Just what the masses were crying out for- a .380 carbine!

If you cast your own bullets and reload. The .380 is extremely inexpensive to shoot. Casting my own 100 grain bullets, I can easily reload .380 for under $3 per box! At that price, it would almost replace my .22.

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I cast a 105 .358" SWC and size it to .357 and load it over 2.7 grains of B'eye in .38 brass for 900 fps and 1.5" at 50 yards accuracy. It'll do anything a .22 can do. The same bullet also works very well in .380 and light 9x19 loads for me. I don't shoot or carry my .380 much anymore, though. I don't have much brass and haven't loaded it in at least a decade. I have a Dillon Square Deol set up for 9x19 and if I WANTED a PCC in an auto pistol caliber, 9 is the way I'd go.

BUT, for those heavily invested in .380, I could see the desire. Just don't think there's much market, there, but like I said, I don't think it' probably cost them much to run off a few in .380, not like they had to buy all new machinery or anything, just adjust what they've got for the production run.

I asked my distributor just now why, He said it is for foreign markets where people cant own military calibers. Mexico will be a top market.

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That sounds like the real answer, makes total sense.

I am not a fan of the Hi Point carbines, not because of good or bad experiences or snobbery, but just because the are so homely, especially the newer ones with the tacticool stocks. Drop the same action in a Ruger 10/22-style stock and I'd by one in a heartbeat.

That said, I agree completely that these do fill a nice for folks who own one of the many popular .380 pocket pistols, don't own a 9mm, and want a carbine to go with their pistol. Yes, .380 ammo is more expensive than 9mm, but that only matters if you are going to shoot it a lot.

The foreign market angle is interesting...the reverse also happens. We don't see the large, double-stack .380 Glocks in the USA when they are very popular in countries that don't permit civilian 9mm.

rhinoh said:

Dang, next thing you know someone will be making a carbine in that weak .22 rimfire....

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Except for the fact that .22 rimfire can be had for less than 5 cents a round.

.380 Ammo is often harder to find and more expensive than 9mm ammo.

Except for the fact that .22 rimfire can be had for less than 5 cents a round.

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WHERE? I'm TOTALLY IN!

Actually, I can handload .380 for not much more. I do cast my own bullets. Most ecpensive component is the primer....assuming you already have the brass. Folks are actually looking for alternatives to .22 for plinkin' now days. Mine's a .357 carbine for which I load a light, light .38. It puts a 105 SWC out at 900 fps MV. Makes a great answer to what to use when you give up looking for affordable .22LR ammo.

Don't misunderstand, though, I haven't given up. I still own my .22s.

The 9mm/.40S&W/.45ACP HiPoint carbines seem to appeal to people who own same caliber (any make) pistols, who already have ammo for their pistols, and who don't want to complicate their ammo logistics.

A .380 carbine appears marketed for those folks who own .380 pistols. A niche market, but maybe HiPoint has been getting requests from consumers.

As bikerdoc also noted in Post #22, there are foreign markets that don't allow civilian possession of military/police caliber arms especially 9x19mm; in some of those countries .380 is considered a civilian-legal self-defense caliber (for example, Mexico). Mexico and other countries are paranoid about revolutionaries being able resupply ammo by raiding military/police armories, so current military issue caliber arms are verboten.


"Drop the same action in a Ruger 10/22-style stock and I'd by one in a heartbeat."
The HiPoint carbine uses a lot of engineering and design features perfected in the development of their pistols. The magazine is in the handgrip at the same feed angle as the pistol, so a true 10/22 style carbine version would be a re-engineered gun.

I have shot friends' HiPoint 9mm carbines and the combo of reliabilty and accuracy in a budget package do impress me. The homely original "Planet of the Apes" stock and the newer tacticool stock turn me off. Merge the debugged and reliable action HiPoint carbine into a stock styled after the Nylon 66 (with pistol grip) and I would be sold.

What turns me off about anything hi point is....ZAMAC. I just don't do Zamac.

ZAMAC. I just don't do Zamac.

