[VIS35]

Hi Points are always being trashed 'cause they're ugly and cheap. However not everyone can afford $400 plus for a handgun. I've fondled and shot a few at our range over the years; and every one was reliable, sturdy, and very accurate. And a lifetime warranty and Galco holster are included to boot.

 

[Nitro.45]

Thanks, DSK. I'm sensitive regarding this topic because I hate gun snobs myself. I've been on the receiving end from high-end 1911 snobs telling me my mods to my Colt were worthless because it would never be an Ed Brown and stuff like that.

I understand that, but there is a line in the sand. A line between repeatable functionality and pot metal failures. At a whopping $200, you will get the latter. The snobbery begins at a thousand $$ more.....

 

[Hawg1]

The snobbery begins at a thousand $$ more.....

That's funny right there. If a Hi Point costs 200 then snobbery begins at 300. I don't own a Hi Point but the people that do own them seem to like them.

 

[GTAW]

Don't bother with the quality of the Hi Point because it doesn't apply to any of the "conditions"

Not a snob comment for sure, I own a $200 AMT

 

[Levian]

Every last person I know who has or had a Hi-Point could have easily enough afforded more but chose to go cheap. I do not view a Hi-Point as a poverty pistol but a cheapskates pistol. When we were young and seriously poor, we'd buy something used.

That's the only real problem I see with hi-points. Even in the middle of the pandemic I've found a few police trade in M&Ps on Gunbroker for $250, and XDs in the same range. I never checked Glocks, but if I could find the other two I'm sure there's been a few of them in the $250-$300 range too. So if you scrounge around the used market you can find something higher quality that sells new for $500-$600 far cheaper. Bonus, the previous owner probably saved the new purchaser a few hundred dollars worth of break-in ammo. A not insignificant hidden cost of firearm ownership.

Even if someone insists on new, there are a few models for $50-$100 more that are much higher quality (imo). A few were named earlier. I don't think it's snobbery to suggest someone try to save up a little more, and shop around used, for a better quality firearm. These are tools we're going to be staking our lives on.

There was a time not so long ago I was making less than 20K a year too. It's not like I don't know what it means to be on the skids. I also remember finding a way to spend $200 to $300 a month on cigarettes and alcohol. Funny how much further money seemed to stretch when those habits stopped.

 

[Striker2237]

One should not pay more than $75 otd for one of these......they are not $200 or even $150 dollar guns. None of mine were close to that nor should they be

 

[BrokenGrunt]

That's the only real problem I see with hi-points. Even in the middle of the pandemic I've found a few police trade in M&Ps on Gunbroker for $250, and XDs in the same range. I never checked Glocks, but if I could find the other two I'm sure there's been a few of them in the $250-$300 range too. So if you scrounge around the used market you can find something higher quality that sells new for $500-$600 far cheaper. Bonus, the previous owner probably saved the new purchaser a few hundred dollars worth of break-in ammo. A not insignificant hidden cost of firearm ownership.

Even if someone insists on new, there are a few models for $50-$100 more that are much higher quality (imo). A few were named earlier. I don't think it's snobbery to suggest someone try to save up a little more, and shop around used, for a better quality firearm. These are tools we're going to be staking our lives on.

There was a time not so long ago I was making less than 20K a year too. It's not like I don't know what it means to be on the skids. I also remember finding a way to spend $200 to $300 a month on cigarettes and alcohol. Funny how much further money seemed to stretch when those habits stopped.

$250 on GunBroker = $300 or more delivered. Shipping and transfer fees.

You walk into many gun stores and you have the Hi-Point for $179.99 and the next gun is $225 or so. That $225 is for a Ruger 380, not a 9mm, not a 45 ACP.

 

[DubfromGa]

One of the guys at work was talking about buying one for his "tackle box" gun.

I stayed out of it, but thought that there would be no need for such if you already had a gun holstered on your belt.


The other guys talked him out of if and suggested one of the Heritage single actions instead.


I have limited experience with the Heritage SA and even less with the HiPoint.


I've simply never encountered a scenario where I thought one would fit any need I had better than my carry gun on a given day.

When buying a parachute.....I'm not trying to buy one made of the the cheapest materials.....regardless what their customer service return policy is.

I'm also not financially wealthy.....and if I have money to spend on HiPoints....I've always spent it on adding quality magazines or quality leather for existing guns.

 

[dsk]

Even if someone insists on new, there are a few models for $50-$100 more that are much higher quality (imo).

