Hi Point Carbine 995TS Review
After coming back from SHOT Show, Robert and Dan asked me what I wanted to review next. I thought it the perfect opportunity to chuck one of the commonly acknowledged “worst guns ever” under the bus: the Hi-Point 995TS Carbine. But it didn’t quite work out that way.
Thanks to the fine folks at Guns Warehouse in Cedar Park, Texas I was able to get my hands on a HPC fairly quickly. When they asked me what color I wanted, I replied “the worst looking thing you can possibly imagine.”
Hi-Point makes their gun in that exact color: a Realtree-esque hot pink camouflage pattern. The gun’s a little hard to see in these pictures; I’m not sure whether that’s the camo pattern working or just my brain trying to filter out the image to spare myself the psychological damage it causes.
When Guns Wharehouse called me to pick up the Hi-Point Carbine they could barely get two words out before they started laughing. Never mind. Giving customers what they want, even if it looks like my idea of unicorn diarrhea, is as American as apple pie.
The Hi-Point 995TS Carbine is a blowback operated, magazine fed semi-automatic rifle. It’s the simplest self-loading action possible. That makes the gun cheap to manufacture — and as clunky and heavy as a couple of my ex-girlfriends.
The rifle was designed specifically to beat the “assault weapons ban” put in place back in the 1990s; it uses a less than 10-round magazine located in the pistol grip (NOTE: 20 round magazines available upon request). That’s good if you worry about Dianne Feinstein using her rudimentary-at-best understanding of firearms to concoct more “common sense” gun control proposals, but terrible for those living in Free States who want a useful firearm.
Even with the specific goal of skirting the “assault weapons ban” Hi-Point didn’t have to make a terrible gun. With states like California and New York going “full retard” there’s been an influx of “ban compliant” versions of semi-auto rifles that, in general, don’t suck.
The Hi-Point 995TS Carbine, however, sucks. The safety is a flimsy lever on the left side of the receiver. It feels terrible, it’s difficult to operate and isn’t ambidextrous. The magazine release is a push button on the left hand side of the gun that takes some effort to hit.
The charging handle is a bolt screwed directly into the bolt carrier which reciprocates with every shot. And the trigger is as mushy as five-day-old bananas in a vat of congealed canola oil. In short, everything about the 995TS’s controls is terrible.
While the action may be simple the design is somewhat less so. Unlike the majority of firearms produced in my lifetime, the Hi-Point carbine requires a couple tools to properly take the gun down.
I suppose the reduced time and effort put into the gun’s design is passed along as savings to you, the customer. Then again while the design hasn’t changed much in decades, the Hi Point 995TS Carbine’s price has nearly tripled since it was first introduced. You have to think someone is buying these things.
So what has changed in the last few years? The “TS” model (shown here) features full-length rails along the top and bottom of the gun and a last round hold open feature for when the magazine runs dry. Progress!
I say it has full-length rails, but there’s a bit of an asterisk on that fact. The rail under the gun is much like a cheap 1950’s split-level house; things don’t necessarily line up.
Part of the Hi-Point’s rail is attached to the forward handguard (which in turn is attached to the barrel in a way that would make most precision rifle owners twitch uncontrollably). The other part is attached directly to the barrel (which should only exacerbate those tremors).
That rail space should be handy for…something, but definitely not holding the rifle. The Hi-Point’s hand guard is large to begin with and the rails don’t help the ergonomics. They’re made of plastic instead of metal — which is good for shooter comfort but terrible for accuracy, reliability or durability.
Up top, the 995TS ships with a set of adjustable iron sights. The is a fixed hooded post held in place by a single bolt. The rear peep sight assembly is bolted to the upper rail and adjustable for windage and elevation.
Under that rear sight assembly is a full-length rail of some sort. Giving the gun the benefit of the doubt I grabbed my Leupold scope and one-piece mount and headed to the range. That’s where the gun really disappointed me.
I had low expectations going in, but at the very least I figured Hi-Point would include a standard Picatinny rail since this is 2017, not 1997. Nope — it’s a Weaver rail. None of my optics fit.
At that point I was pretty satisfied that what I was holding was the worst firearm I had ever reviewed. All I needed to do was put some rounds through it, do some accuracy testing and call it a day. So I slapped the iron sights back on the rifle and took it to the deep end of the pool.
The laughs as I uncased my Hi-Point next to the row of Accuracy International and custom long range bolt guns were hearty and numerous. Nevertheless, I set up the rifle, loaded her up with some 9mm ammo, lined up the sights on the 250 yard steel plate and squeezed the trigger.
BANG!
*Ping*
I went through two boxes of 9mm ammo verifying that yes, the Hi-Point Carbine was in fact smacking the 250 yard steel plate with the kind of boring consistency that you’d expect from a much more expensive firearm. Another box of 9mm confirmed that the gun wouldn’t jam. Not even once.
At this point my day was well and truly ruined. I’d been looking forward to a truly vitriolic review of a supremely unattractive firearm. But my plan had been foiled thanks to its unexpected accuracy and reliability.
In short, the Hi-Point carbine works. It’s more than accurate enough for home defense situations (or even carbine competitions if you can find a bigger magazine). It’s reliable enough for the average shooter, and cheaper than the bar tab at the end of a good night.
Yes, there are far better firearms on the market than the Hi-Point carbine. But for the shooter on a budget this might not be a complete waste of money. Imagine that. But close your eyes first.
Specifications: Hi-Point Carbine
Caliber: 9mm NATO (as reviewed)
Barrel Length: 16.5”
Finish: Composite stock, hot pink camo (or black)
Weight: 6.25 Lbs.
