This is a follow-up review of the Hi-Point C-9 that was originally reviewed here by Ben Shotzberger in May of 2011. In the initial write-up, the reviewer found the pistol to be excessively heavy, had problems with the slide biting his thumb, felt the trigger pull was too heavy, reported repeated issues with failures to feed properly, failures of the cocking mechanism when the pistol cycled, and found that the pistol consistently shot very low (as much as twelve inches at as little as three yards). It was also stated that the reviewer was unable to get the pistol to shoot to point of aim even when he’d “adjusted the sights to their limits.” My results were drastically different…
Having read the previous review, watched the range video, and read his previous “Range report” (which drew oddly different conclusions), I asked Robert Farago to send the pistol to me. I told him I’d document anything that had to be done with the gun in order to make it cycle properly and shoot to point of aim.
I will say at this point that I have owned a Hi-Point JCP 40 S&W for around five months. Contrary to the previous review this is NOT a C9 chambered in 40 S&W but a totally different model. And I’d seen some issues in the video that caused me to question whether the cause of some of the issues were the fault of the pistol or not.
It would be important at this point to describe some of the basic design details of Hi-Point guns and why they are designed this way before getting into too much detail about how this specific one performed. Hi-Point pistols are all designed as blow back operated semi-automatics that fire from an open bolt. This is not a common feature in pistols chambered for modern high powered cartridges and requires certain concessions to be made to the laws of physics in the design.
Unlike blow back operated pistols for low powered cartridges (for example the Colt 1903 Hammerless) or rimfire automatics, the Hi-Point has to have a fairly heavy slide and return spring to keep the chamber closed long enough for the bullet to exit the barrel when fired. As with many hammerless autos, firing low velocity ammo may cause the weapon to cycle without cocking, resulting in a failure to fire on the follow-up round.
This is a mechanically simple design that’s easy for a competent machine shop to produce, particularly since the heavy slide is made of an easily-cast zinc alloy and uses a polymer frame. This keeps costs low for the company (which is headquartered and manufactures in Ohio), but does result in a pistol that is less than elegant in appearance.
All of the pistols use single stack magazines. The highest capacity magazine the company manufactures is 10 rounds, since these were designed in the “Assault Weapons Ban” era. (The magazines appear to have been loosely based on the Colt 1911 magazine.) These are not in any way shape or form precision arms. They’re low cost firearms designed and built by an American company, but if you’re looking for a competition pistol I’d say right now to move on.
Now the review:
Upon receipt of the C-9, the first thing I noticed when I unboxed it was that the rear sight was literally cranked as low as it could possibly go. I can only assume that before he boxed it up the previous reviewer took the time to lower the sight as far as he could because…well, I really have no idea why. I assume this because if he had fired it with the rear sight that low, the pistol would shoot extremely low. (Anyone with any familiarity with guns should know that a rear sight moves up to raise point of impact.)
Before shooting the pistol I had to acquire some 9mm ammo as I do not own a 9mm gun. Since I was testing a low cost firearm, I figured it would probably make sense to the majority of people who would be interested in this review if I concentrated on relatively low cost ammunition. So off to Wally World I went. But that meant that I wasn’t able to fire the C9 with +P ammo, though it is rated for it and I have read accounts of a number of users firing their personal C9’s using +P. I avoided steel case ammo as this type of ammo is not recommended for use by the majority of firearms manufacturers.
I used four types of ammo for the test:
|
Brand/Style |
Weight |
Bullet Type |
|
Remington/Golden Saber |
147 gr |
JHP |
|
Remington/UMC |
115 gr |
JHP |
|
American Eagle |
147 gr |
FMJ-FP |
|
Federal |
115 gr |
FMJ-RN |
I first set up to shoot at a 100 yard rifle target from only nine feet in order to duplicate the shooting session described in the initial review. I fired my first magazine with the Federal FMJ and did not adjust the sights. As expected the first round landed low.
The C9’s rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation with the handy multi-tool that comes with the pistol (it also doubles as the key for the trigger lock that the company includes with each firearm). The front sight is a fixed post that is part of the cast slide.
Over the course of firing the first magazine I slowly adjusted the rear sight up and slightly to the right until I was hitting dead center. The first photo, above, is the sight as it was when I took it out of the box. The second photo is the sight after adjustment. As you can see, it required significant correction to get the pistol shooting on target.
The recoil from the Federal ammo was relatively light. The combination of heavy spring and a massive slide really reduces felt recoil. Unlike the previous reviewer, I did not find the safety especially difficult to use (though I would prefer to see its flat surface have a slight raised ridge on it) or hard to reach with my thumb. Even though I have rather large hands I did not have a problem with the slide contacting my hand while firing.
I fired a minimum of eight magazines at eight shots using each ammo type over the course of several weeks. I fired several hundred of the UMC (that stuff is cheap). Through all of that, I did NOT have a single failure to fire, jam, or feed problem with any of the ammo listed.
I did sit down with some snap caps and my JCP and succeed in duplicating the failure to pick up the first round from a new magazine seen in the video of the initial review. But that was only by very carefully pulling back on the slide until the last round hold-open just released and then letting go before drawing the slide completely back. This required some practice and watching the video several times to succeed in duplicating the issue. In general I would recommend just pulling the slide fully back and releasing it in one quick motion, with this and any other auto.
The C-9’s trigger pull measures 7.25 lbs. Some people might consider this heavy, but factory triggers on production pistols usually run higher. Competition pistols run in the 4-6 lb range. (Even my Detective Special, when manually cocked, has a trigger pull of 3.25 lbs and it’s scary light). There is some slack in the trigger, though. I estimate about 1/16” before it resists.
The picture at the top is a target I fired a full magazine into at 25 yards with the UMC ammo. As you can see, the C-9’s accuracy is not an issue.
The UMC and the Federal ammo fired with sufficiently light recoil that a quick follow-up shot was easy, even when firing one handed. The Golden Saber and the American Eagle recoil was a bit stouter – firing one handed was still possible, but for purposes of a following shot, I would recommend using a two handed grip, especially for smaller shooters.
The C-9 is a perfectly serviceable (if not flashy) firearm for plinking and home defense. I wouldn’t recommend it as a “purse gun” for ladies to carry, but then I am not aware of a centerfire automatic in anything larger than .25 ACP that would serve in that capacity. The pistol’s size isn’t as big an issue as the weight it would add to the bag it’s carried in. It’s roughly the same size as a Glock 26, but is 10 oz. heavier.
As far as concealed carry in a belly holster or shoulder rig, I have a friend that carries the Glock 26 concealed with no problem. In terms of recoil it’s far more manageable than the Glock (or the lightweight surplus Makarovs or Tokarevs I’m sure someone will suggest.)
Am I saying this is a better overall firearm than a Glock? No. Should someone enter a combat shooting contest with one? No. Can you buy three of these for the cost of one Glock 26? Definitely. Would I recommend one of these to a woman living alone in a dangerous part of town? In a heartbeat. Nobody should be denied their right to protect themselves just because they can’t afford a $500+ pistol.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model – Hi-Point Firearms Model C-9
Caliber – 9mm Luger
Magazine capacity – 8 rounds standard, 10 round magazine available
Materials – Polymer frame, cast Zymak-3 slide, steel action and barrel.
Barrel – 3.5”
Action – Double
Weight – 29.5 oz
Cost – $148 (that’s direct from the company, have seen it as high a $170)
RATINGS (out of five stars)
Style: * * 1/2
You aren’t gonna see James Bond or Jason Bourne with one of these any time soon. But if you want somebody to be really sure it isn’t a toy when you have to aim it at them, it will do.
Ergonomics: * * 1/2
It doesn’t have the smooth feel of my uncle’s Single Six .357 or the quick handling of a Detective Special. And it’s definitely not a custom 1911. But it sure feels better than a Tokorev.
Reliability: * * * *
Pretty sure somebody is gonna argue with me about this, but it went bang every time I squeezed the trigger and it never jammed. I’d have given it 5 but I only have around 300 rounds through it.
Customize This: *
Not in any way shape or form. This is not a tinker toy. I had to make my own grips for my JCP and that’s pretty much true for any mods to the Hi-Point pistol line. If you can’t DIY it, any major modifications would cost more than the pistol.
Accuracy: * * * * *
Once I adjusted the sight it hit what I aimed it at. Over and over. I shot a Pepsi can 7 out of 8 time at 20 yards. Can’t reasonably ask for more (especially not for the price).
Overall Rating: * * *
The C-9 won’t win any beauty contests, but it does what a pistol is supposed to do. And it does it from an American company that employs American workers with a lifetime warranty.
No, they don’t.
Examples of open bolt firearms are the Thompson machine gun, the UZI and the Browning BAR. Open bolt designs are intended for full auto firearms and use a fixed firing pin.
The Hi-Point is a closed bolt design using a moving firing pin. The BATFE is kinda strict about civilian ownership of open bolt designs due to the ease with which they can be converted to full auto and so there are very few semi-auto open bolt designs.
This is not one.
Hi-Point pistols do not have a breech-locking system like most handguns. I should have called it it an “unlocked bolt”. You are correct in seeing it as an important distinction. My tendency to mostly work with revolvers, bolt action rifles, and single shots tends to make me less cautious of the terminology of semi’s.
Kevin, nice job I own serveral nice guns. Shield, mp 40, and I shoot my Hipoint 9 mm more often. I enjoy the feel, my jams but is it ammo, break in period. My sw mp 40 jams. Still love it
Ok, I bought a C9, extra Mag. and holder. I looked on You Tube and did as recomended; field stripped it (on my bench), after I bought 600gr wet/dry sand paper and 2X steel wool and the required punch. I took the powder coating off the feed ramp with the sand paper, then glassed it with the steel wool. It was also recommended the the shooter open the upper fins (or lips if you perfer), of the mag. very slightly. I oiled it and the mags. and up and took it to the range. I fired 200 rounds with no FAILURE TO FEED, CYCLE, or FIRE. It did exactly as Hi Point said it would with the slide locking on the last round. I was fairly accurate with a little adjustment. I bought a Galico inside the wait band holster, and now use it as my CONCEALED. I’m a little round in the middle, weigh 140 lbs at 5’2”. I’ve concealed at every place that doesn’t post differently. I wear a light, short sleeve over shirt unbuttoned during the hot days, Funny, I’ve stood right beside Police Officers in the mini-mart, without even the slightest sideways glance. My thought is this- I may not like certain “goods” like trucks, cars, cloths, shoes, boots, music, “Guns,” but I don’t call what I do not like “crappy” or junk. This Hi Point owner doesn’t tuck his head to anybody, and God Forbid, should the need arise, trusts his and his loved ones lives to his C9.
