Back in the day, I couldn’t afford a Porsche. Or a BMW. Or a Ferrari. Sad to say, I drove a Ford Pinto station wagon. With Pirelli P3 tires. And various handling and engine upgrades. Mods that turned a car famous for exploding in read-end collisions into . . . a reasonable-handling Ford Pinto station wagon. After that, I upgraded to a Mazda RX-4. All the while knowing that nothing I could do short of total reinvention would make either car what I wanted it to be: a Porsche, BMW or Ferrari. And then, even if I had, it would have cost so much time and money that I’d wonder why I hadn’t just bought the real thing. Eventually I did. Which is the same reason neither I, nor anyone in their right mind, would ever spend $4300 transforming a Hi-Point into a competition GLOCK, Springfield or Wilson Combat killer. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

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87 COMMENTS

  2. “I may have to ditch the 1911 and go to this platform!”

    You do that, Scruffy McBallcap, but since I don’t have the hindrance of being a colossal imbecile, I’d rather just take that $4300 and buy two STI Eagle competition 1911s.

  3. That’s called dedication. To what, I’m not sure, but it’s certainly dedication. Love how the sight is 4″ above the bore.

  4. You are kidding me? right?

    After all that milling, and reworking, that is no longer a hi point.

  6. How many cuts did they have to do in filming that to get those mag dumps to work without a problem or three?

    I had one back in the day (paid $89 for it, new). Keyholed at 10 yards. Malfunction/stoppage every couple of mags. Sold it.

    Seen some in classes over the years. Usually their owners are using our (free) loaner guns for the rest of the class after a few PITA malfunctions in their hi points.

    I will say some of the newer guns have survived the entire class without too many problems, which is far better than they used to be. (One was owned by a very attractive 6′ blonde girl – yes, she was and remains single – that she got as a gift from a boyfriend… guess he couldn’t afford to get her a Glock.)

    One of the guys at GunNuts ran a 2200 rounds through a Hi Point 9 and had a malfunction (he called most of them “stoppages”, but if it doesn’t go bang, it’s a malf in my book) every 28 rounds, on average.

    http://gunnuts.net/2012/10/11/the-hi-point-challenge-completed/

    Not something I’m going to spend a $100 on, much less $4500?

    Oh, hell no.

    John

  8. I noticed the original high point went “bang.”
    For $130, that’s a good start. I didn’t but a Camry to go racing. I bought it because it works when I need it. Same deal.

  10. I’ll take an RX-4 over a Hi-Point any day of the week. My mom used to drive one back in the early 80’s and being driven to kindergarten in what sounded like a million angry bees was insta-cool. The fact that she loved to spin the tires in the upshift to second was the cherry on the cake. I miss both of them. That red RX-4 and my mom.

  11. How can you NOT want the custom Hi Point? Not another competition piece out there offers “total force construct domination”!

    The Dynamic Pie Concepts guys put out some incredibly funny stuff – it’s worth browsing through their channel on YouTube.

  12. I think the point is, “If we can make even a Hi-point this awesome, then imagine what we could do with yours!”

    Not a bad piece of marketing really.

    edit: wait, is it a riff on Salient Arms?

  13. “Because I can” is often reason enough for hobby-like activities.

    Not to be confused – although it often is – with either “because I should” or “because it makes sense.”

    • “To see if I can” is often the best reason. If it ain’t fun, why bother?

      Besides, it’s a conversation starter, as the message board attests.

      From what I’ve heard about hi-points, the problem all these people seem to be having with various malf issues may have to do with the ammo they’re feeding the pistol. Hi-Points use a straight blowback action and are rated for +P ammo (all of them, even the .45ACP). Feed them anything that’s not spicy enough, and you’ll start seeing a decrease in reliability (Had the same issue handloading for .45ACP, with a load that didn’t reliably cycle the action in my 1911). Either switch to a lighter recoil spring or a +P load and tell me if they’re still malfy.

    • As soon as I saw the “Dynamic Pie Concepts” logo it was clear.

      Love those guys. Hilarious.

    • No. I’ve seen some people actually criticizing the wisdom of upgrading a Hi-Point and the techniques on the video. Others have asked where they can pick one up. So no, some people aren’t getting it.