Street Price: $319
Ratings (out of five stars):
Style and Appearance *
I mean, if you’re going all Austin Texas hipster and want an “ironic” terrible firearm this will fill that role perfectly. Otherwise I can make a more appealing firearm from scrap parts at Home Depot.
Reliability * * * * *
The good thing about a simple action is that there are very few things to go wrong. I shoved every type of ammo I could get my hands on into the chamber and it never failed to cycle.
Accuracy * * * *
Minute of skinny bad guy at 250 yards. For a cheap rifle that’s pretty close to perfect.
Overall * * *
Everything about this gun is terrible, from the aesthetics to the feel and function of the controls. But there’s no denying that it hits what you’re aiming at and doesn’t fail to go bang. The next comparable firearm is $200 more expensive. While it’s definitely worth the money for the upgrade those who are closely watching their money can rest assured that this gun will at least do what it says on the box.
Two actual gun reviews in as many days?!? Who are you and what have you done with the real TTAG crew?
I have one..agree with the article. Ugly, hard to maintain and clean, eats any ammo (haven’t tried Tull) goes bang each time and Promag makes a 15 rd mag. I also like the cool/scary butt ugliness! The only thing missing is a bayonet lug.
There’s some kind of rail thingy attached under the barrel – maybe you could get a bayonet lug printed from a 3D printer to match the rail and attach it there. It would be totally useless, of course, except that it would look like you had a cool bayonet lug. Be sure they use pink plastic in the printer.
Nah. Got some of the ugly duct tape from the depot to match the camo, then taped the spike bayonet from a Mosin underneath the fore grip. Oddly enough it looks like it belongs there.
Pro Mags are NOT recommended for the 995
Absolutely true. In fact, using Pro Mags is one of the few things that will actually void a High Point warranty.
There’s a new company (RedBallSports.net) that makes a 20-round mag that you can tell was made by welding together two 10-round mags. Needless to say, it looks awkward as hell but works without a single, nasty “F” such as an FTF, FTE, FTL or NFL (couldn’t resist!).
My major beef with the Chimp Carbine (as featured in the movie, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) is that I’m left-handed and all that GSR gets blown right into my grill.
My other beef is that it has all the ergonomics of a steel girder like the ones used to build Trump Tower. One bright spot to its less-than-svelte symmetry is if you ever get into a gun fight and run out of ammo, this is one firearm you can actually use to batter the crap out of bad guy.
Have never owned any type of Hi Point. But that being said, most of the folks that I have encountered who bad mouth them, have never actually shot them. I have only shot the HP9 and .380 and while I will keep my Glock, Ruger and 1911, the two HPs did what they were supposed to do. From what I have read online, the warranty is great too. They’re ugly and certainly aren’t the most ergonomic, but for what you pay and for what they do, hey, things could be worse.
Those of us fortunate enough to buy nicer firearms can laugh at them and look at them as a novelty at best, but for others who are less fortunate, they still have every right to defend themselves. Ugly but reliable is better than a baseball bat.
Yes, as a gun snob, I swore I wouldn’t touch a Hi Point. Then my dad bought one because it was, I dunno, $30 cheaper than a Taurus or SD9. Well, it worked as advertised, went bang, and shot on target if you adjusted the sights. My dad found the slide easier to rack than the Rugers and Smiths. And he’s cheap. But he won’t shoot it often, so there is that. Only problem is now he’s finding what a pain it is to disassemble.
Looks like it might be a reliable gun and a pretty good value. But when I looked at the videos of taking it apart my thoughts were “Wow, could this be any more complicated”. Guess if you don’t disassemble it that often it might be OK. But if you like to maintain your firearms but don’t want to take all day to do it that could be an issue with this rifle.
Is the gun you have a 995 carbine?
I have one and it has NO RECEIVER so I am looking for an unwanted Hi Point 995 to get the part so I can finish putting it together and register the gun.
I also have 3 hi point 380ACP and a 9mm pistol I will trade one for the 995
my father in law is cheaper than I am, and owns several hi points. you can talk as much trash about them as the day is long, but if there is one thing they have going for them, they just plain work.
I still can’t bring myself to own one, though.
I traded for one, just because I wanted a CQB-type rifle, that would take the same caliber as my handguns. The newer version is not at all hard to disassemble…..Bash them, if you must….Mine is as good a shooter as it can be. No FTF, FTE, or stovepipes, and it shoots anything I’ve fed it. I would not recommend the ProMags, as they’ve been found to be highly unreliable.
I AM fortunate enough to buy almost any gun I want. I stay that way, by not listening to all the hype about this gun is better than that one, and the more money you spend, the better the gun. I wouldn’t own a Kimber, if you gave it to me. I’ve owned Sigs, Rugers, Springfields, CZs, Taurus, and almost every handgun you can name. I shoot what works for me. And the 995TS has so far, performed reliably. It shoots to point of aim, has not jammed in 300 rounds of anything I’ve fed it.
I have also owned what is considered better firearms then the Hi Point, and to this day, still own some of them, but whenever I head out to do firewood, or to just walk my neighbors property, I have a tendency to grab my Hi Point 995. Just something about it makes me want to carry it more than my others. It bounces on the rack of my atv, gets smacked against trees when I’m tripping over rocks, and gets soaked when working in the rain, but it has never failed. The only thing I did to it is put a MFT (Mission First Tactical) light mount under the barrel with a Streamlight Pro Tac 2 CR123 on it for night use, and the only upgrade to the action will be the MCarbo spring and guide rod. Otherwise, I’m happy with the way it is for now!
