Phoenix Arms HP25A

[trigga]

recently purchased this little guy a couple weeks ago. finally got a chance to shoot it and I was already questioning the performance of this pistol prior to ever shooting it. The mag holds 9 but can't even rack a round into battery until you down load to 7 rounds.

I was actually surprised at it's performance granted I had to rack and smack the first round in. Ran 100% and very accurate. don't plan on carrying this thing, bought it mainly to train new shooters but I regret not looking at ammo prices before the purchase. I can load 9mm for half the price of .25 auto ammo lolz.

I was wondering what your experiences are with this model and will the magazine loosen over time? Seems very stiff. Also will the 22 slide with barrel work for this frame? the frame is marked HP25A/HP22A. Perhaps I'll call or email phoenix tomorrow. if reliability holds up, this will be a keeper.

 

[Monac]

I've had a Phoenix HP-25 for something like 15 years, but I can't say I've shot it much. It works fine, and I didn't have any trouble loading the magazine to its rated capacity. I bought it mainly out of curiosity about its odd safety setup, which borrows some features from a German 25 pistol of the 1920's. (The Haenel, maybe? Or the Zehna, or Schmeisser? The Germans used to love designing, and over-designing, those things.) The firing pin safety and the slightly adjustable rear sight were other interesting features.

I have no idea about convertibility. I tend doubt it, or Phoenix would have advertised it, but I have no facts.

 

[trigga]

i knew about the safeties before i made the purchase. first thing i did was modify the safety lever to rid of the magazine drop and magazine insert. (I bought a new safety lever too for warranty issues) works great now. the magazine when loaded to 8-9, it would hang up at the end of the magazine, like it's catching onto something. I bought 4 extra mags and they all do this.

 

[MedWheeler]

I have the .22 version, and it's actually a nice little shooter. DoB reliable with high-quality ammo, which is all I'll even try to run in small rimfire pistols, as they tend to be stiffly-sprung.

I can't see the firing pin being in the same place in the frame for both calibers, one being a centerfire and all, so I doubt switching barrels is an option. Besides, they're cheap enough to simply get another gun in .22LR, and those are pretty common in the used-gun market.

Incidentally, I got a Taurus PT25 a few months back, and already had a PT22. Both are from the late 1990s, and they both run well. It's kind of neat having the same pistol in both calibers.

 

[bocefus78]

Had one. Sold it to a friend who wanted a cheap pocket gun. I couldn't get past the safeties. It was a good reliable shooter though.

Iirc, there are conversion bbls for 22. Check the www or the ipl for that gun.

 

[trigga]

i know the slide and barrel is different, just wondering if the frame is the same

 

[stchman]

Hopefully the OP didn't spend too much money on that thing. TTAG gave the thing a poor review.

Rural King sells guns like the EAA Witness polymer 9mm, SCCY 9mm, and the Diamondback guns for ~$230. These guns are WAY more reliable than than the HP25.

 

[benEzra]

Rural King sells guns like the EAA Witness polymer 9mm, SCCY 9mm, and the Diamondback guns for ~$230. These guns are WAY more reliable than than the HP25.

I'm seeing HP25's for $75 used on Gunbroker and $119 new, which is a long way from $230.

My ex-wife's first gun was a Phoenix Arms Raven, which at $79 was as far as we could stretch financially; a $200 gun might as well have been $2000. When things were better financially, she upgraded to a Glock. There are certainly better choices available than the Phoenix, but it's hard to get any other gun for the price, IMO.

 

[stchman]

I'm seeing HP25's for $75 used on Gunbroker and $119 new, which is a long way from $230.

My ex-wife's first gun was a Phoenix Arms Raven, which at $79 was as far as we could stretch financially; a $200 gun might as well have been $2000. When things were better financially, she upgraded to a Glock. There are certainly better choices available than the Phoenix, but it's hard to get any other gun for the price, IMO.

I'd be hard pressed to give someone $50 for a hunk of junk like that thing. You gonna trust your life on that thing?

There's a reason people get rid of those things so cheap, they don't work very well if at all.

 

[Monac]

The Phoenix HP-22 and HP-25 actually have pretty decent reputations, considering that they are made to sell for such low prices. The HP-22 is the only gun of this type that I can think of that was made in a target-style version. And the reason they sell for so little used is that they are so cheap to start with.

Having said that, I bought mine when they were pretty new on the market. Sometimes guns get better over time, as the company eliminates design flaws; sometimes they get worse, as the company keeps cutting corners to keep the price down. I have no idea which, if either, of these things applies to the Phoenix pistols.

I honestly thought these guns were no longer made, as they are quite obsolete now, with cheap polymer 32s and 380s all over the place.

 

[MedWheeler]

stchman, where did the OP write that he intends to "trust his life" to it? Was that in another thread?

I actually read the following in his post:

don't plan on carrying this thing

Too many people here read more into posts of others than is actually there.

 

[stchman]

stchman, where did the OP write that he intends to "trust his life" to it? Was that in another thread?

I actually read the following in his post:

don't plan on carrying this thing

Too many people here read more into posts of others than is actually there.

I don't carry my shotgun, but I do depend on it to save my life (I use it as a home defense gun).

If the OP is going to use it as a simple plinking gun at the range or to shoot tin cans, OK.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Not every one needs or wants a expensive pistol. Man up road from me carries a Jimenez Arms 380 in rear pocket . As we live in country I asked him if ever had a problem . He replied never had 1st jam . He then showed me drew and fired as fast as he could pull trigger . My cardboard pizza disk was full of new holes. He was about 20' from my target. That's his choice for carry I am not going to disagree .

I carried a 38 spl RG derringer and used for home protection . When a Private in Army back in 1966. All I could afford.

Hinkley did a pretty good job with his RG 22 on the President and party .

 

[stchman]

Not every one needs or wants a expensive pistol. Man up road from me carries a Jimenez Arms 380 in rear pocket . As we live in country I asked him if ever had a problem . He replied never had 1st jam . He then showed me drew and fired as fast as he could pull trigger . My cardboard pizza disk was full of new holes. He was about 20' from my target. That's his choice for carry I am not going to disagree .

I carried a 38 spl RG derringer and used for home protection . When a Private in Army back in 1966. All I could afford.

Hinkley did a pretty good job with his RG 22 on the President and party .

Yes, and I can tell you about my neighbor that bought a Jimenez 9 and the firing pin broke after 3 mags.

My point is QC on those el-cheapo pistols is spotty.

The Jimenez 380 is about $150, the Ruger LCP is about $210. The LCP I am sure outsells the Jimenez 380 by about 100 to 1.

My brother bought a Jiminez 380 and it is crap, it jams all the time. Good thing he does not use it in a SD capacity, just a clunker to play with.

Is someone's life really worth saving $60? There are far better pistols out there for not too much more money to spend money on those junkers.