Sorry for the few type-o’s.
My thoughts exactly. I have 2 Hi Points.
A C9 and the 380. Bought the 380 first. Put some rounds through it and liked it so much two days later I bought the 9. Have around 500 rounds through it with only tweaking the mags. It does what any gun is supposed to do and does it very well.
I carry mine slightly concealed and trust my families life and others if need be to these Hi Points.
Doran
Hi-Points do not fire from an open bolt. And you can be glad of that, since the ATF considers all open bolt firearms to be machineguns. So if it did fire from an open bolt, you’d have just confessed to a felony carrying hard time in Federal PMITA prison. The Hi-Point is a blowback pistol firing from a closed bolt. This is not a theoretical distinction: the original Tec-9 (actually called the KG-9) was a blowback pistol firing from an open bolt, and had to be redesigned for just this reason.
Even if the Hi-Point fired from an open bolt, why would anyone want such a pistol? An open bolt’s main purpose is to cool the firearm to prevent cooking-off in full-auto mode. Cooking-off is hghly unlikely in a semi-automatic pistol because of its slow rate of fire. On the downside, an open bolt (aside from being highly regulated) is a great place for dirt, grit and lint to enter and jam the gun, and is also an invitation to slam-fires.
Still, this review was an interesting counterpoint. Personally, I would still pass on Hi-Point firearms and would not recommend them because I’m suspicious of the quality of their metalurgy.
The frequency that I hear this argument really surprises me. I researched Hi-Points for over a year before I bought one and could never track down a single real verified case of material failure. I found one case where a person claimed the slide broke in the middle (it had clearly been removed, cut with a saw, and slid back in place in two pieces). I couldn’t find single actual case filed against the company for injuries sustained by a user or bystander. All the stories I’ve ever heard of Ka-Booms and Hi-Points have ended up with the “heard it from my cousin’s boyfriend’s sister’s boyfriend’s friend”. Hi-Point only manufactures the slide out of Zymac, the rest of the action and barrel are steel.
I’m not sure that I agree with you, Kevin, but I still found your review very interesting and provided real food for thought. Hi-Point pistols cannot be sold by dealers in Massachusetts because they have not been drop-tested and approved. I draw no inference from Hi-Points being “banned in Massachusetts” — new Glocks cannot be sold here, either, because the company told the MA AG to eat sh!t and die. But I do regret that I personally won’t be able to buy a Hi-Point to put through a long-term test.
I understand why most people are leary about a $150 gun BUT do not pass off on them because of the price or what some brand loyal idiot sponsored by another company said on the internet. There are ways of telling honest reviews vs. bias. Go shoot a Hi-Point and do not treat it any different than a Glock, load it like your supposed to, pull the slide ALL the way back, and fire.
I own a Hi-Point .45, I am here to tell you I was a non believer until I met the dealer that sold me on one. He is a retired LT. Col out of the army, he swore by them and offered me a no questions asked return if I did not like it.
I love mine, I have had a few mis-feeds with steel cased ammo but now have roughly 1000 rounds through it in the last 3 months, @ 20 yards I can put together a 2″ grouping 1 handed.
I love my C9. Over 1000 rounds through it…no problems, sure fires every time! I can say without prejudice that it was the best $150. spent on a handgun.
I look at it this way. HI POINT could have tacked on a $300.00 dollar price tag but chose to sell the gun for a price that ANY AMERICAN can afford at least once in their life time. I hate paying high prices for a world known name when I can buy American made quality for a realistic price. It’s like models…how many girls do you know with a size 2 or smaller waist?????
I happen to think the weapon looks Militarily handsome.Also 1 or 2 well placed 9mm center mass of a person intent on doing you lethal harm wi8ll likely end up with that would be scum dead, with 9mm zipping along at 1200-1500fps. I also Love the Glock .40cal Mod.22 and it was my duty weapon for over a Decade, is the C9 comparable, in some ways yes, and most no, especially quality (ie:Tennifer coating) and ease of field strip and mag capacity. i thought the Glock was the UGLIEST gun I had ever seen, until I fell in love with it, and it’s amazing reliability and accuracy.The C9 is no where near as blocky looking. I guess if it was made in China, everyone would love it, but because Americans make it, so almost every person could afford it, it has to be a problem child. It has a good feel in my hand, of medium size, and the slide is made of Zinc Alloy, not the barrell which has a +P rating by SAAMI specs and made of strong heat treated steel.. Also the AR lowers are made of either 6061 Aluminum, or the majority of AR’s are 7075-T6 aircraft grade Aluminum, not at all chemically similar to ZYMACK or Zinc Alloy. AS such the barrell takes the presssure of the expanding gas after firing, the heavy slide of the Zinc Alloy is sufficient in what is designed to do, and aids in muzzle flip on rapid fire shots which can be the difference between you being alive, or dead.
1.6 million in the market. 185,000 produced annually and are being sold as fast as they’re made.
Safety , metals, polymers, cannot be a problem. The govt. AND the public would shut them down if they did not work well and were not safe.
Jaffas
“Contrary to the previous review this is NOT a C9 chambered in 40 S&W but a totally different model”
The previous review clearly stated it was a 9mm pistol
The line you quoted was referring to my 40 S&W JCP, not the C-9. You may need to re-read both reviews. The previous review stated that the C-9 ( was also available in .380, 45 ACP, and 40 S&W. The C-9 is not available in 40 or 45. Both of those are larger frame pistols and are manufactured in other factories.
Directly from the other review: “Caliber 9mm (also available in .380 ACP, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP)”.
See?
I shot a Hi Point 9mm just yesterday and wondered what all the fuss was about. OT didn’t jam, hit where I aimed and only by fault of the magazine or age did the action not lock open. It didn’t jam or fail to go bang or the retaining pin snap and the slide go flying down range. Seriously, that’s on the lists of Hi Point anecdotes I’ve heard.
It was an ugly pistol, low recoil, short trigger travel distance and it worked. I didn’t keep shooting it as its a bitch and requires a punch to clean but if you are talking shooting it pretty infrequently and stashing it then yes, great gun and takedown be damned.
Any gun is better than no gun. However, if you can afford better, why wouldn’t you? If nothing else, if you ever have an encounter with the cops where a Hi-Point is involved, this is going to get you some hard looks. A cheap “Saturday Night Special” screams “Scumbag!” Gainfully-employed citizens generally buy better guns. If you care about appearances, it’s something to consider. People – uniformed people – will judge by your gun, just like they judge by your clothes and your car. It may not be fair, it may not be all that accurate, but it’s information, it sends a signal.
IF the cops where you live think like that you owning a fully functional pistol from an American company that offers a lifetime warranty and is reasonably priced means your a “scumbag” , I feel bad for you. The police in my area will not.
DITTO!!!
Double DITTO!!!
Ditto here as well. Have taken some good natured from law enforcement . Told one he was jealous because it did everything his did.Not disputing his Springfield by any means . He just smiled.
I was trained by a cop on the gang task force. He liked my JCP enough he said he might look into one for his brother-in-law. My own brother-in-law on the sheriff’s patrol might rib me about my Hi Point – but more than a little of that is because I’m the youngest.
Who would have thought that the police engage in class warfare. Its also ironic, that one group of people most likely to have large amounts of disposable income to spend on firearms are criminals.
+1!
You do come up with a corking good line (or two) now and again.
thanks
Actually, untrue. There was a study a while back that found that the average drug soldier makes less than minimum wage and still lives with mom. It’s only a lucrative career for a tiny minority. And by the way, those guys seem to prefer the FN FiveSeven. For some reason, that gun has become a badge of success among the gangster set.
The FiveseveN has gotten popular with Mexican druglords (along with the FN P90, also fires the 5.7x28mm round because it’s a small but exceptionally powerful round known for its armor piercing capabilities.
@Jason: Without a doubt. Hi Points are all but banned from my range and the laughingstock of the crowd without criminal records. I got mine from a friend and may give it back as I have enough weapons and no real use for it. I waited till the range was about empty to shoot it, that says enough. But for the hypothetical woman in a bad part of town? If she can’t spring for the Kel-Tec or Taurus price points the Hi Point will do for home defense.
@Kevin: Sad but true, every cop I know feels the same and expects them to come back stolen when they run them. A lot of them are. They’re easy to come by. Either they scoff or could care less as its not their thing. The gun has a bad image compounded by anecdotes that are AMAZINGLY BAD. This review is the first that addresses the gun for what it is that I have seen. Letting the gun speak for itself is better than defending it and that is very cool.
I have a hp. 380 and 40s&w as well as two kids a house and full time job. I’m a firm believer that just because you spent a lot doesn’t mean it’s worth it.
That sounds a lot like the “Why buy an AK when you can get an AR” argument. It’s a ridiculous point here as well. In the event I have to confront an intruder in my home, I sincerely doubt he’s going to stop and ask “Is that a High-Point?” and start laughing at me. I also doubt that the make and model of my pistol is going to be an issue with the responding police either. And besides, after gunning down an intruder in my home, a cops sneering opinion of the make and model of my pistol isn’t going to be high on my list of concerns. What you’re looking for in a home defense pistol isn’t beauty or sub moa performance. What you want is something with stopping power that goes “BANG” each and every time you pull the trigger. My HP .45 fits that bill. I’ve put more than 500 rounds through mine without a single hiccup; and after zeroing the sights it hit the black every time I pulled the trigger. Like the reviewer says, it isn’t a pistol for competition, but it is definitely an effective pistol sold at an excellent price. A .45 calibre slug fired from a HP will drop a man just as quickly as one fired from a Glock 21. Will the guy shot with the Glock be “more dead” than the one shot with HP?
The problem with the c9 is the magazine, not the gun. I bought a c9, had a terrible time with FTF out of the box, stashed it for a month with a couple of loaded mags in a separate drawer. The next time I picked it up, it shot flawlessly. I guess the springs in the mags are too stiff from factory or something of the like.
I believe that’s why the reviews are all over the place for this gun. Some people shoot it new, gripe about it, then pass it to someone else that likes the broken in gun. It’s a decent price-point shooter, just has a longer break in period than most.