Yep. While many people in the 60s wanted a car that would go fast, the lowly VW sold and was everywhere. We had reached a point in automotive tech that allowed a small car with an aircooled engine to be reliable and affordable. A HiPoint fills this need, even as a Chromebook fills the need of a laptop. No bells and whistles, just reliable function.
Isn’t that what it is all about?
I wonder if 50 years from now the lowely Hi-Point will be a “luxury” gun like somehow the VW has done with their vehicles.
hi point strikes again.
I love to hate on them but you can’t deny that they are actual, real, functional guns.
My thoughts exactly about mine.
I can deal with the charging handle, and I hate the safety. I hate the cheap magazines, and I despise that there are none available that hold 15 rounds. The good news is that the atrocious tear down procedure has only been used once.
However- a cheap red dot and some 9mm Frangible ammo is great fun on the indoor moving metal target range—and newbs love the thing. I’ve actually been happy with its accuracy and reliability.
No show but decent go. Cheap thrills. Appreciate it for what it is.
Don’t mess with Detroit Momma and her Hi Point.
http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/02/rifle-used-by-detroit-mom-to-defend-family-is-illegal-assault-weapon-in-ny/
And that’s what it’s all about. An inexpensive firearm that works great when you need it to, and enables the common people to defend themselves against the human trash that tries to prey on them. God bless American and God bless High Point. I have owned several over the years and own two now, along with all my high dollar guns.
Is the gun you have a 995 carbine?
I have one and it has NO RECEIVER so I am looking for an unwanted Hi Point 995 to get the part so I can finish putting it together and register the gun
I also have 3 hi point 380ACP and a 9mm pistol I will trade one for the 995
contact me if you have an interest
They look like the guns used in the original “planet of the apes”. Hell, they may end up being what we all use when the real planet of the apes happens and we are building these things in our garages.
I think I’ll be buildings Sten guns at that point.
Nick, how could you fail to mention the spring-loaded but plate that absorbs all the nasty recoil? We all know 9mm Luger kicks like a mule!
According to Hi-Point’s web site, their various camo colors are priced $58 higher than the black ones. Street price on the black one is around $260.
They are kind of a pain to take apart and reassemble. Seriously, I recommend watching a yootoob video or two on the subject. It’ll save you some time. The upside is they don’t need to be stripped down very often. Drag a bore snake through it periodically if it makes you feel better.
The plastic piece of rail on the underside of the handguard would be good for mounting a light. Otherwise it can be removed easily for superior ergonomics.
The trigger sucks. I’m waiting for Timney or Geissele to come out with a drop-in replacement.
This gun has two legitimate purposes:
1) Home defense for the economically disadvantaged
2) Ringing steel at 50 yards for the economically disadvantaged
And gun you can store in the truck and not worry about it if the truck falls in a ditch and catches fire…of rolls into the lake and sinks because your dumb cousin… Wait, that never happened.
Not owning one and only having touched one once, I would guess that #3 might be “a trunk gun that you really don’t care if it gets all scratched the F up.”
All of my guns qualify as “truck guns,” if not caring about scratches was the metric. I only own guns I plan to use and shoot. I don’t own safe queens.
I have one of their older versions in .40 and this review is what I expected.
Like a well used hooker she’s cheap and definitely not a looker but she’s utterly reliable at getting the job done.
I’ve put probably 5000 rounds through that thing without a hiccup and the accuracy is more than acceptable at the price point and for what it us. The only thing that sucks is the old stock will slap your cheek pretty hard, like the aforementioned hooker after you short her a $0.25, and it gives you a pretty good sting.
People will make fun of it unless they end up looking down the barrel.
FLAME DELETED
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I wasn’t trolling TTAG.
Just pointing out that this review followed the same form as 99% of Hi Point online reviews.
Editorial staff will delete disparaging remarks about a review, but not racist, misogynist, or bigoted nonsense? Color me surprised.
Please direct me to the comments that are overtly racist, bigoted or mysogyistic. I must have missed them.
Like this one, perhaps?
“Like a well used hooker she’s cheap and definitely not a looker but she’s utterly reliable at getting the job done.”
Now, I suppose it *could* not be misogynistic since you were advocating for hooker equality in earnings, I suppose…
🙂
90% of Stoney’s comments are offensive in that vein, and there are times when powerserge is really on a rip about killing all the Muslims. That’s the two easiest, right-off-the-top-of-my-head examples I can come up with. C’mon…. you know exactly the kind of commentary I’m talking about. Geoff mentioned another one, and that one’s right here on this page.
You’re quoting me so let me explain something to you that apparently your English teacher did not.
Misogynistic is an adjective which is defined as “strongly prejudiced against women”, “a hatred of women” or it can be a noun which is defined as “a person who hates, dislikes, mistrusts, or mistreats women”.
None of those things apply to that comment at all. You can’t just make up new definitions of words and then use that to accuse people of things. Was that joke perhaps offcolor or in poor taste? Sure. Misogynistic, no.
Alright, fine. How about half the comments when Tipton or Liberte post? Seems like we could all just be mature adults and do without off-color or crude commentary. My wife refuses to visit this site anymore because of half the shit people say here. And she’s not the kind of woman I’d call “sensitive” to that.
My first handgun was a Hi-Point C9. I chose it because it was cheap at $125 (very slightly used) and I didn’t want to invest much until I knew if I would shooting and owning handguns. It was ugly and heavy but reliable and accurate. It led me to buying a bunch of handguns ranging from tiny to full size 1911s. I wanted to buy a Hi-Point long gun but I didn’t because they are ugly and have a limited ammo capacity. For function, I would not hesitate to buy a Hi-Point but I have “graduated” to a collection of Ruger, Smith and Wesson, RIA and Mossberg among others.
