Born Outdoorsman 257
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How do you feel about your highpoint pistol? A friend of mine has been thinking about getting a highpoint 45 acp and I'm not a fan but I have also never owned one.
Feelings about highpoint pistol
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KevinB
Member
Never owned one myself, but reports are typically favorable as far as functionality and reliability. Obviously not the best looking firearm, but that isn't really a consideration if you need one. Of the ones I've heard of with reliability problems, they were resolved with very good customer service. While it's true they are inexpensive, I don't feel highpoint falls into the category of "cheap junk" like some other low end manufacturers. If I had very limited financial means for a weapon, I would consider one.
I have never owned one but have fired several, some rather extensively. I never had a failure with any of them and did not experience any magazine problems, let alone 90%. I would have to ask where that figure came from as it is contrary to not only my own experience but to everything I have seen posted. I can't imagine that any company with a 90% failure rate (meaning 9 out of ten rounds has a failure) on its products would still be in business.
The major problem with Hi Point Pistols is that they are straight blowback. That is no problem with .32 or .380, but it makes for a heavy 9mm and a very heavy .45 ACP, plus a somewhat odd feeling on firing with the heavy slide moving.
Accuracy, sights, and trigger pull are not match winning, but all are perfectly adequate for reasonable home or self defense.
Jim
The major problem with Hi Point Pistols is that they are straight blowback. That is no problem with .32 or .380, but it makes for a heavy 9mm and a very heavy .45 ACP, plus a somewhat odd feeling on firing with the heavy slide moving.
Accuracy, sights, and trigger pull are not match winning, but all are perfectly adequate for reasonable home or self defense.
Jim
wunderkind
Member
If your friend is truly disabled, and has a truly fixed income, a Hi-Point may be their low cost ticket into exercising their Second Amendment rights.
However, if that person can make nine $50.00 layaway payments, they could get into the land of used Sigs, Glocks, Berettas, Springfields, etc.
However, if that person can make nine $50.00 layaway payments, they could get into the land of used Sigs, Glocks, Berettas, Springfields, etc.
Carl N. Brown
Member
Hi-Points have established the reputation of being reliable. The percentage of Hi-Points with problems is lower than some expensive name brands. But of Hi-Points with problems, the problems are often traced to the magazine; that is true however of most magzine fed firearms.
It is a direct blowback and has a very heavy slide (reminds me of the 1970s VP70) and is not a petite carry gun. But it works. It's ugly (makes Glocks look good) and resale value is not high.
It is a direct blowback and has a very heavy slide (reminds me of the 1970s VP70) and is not a petite carry gun. But it works. It's ugly (makes Glocks look good) and resale value is not high.
USAF_Vet
Member
My first hand gun was a Hi Point .45
I no longer own it because I moved to 9mm, but that's about the ONLY reason.
It had ZERO problems. Brass cases, steel cases, aluminum cases, never once had a failure.
They are as accurate as the sights allow them to be, but the sights do leave something to be desired.
Recoil isn't too bad considering the caliber, but it's different than any other .45 I've shot. It's almost like you feel two recoils, slide moving back, then all that mass slamming back into battery is an opposite recoil impulse, if you follow my meaning.
They are ugly and heavy, certainly not a candidate for concealed carry.
They have one of the industries best warranties and amazing customer service.
They are a pain to field strip, requiring a hammer and 1/8" punch to drive out the take down pin. It's a straight blowback action, which in anything over a .380 tends to present problems. These problems were solved with adding mass to the slide.
I enjoyed it while I had it, but once I could afford better, I purchased better.
If it's simply going to be a home defense gun, rarely shot or cleaned, the Hi Point will work just fine for that role. But, it doesn't take that much more to get a much better handgun in terms of quality.
I no longer own it because I moved to 9mm, but that's about the ONLY reason.
It had ZERO problems. Brass cases, steel cases, aluminum cases, never once had a failure.
They are as accurate as the sights allow them to be, but the sights do leave something to be desired.
Recoil isn't too bad considering the caliber, but it's different than any other .45 I've shot. It's almost like you feel two recoils, slide moving back, then all that mass slamming back into battery is an opposite recoil impulse, if you follow my meaning.
They are ugly and heavy, certainly not a candidate for concealed carry.
They have one of the industries best warranties and amazing customer service.
They are a pain to field strip, requiring a hammer and 1/8" punch to drive out the take down pin. It's a straight blowback action, which in anything over a .380 tends to present problems. These problems were solved with adding mass to the slide.
I enjoyed it while I had it, but once I could afford better, I purchased better.
If it's simply going to be a home defense gun, rarely shot or cleaned, the Hi Point will work just fine for that role. But, it doesn't take that much more to get a much better handgun in terms of quality.
entropy
Member
+1. Except for the part about the Hi-Point being my first handgun. Or me moving to 9mm. (My first was a Colt Trooper MkIII, and I moved away from 9mm.)
Another reason it isn't a candidate for CCW is the safety is of a poor design for CCW.