Right on about the magazines! Load new mags with 7 rounds a few times, then start with 8 rounds. They do need a break in period. Leaving them loaded in the drawer created the same effect-conditiong the springs. I also disassembled the magazines, cleaned them, and lubed them with Ballistol. This non petroleum lube bonds to metal and seasons it much like a cast iron frying pan. Then I wiped the magazines out really well and re assembled them. This left a dry but slightly slick surface on the interior of the magazines. I noted that when loading them, they operated much more smoothly, without collecting dust or debris. The lower quality of the metal needed a little help.
That thought about the spring in the mag was what I’ve been wondering. For the record, I bought this JCP .40 because it’s my first semi-auto, and I was not willing to spend a lot of money on something I may not care for. And ironically, I also figured that some level of problems gives me the opportunity to learn how it works, how to clear it safely, etc. Strange but true. It’s how I learn. I didn’t become a mechanic by owning great cars at first…I had pieces of crap that needed frequent repair.
So I haven’t even fired this thing yet, but had an issue already…wanted to see how to load and unload it, and make sure it cycles properly. Well, loaded with 10 rounds, it fails to strip the top round off the mag and jams the slide open. it did this with each round down to 6, at which point it began cycling them into the pipe and out the port easily and smoothly each time I worked the slide. It seemed to me the spring pressure pushing the top rounds against the feed lips was excessive, until you got down around half stack, then it was fine. Then after working it some more, it began to work fine with 7, then 8, while at the same time getting physically easier to load the mag each time. So I came to the conclusion I will just leave it loaded with 10 for a day or two and see how it acts after that. I don’t really see a problem with the feed lips needing to be spread, if I understand their function…the rounds don’t feel trapped between them and I can strip them off easily with my thumb until I get upwards of 8 in there. We’ll see what happens in a day or two.
Just an update. I filed the rear site notch down on the .45 and now it’s dead on. I’ve since last January picked up a LC9-S and added a TC laser to use as my everyday carry and a S&W 629 6″ .44 mag just because. My friend and I still enjoy the .40 and .45 Hi-Points at the range with the .45 kept between the driver’s seat and center cushion in my truck and the .40 between the driver’s seat and center console in the wife’s car. Still yet to experience a FTF or FTE in either. I did wrap both grips with a self convoluting rubber tape that makes it easier on the hands to hold and not bite the skin after running multiple rounds at the range. Inexpensive does not equal cheap.
Just about any break-in advice on user forums you see of the Hi-Point pistols recommends leaving the magazines fully loaded for 24-48 hours before you shoot the first time.
Was in a gun store a year or so ago, browsing the shelves (may have bought my Ruger MkII at the same time, don’t remember). Fellow came in to unload a few guns. Proprieter said his policy was only $50 on HiPoint trade-ins. If only I had been faster, I could have offered the guy $75 or so and had my own. Oops.
Although my inclination is to turn up my nose at this 8 round (or 10 round max) gun, the reality is my normal carry is all of 5 rounds. Why would 8 be all that bad, if it works as well as indicated? Something this cheap and bulky begs not to be carried but rather to have one stashed in the glovebox, one in the nightstand, one under the counter…
Funny… Same gun.. 2 different reviewers… 2 completely different outcomes.. Financial considerations were the ONLY reason I bought my C9… Never even heard of Hi Point prior to buying it… $150 brand new OTD .. I just couldnt pass it up.. Only issue I have had is that when steel cased ammo was used the last round would jam about every 2nd mag… Solution… No more shooting steel cased ammo.. It has digested every brass cased round that its been fed.
I took me a little while to get handloads to function correctly.. This has been an issue with every semi-auto pistol I have ever reloaded for so its not an issue in my book. I honestly feel there is not a better handgun on the market currently in the sub $200 price range…
Have all the Hi-Point pistolas. Bought for them for exactly the reasons mentioned by Supton – one in the truck, one in the car, one in the desk drawer, one for the farm when I am crawling under vehicles for repair, or working in the garden. Not to mention when I am in a very high threat, where my vehicles have been broken into, and f
actory broken into, a Hi-Point gets the job done very well without my having to turn in my FN Tactical or FiveSeven or Springfield XDM’s , to the blue goons if it is ever used for defending life and limb. Just like Kevin’s review, once the Hi-Points are past their warm-up round count, magazines are lubed and cycled, you will have an extremely accurate, reliable shooter. Yes, I comfortably trust my life to using a Hi-Point and I have lots of other options.
Great review and I am extremely glad to see both TTAG and the comments are free from the gun-snobbery that is prevalent in most other forums. Guns are tools. Some can be more appealing or attractive than others, but their reason for being is to assist in accomplishing some task, or for fun. The Hi-Point succeeds at the highest value point in the industry.
So you like to just leave your guns lying around?
If you call having them in a secured office desk, secured homes, in my truck during commuting to/from my farms, my car while in secured card entrance garage, and other areas like that lying around – yes.
If he doesn’t have kids….What is the problem with that?
I have lots of guns just “laying around”. I also have children, and my children know how to gain access to those guns. They know how, because I’ve taught them how. At 5 or 6, both my son and daughter were taught the propper safe handling of a firearm. They both understand that guns aren’t toys, how dangerous they are, and how much trouble they will be in if they’re ever caught playing with one. I take them both out to the range regularly. What’s much more dangerous is having young children who are unfamiliar with firearms, and who by chance may encounter one that has been hidden in the home. Familiarty and experience=safety.
You hit the nail on the head James!!! I’ve two teens that I taught to shoot, handle and to realize how dangerous firearms can be in the wrong hands. No problems what so ever and my older teen boy has my back with his own.
I have to agree with this review more than the previous (wasn’t reading TTAG at the time that one came out), as this one matches my experience far more. I have both the Hi-point 9mm’s, the C-9 and the 9mm carbine (Tactical stock – not the Planet of the Apes one). I don’t shoot them often, but when I have they have been extremely reliable. I do keep the magazine’s loaded with JHP (outside of the guns), but will of course switch out to cheap brass when I hit the range, so I think the magazine gets its pre-shooting exercise as described above. The (only) one irritation is that for the size it is only single stack (both pistol and carbine), but completely understandable for the ban states design. I see these guns as the Craftsman tools of American guns…lifetime warranty, [should] be sold in WalMart/KMart/Sears, not as pretty/nice/feature-packed as other guns, but will work for the intended purpose – defend life for under 2 c-notes.
I’ve never fired one of the pistols but I’ve shot one of my coworkers 9mm carbines and it was a lot of fun(except for loading the 10 round magazines). I think about picking up one of the carbines every time I’m at a gun store, but I’ve been holding out for a sub-2000 that uses Beretta 92 mags since I already have half a dozen of those on hand.
pretty sure those use 9mm glock mags.
They make different versions which take different magazines. They also have a .357 Sig conversion kit in the works.
The 9mm SUB-2000 can be configured in the following magazine types: GLK17, GLK19, S&W59, BERETTA92, SIG226. The .40 SUB-2000 can be configured in the following magazine types: GLK22, GLK23, BERETTA96, S&W4006, SIG226.
Not as cheap as the SUB-2000, but the Beretta CX4 9mm carbine takes Beretta 92 mags. It even takes the 32-round ProMag Beretta mag, and while I have neither heard good things nor had any good experiences with most ProMags, their 32-round Beretta 92 mag runs like a champ in the CX4.
People who buy shitty stuff so often refuse to admit it. I’ve been guilty of the same thing. When I was an immature teenager. High points are shitty guns, made out of weak materials. No two ways about it. They are heavy, they are ugly, and they make you look like a dumbass. as long as you recognize that, there is nothing wrong with owning one.
Some may work, the majority may work, but it makes no difference. It only takes one broken one to make you a dead guy.
After I saw a high point fly apart and the slide hit the shooter in the face, I decided to never shoot one and to never stand near a person shooting one. YMMV
pics or it didnt happen on the slide breakage.
And if all it takes is one failure, then tell us what guns own and im sure we can all find plenty of incidents of failure.
By the way, are you saying you were THERE when that happened?
Curious as to where you “saw” that happen. And how. In a18 months of researching Hi-Points I’ve never heard of such an incident.
Here’s one … http://www.gunslot.com/pictures/kaboom
Not the same as what the OP said. Everything still seems to be attached to the gun, certainly the slide wasnt embedded in someones face. It also doesnt provide a back story on what caused the failure such as a squib.
That picture was long ago debunked as faked. First off by a metallurgist who looked at the pic and decided the “fracture line” was the work if a hacksaw. Then by people who’d disassembled a Hi-Point before and knew that the from part of the slide would have shot clear across the range if it “broke” with the spring in.
> That picture was long ago debunked as faked.
That is a load of crap, sorry to say. After reading your post I went and found the thread on hi-point firearm forums were they discussed the failure. I saw the photographs and it wasn’t a clean break. It was very obvious that there was voids in the casting of the slide. Something got screwed up in the manufacturing of the gun which contributed massively towards it’s failure. I’ve seen plenty of broken cast metal to tell what is going on there.
For everybody else here is the discussion:
http://www.hipointfirearmsforums.com/forum/f299/40-jcp-slide-broken-half-not-mine-259244/
You can see the photographs for yourself.
Now before getting all upset it is very important to realize that failures are not unique to Hi-point guns. Dare say, if you do a image search for ‘broken glocks’ you will find more examples then if you did the same search for hi-point. That is not to say that hi-point is better then a glock in any way shape or form, it is just to say that guns fail sometimes. This is why back up guns are nice to have and why people wear protection when going to the gun range.
More examples:
http://afkra.blogspot.com/2012/01/gun-accident-pictures.html
If you scroll down on that page you will find no less then a fabled Springfield Armory 1911 with the front 1/4th of the slide broken clean off in a strangely familiar manner. That is certainly _NOT_ a cheap gun.
Oh and that brings me to another point:
There is a common logical fallacy. It is a variation of statistical bias called ‘The Anecdotal Fallacy’. Humans when hearing a personal experience from another individual, or personal experience, they will place a much higher weight on that person’s experience then on a mountain of evidence to the contrary.
http://www.fallacyfiles.org/volvofal.html
This is a logical fallacy that gun guys fall victim too quite often. You can see quality and logical arguments put forth on forums regularly only to see it shut down by ‘My brother’s friend’s cousin in the military said XYZ’ type responses. Far more common with gun guys then any other sort of thing I’ve seen elsewhere, although it is still common most places. .