The carbines are OK. The pistols are junk. Yeah I had one. Jamomatic and craptastic. At least you could throw it and hurt a badguy?
Non-reciprocating boomerang!
Q: What does an Australian Aborigine call a boomerang that doesn’t come back?
A: A stick.
The *perfect* gun to own when the gun confiscation starts… 🙂
They are also quite nice to have on hand if someone you care for needs a gun and needs it *NOW*.
And if you don’t get it back, who cares?
(About that color, Nick? It matches your eyes. Eyes bloodshot from a hangover and on acid, that is…) 🙂
High Tower Armory is coming out with a bullpup kit for it that doesn’t look horrible.
Depending on how much of the gun comes off, that’d be a great way to transition it to Glock or even 1911 mags (depending on feasibility). I don’t know enough about them to know if that’s a complete pipe dream or not- 300 glock mag carbine after a kit? Drool
I’ve been thinking about buying one in 45 and getting that stock, check a bullpup and 45 carbine off my list for around $500.
I love me some BullPups. I installed Shernic on one of my SKSs, and it works great.
Anyone know if the bolt handle is still a bolt? Does the stock alter that? Having a big-ass reciprocating metal thing right next to your face might be a problem.
from the pictures, it looks like they relocated it further forward, but i can’t say for sure.
Upon further inspection, front mounted, ambi compatible, non-reciprocating charging handle. Super simple takedown compared to stock. They have a good video on their webpage.
I have the Hightower kit for the 10/22 (looks like a PS-90) so I will be looking into this Hi-Point kit of which you speak… er, type?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V0in7gwNrc
A lady friend has an older version of this carbine in 9mm. She asked me to take a look at it, and the thing was filthy! So I cleaned it up and we took it and a couple of my rifles to the range.
I agree completely with this review. Cheap and poorly designed, but somehow it functions. If I were the kind of person to throw a carbine in the boat or truck and leave it there I would seriously consider getting one. Until then not so much.
Charlie
Is the gun you have a 995 carbine?
I have one and it has NO RECEIVER so I am looking for an unwanted Hi Point 995 to get the part so I can finish putting it together and register the gun
I also have 3 hi point 380ACP and a 9mm pistol I will trade one for the 995
Well…my friends have always said I liked fugly women’s…and the Hi-Point carbine is no exception. I have one and I like how it looks. Fun gun to shoot. Wouldn’t stake my life on it though. Perfect vehicle gun…
Years ago I bought one of the .45 pistols for when I had to work in more questionable neighborhoods(didn’t want my nice pistol lost to evidence from some crackhead) First time with it at buddies range I took aim at the 50 yard gong and(with him laughing hysterically in the background) I proceed to ring that 12 inch plate of steel 9 times. First to admit, I’m not that good of a shot. It’s cheap, accurate and reliable. It rides with me to this day, every day. I got one of the carbines just for fun. I don’t know about taking it apart to clean them, I just hit with a good blast of clp, compressed air, a few patches down the pipe, more clp and more air, wipe it out with a rag. If it ever stops I’ll just ship it Ohio like my local range did(after 20,000+ rounds using my cleaning method!) and it will come back good as new.
Red Ball makes a Hi-Point approved 20 round magazine for this gun – and it works.
I have these in 9, 40 & 45 for no other reason they’re cheap, fun to shoot, shoot well & have a lifetime guaranty that allows you to ship back to “mother” for repairs, which are free, and receive a free mag from mom on return. Biggest hassle is takedown for the occasional deep cleaning but for the price, it’s hard to find complaint beyond the cosmetics.
I owned a HP Carbine in the 90s, and traded it away. Kinda regret it honestly, they’re a lot better guns than you’d think. I will admit I’d love to have one with a double stack in the grip though.
If HI POINT would make the with a double stack mag they wouldn’t be able to crank them out fast enough!
“Ha ha ha Hi-Point! What a laugh, look at the popes and the guns they must buy. I shal touch it if I must sully myself for the sake of a review and I’m sure it will be as gauche as the price insists that it must be.
“It is indeed ugly and not hand fitted, just as I suspected.
“It functions flawlessly and is incredibly accurate endofreviewthankyouverymuch.”
Swarf’s generic Hi Point review.
Occasionally the reviewer will also torture test them, generally first with tortures that usually tend to make firearms in general fail or become inconsistent, generally when that fails to do much, if anything, they move on to the truly fantastic, and, finally, when that fails to do much more, they move onto “let’s drill random holes in it or press it in a 20-ton press” to (sometimes) make it fail. Generally, if they publish this part, it gives the impression that these things are immune to rugged use. Cons: Ugly, unergonomic (both largely opinions, that will vary from person to person) Pros: reliable and inexpensive as all hell (both fairly empirical traits).
This review had one thing very unique about it, however; I have not seen a review that rated any hi-point as accurate; usually they are rated kinda middle of the road; not terrible, but also not great. Apparently Nick got a good shooter.
….and the firing pin doubles as the ejector….
You disassemble them? Two, three thousand rounds, send it back for Hi-Point to do it. Other than that, a blast of air to the innards, a rag down the barrel, maybe a little oil, and that’s it.
Ugly? Clunky? Yes. Goes BANG when you pull the trigger? Definitely. What else do you want?
Ugly, cheap and reliable?
I don’t know why so many people hate on Hi Point for being such, when in the next conversation they’re bragging on their AK-series rifle, which is every bit as ugly, perhaps not quite as cheap here in the US as it is in DirkaDirkaDirkastan, and just as reliable.
