Home defense carbine: M1 carbine or 45 cal?

[Jackal]

I'm guessing all the Hipoint hate is from folks who have never had one. I have had 2 (both 9mm) and neither has ever failed to work. I have actually had far better luck with the HiPoint 9mm than with a Beretta Storm (sold, what an ammo sensitive, cheek slapping POS), Ruger PC9 (least accurate PCC I have ever used, even when scoped), Keltec sub2k (once again sold, ammo sensitive, horrid sights, loved to stovepipe, charging handle always caught on my coat sleeve). Yes, Hipoints are ugly and cheap, but they just work. There is not a better centerfire semi auto rifle made anywhere near the typical $300 price point.

Anyway, if for some reason you dont like/trust the M1 carbine, the HiPoint will likely work perfectly for your needs (big, slow bullet that opens up easily with correct HP). Also, it can be easily converted to use 1911 mags, which may be a good feature if you also have a 1911.

 

[Shipwreck]

A HI point may be fine for the range, but I would never use one for self defense.

May I suggest one of the entry level AR15s from S&W? Their sport version isn't that expensive, and would make a great home defense carbine.

 

[USAF_Vet]

The Hi Point bashing always comes up. I've had two, both worked great. I would have had no issue with trusting my life with either.

Either option would probably be fine.

 

[amd6547]

Yeah, when I owned my 9mm hipoint carbine, it was usually handy in the bedroom closet when the other "better" guns were locked in the safe.
My favorite hipoint carbine story...
My friend and I were at the range. He was trying to get his CETME to function. Bored by that, I picked up my hipoint carbine. I had a full box of UMC FMJ, 50rds. I started loading mags and ripping through them as fast as I could fire and reload. My hipoint had a cheap BSA redot scope. When we checked the target, all 50 were in a dinner plate sized group. Not bad for standing offhand, using no particular care for aiming or technique.
Other times, I easily got 10 shot bottle cap sized groups at 50yds using +P+.
I wouldn't have thought twice about using that carbine for SD.

 

[Elkins45]

I voted 45, but I would rather have something like a Glock mag Mech Tech, Thompson or Marlin Camp Carbine. I know the Hi Point gets a bad rap (I once owned a 9mm and it worked flawlessly) but since what you' re really asking is "Please give justification to buy another gun" then you might as well buy something with some investment value.

 

[Jackal]

Since I have AK's and AR's in the safe, I almost hate to say this but here it goes: I would trust my life in a short term circumstance to my Hipoint 9mm carbine. It works. I know it works. After several thousand rounds not 1 single malfunction that wasnt ammo related (Tula has an occasional dud that wont fire in my Kahr pistol either). Everything I have fed it, from gaping wide mouth hollow points to Wolf/Tula fmj work perfectly. For $250, it shouldnt work this well, or as accurately (about 3-4moa, with occasional groups in the 2moa region).

 

[amd6547]

Back when I bought my hipoint, I paid $139. When I sold it two years and a couple thousand rounds later, I got $175...Investment value?

 

[lone-wolf]

If you want a hipoint, likely that feeling won't go away till you have one.
That's how it works for me, and after a year it will either stay or be sold.

My m1 carbine isn't going anywheres.

 

[mljdeckard]

My grandfather's Inland is under the bed with two magazines on a pouch on the butt. I can't see any reason to trade it out for a Hi-Point......anything. But I inherited this one, I don't know if I would ever get around to paying what they are going for these days.

 

[Ken70]

these five firearms are my main home defence guns, a remington 12ga shotgun, a winchester m1 .30 carbine, a colt ar-15 .223, a glock .40s&w and a s&w 9mm. to me they cover most home defence chores. eastbank.

Geez eastbank, you must live in a really bad neighborhood. I'm surprised you can even post, figured they would have stolen your computer....I have a Mossberg 500 and a Beretta 9mm, but you're really loaded for bear..

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

M1 carbine is a proven platform. A federal soft point is the best ammo for the carbine that I know of, but any of the soft points will beat any .45 load.

 

[ugaarguy]

I have an M1 carbine but I've considered getting a Hi Point 45 carbine.

Which would you choose and why?

If it's an original M1 carbine I'd use it as a range toy, but not for HD because I'd to lose a collectible like that. If it's a repro M1 carbine, then heck yes run it for HD. Intermediate rifle rounds with proper ammo offer better terminal ballistics and reduced risk of over-penetration compared to pistol rounds.

If you just want to add another gun to the collection and / or the M1 is a collectible you don't want use for HD, have you thought about an SKS? They're about the same price as a Hi-Point carbine, offer the superior rifle ballistics discussed above, and plinking ammo is currently selling for about 25 cents per round vs. 37 cents per round and up for .45 ACP.

 

[mljdeckard]

I also have an SKS, ant it is certainly a viable option.

Yes my old Inland is an heirloom. And there is a (low in my area) risk I would lose it permanently if it were ever used in a defensive shooting. However, the flip side would be, if I have it, and it works well, but I DON'T want to use it because it's an heirloom. What would my grandfather think of that? He would smack me in the side of the head, remind me it's just a dang gun, and if it saves a life, it doesn't matter what happens to it.