Also note that it’s closely tied into magical thinking. At some level of thinking, deep down, the type of person that bashes on things like Hi-point believes the worse that he can make the Hi-point seem the better his own gun will function, or other things of that nature. There is obviously no logical connection.. how well hi-points function have no impact at all on your own weapon systems and do not diminish the value you can derive from your own firearms, but we are not dealing with logic here… we are dealing with logical fallacies… fallacies driven by emotions that only on the surface seem logical.
Now can you spend 300-400 dollars and get a much better gun then a Hi-point? of course you can. There are all sorts of more effective weapons in that price range. S&W SD series or Ruger Sr series are two examples of guns that you can find in that price range that are very likely be far more effective in a gun fight or on the range then the Hi-point.
Now I still want one and will probably buy one eventually. Why? Because it’s cheap, it can be taken for granted and probably will still work, and all guns fail. I would be a hell of a lot better off if I showed up to a gun fight with a hi-point then a pocket knife! It’ll make a nice truck or boat gun, too.
Look at the Hi-Point torture test videos on YouTube and name another pistol that could survive half of what it did.
Gun Test magazine had the same thing to say about the High Point 9mm.
The gun they tested was ugly and blocky looking, but went bang every time they pulled the trigger, was more than accurate enough for self defense purposes, and inexpensive.
GT magazine is the Consumer Reports of the gun world. They have no advertising and by their guns on the open market, rather than getting company samples on loan.
I keep thinking of getting one of these. They are on sale here at Turners in So. California for about $16o, every few months.
Honestly, I still don’t see the point of hi-point guns….
Just about everything about them makes them unsuited to carry (their huge size, and low magazine capacity especially), and thus they’re really only suitable for plinking by my estimation. Add to this, that at 150+ USD new, they’re not significantly cheaper than a much more practical used duty-style pistol, like a Glock or an XD — to this point, I purchased my first XD for ~425 out the door, and that included a holster, all the original XD gear, and 9 magazines (3×10, 1×15, 5×16); My second was purchased for ~335 out the door with just two 15 round magazines. The first had a fairly high round count, the second had a fairly low roundcount (previous owner estimated 1,000 between himself and the original purchaser, and I’m inclined to believe this due to wear and cleanliness of the pistol). In all, for about twice the price of a new hi-point with one low-capacity magazine, and that is not a practical carry piece, I ended up with a gun that is entirely practical to carry along with two medium-high capacity magazines. Also, Springfield offers lifetime warranties on their pistols too, and from what I’ve heard is generally good to other-than-original owners. If XDs aren’t your thing, there are likely plenty of police trade ins (be they Glocks or otherwise) at some local gun store for relatively reasonable prices… Still, Glocks and XDs tend to retail for under 500 in these parts, and that’s still a fairly reasonable price to pay for a pistol.
Really though, it boils down to two things; they’re really only practical as plinking guns, and the way I see it, 9mm isn’t really a plinking caliber (.380, .40, and .45 even less so), and I have no need of a gun that serves no other useful purpose. Also, if one is concerned with SHTF situations, then Glocks are a FAR better choice, especially considering their adoption by most domestic police departments — Glock 17/19 and 22/23 are likely to be the most commonly found pistols out in the wild in, say, a zombie apocalypse…
Reading the front page this morning, I realized that I’d forgotten about CZ pistols. Used CZ75s can often be picked up for a song, and are superior to hipoints in every respect.
“Just about everything about them makes them unsuited to carry (their huge size, and low magazine capacity especially),”
Sounds a lot like those 1911s I hear a lot about. But people like them for some reason. Despite many of them being a whopping 10 ounces heavier than a 9mm Hi-Point.
1911s offer a significantly slimmer profile than a hi-point.
“I wouldn’t recommend it as a “purse gun” for ladies to carry, but then I am not aware of a centerfire automatic in anything larger than .25 ACP that would serve in that capacity.”Really? Because off the top of my head I can think of over a dozen, from .32 to .45, that could easily serve in that capacity.
Still though, good review. It’s nice to see someone not talking shit about something based on hearsay
Based on the size and weight of the average auto in any of the calibers you just mentioned, no there aren’t. Feel free to name some models of .45 ACP that aren’t aern’t to heavy for regular carry in a purse.
At the least you’re discounting out of hand guns like the LCP and DB9. I’d consider both to be small and light enough to be purse guns…
Kahr PM45.
I don’t understand this idea that those tiny little pocket .380s (LCP, Kel-Tecs, etc) are somehow too big and heavy for purse carry. A .38 J-frame is the classic “purse gun” and those are heavier, bulkier, than a lot of .380 autos. I wonder what, exactly, is your criteria for determining what is or is not of sufficient size and weight for a purse gun? Do you carry a purse?
It’s a satchel, and Indiana Jones carried one.
My wife carries her Hi-Point 380 in her purse. She is a short small-framed woman and has no issues with it. Also she is a very good shot with it!
for those of you that feel the high points serve no purpose feel free to break into our home or to hassel my wife sometime when she is by herself. If you are able to receive visitors I will come and ask you the question then.
How big is your ladies purse? And have you seen any of the current crop of pocket pistols chambered in calibers from .32-9mm?
Your girls purse must be super tiny if all she can fit is a .25 auto. One of my good friends loves to carry around a decent sized Coach purse that could probably hold a full sized 1911 if she so desired (though it would weigh her down unless she took out all her makeup crap), and a .380 pocket pistol or .38 snubbie would be a breeze to purse carry for the majority of the women I know.
I read a lot of gun reviews and it seems as though it is a sort of luck of the draw as to if you get a turd or a trophy. Uneven quality in the gun business.
Judging people by the perceived value of their firearms seems shallow to me, especially when it comes from gun lovers. I’ve never seen anyone shooting on a range, indoors or outdoors, ridiculed for the weapon they own or shoot. Sneering at people because of the gun they own, or the car they drive, tells me more about the person sneering than it does about the gun or the gun owner.
It’s sad but this is the case in just about everything. I once worked with a woman who found out I rode and asked me what kind of bike I had. When I told her I had a triumph Bonneville and tiger she replied “oh .. well if it isn’t a Harley it isn’t worth owning.” I responded “oh you ride a Harley?” .. the response .. “um, no we don’t have a bike but my husband wants a Harley”.
I’ve owned lots of guns and admittedly there’s a lot to be desired in the design of the c9 but my limited experience with this weapon has been … pull trigger .. go bang .. hit where aim … every time. It’s a PERFECT home defense weapon that my 110 lb wife has zero trouble handling.
After reading every EVERY review I could find (including this one) AND shooting a friend’s I purchased one and I don’t regret the choice. Is it my favorite weapon in the collection .. no. But I find it seems to be the one that finds it’s way to the range most often. Thank you Kevin for doing an honest and unbiased review of a serviceable firearm.
+1!
Ugly or not…I’m willin to bet that any intruder won’t judge me by the look of the gun I have pointed at his/her face. My guess is, they will be “IM-PRESSED” on “IMPACT”. Bwaaha ha ha ha!
Mocking someones choice of gun is a lot easier to do facing an LCD than it is when facing that dude with gun in hand. Pussies.
And to the purse provokers; Carrying an external bag makes just a ton of sense. Dudes like you who deride the specifics of configurative qualities like handle location, carry style, material, etc. sound like nattering fashion designers lisping on an on about purse/shoes/belt ensembles after labor day. Try spending more time focused on your own inner security issues and less time sneaking comparative glances at other dudes bulges.
C’mon, yes you do.
Take a look at the guns & ammo torture test they put this gun through. They were downright MEAN to it, and after being cleaned up it worked just fine. It’s a tough, inexpensive gun with a lifetime warranty. For the person wanting protection on a tight budget, it can’t be beat.
Friend had two. Had several FTF (under the break-in period of 300 rnds). Sent back to factory. Turns out they love +p ammo, but hate the heavy grain bullets…the short barrel length is the key….DO NOT SHOOT THE 147grn bullets in these guns and you won’t have the FTF issues. Do give them a 300 round break-in period and spring adjustment period before relying on them. I shot both of the guns he had (his/wife’s) and they were point-shoot easy and shot to point of aim as in you could hit an orange at 25 yards if you are steady enough to hold the thing. It is quite heavy, but stays right on target for quick follow-ups because that weight keeps the muzzel down. Would recommend them. Other than that, the next best option for price is the Ruger. My friend also had that 9mm carbine that Hi-Point makes that we called the Planet of the Apes gun. It worked every time as well. Accuracy was decent at 25 yards, but at 50 yards, you really had to keep steady to keep rounds on a white paper plate. My advice on that…buy a cheap SKS or get an old Russian rifle in 7.62 x 54r that usually goes for about $100. I would feel comfortable carrying a broken in Hi-Point, but like others say, it is heavy and about the same size as my $250 Ruger P95dc that holds 16rnds… Still good for car or night-stand or a friend in need with no gun. I should mention that his experience with their service department was top-notch, very informative and super fast turn around time.
HIpointthebestgunhipointcalida
hipoint9mmthebestgun
Thanks for the honest review, I own a C-9 as well as a HP .45 & 4595 carbine, and many other firearms. Hi-Point is heavy and ugly but I tell ya, I really enjoy them, they DO go bang everytime you pull the trigger. I bought a C-9 for my elderly mother who doesn’t have the strength to pull the trigger on her revolver anymore – She loves shooting the C-9. Who would give their mother an unreliable weapon? Not this man.
The other reviewer came off as a snob and quite frankly, annoying as hell.
This review is spot on. I own a c9 but i did have an issue with failure to feed. After polishing the feed ramp I havn’t had any problems at all. I would recommend this gun to anyone.
Based on the other reviewer’s review compared to yours, it seems either he has very little experience with guns (turning the sights down to “raise the aim” and getting slide bite (most often caused by improper grip habbits) and possible limp wrisinting tthat can cause a fte or cycle issue. ) or he had no real data to say bad things about the HP so he tried to manufacture some by using poor shooting habbits. Thanks for re-reviewing the C9 and giving honest testimony. I’ve had my C9 a long while now and other than needing to adjust the feed lips on new mags, I have had no problems with it. (I carry it concealed pretty much every day)
I owned both an HP9 pistol and an HP 9 carbine. Sold them because of money issues, but never had ftf or jamming issue with either and I never ran expensive ammo. In fact, I’m getting ready to buy another carbine.
All I have to say is I love the hi point firearms and the company that produces them I’ve shot many different makes and models and you will never find a company that will treat you any better then HI POINT…. Iam not an employee nor paid spokes person nor do I live in ohio just sayin
I honestly can’t justify buying a more expensive gun. I like its looks. The grip (put BooDad grip covers on it.. $12.00)…how it shoots and yes…I carry it. Its only 29 oz. I have a hard time believing how anyone of average strength could not manage one. If the weight is too much then the kick of a lighter and smaller same calibur would be too much.