Ironicaintit
Member
Jim K said:
Kiln said basically... Of the failures they have, 90% are mag related.
He did not imply that the guns fail 90% of the time.
Just sayin!
I had a hi-point 45, and liked it well enough. I put probly 1K rounds down it, and it never failed to fire and cycle. Kinda hard to hate on that!
It feels kinda goofy or chintzy in the hand though.
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dickydalton
Member
I had a Hi Point 9mm. I bought it because it was $105 new on an auction. I shot the stuffing out of it for a while with many different types of ammo and sold it because a friend needed an inexpensive home gun. It never once FTF and was accurate enough out to 25 yards to please me. I would recommend them to anyone.
USAF_Vet
Member
One anecdote about the accuracy of the pistols...
My wife, who is not much of a recreational shooter, took my Hi Point .45 to my old neighbors backyard range, where we had a 100 yard bench set up. Using a 12" Shoot and See target, she stood at the 100 yard line, off hand, as a complete novice, and managed to put 2 rounds onto the target in a single magazine. I think it was either an 8 or 9 round mag.
My wife, who is not much of a recreational shooter, took my Hi Point .45 to my old neighbors backyard range, where we had a 100 yard bench set up. Using a 12" Shoot and See target, she stood at the 100 yard line, off hand, as a complete novice, and managed to put 2 rounds onto the target in a single magazine. I think it was either an 8 or 9 round mag.
I have one, 9mm, shoots fine for me. I have never tried hollow points and typically have only shot FMJ. I think hickock45 did a review on it and had issues with hollow points, but that may have been the 995TS I am remembering - which btw is fun little carbine as well.
It was a gun I bought on a whim on good friday - out the door for 90 bucks out of pocket (had a gift card, black friday doorbuster special, and a military discount).
I had one FTE in the first magazine, after that it shot fine for me. My wife and son experienced FTEs, but we figured out that he was riding the recoil, and she was limp wristing which turned out was causing the FTE. Once I got their grips firmed up and had them holding a little against the recoil, the gun worked flawlessly.
It is a fun range gun, and I use it as my truck gun with a couple spare mags (I use factory mags only). I have a couple Rugers I carry, but, if this was all I had or all I could afford I would carry it (full disclosure - it is a bit heavy).
I put a full size hogue handall slip-on grip on it and it made the gun more comfortable in my hand, wife liked it better with the grip as well.
Not saying it is better than a smith, or ruger or glock, just saying it works, and goes bang when I pull the trigger.
overall - not a bad truck gun, shoots good, lifetime guaranteed, U.S. made
There is my review
YMMV
d
It was a gun I bought on a whim on good friday - out the door for 90 bucks out of pocket (had a gift card, black friday doorbuster special, and a military discount).
I had one FTE in the first magazine, after that it shot fine for me. My wife and son experienced FTEs, but we figured out that he was riding the recoil, and she was limp wristing which turned out was causing the FTE. Once I got their grips firmed up and had them holding a little against the recoil, the gun worked flawlessly.
It is a fun range gun, and I use it as my truck gun with a couple spare mags (I use factory mags only). I have a couple Rugers I carry, but, if this was all I had or all I could afford I would carry it (full disclosure - it is a bit heavy).
I put a full size hogue handall slip-on grip on it and it made the gun more comfortable in my hand, wife liked it better with the grip as well.
Not saying it is better than a smith, or ruger or glock, just saying it works, and goes bang when I pull the trigger.
overall - not a bad truck gun, shoots good, lifetime guaranteed, U.S. made
There is my review
YMMV
d
ontarget
Member
If that's what your friend wants, he should buy one. No good reason not to.
First off they are one of the best guns for your money. Second they are reliable. With that being said. The 9mm and 380 smaller frame is not for left handed people. If you are left handed your trigger finger will hit the mag release when you shoot it. The 40 and 45 that is not a problem for me anyways. I have had 3 of them and 2 out of 3 were accurate but one shot marginal. The one that shot OK was a 9mm and at 20 yards shot 6" groups. The other ones in .40 and .45 shot 2" groups at 20 yards. I still have the 45 acp and would grab it filthy dirty and dry and would not worry about it working, cuz it will. The sights do kinda suck but they are better than old military sights.
chris in va
Member
Keep it well lubed. ZAMAK wears pretty darn fast if it's not. I know from experience.
CajunBass
Member
I had a 9mm one several years ago. I believe I put more individual rounds through that gun that any other, non-rimfire gun I've ever owned. I had a couple of malfunctions out of one box of "range reloads" of unknown quality. I shot as well with it as I did with any other 9mm I've ever owned. I actually didn't think it was all that bad looking, and it felt good in my hands.
I cleaned it with WD-40, paper towels, Q-tips, and a pencil used as a cleaning rod. I took it apart one time...learned to never do that again. Too much like work. It just kept on chugging along.
The finish on it never looked worn. Now, I admit that I carried it back and forth to the range in a range bag, not in a holster, and I didn't toss it in the tool-box on my truck, but it held up pretty well.