I’ve helped HP carbine owners strip their guns for cleaning. They’re not finely finished firearms, to be sure, but they fit a price point, and they don’t pretend to be something they’re not… you don’t see Hi Point peddling such twaddle as “Perfection!,” now do you?
That price point, I will NB, would be lower if Nick hadn’t been such a Bronie in choosing the paint scheme.
And, BTW, the majority of firearms produced in your lifetime do need a tool to detail strip. Let’s start with the Glock, for example. If you don’t have a punch (ie a “Glock disassembly tool”), you’re not going to get the slide detail stripped.
One of the few commonly used firearms that needs no outside tools to detail strip is a 1911, in original military form (ie, with slotted screws on the grip panels) – and it was designed over a century ago to strip without tools.
“…One of the few commonly used firearms that needs no outside tools to detail strip is a…”
Ruger Security Six series and the newer Go/SP series as well. Yes, they are revolvers and have only been around since the last century, but since when is a 6-shot .357 inferior to a .45?
You are absolutely correct. I forgot all about the Security Six – I’ve been forgetting the Security Six a lot lately, which isn’t fair to a very well engineered revolver. Just as with the 1911, you start with the rim on a cartridge case to pull the grip screw.
I guess I’ve been thinking overly much about the new GP100 in .44 Special. My only beef with .357’s is how loud they are, and they light up my tinnitus, even when I’m wearing plugs and muffs.
“…light up my tinnitus…”
Wudjasay? Huh?
For me, it’s “Ruger uber alles” (or something like that. Have owned Colt and Smith and Dan Wesson, but nothing shoots like a Ruger. OK, I admit to being a bit silly (comes with old age, I’m told). Still, love my Rugers.
got a high point 40 cal, the rear sight, same you got on that one is beyond horrible, even with factory replacement sight you can’t hit a thing, its way off. if you own a high point don’t buy ammo just throw it at the target you’ll have better accuracy.
Yep. In today’s world, it’s always something or someone else’s fault. I once thought the same thing about a gun until a friend shot it and proved the gun was fine and it was me.
I would wager that your front sight is what’s off. It can, on older models, be rotated out of alignment with the rear sight and there is play in their vertical positioning as well. In effect this means that three things can go wrong.
If the sights are set correctly on a Hi-Point they are surprisingly accurate little guns. Beer can sized targets at 100 yards without a problem all day.
My 995TS in 9mm, (I traded for it, so it was used) didn’t have the iron sights. I stuck a cheap A1 red dot on it. Easy to adjust, and I was shooting about 3 inch groups at 100 feet. I can accept that for a CQB firearm. Coupled with my Anderson AR-15, it should do the job
Is there a need for a pistol caliber carbine? I know they’re super cool and that I want one, but is there a need?
When I couldn’t afford a AR, yes, there was a need.
Yes. It’s good to be able to buy one size ammo that fits both our handgun and your rifle. I have 3 rifles and two handguns that shoot 22 but 2 other rifles shoot rifle only rifle ammo that won’t fit my other handguns.
WTF¿!
Are you into firearms?
YES. There is a need…
HP 9/40/45
Berreta CX4 9/40/45
Sub2000 9/40 (S&W/glock/)
Rossi .357/.38
…are all good starting points.
As an owner of the later two, I can guarantee you giggles, smiles, and grins for EVERY PERSON that shoots them.
HP 9 or 45 is in my future.
BTW- The Sub2000 .40 w/ a can is the cat’s pajamas.
Use as directed.
I get the whole “I need candy and that’s a responsibility” thing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKniBGX23zc
Your point seems to be my point of they’re super cool and I want them. I’ve got two pistol caliber carbines on my list right now. On the lever action 357/38, I haven’t decided whether to go gate loaded or tube loaded.
The lack of a need (or at least good reason besides fun) just means other things come first. Things that have a need/good reason and are fun.
Honestly, I don’t need another gun. My firearms needs are pretty well covered. If I was totally focused on utility, I would be stockpiling ammo, reloading components, and other supplies and developing skills in more structured manner before spending money on guns I don’t “need.”
I see the pistol caliber carbines, the semi autos at least, as filling a definate need. If you need a decent house gun and can’t handle the recoil of a shotgun, elderly folks or people with disabilities come to mind, a pistol caliber carbine with a decent mag capacity seems to be the ticket.
Those of us in the urban sprawl may not want to use full powered rifle cartridges.
That seems like an actual need.
Another reason I tend to prefer PCCs as an HDW vs an AR is a simple physics principle: Energy expulsion into a target. Ideally, you want 100% of your bullet’s energy dumped into the target, otherwise, it’s at best wasted as it passes through, and at worse, it continues travelling and injures someone located BEHIND that target. Exit wounds are lost energy. And opportunities for disaster.
Couple a PCC with Hydra-Shoks or other good frangible ammunition like Glasers, and you have the perfect little tool for home defense: something that will take down your target, but won’t go through them and injure someone else.
The last thing I want is to have to defend myself and family, only to find out that by doing so I killed an innocent person in the neighborhood…
It’s the cheapest rifle you can buy, and it eats some of the cheapest ammo on the market, as well.
“That’s all that I can afford” is a perfectly valid reason, and you’d be surprised how often it applies. It’s just that many of those people don’t hang out on gun forums.