    • I didn’t get it at first. I got the joke about the Hi-point pretty quickly, but I thought the upgrade was outlandish enough that Salient AI was actually behind it. It took me a minute to realize that it was a poke at them both. When I look back at it the thing about their proprietary unobtainium barrel coating (gold paint) and .08 lb/1mm trigger pull that much funnier. I didn’t even notice the giant EOtech sight slapped on the sight at the end until later.

      I’ve never seen Dynamic Pie Concepts videos before, I’m going to go look at some of their other ones.

  18. My dad had the .45 ACP version of the Hi-Point. He said “it kicks like a pissed-off mule.” That’s because it’s a BLOWBACK! (Or is that “throwback?”)

    • That’s why I love my little Armscor 1911. 1911 class, 1911 recoil, less than twice the cost of a hi-point .45

  19. The ridiculousness of that video’s thumbnail precludes me from watching it. Can anyone tell me if its funny enough to be worth watching?

  20. first gun i ever bought was a high point pistol. accurate enough for a beginner…when it actually fired and didn’t jam up. soon as i got in a better financial situation i hocked it and used the $$ to buy something nicer.

    the hipoint carbine on the other hand…very happy with that for the $200 it cost me.

  22. Never had a hipoint handgun, but I do still own one of the fugly 9mm carbines. That thing is a blast and a half. The mags function fine after a little break in, even the 15 round promags. Added a cheap ebay aimpoint, that cost me 20 bucks (a real aimpoint, just older than dirt), and everybody loves to shoot it. Clay pigeons are great reactive targets at 50 yards, and there are plenty free ones lying around from the sporting clays guys.
    No, I would never give up my 1911 or my Glock 19 for one, but they have their place in the world. Poor people need protection too.

  27. The incredulous reactions to spending $4300 on a hi-point makes me think not everyone is familiar with Dynamic Pie and their body of work…

    • I’m guessing it’s some comedy “troupe” that basically does for gun culture what Dilbert does for office work.

  28. You know, every once in a while, I’ll go into a gun shop and go “Eh. Hi-point. $127. Sh*ts n’ giggles, why not.”

    Then I pick it up, hold it, compare its balance and feel to that of an electric drill (the electric drill wins) and kinda go “nope. nope. Not even for sh*ts n’ giggles.”

    • If you are concerned about confiscations one day, it is a great gun to turn over to the “authorities” when they knock on your door.

  29. Ah, Hi Points. The gun most likely to show up at a crime scene. The evidence lockers are filled with those things in Detroit.

    • If it weren’t for Hi-Points, what would Rahmbo and McStreetlights put on the table when they show off the confiscated guns in Chiraq? Never mind that it’s probably the same ones every time. . .

  30. Have the carbine. Love it. I’m embarresed to admit, but I’m sure I’ll buy the pistol one day too…..just for funsiesm

  31. I got one quite a few years ago just to see how good or bad it could be. $120 new at Ace Hardware in Overton, NV wan’t bad, I had the money, and I’d lost more than that in a night of gambling so it really wouldn’t be a big loss if it turned out to be crap. It’s jammed a couple of times, but that was partly my fault for not cleaning and/or limp wristing it. Overall, it’s been a great gun for the money. FOR THE MONEY. Yes, I’d love to have a Coonan 357, and I’ve shot one, and I’d prefer it over my C9. Basically, I like my Hi-Point, it’s fun, and I’d recommend one if it’s all someone can afford. Take into account their no questions asked, lifetime, continuing to every owner warranty and I think it’s worth the money and then some.
    All that said, `I have to admit that this video is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a while and I enjoyed the hell out of it! I loved the satire and I’m only sad that they didn’t use a suppressor with it.

  33. At that price I could do the same thing (only better) with a more reliable brand of pistol. Probably with some money left over. đŸ™‚

  34. I can’t laugh. I’m the twisted barsterd that took a Ruger New Vaquero, converted it to 9mmPara, added an automatic gas-powered shell ejector and magazine feeding with up to 14rd capacity (5 in the cylinder plus 9 in an extended mag with automatic switchover between feed paths). Maurice lives:

    http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/03/03/maurice-frankenruger-magazine-fed-revolver/

    As to what I do to motorcycles:

    https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B6Fh3F6hufhDckM2ektBcDRFNWs/edit

  37. You buy cheap expect cheap. Your not going to buy a glock or 1911 for $80-$100 that works better than a new hi-point. That said all three of mine(well now 2 since I lost one in the river) functioned perfect and got thrown around in my tool box and tackle box, not something I’m going to do to my 1911 or m&p. I’m not saying they are great but every gun has its place………their carbines ARE great though.