Again, remember there are folks out there who can't afford $50-$100 more. They can barely afford the $180 that a Hi-Point costs. People on this forum aren't buying Hi-Points because they can barely afford it, as you all most likely already own a whole safe full of guns. It's simply the temptation to buy a new gun simply because it's so dirt cheap.

 

[BrokenGrunt]

Again, remember there are folks out there who can't afford $50-$100 more. They can barely afford the $180 that a Hi-Point costs. People on this forum aren't buying Hi-Points because they can barely afford it, as you all most likely already own a whole safe full of guns. It's simply the temptation to buy a new gun simply because it's so dirt cheap.

:rock::rock::rock:

 

[magazineman]

Truck Guns, of any dollar value, are fine if secured properly.

But if you cannot manage to safely secure the gun you shouldn't leave it unattended in your car/truck.

Doing so just arms scumbags with guns, and Anti-Gunners with data to use against us.

 

[magnut]

They are fantastic for what they are and based on one of the most copied designs in firearms history. The design is sound and Hipoints execution of it is exceptional.

Best not to compare them to other firearms. Its a straight blowback projectile launcher that works around your more typical firearms. There are a few weakpoints IMO but nothing that really matters to most purchasers.

The company is second to none in terms of service. They are an American manufacterer that put out a quality product. Its just a different kind of approach in terms of design and material.

I know these guns and all the generations inside and out and can tell people from first hand experience about what the capability is of the pistols.

 

[Highway67]

Never owned a Hi-Point pistol, but have fired a bunch of 9mm and .45's...They all went bang and shot surprisingly well for the price...
I do own one of their 9mm carbines...Bought it because I wanted a carbine and didn't want to spend a crap load of cash on a gun I'd rarely shoot...It's a great shooter at 75 yards on in, and has NEVER had a malfunction...I probably have 1000 rds through it and have detail cleaned it once...It runs as well as my Bro's PC9 at less than 1/2 the price, and it makes me grin every time I pull the trigger...
My take...By what you like, want or can afford...If you realize afterwards it's not for you, trade or sell it...It's hit and miss, literally...If someone turns up their nose or makes derogatory comments about something in your collection, ignore them, or out-shoot them with it...Both normally will shut the average a-hole up...

 

[magnut]

Never owned a Hi-Point pistol, but have fired a bunch of 9mm and .45's...They all went bang and shot surprisingly well for the price...
I do own one of their 9mm carbines...Bought it because I wanted a carbine and didn't want to spend a crap load of cash on a gun I'd rarely shoot...It's a great shooter at 75 yards on in, and has NEVER had a malfunction...I probably have 1000 rds through it and have detail cleaned it once...It runs as well as my Bro's PC9 at less than 1/2 the price, and it makes me grin every time I pull the trigger...
My take...By what you like, want or can afford...If you realize afterwards it's not for you, trade or sell it...It's hit and miss, literally...If someone turns up their nose or makes derogatory comments about something in your collection, ignore them, or out-shoot them with it...Both normally will shut the average a-hole up...

good post. I think people just have a problem when they start compaing hipoint with other firearms. They are simple and effective pistols. The best comparison I would make is that of a Mac10 compared to a H&K MP5.

 

[PolymerMan]

But why do that when you can get a Remington R51 for $20 more? It may have a suck reputation too, but at least its not pot metal. 😄

Heck for $19 more they could have a genuine Jimenez JA9 crafted from a fine ingot of Zamak pot alloy!!!




Oh no wait... they just filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy... again for the umpteenth time, but this time the suit is sponsored by Everytown for Gun Safety.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article239013948.html

According to the lawsuit, Samuels repeatedly placed orders for firearms from Jimenez Arms and had them shipped to a previously licensed local gun dealer called Conceal & Carry that had been dissolved by the state of Missouri. Samuels is awaiting trial on related criminal charges in U.S. District Court in Kansas City.

On two occasions, Jimenez Arms shipped guns directly to Samuels’ home, “knowing that he was not a licensed dealer and knowing that he was going to resell these guns,” said Alla Lefkowitz, director of affirmative litigation at Everytown Law.

 

[magnut]

Heck for $19 more they could have a genuine Jimenez JA9 crafted from a fine ingot of Zamak pot alloy!!!


View attachment 587912

Oh no wait... they just filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy... again for the umpteenth time, but this time the suit is sponsored by Everytown for Gun Safety.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article239013948.html

JA9s are underbuilt... frames crack.... slides crack. The 380acp version of that gun lasts but the magazine kills the reliability. The JA9 is probably one of the worst zamak pistols out there. I would shoot a lorcin L9 before I went with the Jimenez/ Bryco 9mm. Only zamak 9mm I can think of off hand worse is a locked breach talon t100 which would launch slides at the shooter. Cobra remedied this with the patriot 9mm with a steel slide.