When I was very small, I was visiting the same grandfather. I borrowed his old bike to ride around the block. It was too big for me, and I couldn't handle it too well, I was in and out of the street, and I nearly got plowed by a truck. He got angry, and I told him I was sorry I almost got his bike hurt. He told me; "I don't care about the bike. I can get a new bike."

 

[MistWolf]

I'm guessing all the Hipoint hate is from folks who have never had one...

It's not hate, it's experience. I've spent my time in Cheap Gun Hell and see no reason to ever waste my time with one again. I've seen enough to know not to trust my life to a HiPoint

 

[kBob]

I picked the M1 of the two. Lot of experience with the carbine. Like it. No real experience with a Hi Point other than a few rounds with a 9sillymeter.

Dr. Martin Fackler used to keep an M1 Carbine by his bed when he was a shooting buddy.

Marshall and Sanow rated even the FMJ .30 Carbine at around 90 percent and HP/SP loads higher, but did report about 100 percent pass throughs in either bullet type.

Yes I would hate for an M1 Carbine to go into the evidence/property room at the Sheriff's Department....but I would hate one of my kids or wife in the hospital, funeral home or just missing far more.

On the other hand I would not feel unarmed with a Hi Point, if it were mechanically reliable with the ammo I chose. But of the two I would for a single gun choose the M1. On the other hand for the money it would take to buy an M1 if I had neither I might buy a Hi Point .45 carbine AND a Hi Point handgun and bedside safe/box my wife was comfortable with, enough ammo to get us both comfortable with both guns and a pair of good flashlights and take the wife on a cheap burger date if I were starting out as a person new to firearms and with a young family.

-kBob

 

[eastbank]

KEN70, the guns are for my wife and myself. she likes the s&w 9mm and m-1 carbine, but she shoots them all pretty well. we pratice at 50yds with man size targets. we have two out buildings about 60yds from my house that may need covered from the house and the ar-15 and m-1 carbine are better than handguns or shotguns for that. the shotgun is the main inside the house gun. one handgun is kept upstairs and the other one is a down stairs gun, both are kept in special places.i have worked too hard to get to the place where i don,t have to worry about money matters and i don,t want any one to take it. we have the castle law here so they enter at their own risk. eastbank.

 

[Madcap_Magician]

I won't knock the Hi-Point carbine, I hear those are solid and reliable guns.

Just FYI, in addition to the JSP loads, Speer makes a .30 Carbine Gold Dot.

 

[Furncliff]

Hi Point .45. If I had to use it and law enforcement confiscated it I wouldn't care.

 

[caryg]

Had the Hi point 45 ACP, fun gun to shoot and never let me down, accurate as h---. I finally gave it to my Grand Son when I got my 45 ACP Camp carbine. I really think if everyone tried one instead of badmouthing it they would like it also. It is made in America you know? and is 100 % covered by their warranty.

 

[bernie]

A few years ago I actually asked myself this question. I opted for the M-1 Carbine. With a soft point load, it is plenty powerful, shoots a little bit flatter than .45 ACP, and is easy to shoot. To me, it also looks a little more "benign", which is a good thing.

 

[gotigers]

I see 30 cal ammo, but not lots of it. How hard is 30 cal to find and how much per round for good ammo?

 

[DeadFlies]

If I could afford the M1 (which I can't, but I see you already have one) I'd get it. Why not? It's a perfectly adequate HD gun.

If I could only afford the Hi-Point (which, right now, I can't afford either) I'd get it. Why not? It's a perfectly adequate HD gun.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I have shot men with a carbine -- I would never choose it for home defense. Nor would I choose a handgun. Handguns are used for concealment and portability -- and the price of that is giving up some effectiveness. At home, I need neither concealment or portability. So my home defense gun is a Model 37 Ithaca in 12 gauge.

 

[Bored1]

M1 Carbine. It's what I have availible, and can't see getting another gun for something that I already have. Plus don't need to do anything to the 30 carbine, ready to go as is. Easy enough to find parts if anything happens to it, sights, etc.

 

[mr.trooper]

45acp gains very little power from a carbine - noticable less than 9mm or 40 S&w.

There is really no ballistic advantage to using a 16" barrel versus a 5" pistol for the 45acp cartridge. This is speaking from personal experience with an H&K USC carbine, converted to use UMP standard capacity magazines. The drop at any real distance is substantial, and there is no perceptable increase in bullet impact over a pistol.

At least a carbine like that has some kind of advantage in ammunition capacity with 25 rounds in a UMP magazine. With the Hi Point you are limited to 9 rounds. Low capacity.

You may as well use a pistol and save the bulk in tight HD spaces. That carbine may get tight if your home is anything like mine. A few more bucks more than what you pay for a hi point 45 carbine will new you a ruger sr45, or some other comperable modern 45 pistol that will hold more cartridges.