Not saying anyone should have to justify what they own or carry. I have 2 Hi Points. I like them. I trust them. I do not apologize to anyone for them. If they made hats I would wear one proudly and yes….my snarky fun side would enjoy the questions.
Good and safe shooting everyone with whatever you have.
I bought a Hi-Point C9 about a month ago and just got to shoot it this past weekend. I bought some dummy bullets with the gun so I could get used to loaded the mag, pulling back the slide, etc. since it’s the first semi-auto I’ve owned. I was concerned at home when the extractor seemed to fail to pull the dummy bullets out every now and then. Sometimes it would work fine when manually cycling the slide, but sometimes the extractor hook seemed to not grab the bullet. I was pleasantly surprised at the shooting range when I put it in the 8-round mag and everything worked smoothly. I went through 100 rounds in about an hour, with only 3 misfeeds. I believe the problem is due to the 10-round mag I bought (since it only happened with this mag and I was alternating between the 8 and 10-round mags). I have noticed whenever I try to insert the 9th and 10th bullet into the mag, it’s very difficult and the 9th round seems to point slightly downward in the mag. When the misfeeds occurred, it was always after the first shot, just as the slide moved back and tried to push up the next round. If I took out the mag, made the bullet point slightly upwards, and re-inserted, everything was fine. The 8-round mag worked perfectly fine. There were no failures to extract, so the extractor seemed to be working fine. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the gun fired. After reading all of the mixed reviews online, I was expecting the gun to blow up or jam immediately after the first firing. Aside from the 3 jams with the 10-round mag, it was fantastic! The ammo I used was Blazer Brass 115 gr. FMJ and Federal 115gr. FMJ.
Thanks for the honest review. I purchased a Hi Point JCP last month and I have shot 100 rounds with it, not a single jam. Wish I could afford a more expensive handgun, but I just wanted a firearm for the range and to carry with me when I am out hunting. Would have purchased the C-9, but wanted something a little bigger frame wise.
Good review. It’s next on my “to buy” list.
I did own a ancient JS9 [20 years old] (9+1 9mm) no longer made. I had some issues FTF/FTE so I called them. They said send it in & all the mags I had for it so they could check it out. A couple of weeks later a got back a completely rebuilt pistol! Everything except the slide [which they no longer had any stock of] was new, frame, barrel, extractor, trigger, springs and yes they even swapped my old mags for new ones and added another one free to cover my shipping. The “new JS9” is a tack driver and 100% reliable. Since this good service experience I have picked up (2) JHP 45’s & the 4595 carbine all are as above {deadly accurate, reliable}. I own many hi end pistols, but hi-points are just as accurate as [most] of them at a fraction of the cost. They are UGLY, & HEAVY yet I will buy more in the future. Why? Because they work well, period! 🙂
I have a friend that has a Hi Point and brother with the 9 carbine.Both work great.I am retired so money is tight with medical bills and all. I want a 9 or 45 But cant afford 5 Bills. Glad I fount this review Seems to be honest and fair,Unlike some “Gunsnobs”
I purchased a hi-point 380 a while back, had several failures to feed and ejection issues (jammed) out of the box. I suspected the problem to be due to the fact that the Hi-point 380 and 9mm utilize the same magazine. Bending the tabs on the magazines and polishing the feed ramp has eliminated it for the most part. My hands are large so larger frame firearms are a good fit. My thumb occasionally ends up contacting the slide and that may be the only reason I experience a ftf/e issue here and there as it may be slowing down the slide action. I will be adding a Hi-point 9mm to my collection tomorrow and then a carbine in the very near future. There are plenty of videos on the internet complaining about every make and model of firearm but a lifetime warranty from an American company, no one can beat that.
I own the 9mm carbine, its badass. Soon to own the c9, thanks for the honest review.
I think I’ve found the secret to the HiPoint firearms – the hotter the ammo, the better. I’ve owned a Carbine since they first came out. Had my C9 pistol stolen. It was a lemon and I couldn’t hit plates at 25 yards with it.
I recently loaded up the MagTech 115gr HP 9mm+P and 9mm+P+ ; the extreme ammo shoots the best and flattest. The Hipoint has a frame that can handle the +P ammo.
I just got my hi-point C9 9mm today 04/02/12. I can honestly say that this is awesome gun. Took it home, loaded it and fired it at a Target at 10ft. By the Time I was on my 3rd mag, I was hitting a 3″ group at 25yrd…
NO JAMS, NO MISS FIRES, NO FAILED TO EJECT
despite what anyone else fades about this high point ,
I have had I have had no problems with it right out of the box . I didn’t have to polish the feed ramp and I also didn’t have to tweak the mag . I love it …
it’s the best bang for your buck ….
Thanks for the review.
I think the “reliability” issue that is raised with Hi Point, Taurus and some of the other manufacturers that get bashed on the web is misunderstood. Most of the firearms produced are very reliable (as you have shown in this n of 1 review). Some small percentage of the firearms produced are not reliable and slip through quality control. The ones that are not reliable should simply get sent back to the manufacturer for repair. What I often read is if the gun does not work right out of the box, people just get pissed and carry around a chip on their shoulder, bad mouth the company, etc. In some cases it is even user error… maybe not the right gun for that person’s shooting habits.
Hi Point (and other companies) seem to do a good job of making the gun right if you have a problem. So… there is all of this hype about “unreliable” guns that is really just about people feeling inconvenienced about having to send a gun in for repair. I’ve done this with a couple of firearms from different companies and been very pleased with the customer service and the product returned to me was very reliable at the range.
i have to say u jerk-offs that bad mouth h-points in either pistols or carbines most likely never shot either one of those guns. wheather9mm or40cals/pistols and carbines. ive personaly shot both. the ones that complain b-cause the pistols are heavy, doesnt ake away the accrucey either. tha carbines are great to 125yrds. in the 165gr. toall u gun snob basturds out there can kiss my big a–
I’ve owned two Hi Point 9 mms.. The first one was bought years ago and was terrible. The second one I bought nearly two years ago and though I shoot it only a little it has not encountered any hiccups or failure to feed. I even used it once in a weekly defensive shooting program that includes “running” targets coming at you. No problem, except for the fact that its trigger pull is just awful.; seemingly designed and built by a law firm. Oh, and I admit that it is just plain ugly. No getting around that one, for sure. The bottom line is that I won’t be selling it. Then again, I’m not sure I could even find a buyer.
I bought a C-9 also. I will start by saying I do like this gun but I did have it blow up on me also. Yes I did say it blew up. The roll pin that holds the slide in the polymer frame pulled out of the palstic. Front spring went flying somewhere, not sure where. I don’t know if it was the ammo or the gun but the casing shows that it was not seated all the way in the chamber because it split out the side releasing all the pressure into the slide area. I was not hurt(luckily) Hi-Point was quick to fix it and get it back to me. They sent an extra mag and polished the feed ramp and now the gun is better than ever. Yes I still shoot it and it is a good gun. Would I rather have a Glock or Kimber yes but I don’t have the money. I do carry this gun and feel like it will go bang everytime even though I had it blow up.
Good review, i have 2 hipoints, a 9mm and a .45, they are a good
bang for the buck and they have a lifetime warrenty and are made in
the US………i have not had one problem at all and would tell
anyone that wants a handgun on a budget to buy one ….
I bought a Hi Point C-9 because of the smooth light trigger pull. However when a mag. is inserted with shells the trigger pull is about 8-9 lbs. or more. Have not a clue as to why. Has any one else had this problem. Maybe call Hi Point???
I have owned a .45 acp Hi-Point now for about 3 years…
When I first heard about a .45 being that inexpensive, I did about 40+ hours of research and reading reviews and like someone else said, every bad review either was “what was heard but not seen” or “ejection failures (without stating type of ammo), but never an actual slide issue.
I bought my .45 and was given a “return it if you dont like it” policy, but was asked to actually fire it more than 10 rounds…which I did. The first time, I went through about 200 rounds; Arms got real tired (heavy weapon) as did my thumbs (reloading a single mag that many times…lets just say ouch), but anyways, only had two ejection failures at the end of two mags, both from steel cased, extremely cheap ammo…but never an issue from brass and never slide issue.
Currently, I have put about another 1000 rounds through it without any issues and FYI…I have only cleaned the gun once since then as I am trying to get the pistol to a point where I can finally check out the warranty.
I dont shoot this as regularly as I used to after purchasing a 9mm, probably about once a month now….45acp ammo isnt all that cheap.
There is no way I would use this as a carry gun but would not give it a second thought to carry it if Florida ever allows open carry, it would be on my hip in a NY second.
I have a hi point .45…..goes bang every time I pull the trigger. I even carry it concealed. I’m a big guy so thats really no problem. Love that it’s entirely American made. …Cal…
Bought a C-9 in January and had a hell of a time with FTF. Haven’t had a handgun for 25 years and this is my first semi, so I took some long-time shooters to the range and got some advice.
It was me, not the gun.
Still get an occasional FTF, probably because my earlier screw ups have scratched up the feed ramp. If I keep it clean and oiled and shoot decent ammo through it, it works every time. Has never failed with self-defense ammo.
I’m glad to say I’ve improved and so has my financial status so I now have a Kel-Tec PF 9 for in the waist band walking around and a Ruger P95 for home. The High Point gets carried on the hip at night when walking the dog.
It may be ugly, but I’m confident I can put 8 rounds in the chest cavity with it, if need be. And THAT is a beautiful thing.
With regards to the snob a-hole who thinks all woman can easily carry hi caliber pistols in their purses needs to realize that not all woman pull plows in the field and can carry an AK-47 under their skirts like he can.
I would have loved to see ammo such as Wolf, Blazer, Tula, etc. used in this review. Lets be honest, if you’re only able to spend $150 on a gun, you are going to buy the cheapest ammo you can find. When I picked up my M&P 9mm the first 150 rounds through it were Wolf, Blazer, and Brown Bear. Why? Because if it feeds that crap reliably Im pretty sure it will feed any brass I put into it.
Hi-Points do NOT like steel cased ammo, but eat every brass round, including my handloads without fail. The laquer or polymer coating forms an extra layer in the chamber and causes failures to extract. The hi-point barrel does not move so chamber tolerances are tighter and the steel cases are far less forgiving. If you want cheap ammo with brass cases I wholeheartedly recommend freedommunitions.com.