Being all you can afford is a good justification for any firearm that goes bang, but most pistol caliber carbines are not cheap. All Hi-Points are cheap. Most pistol caliber carbines cost more than most of my rifles, and I don’t have anything that is bottom of the barrel. I don’t have anything that is top of the line either. Most cheap rifles are accurate and reliable enough for my purposes. The only equipment failures I’ve ever had with rifles were .22 ammo that failed.
The point about cheap ammo only makes sense when you can’t get .22lr.
Serious question: would 147gr 9mm be noticeably quieter out of a carbine length barrel than a supersonic load?
I’ve read that out of a handgun, it makes no appreciable difference.
Wait, these things are over $300 now? I’ve had one for years that I got a a gun show for $75 new. It was a “for shits and giggles” buy, but it really is pretty darn accurate. Its been collecting dust for a long time. Maybe I should sell it and at least double my money, haha.
Is the gun you have a 995 carbine?
I have one and it has NO RECEIVER so I am looking for an unwanted Hi Point 995 to get the part so I can finish putting it together and register the gun
I also have 3 hi point 380ACP and a 9mm pistol I will trade one for the 995
“it uses a less than 10-round magazine located in the pistol grip ”
What’s a less than 10-round magazine? Nine? Eight? The fact is that both the 9mm and .40 HP Carbine have a 10 round magazine.
There are so many aftermarket accessories you could go nuts. Like in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD5rI7z1Eyw
And the Red Ball magazines are a game changer in competition see here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzY_e_zaaNA
You fellas don’t suppose the “TS” designation is an inside joke at Hi Point, do you?
When I first got into guns, I bought a Hi-Point because someone made, and I bought, a stock which looked like a Beretta CX-4 Storm. (Then I bought a real Beretta Storm, but that’s a different story.) I liked the ‘Point, but MINE had magazine issues. It was VERY picky about magazines. Once I found ones that worked, I marked the others and kept them away from the gun and was happy… but I never did fully trust the thing to go “bang” every time. I wound up selling it because of the aforementioned Beretta, and my trust issues. So, having said all of that, I will never bad-mouth a Hi-Point, except to relate what I’ve just told y’all, and am considering buying another… especially now that I have learned about the Hightower Armory Bullpup kit!
I have an old one in .40 S&W. I can consistently ring a small steel target at 100 yards. However, I just do not trust the magazines. Early on, I had several FTFs. Since then, I have tweaked the magazines and (knock on wood) have not had any FTFs in awhile. For that reason only, it is not a go to home defense weapon for me.
Since I started working at my friend’s gunshop, I have a whole new respect for Hi Points. We cannot get them in fast enough and I have yet to hear a single complaint from a customer about one malfunctioning. People LOVE these things! And not just people who can only afford them either. I have sold carbines to people I have previously sold H&K, Beretta and Kimber handguns to. Seems everyone wants to know if the hype is real. We haven’t had a single one come back as a trade or for repair either.
A lot of commenters here apologizing for their Hi-Point purchases: “Well I didn’t have money at the time…” etc. But I proudly proclaim that the Hi-Point 995TS is one of my most favorite firearm purchases. It’s an enjoyable, reliable firearm. I’m not inclined to comment about my other guns to somehow appease those who think “Well that must be the only firearm you own, peasant!” We are people of the gun. When did we stoop to being ashamed of a gun?
To Mr. Leghorn, I appreciate your strain to give this gun praise. That’s a tough row to hoe in some forums.
These guns get better the more rounds you put through them. Out of the box they tend to have problems related to the lack of polishing done in manufacturing. Example: Bent firing pins are a too common problem related to uneven finish in the firing pin hole. Break the gun down, polish the hole and all is well. Don’t touch the ramp. The coating is there to protect the porous and soft casting used to make the ramp. Like I said, shoot the crap out of it and polish the inside the easy way or break it down, go through the gun DIY. I keep one of these handy for visiting friends to carry.
I’ve owned a JHP and 45 carbine for a couple of years now. I purchased the JHP as my first semiauto pistol to see if I would like shooting them. I’m a wheel gun guy but after shooting a couple hundred rounds through it I found that I liked it so I bought the carbine. I was looking for a pistol/rifle caliber combo. While they aren’t pretty they have never failed to fire or feed. Laugh at them if you wish but in a self defense situation I’m sure my Hi Points won’t fail me. They shoot everything put in the mag without question. Cleaning my be a little complicated but after over 2000 rounds through them both a quick spray with Break Free is all it needs. You don’t have to tear them down after each trip to the range to keep them running.
I hear people talk crap about HP all the time. Most are people who’ve never shot one, the rest are people who can be bothered to read the “manual”. It’s a single page fer cryin’ out loud. They DON’T take after market mags other than Red Ball. You DON’T clean them all the time, every 2500 rounds is just fine. If you’re in the field for a long time, Pee down the barrel, and wash it out in the creek. Think of them as America’s AK. I’ve got lot’s of guns, have for nearly 70 years. Are HPs purty – no. They are accurate and tough as hell. I’ve got friends like that, I trust my HPs too.
This review is trash-first of all you want to say highpounts are ugly, ok they are-but then you ask for one painted ugly as well. If you paint a Glock same color would also look like shit.
Then your weird, should I say: “sense of humor” (?) /personality…this is not good for reviews. People want to know what others think about the gun, not about your day…
Please get it together and if youre going to write a long boring review at least get to the point-the highpoint..
Worst Review Ever.
If you count ugly as a negative on a gun (which I don’t, since I don’t buy guns for cuteness), and you don’t factor ‘cheap’ as a negative (again, not a criteria for whether a gun is good or bad), then I suppose the 995TS is just exactly what you might want in ANY gun. Reliable, accurate and fun to el-shoot-o.