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I do... as long as its a Hot Wheels car for the kids.
Since they dont make roll cap guns anymore, I cannot claim that one too.

What turns me off about anything hi point is....ZAMAC. I just don't do Zamac.

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I trust you don't own a Henry

cat_IT_guy said:

9mm is already probably the cheapest centerfire round to shoot

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And the more .380 guns on the market, the sooner its cost lowers.

I seriously doubt Hi Point has that goal in mind. And I'm not sure just how much volume it will take to put .380 on par with 9mm cost wise.

It will be interesting to see how it sells.

Sounds like "Kickpuncher", the made-up, C-Movie cyborg hero "within a TV show" from Community. His only superpower is that his punches are as strong as a kick.

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Six seasons and a movie . . .

If they called it the "Highpoint Kickpuncher Carbine" I'd probably buy one just support the marketing insanity involved.

Originally posted by: Phaedrus/69
Beyond the novelty who is going to buy this?

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People that are looking for a "less lethal" varmint control option, but who don't want to shoot rock salt through their shotgun due to corrosion issues?

^^

Okay, the foreign market sounds like the most profitable reason by far. I didn't think that direction, since Hi Point never struck me as an exporter for some reason.

You know the saying 'pistols are pistols, rifles are rifles' doesn't just apply to calibers.

Compared to a .380 pistol you'll get more velocity, more accuracy, and while this may be subjective, I imagine it's more fun to shoot and hit targets with than a pocket gun.

Now I'm not saying I'd EVER choose this over a more practical carbine choice like an AR, or a 9mm carbine if we're just comparing pistol calibers, but if I did happen to own a .380 pistol (and I'm actually surprised to realize I DON'T have one yet... dangit my wishlist keeps growing...), I'd probably have a bunch of the relatively inexpensive rounds to practice with like remanufactured FMJ or even WPA. I could certainly see myself shooting it out of a Hi-Point carbine at the range any time after I finish a practice session with the pistol.

And if I handloaded my own .380 rounds, I think I'd definitely pick one up just because I'd be so darned curious how my loads would perform in a long barrel!

If you think it is silly don't buy one.

If a lady important to me would only shoot a .380 pistol Then that is what I would get them and if this carbine would be something they were comfortable with for HD then I could certainly see it.

A lot of folks on here go on about having a handgun and carbine that use the same ammo as a good thing. Maybe all the Davis .380 owners will dash right out and buy a HiPoint now.

BTW there is always a fair amount of .380 talk going on down in Semi Auto Handguns, so........

-kBob

I hope they make one in .32ACP with a stagger stacked 15 round mag, and a side folding stock.

Compared to a .380 pistol you'll get more velocity

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Has anyone tested that. I remember weak .38s would give less velocity from a carbine.

With the cost and availibilty of .380 ammo I can't say I would ever be looking to buy one but cuddos to them for bringing something new to the market.

+1 if they would have based it on one of the .32's. The idea being to provide a semi-auto alternative that was reloadable to the .22RF.

I trust you don't own a Henry

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Nope.

adobewalls said:

+1 if they would have based it on one of the .32's. The idea being to provide a semi-auto alternative that was reloadable to the .22RF.

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Why would .32 or .380 be a better alternative than 9mm? Once fired 9mm cases are just about free. Everything else will be a similar cost.

Here's a reason: If you don't handload, there might be more .380 ammo that remains subsonic out of a carbine than 9mm P ammo.

This could mean something if you intend to attach a suppressor.

(I said it's a reason . . . I didn't say it's a good reason. )

Deus Machina said:

I really think it's because the new gun owners in recent years includes a bigger portion than ever before of those that bought pocket pistols and own nothing else.
Offering a cheap rifle that uses the same ammunition would tempt some of them to buy something a little more effective to keep at home, that wouldn't break the bank.

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We have a winner! I think that's exactly the market they're going for. I can't see anybody else being interested in such a carbine, unless it's a collector who wants it for the oddball factor.

I think it's pretty cool. Less recoil and more controllability for faster follow up shots. As powerful as a 9mm Para pistol. Very cool.