My keltecs and bersas hate steel too, I just avoid it now except in loose tolerance guns like my AK, SKS, other communist bloc guns, they love the stuff.
Incorrect. Both of my 9mm Hi-Points (C9, 995TS) love steel. Thousands of rounds of steel. WPA, Tula, Brown Bear, you name it, Hi-Point will chow it down. Hi-Point makes a fine gun that likes cheap ammo, which makes them perfect for targets and plinking.
There is one customization I’d recommend for large-handed users. I slapped a $10 Hogue grip on my carbine and handgun and they feel right at home in my giant paws.
Shawn, none of my now 5 HPs liked steel cased ammo – Monarch, Tula, Wolf.. I had a lot of failures to extract, called the HiPoint mothership and they do not recommend it at all (Same advice from Kel-Tec customer service.) Most steel cased ammo has a polymer coating that builds up in the chamber and steel gives much less than brass, resulting in failures to extract or even possibly broken extractors.
I know I am probably not telling you anything you have not heard before, I am not condescending at all! 😀 Just telling you what I was told directly by KT and HP customer service guys (actual techs at the plants) and my own experience – but I am very happy it has worked well for you, I had MANY, MANY failures to extract that were never replicated with brass and aluminum cases.
I just use steel in my com-bloc guns because they were engineered for it.
ITs an odd thing as they are tested exclusively with steel cased rounds. wolf if Im not mistaken Id have to check the data sheet from hi point. BUt I do recall it was tested only with steel.
Your review was the same as my expierance with my C-9. I went right to the range after picking it up and fired it right out of the box with the target type sights. I was holding the same 2 3/4 patteren at 10-20-30-40 ft.
R&L hande. Now the but,the first round I thought I had the safty on,I checked and it was off . The pull was hard. after about 70 rounds I had a sore finger and even a blister on the side of my trigger finger. I am thinking of asking them for a modifacation but your artcle and review has me thinking twice.Do you know of anythig to lessen it? the trigger is my only issue. thank you for any thing you may or may not offer.
I have the C9 took it to the range right out of the box had a few FTF issues,
stiff trigger but after a couple boxes of ammo (american eagle fmj ) it works fine
no more FTF on target its a good working pistol.
best thing about it being heavy is if you run out of ammo it makes a good blackjack.
Mag capacity is not a problem as the carbine and pistol mags are interchangeable at least for the .40 cal PROMAG sells a extremely nice 15 round extended mags that work reliably and there under thirty bux so plenty of hipoint firepower
I have owned every model hi point made and i have never had a problem with one, a few years ago i had to sell off all my guns to try and keep my house (which i lost anyway) and I am now starting to rebuild my collection back, last week i got a hi point 40 cal . it is the first of all the models that i will be buying again.
I bought the Hi-Point c9 as a matter of affordability, I could not spend two or three times more for a “better” firearm. It sat in the box unused for a few months before I finally used it. I had bought two 10 round mags so I had 28 rounds at my expense to reload with.
The time finally came for me to use it, the day I went to get my CCW. At the range we shot from 3 feet, 10 feet, 20 and 25 feet. I was partnered up with a guy shooting a colt 45 acp. (He said he shoots competition with it.) We went through about 130 rounds at these distances and I had ONE shot that would have been a shoulder hit, all the rest were body shots. Finally we were at 21 feet for our qualifying shots. Our instructor had us all shoot two mags showing we could reload and fire again without hesitating. I fired 20 rounds and all 20 were dead on, the guy with the 45 acp fired 20 as well and hit all but 2 shots. I think my c9 Hi-Point performed very well by comparison. Is it as good as a Colt, no it is not, maybe it was the shooters. Oh, this was the first day I ever had shot a semi auto, previously I had only shot old single shot revolvers. I now have three Hi-Points the 380, 9 and 45. Just bought the 45 so not shot it yet.
Like Isaiah, I bought my HP c9 because of cost. I wanted to shoot, but .380 ammo cost more than 9mm. With 9mm I get more bang for the buck. I had shot my buddys c9 and really like the way it fired with little recoil, nice on the hands. It was less than the PK-380 I shoot. Same 8 rounds. No problem. I did shoot mine yesterday and went thru 150 rounds. The first mag. I had a FTF and the second was a FTE. Scratched the head, added a bit of oil and not another problem. Now I had read about the magazine problem and adjusted the ears and had kept a fully loaded mag all week. I also was shooting low and left. That has to wait until next trip to the range, (I forgot the tool to adjust the site).
Will i carry? Yes. Will i trust it to defend me and my family? Yes. Is there a gun made that NEVER has had any problem? No. A gun is a tool. To use it as it should be, practice and study.
Thank you for your honesty.
This is funny, when I look up reviews of hi points it is completely polarized. Either people say they are jam-o-matics (had one guy tell me he used them to teach people to clear malfuntcions and that was all they were good for.) Or they say they love them. Most of the negative is obviously heresay but some of it is presented as first hand knowledge. This leads me to believe that hi point make decent pistols with some QC issues.
That being said, they have a superior reputation for customer service and servicing their product. No questions asked. And they have a lifetime warranty.
So this is the case I am presenting for why buying a HP: they are inexpensive.
Even if they are a little balky out of the box, that is what a breakin is for, not just breaking in the gun, but for you to adjust to the gun and figure out what if anything about the gun can be adjusted to you. I would suggest more than a 300 rnd breakin before you consider the gun in service. I think a 500 to 1000 rnd shakedown would be much better.
If there are quality control issues with it or ammo specificity issues, this gives you a much better body of data to draw conclusions from. If you have a persistent malfunction or group of malfunctions across ammo types, you can contact the compamy and they can service the weapon. Then if it still doesn’t work, then its most likely crap.
This probably seems excessive, but its a very good way to find out what the problem is. If you are looking for a gun that you can buy and go shoot a few rounds through and toss in the night stand untill you hear a bump in the night, get a glock. Its not how I would do it but you would probably have better results. This above shakedown would be a good idea for all guns, and is reasonable and practical. Some people want the perfect gun the will fire out of the box and hit at sub moa accuracy with their eyes closed in the dark facing away from the target and do it a hundred years from now too. You can’t please those people.
There was a gun like that in a movie once and as I recall, it blew up in the hands of the user. Go watch the fifth element.
Now seriously there no real good reason for this attitude, if you lived two hundred years, you probably wouldn’t ever have a situation in which you were buying a gun and had to use it for its intended function walking out the door of the gun shop. And you wouldn’t be able to anyway as most of the time guns are sole unloaded and if you try to load it in the shop, you will probably be dead before you finish or shortly after if the shop keeper is extremely forgiving of rule infractions.
I mean if you are going to trust the weapon with your life, you should really know the gun, build a relationship with it. Take it out to coffee, a movie, long walks on the beach. Find out it political views and how it feels about capital punishment. Lend it a lawn mower and see how long it takes to return it. Don’t just walk up to it and say defend my life.
Any gun can malfunction and even the best made battle tested weapon with ammo crafted by god’s own hand can jam. Deal with it, people who haven’t had a weapon malfunction ever either don’t shoot, don’t shoot enough, or are liars. Demanding and thinking you have perfection in a pistol is dumb and dangerous and dishonest.
That’s the reason for buying a hi point.
I hear you on the value portion of this and I understand the folks in life who can’t afford a higher quality (design and fitment). I really do. I’ve got a HP 4595 and it’s blast to shoot. Picked it up for $305 on a whim. It spends most of its time strapped to the front of a 350 honda 4-wheeler.
Still, I have a hard time picturing someone who has a price point of $160 for a pistol spending spending $200-250 for a K of 9mm to break it in and then continue training (maybe another $200-250). If a handgun buyer is going to spend that little on the weapon, I wonder if they will “do the right thing” when it comes to break in and training.
If you look at say 2K rounds of 9mm and and a handgun, (500+160) for a HP or (500+390) for a S&W M&P Shield, it’s about a only about 33% more for a vastly higher quality weapon. Even less, the more you shoot. They aren’t even in the came class. There’s a time and a place for saving that 33%, but for me, I’ll just cut back on bud-light and 100’s for a month and get to another level. Am I off-base, here?
I keep it short:
The first review was the break in. Unlike most any other gun on the market, these will suck until broken in. You’ll spend almost the cost of the gun on “break in” ammo. Get a decent firearms instructor, and this can double for malfunctions training for when you get a real gun.
The second review used a good portion of the useful service life of the pistol. Shoot another 1k rounds through it then we can talk. I’ve gotten broken in C-9s through 800+ round training courses and only had a few issues at the end, but they go to crap a little after that.
Thanks, Kevin Smith, for your honest and unprejudiced assessment. It was such a stark contrast to the blatant hatchet job attempted in the previous review. The irony: why would a site called The TRUTH About Guns feature a review by someone who would go to such lengths to misrepresent a product in such a way? Or, could he actually be so ignorant of guns and shooting as to lower the rear sights in an effort to raise the point of impact? Unbelievable! And that is my point. Why would anyone believe him or this site on anything, after reading that review? Your review provides an excellent balance to it.
At first, I was shocked and appalled at such gun snobbery. I mean, would you hold someone up for ridicule because they drive a Honda, and not a Bentley? No, since it would be the height of arrogance, and in fact, embarrassingly poor form. Then why is it appropriate to do the same with someone who shoots a Hi-Point, and not a Kimber Custom? It’s NOT.
After a bit of reading all the hate filled screeds, though, I think I’ve thought it through. If I had just dropped $1500 on a handgun, and then discovered that others are attaining a similar level of self protection for $125 (the price of a C9 on Gunbroker this AM), I guess I’d be pretty outraged, as well.
That’s not the case, for me, though. I have a safe full of nice guns, but I just bought a Hi-Point C9, just to find out the truth for myself. If I don’t like it, and can’t fix it, it’s cheap enough to cut up on the band saw and throw away. If it works out well, they’re cheap enough to hand out to any friends in need.
Thanks again, for telling the truth.
Great feedback and common sense there Randy!
I too have what I need and bought one anyhow, seeing that it was only $160. and had to see for myself. I didn’t like EVERYTHING about it but, it was just a case of getting use to it. Small price to pay for such low cost. I ended up selling it, (same price I paid), and think I’m gonna try the .45 next. That one, if I like it the same as the 9, I’ll probably keep.