Hi-point.... as ugly and massive as they are... got the whole zamak blowback 9mm thing right. Zamak construction is not as much of an issue with smaller calibers 22, 25, 32acp if the design is good. When you get into larger calibers its a different story. I was pretty impressed when Hipoint was able to make a durable zamak 40s&w work with those operating pressures. There have even been some 10mm protos but I dont think they have gotten them to handle full power loads the way the other offerings can.

Zamak gun manufacturers are always in bancruptcy or renaming because they are always under attack from lawsuits. There has always been a war on cheap innexpensive firearms from the anti gunners. Goes all the way back to Cobray/SWD when the ATF was getting ticked off with all the workarounds they were coming up with.

 

[dsk]

Zamak gun manufacturers are always in bancruptcy or renaming because they are always under attack from lawsuits. There has always been a war on cheap innexpensive firearms from the anti gunners. Goes all the way back to Cobray/SWD when the ATF was getting ticked off with all the workarounds they were coming up with.

Unfortunately some of these companies are known for questionable business practices, selling to unlicensed dealers on many occasions. There's a reason why they keep getting sued by anti-gun groups or shut down by ATF while the larger reputable companies like Glock and Smith & Wesson don't.

 

[magnut]

Unfortunately some of these companies are known for questionable business practices, selling to unlicensed dealers on many occasions. There's a reason why they keep getting sued by anti-gun groups or shut down by ATF while the larger reputable companies like Glock and Smith & Wesson don't.

sure... best example of that was probably Jim Waldorf and Lorcin. Hard to know what to believe anymore though after what I have seen from media and crooked government agencies lately.

Still... lorcins worked or could be made to work very easily.... you cant hit anything past spitting distance because of the lack of rifleing but they shoot and probably saved quite a few lives for those not able to shell out money for a more refined firearm.

Hi-point is just the modern version albeit better made and better run company wise. Same basic design for the most part which goes back to the Raven P25.... which as much as they are trashed on the net..... were popular pocket autos and even some LE useing them as innexpensive backups anfter the 1968 ban. Pretty much all of the zamak pistols are based off the Raven be it hi-point, Bryco, Davis, Jennings, Lorcin etc. etc. Its a long list with many millions produced and made affordable so that anyone could own one regardless of income level.

In all its a brilliant design in simplicity that gets away with useing materials not normally used. They can also opperate when extremely dirty... no slide rails... straight blowback....very few parts etc. Some are better than others due to execution better the fundamentals are the same. Hipoints are strong to the point that they can handle steady loads many higher end firearms cannot.

Are they a nice 1911 or Beretta...... heck no. But I can appreciate them for what they are. They have some weak areas but most can be fixed with some pretty basic skills that your average kitchen table gunsmith can perform with minimal tools and investment.

 

[GTAW]

Distributing those types of firearms to unlicensed dealers in Chicago would be a gold mine...

 

[Austin_TX]

I set out to buy a Hi-Point in .40 or .45 a few years ago out of morbid curiosity, just so I could experience holding and shooting the world’s ugliest contemporary semi-auto before selling it a short while later. I placed a few slightly lowball bids at the same time and accidentally wound up with two like-new Hi-Points in .45 (for $81 and $87, I think). D’oh!

I shot 50 rounds through each of them, and that was more than enough to scratch the itch. They haven’t seen daylight in more than five years. I planned from the outset to get rid of them, but they’re basically worth less to me than the time that would involve, so they’re still with me.

Anyway, the experience was fairly typical, from what I’ve read. One had a single failure to feed with WWB 230-gr. JHP. Failures to feed appear to be a common problem, but also one apparently pretty easy to remedy with some adjustments to the crappy mags and perhaps some polishing of the feed ramp, according to Hi-Point fans (they exist). They shoot accurately, if you can overcome the trigger. Barrels seem of surprisingly high quality for the price. The guns are not “tanks” in the durability department overall, however, as even slides fashioned from an enormous amount of Zamak are not going to approach steel for fatigue life, but they’re also not imminently dangerous to the shooter in the way some of the other pot-metal stuff is.

They’re comically crude, but they’ll generally get the job done for a while. They made a lot more sense for people on extremely tight budgets several years ago, when the lowest-priced quality semi-autos (e.g., Stoeger Cougar, Ruger P95) were close to $400 new. These days, Hi-Points seem to go for closer to $200 than $100 new, while prices have fallen through the floor for a number of semi-autos from respected manufacturers.