Latest Reviews on the HiPoint C9

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charliemopic

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A buddy at work asked me if I knew of a good gun for home-self defense...for about $150.
I don't know of any centerfire double action revolvers for $150. There are several auto pistols for $150 but the only one that comes to mind that I would suggest would be the HiPoint C9 9mm. I think they also come in .40 S&W and .45 auto.
I explained that this wasn't the type of thing you'll want to skimp on but 150 is all he has to spend or all the wife will allow, whatever.
After basic orientation I doubt he will shoot much if ever.
A couple years ago I read a review on the C9 in Gun-Test magazine whos opinion I respect. They seemed to like the Hi Point.
Anyone here have any first hand experience with Hi Point pistols?
Or any other recommendation for $150 or less?
 
I believe the latest from Gun-Tests with a Hi-Point was the .380. It continues to run better than expected.

I hear stories of 150.00 beater S&Ws but haven't yet seen one. The only revolvers consistently under the Hi-Point are old RGs and I'd prefer the Hi-Point to that option.

You can get a pretty servicable shotgun for 150.00 - any reason he's stuck on a handgun?
 
I've got a Hi-Point C-9 that has worked just fine for about 2,000 rounds. I don't shoot it anymore, but that's only because I proved to myself that it works.

If all I had was 150 bucks to buy a gun with, the Hi-Point would do the job.
 
they're ugly as sin, but have a great warranty and seem to be reliable if they're clean from what i hear. i don't have any personal experience with their pistols but the 995 carbine sure was a fun plinker!
 
Heh, I feel dirty when buying tools at Harbor Freight, but then I don't feel so guilty when I only use them twice a year. Sometimes (not every time, not even most of the time) cheap is the answer.
 
$145 at the local gun shop. I love for what it is. A cheap, reliable pistol. I did buy a 10 round magazine for $22 for it at the gun show Sunday.
 
Latest reviews? Well they're still big and ugly, kinda like a brick with a handle. That won't ever change. But they go BANG every time and don't ask for much in return. I have a M995 carbine in 9mm that I don't ever recall cleaning in the 9 years I've owned it (maybe once when it was new), and it has yet to let me down. I'm normally a lot more attentive about maintenance, but that ugly a** $99 rifle just keeps challenging me to see how much abuse it can take ;)
 
I don't have a problem with Hipoints. There well worth their money and HP has great customer service. With that said right now you can get the Ruger P95 with 2 15rd mags from CDNN for $250. While not as refined as some other name brand guns the Ruger semiauto's have a reputation for reliablity and durability as good or better than all the big names. That's a lot of gun if he can just scrounge up another $100.
 
With that said right now you can get the Ruger P95 with 2 15rd mags from CDNN for $250. While not as refined as some other name brand guns the Ruger semiauto's have a reputation for reliablity and durability as good or better than all the big names. That's a lot of gun if he can just scrounge up another $100.
Click to expand...

A huge +1. I won't knock the Hi-Points, because I don't have personal experience with them, but I have heard they are reliable. But scrounging up another $100 puts him into the territory of the big hitters like the Ruger P95 from CDNN, or a used P89 (which would be my personal choice), or a S&W Sigma or something.
 
People seem to have more problems with the C9 jamming etc than the 40s or 45s. I think the mag lips on the C9s need a little coaxing sometimes before they feed properly. I don't think the 40 or 45 mags suffer from this problem.

If your friend is not going to shoot it much, and work with it to break it in properly. You might direct him to the 40 or 45 since they don't need as much attention out of the box. IMO

EDIT:
I used to own a Hi-Point 40 pistol. I had a little over 1000 rounds through it with no malfunctions whatsoever. I sold it because I just didn't like the pistol.
 
I have some of the fancy named ones like S&W, Remington, etc. but I bought a Hi-Point C9 for $105 two years ago to see for my self how bad they are. It's a truck gun, it's inexpensive, I don't have to fret about it getting dinged (or worse yet, stolen). For me, it fits my hand better than a Gluck, is no uglier than one of those, has better safety, and it goes bang every time I squeeze the trigger (for about 1500 rounds now). It's actually lots of fun to shoot. Another inexpensive favorite of mine is the Bersa Thunder 380, but the 9mm ammo is much cheaper for the Hi-Point. The current generation of Hi-Points have great customer service (if you ever need it), life-time warranty for any purchaser - not just the original, and have a fan base of owners. Non-owners prefer to bad mouth the inexpensive but dependable weapons. The early generation models may indeed have been bad; I just know mine has been trouble-free. If that's all he can afford, go for it.
 