Most of the negative comments you’ll find on most guns here are from either biased and uneducated or, like my son, immature and think they know everything, just talking and acting as if they’re professionals giving themselves a false sense of, knowledgeability? lol, (is that a word)? Being a little pretentious maybe? (:
Oh well, anyway, just my 2cents. I think you have to sometimes, read between the lines when reading posts in forums. And the most important, research! Read multiple forums and posts, especially people like me, not being an expert. If I only read the first post on the High-Points, I would of never bought one and now I’m glad I did! Again, you just can’t beat the price, and IMO, getting a lot of value on the cheap!
“Most of the negative comments you’ll find on most guns here are from either biased and uneducated or, like my son, immature and think they know everything, just talking and acting as if they’re professionals”
I can say the exact same about the positive comments out there. I only know of one single review written after long term use, and I wrote it. I don’t do “reviews” unless I’ve owned something and know it forward and backwards. I don’t own kimbers or glocks and don’t have the snob crap that I get accused of for daring to call crap as I see it. If there was a good 9mm out there for $150, I’d buy 2. That’s exactly what I did with C-9’s, and being a person that wanted to like them, I had to admit they are crap and move on.
Anybody want to ignore actual experience and rely on these go nuts, but don’t whine about it when Murphy drop kicks you in the balls.
My previous reply was unwarranted due to the fact that I didn’t read all the reviews. Was just more of an opinion after reading a single review here, and was just saying what was on my mind at the time. I didn’t mean to offend anyone, but must say, I have read some previous ones and on other sites where I’ve seen much rederick from so called experts.
As far as the High-points go, I’ve had no problems and can’t see how anyone can call them crap, especially for the price! Not the best I admit but haven’t had any misfires or jambs. It shot every time!
Not sure what your stance is as I’m not sure how to take your reply? Murphy? “drop kick me in the balls”? Threat? A joke and just playing around? lol Not sure what you mean buddy!
Just saw this. Getting drop kicked in the balls by Murphy is a reference to violating Murphy’s law, and having Mrs Murphy kick you in the balls for it. Just an old saying.
You wanted to like them…. you were already biased into not liking them by your mindset.
I’m glad you took time to review the C9, particularly after the fairly acidic earlier one. Both articles are worth reading. Yours was most valuable to me, as I went through pretty much what you did. I had bought an inexpensive laser boresighting tool, but did not use it on my C9 out of the box. Duh! I also am new to semi auto pistols, and did not preload and “cure” the magazine spring. My first shooting produced the exact same low and left shooting, well off target, so went back, broke out the laser and “OMG, it needs a lot of adjustment.” Surprise! I would note that the magazine issue is even more pronounced with a 10 round magazine, and those will probably need all your tips above and a little judicious tapping to be truly useful. As another commenter said, 5 is more like what you want to sit around in the magazine, since if it’s personal defense you are doing, if 5 is not enough, you probably won’t have time to use that next one. Range time and calm are more useful than the other 3 rounds. Thanks for the review.
I purchased a Hi-Point Model JCP 40 S&W over the summer. I’ve only put about 150 rounds through it, but it’s a gun I enjoy shooting. My wife enjoys shooting it too. She’s fired the smaller frame guns and always feels like the gun wants to jump out of her hands. That’s not an issue with my Hi-Point. The weight seems to reduce the sharpness of the recoil so she and I both immediately felt like we had complete control of the gun at all times.
So far, here are my thoughts on it:
It’s a fun gun to shoot. After more practice, I think it will make a reliable home defense firearm.
Like many semi-autos, it will jam occasionally but the one in the chamber always fires.
The mag capacity isn’t an issue, because I don’t plan on being in any gun battles. It’s big, it’s heavy, and the grip is slippery. I’m perfectly happy with the big and heavy part, I’ll have to work on the slippery.
I don’t care for where the magazine release is. It’s just out of reach from my thumb. I suppose, since I’m usually a two-handed shooter anyway, it will be no trouble to teach myself to hit that button with my left thumb before going for the next mag.
Overall, I’m happy with my purchase. Do I still drool over some of those purdy guns I see on the web and in magazines? Of course I do! Will I defend Hi-Point firearms like a zealot? Nope, but I do feel like they get a bad rap. Will I buy another Hi-Point? Yes. I have my eye on one of those carbines! I wish they offered a .22 magnum and/or .32 acp.
HELP PLEASE !!!!!! I have a High Point c-9. I love it EXCEPT it keeps jamming ( miss feeding) I have sent it back 3 times now. The second time it was rebuild. The third time they claim put 100 round through w/ no problem. WHY is it misfiring on me?? I only use Remington or Federal rounds. I read these reviews and wonder why so many good reviews and my keeps jamming??
HELP. tell me what I am going wrong.
Thank You
Doug, check your grip, while the recoil on hi-point c9s are light, the action of a heavy slide creates some muzzle flip. recheck that and you might solve the problem if the factory fired 100 rounds flawlessly. If that does not work, I’ll give ya $100 for it!
What type of misfeed? Limp wristing usually gives the nose up jam IIRC.
A lot of people say these guns are junk. They say the same thing about my Phoenix hp22. I like to go with the underdog. I can afford higher priced guns, but I like what others don’t. I shot my hp22 well over 3000 rounds before the slid broke in to. People told me it was a real crap pistol. Even the guy that sold it made fun of it but he wasn’t laughing when I laid down the money to pay for it. I think the c9 is my kind of gun. Tight wad, not really. I’ve seen video’s where people have “HOT LOADED” these guns and they worked just fine. I like what others don’t. My range guy tells me to forget what everybody else thinks, cause most of them don’t know jack.
Wanting to like a gun doesn’t turn it from a turd into a gem.
Haters will hate my hi points r great once broke in they work flawlessly. If your really looking for out right reliability buy a shotgun pump since u can’t figure out the whole feed thing
I own 3 hi-points……they are NOT my first choice. I bought them at a pont in my life when I could not afford anything else. Used was of course an option, but the lifetime gaurentee was also a factor. Say what you will. The best gun to have when you need one is the one in your hand. I trust them with not only my life, I’ve trusted them with the lives of my wife and children.
1. drug dealers n thugs are not gangsters they are just criminal scum gangsters were capone,dillinger n such to compare organized gangsters to todays street trash is apples n oranges.2.any review is open to interpretation to all.3 find one shoot one you be the judge on how much you can afford to spend on a handgun, don’t rely soly on someone you never met to make your choice.
You could write a book with all these comments. I own 2 HIPOINT’s, the C9 and 995ts. For the price point you can’t beat them. The C9 is built like a Sherman tank and survives my reloads with no ware. The C9 is accurate and with factory loads – completely reliable (not my reloads though). My 995ts I had out once and was flawless. I hope to get a Glock 19 soon because I can however you can get 3 C9’s for one Glock. If you are on a budget – don’t hesitate to get a HIPOINT C9, it goes bang when you pull the trigger and it hits where you aim it; not a CCW gun, but a house, car, boat, truck, camper gun.
All this talk about purses. I thought we were talking guns. Have any of you folks seen the size of women’s purses????. you can hid a squad of fully armed men in most of them. I have weighted my wife’s purse…12 plus pounds!!!! so whats a .9mm Hi point to a weight lifters bag…..LOL!!!!!….
I am currently looking at reviews for this gun because I am on a budget and would like to get a pistol to carry in my truck. Unfortunately, it seems like most of the bad reviews are from people who do not even own one. I believe that everyone is aware that they are “ugly” and heavy. But no one is recommending them based on looks or for concealed carry. And since when is a double action only pistol considered a great choice for marksmanship. It is simply a cheaper gun that is good for home defense. I could care less of what people at the range or cops think of my firearm choices. This review states what the HP is capable of, shooting bullets downrange and hitting a target. No one cares about your “snob” thoughts, just the facts about whether the gun fires like it is supposed to. When you complain that its just a cheap gun, make sure you have actually owned one… or else you just come across as someone who is brand bashing because they spent more on their pistols.
Too many abbreviations. FTF, FT, and all that is very confusing. But will still buy Hipoint.
First off I’ve been around the block a time or two. I’ve never sold a firearm, but I’ve aquired quite a few. My carry gun is a LC9 but I enjoy shooting and being retired shoot on the cheap. I wanted to buy a pistol of a caliber I didn’t own so I went to Wally World to see what ammo was available and low and behold look at all the .40 S&W. I acquired 900 rounds over 3 days and waited for the gun show to come to town. 1st day of the gun show here’s a Hi-Point .40 for $169.99. Sold. Out to the range I go. 1st 10 rounds free standing covering a 4 inch circle dead center of target @ 21 feet. I had to quit shooting after 100 rounds because I ran out of targets (and my arms were getting tired) and I was punching out so much paper It’s no fun going through an existing hole and not seeing where you hit on a target. No FTF or FTE using Winchester 165 grain. 2 weeks later I can’t find any .40 S&W on the shelves but lot’s of .45 ACP and I don’t have one of them. I buy 300 rounds of .45 and wait for the gun show to come to town. 1st day of show I find the same dealer that sold me the .40 and buy the Hi-Point .45. Out to the range I go. 1st 9 rounds @ 21 feet I have a 4 inch pattern 2 inches high and 2 inches right. Over the next 27 rounds I adjusted the ramp all the way down and was still 1 inch high. I did not bother adjusting for the shooting right at that time. I did bench rest this gun to check the aim and it still shot high after adjusting the ramp down. I managed to smash my left pinky finger on the bottom of the magazine twice (2nd time resulting in a lot of blood) while bench resting to verify my aim on the last 18 rounds. Total rounds fired 45 with no FTF or FTE. The reason I bought these two was to leave one in my truck and one in my wife’s car (she has a CPL and carries a LCR .38 special +P) without worrying if they got banged up or scratched because of the cheap cost however I just don’t want any unnecessary marks or scratches on my firearms so I pull them out of the safe and put in the vehicle if we are going to a rough or unfamiliar area or vacation (retired is not being on vacation like some people think). I did read a lot of reviews on both of these pistols before buying and I was sold on the price. I’ve put a total of 600 rounds through the .40 with not one FTF or FTE. I haven’t put anymore through the .45. I’ve got no complaints and my S&W models 57, 657 (.41 Rem mag) and 43c (.22) aren’t the least bit jealous on the pistol shelf.
edit above for the math. 54 total rounds of .45 Winchester 230 grain.
