Hi-Point Pistol?

[john917v]

Hi, all. How's everyone? I have been wanting a pistol to keep around the house-the field barrel on my Mossy 88 is pretty cumbersome. I was thinking about buying a hipoint .45, or .40 handgun. I am aware that it has a polymer slide and frame, but I am not a special-ops member, so it is not an issue for me. In terms of reliability, and accuracy, how are they, for the money, and compared to other entry-level pistols, like the ones from Taurus?

Thanks in advance,

-John

 

[ashtxsniper]

Go with the Taurus. I would take 1 broken Taurus over 5 new Hi-Points.

 

[chupacabrah]

hi point has great customer service (i hear). i dont know too much about their handguns...... i REALLT want the 995 9mm cvarbine they make though....

and it also comes in .40 sw and i hear maybe .45acp sometime in the future





also, most people who make negative comments about hi point have never owned or even shot one. :-/

 

[global247]

Hi-point makes a $150 brand new pistol, I have a hard time trusting my life to that. If it is between taurus and High Point pay the extra money and get the taurus. For the money taurus is ok plus they have a lifetime mechanical warrenty. Personally I would look at Glock and XD but it is up to you.

 

[DevilDog0402]

About the only thing I would trust a high point for is a paperweight or a doorstop.

 

[Vader]

I have one, bought brand new C9, paid 159.00 OTD, so far over 1K and no problems. Same with a 995 9mm carbine. Cheap, yes, reliable, ditto. Lifetime warranty, no questions asked. If you wanna buy an XD, Glock or Beretta, its your call. but Im sticking to my proven worthy little "crap pistol".

 

[frogomatic]

I own two hi-point pistols(in addition to Rugers, Rock Islands, Springfields, CZs, Colts, and Berretas...I can't ever seem to buy just one of anything), one in 9mm, and one in .45acp. Both have been absolutely reliable, and plenty accurate. I've never had an issue with mine, so I can't speak on their customer service, but my understanding is that it's very good. Hands down it's the best bang for the buck I've ever got out of a gun. They are big and bulky, however, so not the best for concealed carry(got a 1911 for that). I've put a few thousand rounds through each of them, and they both still run like a champ. I never intended them to be any more than plinkers, but after my experience with them, I'd bet my life on either of them. Once again, without question, the absolute best bang for the money I've ever got out of a gun, and I've owned a lot of guns.

P.S. they are polymer frame, but the slide is all steel.

edit: @Vader - gotta love the 'crap pistols' and all the crap we get for having them. Folk can poke fun all they want, I don't care, when I pull the trigger, it goes bang and there's a hole in whatever I was aiming at, without fail. I really can't ask for more than that. Though I do have to admit, they are ugly as sin.

 

[Jason_G]

I am aware that it has a polymer slide and frame, but I am not a special-ops member, so it is not an issue for me. In terms of reliability, and accuracy, how are they, for the money, and compared to other entry-level pistols, like the ones from Taurus?

Slide is not polymer. Honestly, I would take a Hi Point over a Taurus any day. Hi Points ain't pretty, they ain't light, but they do go bang when you pull the trigger, they have a lifetime warranty if I'm not mistaken, they are made in the USA, and their customer service dept will take care of you. Of all those points I just mentioned, Taurus normally succeeds in meeting the ones about weight and looks. You do the math.

Jason

 

[frogomatic]

if I'm not mistaken, they are made in the USA

yes sir, made in Lima, Ohio.

 

[jad0110]

Seems like HiPoint pistols get bashed from those who have never owned one, but I always here positive things about them from those who own them.

I have absolutely no desire to own one, but just because it is inexpensive and ugly doesn't mean it won't work or that it isn't trustworthy. Perhaps I'd put in twice then # of usual rounds before I'd call it reliable, but if it works, it works.

 

[Shortdog22]

I have had to Hi Points both in 380. The first would double feed all the time. It was used though. The second I bought new and it never gave me one problem through over 500 rnds. Just decided to trade it for something with a little more power. If the 45 shoots as well as the 380 I would be interested in buying one myself. Just to throw in the glove box and not worry about scratches, dings etc. They come with a lifetime warranty but where can you beat the price for a "flawlessly functioning" handgun?

 

[iwannasee]

I have shot a few Hi-Points, in 9mm and .40, that ppl have brought to the range right from the store. Most of the folks that bought them as their first handgun to keep on nightstand for personal protection. Right out of the box they ran perfectly. Most of the problems that they had were operator error (first handgun and had no experience shooting them). They couldn't even hit paper at 10 yard line. They would ask me for some advice and they would ask me to shoot a few rounds and ask me if I thought there was a problem with the sights.
I would shoot a few rounds and would put rounds through 1 circle and tell them they need some practice. A few pointers and they were hitting paper and getting the hang of it. I probably wouldn't buy one for myself, but if asked about an inexpensive nightstand gun, I would recommend the Hi-Point just for that, cheap and goes bang every time, and fairly accurate close range protection.

 

[Joe the Redneck]

You can get a HP for 100-150, every other full caliber autoloader costs about 400-600.

So, is a 150 dollar gun as good as a 600 gun?

Is store cola as good as Coke? Are keds as good as Nike? Are Toyotas as good as Bentleys?