Mine is pretty much bullet-proof. I treat it like crap, and still it refuses to malf. Far better gun than it deserves to be, given the price.
 
I have well over 2000 rounds through mine(about 200 hollowpoints), had 2 failure to feeds in the first box of ammo and not a single one since. No complaints for $120. I also have a couple of the 10 round mags, which are great if your not carrying. Shoots one to one and a half inch groups at 7 yards with bulk umc ammo. I looked at the .40 and .45 when I bought mine but they are quiet a bit bigger and I didn't like the balance but thats a subjective thing.
 
Yes, they are ugly pistols, but the wife and I each owned one:hers in .380 and mine was a JHP .45. Heavy, a PITA to disassemble and clean, but reliable and inexpensive. They are definitely one way to provide protection and peace of mind for someone with a small to nonexistent firearms budget.
 
Derby dale, the 9mm guns have had problems with the magazines, all one needs to do is take some needle nose pliers and slightly turn the mag lips outward a little. The Hipoints actually function using one of the most reliable designs of all time, the straight blowback action. Which explains why their slides are so heavy. While reliable for a long time they will shoot themselves to pieces much earlier than other guns due to subpar metal. Of course HP's excellent Customer service will just give you a whole nuther gun if need be.:) With that said if the guy can scrounge up another $100 he'd be better off getting the Ruger. Actually $150 seems high for a hipoint, the 40's and 45's go for that around here, the 9's are usually right at $100.
 
Son & step-son (both mid-20's) both got one from me last Christmas. The 9mm. Everyone is right.. they ARE butt ugly as hell but 1 pistol has 400 rounds through it and the other about 500 -- and neither have reported malfunctions or failures to feed. One prints nearly dead to point-of-aim, the other prints a tad left, but they're not bullseye guns anyway. Both sons have complained about the heavy trigger, but both were also VERY accustomed to my 1911's -- and that's a big jump to adjust to. But for the money, it's a hard value to beat.
 
Derby dale, the 9mm guns have had problems with the magazines, all one needs to do is take some needle nose pliers and slightly turn the mag lips outward a little....
Click to expand...

Right, but remember the OP stated: "After basic orientation I doubt he will shoot much if ever."

I doubt someone like this will actually spend the time at the range adjusting the feed lips to were they will function 100%, 99.9% of the time. This is the only reason I suggested the 40 or 45. As it would be a better pick (IMHO) for someone who is not going to spend the time needed, or just doesn't want to spend the time tinkering with it. For an active shooter, this may not be a big deal...
 
The Hi Points do exactly what the owners of the company set out to do. They go bang, they don't break the budget, and they are a good entry level pistol. Who knows, the gun may fall in love with shooting and start buying other guns.

In the meantime, he will have a shooter and may well stay alive because of it. The one gunstore anywhere near me in the mountains started carrying them precisely because the guys up here wanted a "truck gun" they didn't have to worry about.

Tell him to go for it!
 
If the HiPoint pistols are as good as their carbines, then they are butt ugly but they will reliably go bang! when needed.

Last gun show I visited had a table of Police trade-ins S&W Model 10 .38 Special heavy barrel in what appeared to be Hogue and Pachmyr grips, lotsa hoster wear but appeared carried alot and shot alittle, 219.00 to 239.00.

For 60.00 more than a C9, a good S&W Military&Police Model 10 ..... hum.
 
Sounds like it fits the bill. Meets the budget. If he isn't a range rat, he'll never know the downside. He's better off with a Hi-Point than nothing at all. Maybe all it will ever afford him is better sleep, but decent mattresses cost more than that. He done good.
 
A question for the people who have them (and rely on them either at home or in a car):
do you have them with one in the chamber and safety on? or safety off? or not loaded?

thanks
 
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