When I sold it I got almost as much as I paid for it, and had about a dozen "I'll take it if he doesn't" offers in a couple of hours. I probably should have asked more.
I cleaned it with WD-40, paper towels, Q-tips, and a pencil used as a cleaning rod. I took it apart one time...learned to never do that again. Too much like work. It just kept on chugging along.
The finish on it never looked worn. Now, I admit that I carried it back and forth to the range in a range bag, not in a holster, and I didn't toss it in the tool-box on my truck, but it held up pretty well.
When I sold it I got almost as much as I paid for it, and had about a dozen "I'll take it if he doesn't" offers in a couple of hours. I probably should have asked more.
mgmorden
Member
I had one for a while a few years back that I got in a trade. It was reliable, and they're available new pretty cheap, but that's about as far as I'd go with it.
They don't carry well, they don't balance well, the sights are small, the trigger feels like a staple gun, they tend to wear prematurely (though honestly if you can afford enough ammo to wear one out you probably aren't looking at a Hi Point), and the ergonomics are just bad. Plus they sport a single-stack magazine which means the gun holds very little ammo for the size.
With all that said - they typically go bang every time and are reasonably accurate. If its all he can afford, it'll do the job if he needs a home defense gun.
For $50 more though you can get a Taurus PT111 G2 which while still a budget/cheap gun, I'd rank SIGNIFICANTLY better than a Hi Point. I still have my PT111 G2 - I've long since sold the Hi Point.
They don't carry well, they don't balance well, the sights are small, the trigger feels like a staple gun, they tend to wear prematurely (though honestly if you can afford enough ammo to wear one out you probably aren't looking at a Hi Point), and the ergonomics are just bad. Plus they sport a single-stack magazine which means the gun holds very little ammo for the size.
With all that said - they typically go bang every time and are reasonably accurate. If its all he can afford, it'll do the job if he needs a home defense gun.
For $50 more though you can get a Taurus PT111 G2 which while still a budget/cheap gun, I'd rank SIGNIFICANTLY better than a Hi Point. I still have my PT111 G2 - I've long since sold the Hi Point
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W.E.G.
Member
I think its the quintessential choice for open carry.
cc-hangfire
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I have the 9mm, model C9. I have a collection of shooters from High Power to SIG to Glock; I got one to have it in the collection & for first hand experience since it attracts so much criticism. The LGS owner told me he sells a bunch of them and he's never had a return from a customer.
Mine has been reliable and as accurate as my other handguns for the past 3 years (I'm not a bullseye shooter, center of mass accuracy suits me fine). It's funny looking, top heavy, and has a slightly gritty trigger; that said, those things don't affect its function. It is a step above the Saturday night specials, and the company has the reputation of terrific customer support. It fills a niche as a low cost, reliable (see magazine comments above), handgun.
Mine has been reliable and as accurate as my other handguns for the past 3 years (I'm not a bullseye shooter, center of mass accuracy suits me fine). It's funny looking, top heavy, and has a slightly gritty trigger; that said, those things don't affect its function. It is a step above the Saturday night specials, and the company has the reputation of terrific customer support. It fills a niche as a low cost, reliable (see magazine comments above), handgun.
It's a heavy gun due to the blowback action.
The company is 100% great about fixing any problems. I had one that failed to feed and they polished the ramp for me free- never another problem.\\
The magazine will fit back and forth between the handgun and carbine.
Never had a single fail to feed on the .45 carbine, ready to go right out of the box.
They are guaranteed for LIFE.
A good American company.
The company is 100% great about fixing any problems. I had one that failed to feed and they polished the ramp for me free- never another problem.\\
The magazine will fit back and forth between the handgun and carbine.
Never had a single fail to feed on the .45 carbine, ready to go right out of the box.
They are guaranteed for LIFE.
A good American company.
ClickClickD'oh
Member
For years I have had a standing offer that anyone who completes my two day defensive pistol course start to finish using a Hipoint gets the class for free.
Oddly, never had anyone get the free class. Plenty of bloody fingers from trying though.
They are decent guns... If you take it out and shoot in once in a while and don't plan on doing much more with them. Otherwise, save up a bit more and get something from police trade ins.
Oddly, never had anyone get the free class. Plenty of bloody fingers from trying though.
They are decent guns... If you take it out and shoot in once in a while and don't plan on doing much more with them. Otherwise, save up a bit more and get something from police trade ins.
Walt Sherrill
Member
One of the complaints about the Hi-Point is that they're ugly. Granted, but there are other ugly guns. 
Hi, Kiln,
My apology for misunderstanding what you said about Hi-Point failures. You said that 90% of their failures were due to magazine problems, not that they had a 90% failure rate.
I have no way of checking the actual statement, but I was clearly wrong in my understanding of the post.
Jim
My apology for misunderstanding what you said about Hi-Point failures. You said that 90% of their failures were due to magazine problems, not that they had a 90% failure rate.
I have no way of checking the actual statement, but I was clearly wrong in my understanding of the post.
Jim
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