Smiths if you like the ergos on 'em.