  38. Talk about answering questions nobody asked . . . But that’s ok, people do stuff just to see if they can do it all the time. It’s still of no great consequence, but then so is putting $1k rims on a clapped-out beater and the homies just love doing that. For me however, the real pisser is the phony, gravely voice-over. When a producer decides he has to soup-up his delivery with Mr. Gravel Voice you can just bet he’s selling crap.

  39. I don’t get it. How can you improve a Hi-Point? It is bascially the finest handgun ever made. IMO only way to improve it is to chamber one in .50 AE and make it in a bright chrome finish (Hi-Point brand Deagle).

  40. Those pie guys crack me up every time. Another good one. I hope everyone gets the satire.

  41. Heh. I polished the ramp in my c9 and have shot it hundreds of times with no FTFs. Even certain (fancy) JHPs cycle just fine. Supposedly I can curl the lips of the 10 round mags as an imperfect work around, but I’ve already wasted as much time on it as I can justify. My next upgrade will be a new firearm.

  42. I bought a Glock 27 gen 3 a few years back and had to take it to the Glock armory to get the extracted fixed.I believe you get what you pay for but any company can have quality control issues.

  43. I had a Hi-Point come into my possession. I got a mite skittish when I couldn’t cycle snap caps or figure out how to clean it. Sold it to a pawn shop and still made $. Maybe shoulda’ kept it and braved shooting it LOL

      • I try to avoid those neighborhoods. I do business near White Sox park sometimes and that’s bad enough. Actually such a vast area of the south and westsides of the city suck I’m surprised there isn’t MORE shootings. That hi point probably ended up with some Gary gangster. It went to Jacks Loan in Gary. He’s kinda outa’ my way but sometimes he has lot’s of guns for sale.

    • Gee I was a pothead. I had a galaxy 500 with Thrush mufflers that I drove 120MPH. THAT was cool. 1962 model year. No Pinto but I had a crap Maverick later.American cars that drove people to buy Japanese…Also had a VW bug and Buick Lesabre way back when. I flipped the Ford Galaxy into a ditch whilst engaging in backseat play-just like a bad teen movieLOL.

      • “I flipped the Ford Galaxy into a ditch whilst engaging in backseat play-just like a bad teen movie.”

        It gave its life for a good cause. đŸ˜€

  45. Bob, Bob, Bob . . . I’d have figured you knew that the Pinto wagon didn’t fireball like the regular Pinto. If I remember right, there was some kind of a beam that protected the gas tank that was present only in the wagon.

    At least thats what my dad told me when he presented me with a pinto wagon and explained that it would not hand grenade on me if I was rear ended. He also reminded me that it was his car and that I was allowed to use it solely for his convenience so he wouldn’t have to drive me places. But I digress.

    Thankfully, within a year of receiving the “brown bullet” pinto, I was able to pick up a very rare Saab 99 Turbo with a blown head gasket (that the owner thought had a cracked head) for $600 and turn it into a truly cool car, (How about water injection done with a full throttle microswitch under the gas pedal connected to a windshield washer pump spraying into the intake side of the compressor side of the turbo. Woo hoo. high times.

    Don

  46. Wow. I’m amazed at the number of people that think this is serious. That’s a sad commentary on the state of the firearms industry. Too many “operators”, people with egos the size of Albania, and meaningless technodrivel have taught everyone to take this kind of stuff seriously. Very sad.
    That’s why they mocked ALL of that, unless I’m mistaken.

    I wonder if they are selling “Assailant Arms” t-shirts, though?

  47. Some people can only afford High Points,
    Articles like this all beg the question, how much do we need to spend to get a basic self defense pistol.
    Is a $500 Glock better than a $130 High point, Is a $1000 Sig or H&K better than a Glock. Is a $3000 custom 1911 better than the Sig.
    How much do we need to send on our gear?

  49. I’m thinking either they sped up the video, or there might be NFA violation issues. Probably the former.

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