Not sure what all the hate is about. It is NOT a $600 carbine. It does however, put 2 inch groups @ 50 meters all day long. Gun snobs have been hating on high point for years. It isn’t as pretty as the yuppy ar 15’s that a bunch of wanna be’s like to prance around at gun clubs with. Yeah it is a bit heavy, but I do not find it awkward. As for pretty? Who gives a f-ck? If your gun club is more like a fashion show, then you are hanging out with the wrong people. Last I checked, when I aim and squeeze, the end result is favorable. Isn’t that what really matters? Granted, the 45 handgun makes a better paperweight than carry weapon. That being said, modern year high point weapons do the job. A gun is a tool, and this one gets the job done.
Ok, all this hype about the Hi-Point (995TS), we just had to go out and get a couple to find out what they’re all about. We usually like Ruger, Smith, HK, etc, snob rifles, but had to try to beat up some HP’s. Generally, HP pistols are crap, but we have surprisingly developed a different opinion of the 995TS/9mm.
We bought two off-the-shelf standard no frills models, and added only a $50 foregrip with a bipod. We picked up 20 Redball 20 round magazines, and 10,000 rounds of standard, medium quality 9mm Luger ammo from MagTech.
First off, we completely disasembled them (which was considerably more tedious than most other carbines), inspected, and reassembled. Amazingly out-of-the-box, they were very clean. All of the components were intact, smooth, and appeared well made (no dings, burrs, rough or sharp edges, and no “blims” or discolorations of any of the parts).
We have an indoor range, so our max distance is only 75 yards. Initially, 5-shot groupings were at about 3 inchs. After 1000 rounds in each gun, that consistantly became less than 2 inch groupings. Reducing the range to 50 yards, we could almost put all 5 shots in the same hole. No question, these guns are accurate. Better ammo, you could probably do even better.
Stress & Durability: We spent 3 days burning thru 5000 rounds in each gun. We had one stovepipe in one gun, and two FTF’s in the other (we’re thinking, probably due to the ammo itself), out of the entire 10,000 rounds. Yes, they ran a bit hot, they got a little dirty, but these HP’s just wouldn’t fail!
For brevity, we’ll just say the post-test disassembly and inspection showed no damage, and very little wear. The HP 995TS is accurate, durable, and dependable, and we only paid $269 for each one, but I think I heard Hi-Point is going to be knocking $20-$30 off dealer cost for 2018.
Yep, have one about two years now. No fte’s or ftf’s. Goes bang with every pull of the trigger. I have about a thousand rounds thru it using the Red Ball 20 round mags. It is as accurate as any high dollar gun I have. Had two friends shoot it and now either have one or getting one. They say you point and shoot and it hits exactly where you point it. I don’t get the ergonomics thing. Feels reasonably comfortable to everyone who shot mine and the accuracy is fantastic. No, it’s not a Rolex, it’s a Timex, but they both do the job.
I realize I’m very late to the party since this was posted over a year ago, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask a question here. I’ve been looking for a cheap “get home” gun to keep in the car for emergencies when I’m out and about and this seems to fit my needs perfectly. There’s only one small hitch: here in California that pistol grip is a huge no-no. Short of that hideous kydex grip-wrap, are there any aftermarket featureless stocks I could throw on this thing to make it CA compliant?
Your first mistake is living in California in the first place, sorry. Just move a few hundred miles to a state that obeys the Constitution, problem (well multiple problems solved really) and you won’t have to kiss Califuckya’s ass anymore.
Bunch of uneducated idiots using dictionary definitions to argue rhetorical points. What did you guys drop out of the 9th grade?
I have one & the only real complaint I have is that as far as I am concerned it is impossible to take down. I did buy the two magazine holder that fits on the stock so I can have three loaded magazines available. One of their offices is located just a short distance from where I have perhaps as many as sixty relatives buried so if I ever have any problems with them they will have to deal with the zombies.
Is the gun you have a 995 carbine?
I have one and it has NO RECEIVER so I am looking for an unwanted Hi Point 995 to get the part so I can finish putting it together and register the gun
I also have 3 hi point 380ACP and a 9mm pistol I will trade one for the 995
I’ve had mine a45acp carbine for about two months. I took off the stock sights and put on a longer ALM, 1913 rail with magpul flip up sights and a extended charging handle all for around $150.00 . With a 2” high zero and around 300+ rounds ball and JHP no failures at all . At my O (25 yds) with different ammo my best 3rd group was 1/2” The biggest = 2” with the avg. being group = 11/2”. Shoots great at 50/100 yds but just shooting steel for fun. I bought this gun for a truck-gun because of $ and have not regretted it !!! Will be mounting a red-dot also .even with a couple of add on’s $ good luck finding a cheaper 45acp carbine !!! A trigger job is also going to take it to full potential. Yes l would use this for self-defense as for looks take a good look in the mirror! Just like an AR-15 there’s plenty of cosmetic changes you can do , your $ your changes .
The Hipoint carbine may not be the best looking gun made but it is about as dependable as it gets. Not to mention the fact that it has a lifetime gaurantee no matter if you are the original owner or not. This little ugly duckling has without a doubt closed a few mouths and opened a few eyes. It is the #1 best bang for buck gun you can buy without a doubt. The first generation hipoint carbine was the ugliest gun ever made but the current gen is not so bad. It is a fantastic weapon and if ever needed for protection it will not fail. What more can you ask when life is on the line.
I bought a Hi-Point 995 P.O.S. w/2 20 rd clips, and the standard 10 rd that came with it. ALL 3 of the clips failed to load. After some fudging around, they still failed to load, then load halfway and JAM. I got a couple of clips off finally, and at 25 yds. was hitting dead center!! If I can get it to load, it might not be too bad of a P.O.S.