Well, to be honest, I was very stand offish of Hi Point in general because of the comments of friends. Recently, I decided it was time for my first “legal” firearm (one actually registered to me) and decided on a pistol. Was at local gun store/shooting range admiring the Keltec 9 when the C9 caught my eye. The Keltec felt like a toy in my hands but first feel of the C9 I was in love. After SEVERAL (around 300 each) rounds through the range rental models and I had them packing the C9 up for me. ABSOLUTELY LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THE HI POINT, EVEN THE WEIGHT. Feels as a real firearm should in your hand. Since then I’ve put about 3,500 rounds through mine in past 3 weeks and it shows no signs of 1 round through it. Hi Point even has answered my phone call and walked me through disassembly for maintaining and reassembly. Would Glock do.that? Guessing no. My purchase price? Pistol & Holster was $212. Not bad in my book considering I live in a gun crazed rural area where a glock 9mm go for almost $800 used. Even at the range with couple good ole boys shooting Modified & total custom actual 1911s, they paid me compliments on the pistol, telling me how far the company has come and how nice the gun feels. One even offered me over purchase price for it. I’ve since sold all my others and even looking into buying the HiPoint Carbine rifle. Her name’s Maria and she hits tight clusters right around bullseye every time.
I bought a C9 and THEN bought one for my daughter. I love the gun, even the “ugly” bulky look and weight of it. I use “hot” ammo in it and really like the PowR Ball rounds. Zero issues with it. I know 4 cops in the area here. 2 cops rolled their eyes when I told them what I bought but neither had ever fired a C9 just heard word of mouth talk. The other 2 cops had fired C9’s s before and said they were decent guns if that is all I could afford ( and it was). Of course being “gun snobs” ( Jokingly) they all tried to give me advise to buy this or that gun costing $500 or up apiece. Seems they couldn’t even agree to what they considered the best pistol to buy or even their own Personal firearm favorite. I would not hesitate to buy another Hi-point in any caliber or carbine again. It serves my needs 100% and I would have no hesitation to rely on it. By the way,, my daughter has fired hers plenty on the range and loves her gun also. My humble opinion.. Let the debate rage on I suppose.
I have shot about 1000 rounds through my JHP 45 ACP. Not one FTF or FTE and the accuracy flat-out rivals my Sig.
The folks who won’t own one because of their looks or price point are the folks who will die when they need a gun and realize they left their $650 Glock at home in the gun safe.
– Double Shot (www.LiquorList.com)
I’m thinking if its true its the same gun, I have one with defect in the barrel and it might have the same type.
After so many rounds he fired though it, Might of worn the barrel enough to knock out the Material in there as mine has, Mine will nearly miss the broad side of a barn too!
Its 100% the gun and not shooter confirmed with over 12 people shooting it 2 of which are truly expert Pistol shooters. I do know mine I couldn’t hit in a 1 foot target outside of about 20 feet with it. but after shooting 200 or so round could start hitting the target once in a while and seemed to be getting better and better.
When you look in the barrel you seen about dead center a round like burr just about 3/4 the way round the inside of the barrel, Looks maybe 1/32 or so thick like the barrel was bored from each side and they stopped short before touching the others sides boring. Not sure how they would do that and keep the twist lined up? but its there! So after about 200 round its about half as far sticking out as when I bought the pistol.
If I shot 500+ rounds I’m thinking it would be worn away. Also the Slide moves very easy over 1/16th an inch just touching it with a finger (the sites move with it) But the barrel stays firm with the frame.
I been trying to get Hi point to return a call or email for 3 years seeing if they will fix it..
I am going to be trying again Monday as I gave up 1 year ago on this.
As I don’t think I should have to shoot 500+ round to get a new pistol to hit the broad side of a barn! I want it fixed now.
i have owned every hi point model made and they are great guns. iI have never had a problem in 8 years
I bought the hi-point C9, took it to the range with a box of shells, no problems at all. Took it home, then did the field strip, and clean. While I was at it I polished the feed ramp with fine sand paper. I think I like this gun.
I own a C-9 and a .40 S&W and like the heck out of both of them. There are, as far as I can tell, three problems with Hi-Points. First off, these are horrible guns for concealed carry. The C-9 is supposed to be “compact” but I would hate to lug one of these things around and you can forget about toting the .40 S&W (if you are big enough to conceal carry that monster, I’d hate to tangle with you).
Second, the magazines are absolute garbage for the C-9. I’ve had good luck with the two for my .40 S&W but they are of a very different design. I had to take out a pair pf pliers and “tune” the feed lips to get the C-9 magazine to work, and that was after running around 100 shells through the gun to break it in. That’s a lot of time and trouble spent on the pistol and the irony is that doing all the shooting necessary to break in the gun and tune the magazines gets expensive — over 100 shells before I was confident the gun would feed right.
Finally, I’m told by a local gun dealer who sells a lot of Hi-Points that a lot of people don’t bother to break them down and clean them because a 1/8″ pin punch (or a small screwdriver, really) is necessary for that process. As maintenance is important for the Hi-Point (or any gun), then you’ve got some dirty, jamming Hi-Points out there.
Considering the price of the pistol, though, those are fairly minor problems. I’ve got a couple of pistols great for concealed carry, but I wouldn’t hesitate for a minute to defend my home or office with a Hi-Point.
We all get it, some of you don’t like Hi Point Firearms, It’s like Dodge over Ford, or Hewlett Packard over Acer. It all comes down to one thing, does it do what you bought it for, In most of our cases, it does. For all intended purposes, that’s all that matters. I bought mine when they first came out, 9mm, never had an issue, read the manufactures directions, followed them to the letter. Hi Point is the proverbial new kid on the block, and they will need time to make their way in where folks like S&W, Remington, Barretta , Sig, and many others already are.
I refuse to follow blindly the hoarded masses and purchase an item because everyone else is. The question is , If everyone jumped off the bridge, will you follow? the “Oh, Sig is the best gun to buy!” or “If it isn’t Barretta then it isn’t any good” Buy what works for you, what feels good in YOUR hands, what you can afford. Just because I buy a Ford and not a Dodge or Chevy, doesn’t mean I still wouldn’t like to own one. I bought mine for protection. It has done it’s job right after we moved into our new home, couple of teens thought they could break into my garage and take my air tools. It’s funny what people think, when they hear the slide of a 9mm behind them. Thankfully, I didn’t need to send out a round.
So, in short, don’t bash a weapon solely on what “might” happen. I too, am a Vet. telling my DI when asked what I’d do with my weapon, I replied ” bust the hell out of this Mattel toy and take his AK-47″ the M-16A1 is not a combat ready weapon.
I have a Hi-Point JCP 40 Calibur S & W. I like the way it Shoots. I’m Having a Problem. I took it apart
, cleaned it and put it back together. The problem is the Giring Pin is sticking out so far that when I chamber it the firing pin goes beside the shell. I need help how to correct please!
Please contact Hi-Point and document your call. Any advice given here can get you into legal and practical trouble.
Thanks for your response. I’ll do that. Hard to believe I can’t figure out a simple solution. Thx. Again
I guarantee you hi-point will take it back and fix that for you.
I am a proud owner of a Hi point 9mm. In 3 years that I own this pistol it jammed only 1 time, reason for this is I was using 115 gr bullets instead of 124 gr. Also I fire an estimate 2500 round in total with 250 fired round in the first day I purchased it. It is a reliable pistol that I would purchase again.
I own a HiPoint 4095 carbine. Traded a gun I did not want any more for it. I think it is a great value for the money. I could get 2 of these plus a lot of ammo for what my local shop is charging for a Beretta carbine. Or any other pistol caliber carbine.
I did a lot of research, read all the anecdotal accounts and perused the HiPoint forums. I found a good deal so I got the gun.
Great gun, quite accurate, and it has been absolutely reliable. No jams, no nothing. I can shoot much better than I can a handgun. At 25 yds, I put 38 rounds through a 1 1/2″ hole. At 100 yds, if I do my part, it will put 10 rounds into a group that can be covered with my smallish hand. Good enough.
That said, I may get a HiPoint pistol as the truck gun. Go to YouTube and watch Iraqiveteran8888’s video of his HiPoint torture test. I bought my carbine at the shop where he works. The other fellow in the video was the man who did my paperwork for the carbine. I asked him about the video, and he said “We went into the video thinking we would make fun of the pistol, but the HiPoint made fun of us.”
It is just a tool. If you go to the hardware store to buy a hammer, you do not need the most expensive hammer to drive a nail.
Someone said that people at their range laugh at someone shooting a Hi Point?
I tend to never make fun of someone holding a loaded weapon. No matter what brand that weapon is. It only has to fire once to make you regret being a dumb shit.
It can jam all it wants after that, the damage is already done.
Besides, how many of you have heard people brag about “only needing one bullet”? Well, there you go. There seems to be enough reviews from people who have actually fired the gun to safely assume that the first round will fire as expected.
I don’t know about you, but if I am hit by a 9mm round, I am not going to care what brand of gun it was fired from. I would have much more substantial problems to worry about at that point.
It may not be highly customizable, but I put one of those Hogue Hand-All rubber sleeves on the grip and was pleased with the results. Give it a try if you like the feel of rubber and/or finger grooves.
6 years late to comment. BUT. I must point out the author displays the same kind of confirmation bias that he claimed Schotzberger was doing. If you read the comments of the first article, Smith vehemently defends the Hi-Point. He has over 20 comments doing so. If you look on this one he does the same as well.
If he wanted an unbiased review, he should have taken the same model and given it to a neutral third party. His review can’t be trusted any more than the other guy’s, for the exact same reasons.
So no credit to him at all for getting the EXACT same gun, documenting everything that he did, and telling us the results instead of just going full keyboard-warrior and only defending from the comment section?
I’m a bit of a Hi Point fan boy. Had two of the older 45s that were metal frame. BIL still has one of them, and he loves it. Being from Ohio, I like that they are made in the middle of the state. Wish I could attest to their warranty, but of the 7 samples I’ve owned/own, I never needed it. A buddy bought the older 45s same time as me, and he had issues breaking the firing pin with his own reloads. He contacted the factory, told them he was capable of doing his own repairs, and they sent him half a dozen firing pins, and a free magazine for his trouble. I think the firing pin issue went away when the switched to polymer frames. I have two(C9 and a carbine) out on loan to my other BIL, and I love the JHP 45 that I currently have. You can over tighten the grip panels, and that will cause issues. Hi Point is one of the few companies who marketed to the less fortunate among us, and gave them a product worth the money. I guess that just an opinion, but it is biased by my own experiences with their guns.
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