 

[frogomatic]

If the 45 shoots as well as the 380 I would be interested in buying one myself. Just to throw in the glove box and not worry about scratches, dings etc

funny you say that, it's where my 45 spends most of it's time, for the very same reason. I don't know how well your 380 shot, but my 45 shoots very well, it's the bane of pop cans everywhere.

Another reason to keep a hi-point on the nightstand...if you have to shoot someone with it, the police are going to take it for evidence, and you never know how they will take care of it, or for how long they may keep it. Would you rather them take the cheap hi-point or the pricey colt, springfield, kimber, sig, glock, whatever...?

 

[Steve C]

I've shot a Hi Point that a friend of mine had. It did go bang and you could hit paper with it. If that's all you can afford then its better than a baseball bat or harsh words. It is however one of the bottom rung pistols and I personally find its limitations too many to consider for me to buy one.

The first is the safety. Its a small simple on off button that doesn't give you a positive feel of engagement and needs to be in the full up position to be engaged. The weapon is striker fired but has no other safeties than this simple manual safety, no firing pin block, nothing to prevent the firing pin from firing the pistol if it was to inadvertently slip from the sear when dropped. I wouldn't carry one of these guns with round chambered and having to use the Israeli racking method to chamber a round during a draw can be learned but is awkward and slow in bringing the weapon to ready vrs. a DA semi auto or a cocked and locked 1911.

The sights on the Hi Point are rudimentary and not something you'd use for very accurate shooting. The trigger pull is also very poor which adds to its inaccuracy. I'm not saying you can't hit a man sized target at 25 yds but make that a paper plate and maybe you can get a few rounds on it.

You would be quality and money ahead buying a German Police surplus Sig 225 9mm or a S&W Sigma or a Taurus PT (Beretta clone) new or used than you would getting the hi point. Each of these guns are reliable and are used by Police and Military around the world. No law enforcement agency or military uses a Hi Point, for good reason.

 

[ashtxsniper]

Steve C you have wrote everything I wanted too write. +1000

 

[hksw]

It's hilarious the number of folks who post and deride the Hi Point but have never shot one.

As I've posted a few times, I was never really enthused about the Hi Points when I started collecting firearms as they were not physically appealing and seemed quite bulky. After a few years on gun boards and the subject of Hi Points came up I had always noticed that the overwhelming number of folks hating them were ones that never owned or even fired them. Curious as to their actual performance, I went and got one myself to see first hand. IIRC, had 2 misfeeds within IIRC 80 rounds (possibly one more later on). After 2,500 rounds, without incident since, I stopped counting.

 

[knicks118]

Are Toyotas as good as Bentleys?

No.

Hahha...but seriously if you are just looking for a pistol to go bang most of the time, eat any brand of ammo you feed it, have a $150 shipped price tag new, lifetime warranty, secondary use as a club/hammer/paper weight...then a Hi-Point is most definitely for you. If won't have a good trade value either.

You will probably get some stares at a range from people who notice it but who cares right? But as for a defense weapon, I'd say not with my life...

 

[Tank45]

The first gun that I owned was a Hi-point carbine. For the price it was a very good gun. I agree that most people that bash them have never owned one. I did not even know how to take the thing apart to clean it for over a year and the thing fed and fired everything I gave it. It even fired with a broken firing pin spring (a few coils had broken off) and a bent firing pin. When I found out that it had those problems I called Hi-Point and the had replacement parts at my door in three days no questions asked. Very good people to deal with. Bottom line my $150 carbine shot just as good as my $1400 one.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

john, the frame of a Hi-Point is polymer, all right, but the slide is a zinc alloy casting.

I don't have one because I can afford better, but if I needed a gun badly and that was absolutely all the money I had, it beats a club or a pocketful of rocks. And I paid six times as much for a handgun that continually malfunctioned and broke, so price is not always a reliable indicator of quality.

 

[Mooseman]

I say go for it. I have the hi-point 45 and for all its blocky ugliness it's certainly reliable. The recoil is easy to handle. Makes a great truck/tacklebox/range gun. If your like most members here you'll buy another gun, and another, etc. I wouldn't get hung up on the idea that buying a hi-point now somehow keeps you from upgrading later. I bought mine a few years ago and have not regretted it. And don't worry about the rest of the collection, Hi-point ugliness is not contagious.

 

[jlh26oo]

Hi-Point War

It's that time again already? Leaving a H.P. in the G.B. of your truck sounds like a great idea. Don't have to worry too much if you get a B.I., and if you know it works, it works! Don't think I'd want to tote one on my person though.

 

[janobles14]

i have shot quite a few of the hi's. so here is my advice on the matter....

if you can save up for the taurus with no problem then do it.

if not...dont feel bad about the hi point. i have never had one fail on me and they actually shoot well. besides...if it jams or runs out of ammo then just throw it at him. it should take care of him all by itself.

 

[bfox]

I have two a 9 and 45 .
No problem with either .

Big , ugly and I wouldnt carry
one but they go Bang everytime .

Bill

 

[aaronrkelly]

I own 2 HiPoints that worked flawlessly........and 3 Taurus guns that never made it to 200 rounds without making a (or several) trips back to Miami.

Given the option, I would take a HiPoint over a Taurus ANY day of the week.

For your purposes......buy the gun, run a couple hundred rounds thru it to check function and be happy with it. Gun snobs are abundant around these parts....