The Hi-Point folks will repair the problem for nothing AND generally they send it back (quickly) with a extra clip or two Free of Charge.
You definitely have a problem gun, they work flawlessly if not homely, butt ugly and otherwise yuk. On the range however they shut up na-sayers pretty quick. I can stay 1.5 MOA at 300 yards, well beyond the guns intent. And you can run +P+ without fear. And you can send it to them without receipt or you being the original owner. About as good as it gets.
Is the gun you have a 995 carbine?
I have one and it has NO RECEIVER so I am looking for an unwanted Hi Point 995 to get the part so I can finish putting it together and register the gun
I also have 3 hi point 380ACP and a 9mm pistol I will trade one for the 995
or buy at a low price so I get the receiver.
“Everything about this gun is terrible…”
Then why 5 stars for reliability and 4 stars for accuracy-?
The prettiest gun out there isn’t worth a Tinker’s fart if it jams and is inaccurate. That’s like a beauty queen who can’t cook, won’t do laundry, and doesn’t like to…well…you know.
Folks need to remember that good looks are not synonymous with good performance.
Otherwise, let’s give an M3 “Grease Gun” or a Sten SMG a performance review based on looks.
I`ve owned a 995TS for about a year and a half and find that it is usually more accurate and dependable than the person shooting it. I highly favor Ruger firearms but there is absolutely nothing to be gained in bashing another company just because they are different and less expensive. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned here! Lloyd Lamb
Own two 995’s for some time now. First one broke in after about 200 rounds, second one about 350 rounds. After that reliability is 98% and accuracy is great. I use 20 round mags.
I let friends and others fire them at the range and they call it point and click or bang… it’s great at accuracy. You point the 995, it’s hits the target. There is a video of a woman from Michigan who actually defended her home and children with a 995. HiPoint has let people on limited income exercise their 2A rights. Seems like people fall for mob mentality kicking an American company trying to let people with limited income to defend their families and themselves. Lifetime Warranty.
My wife has arthritis in her hands and cannot work the slide on the Glock she had. Any comments on whether she would be able to work the bolt on these carbines?
I still have an old Haskell 45(Haskell later changed name to hi point) that I bought off my bricklayer 25 years ago for $40. First pistol I’d ever handled so I didn’t really realize how ugly and awkward it was. Over the years I’ve popped off thousands of cheap rounds through it and it has never had a single failure of any kind. I’ve swabbed the barrel and lubed it but never an extensive cleaning. It collected dust in the truck glovebox for years,spent some years under the seat getting even dirtier. I’d get it out occasionally and wipe it off,shoot a couple hundred rounds and then throw it in a drawer and forgot about it till the next time when it would come out and function without flaw again. I’ve always liked guns and have acquired many over the years. I still have that gun because it’s kinda sentimental and also because it’s worthless as far as a monetary standpoint. I wouldn’t buy a hipoint now because I’ve been lucky enough to be in a position that I can afford the nicer firearms that one would like to collect or pass down but that doesn’t mean that I would feel disadvantaged with that gun if my life depended on it. I know when the triggers pulled it will do what it’s supposed to do. For anyone on a budget who wants a firearm that’s dependable you can’t go wrong with a hipoint in my opinion
I have to laugh at the review because most if it is kinda true.
First off get it in black not pink–trust me on this one.
And invest in the 20 rd Red Ball mags. And a red dot.
Its heavy, but so is an AR-10 loaded with 30 rounds. Ditto a fully loaded 12 ga.
The gun takes abuse like a sadist, and doesn’t even moan. Yeah you need tools to clean it–it is a bit of a btych, but so what. Point is it is accurate as all get out, reliable beyond “GREAT and mine cost $236.99 in 2018. It comes with the tools necessary to break it down, one 10 rd clip and a sling with swivels. I own it because I let “I don’t own a gun and I am thinking” shoot it. And with no budget they can afford it and join the 2A family.!!!!
I own a Hi-Point AR-15 (which I don’t think they make anymore as I can’t seem to find them on their web site) and my wife owns a 995. She loves it. Shoots when you want it to. I currently own, and have owned, an number of different brands of guns. These things just work.
The last time my wife and I went shooting, we were standing next to a couple. She was shooting a Sig 9MM pistol, and did not like the kick. I let her try my wife’s 995. After some trepidation, she tried it. After she finished, she turned to her husband and said “I love that gun.” He said he didn’t like Hi-Points. She then turned back to him and said “I Love That Gun!” He then turned to me and asked “What model is that?” Smart man!!!
OK, in contrast to this review, most of the newer ones are much more positive. I just bought one, mainly for the price and the good recent reviews of the TS model. Well, my friend has a Beretta CX4 Storm. He had some old cheap ammo we used at the range. I’m half blind (really; I have to use a mirror because of my poor right (shooting) eye vision), and haven’t shot in years and was never very good, but I almost matched him on the targets. Better yet, he was having all kinds of misfires with his gun, which hated the old cheap ammo. I didn’t have a single misfire. He had to buy range ammo just to keep up with me. We traded and I didn’t think his felt or shot any better. He paid more than 2x what I paid and had to wait at least a month for his (could have been longer, he wouldn’t really say), got his wife mad because of what he paid, got her madder when he added a couple things to it, and was afraid to tell me what he paid – while I got mine the same day I wanted it from a local dealer, and it was so cheap my wife didn’t even notice. And I really like the looks and feel, in addition to the shooting and accuracy.
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