High Point .40 review

[JAB]

At one point, my mom's SD gun was a semiauto .22 rifle that wasn't what I considered to be terribly reliable. She has been shooting all of her life but most of her experience with handguns has been with 'mouse guns'. I wanted to see how she would do with a semiauto in 9mm for HD (due to various factors including ammo availability and cost) but didn't want to go 'high dollar' in case she didn't take to it. I ended up buying a 9mm HiPoint for her to try out/get familiar with the caliber, etc. and at least have something better than that .22 rifle for HD. I figured she could trade the HiPoint for something 'better' if she decided she liked 9mm. Long story short, she really likes that pistol and it isn't going anywhere. It is accurate, easy for her to shoot and works just fine. In fact, despite me offering to let her use any of my handguns (including my S&W 22A) to qualify for her carry permit, she opted to use the HiPoint and apparently shot better than anyone else in her group (including a couple of guys who had lasers mounted on their guns.) It isn't her carry gun (she has opted for a Kel Tec P32 for that) but it does everything she needs a 9mm pistol to do and does it quite well, in fact.

As long as I have another choice, would I carry a HiPoint? Nope - but then as long as I have a choice I won't carry any striker-fired pistol. I prefer DA or DAO revolvers and hammered, DAO or DA/SA pistols for carry. Plus, as Mike.357 pointed out, the mag capacity is a drawback for such a big, bulky gun.

Would I trust my life to a HiPoint? Yep, assuming I had tested it enough to be comfortable. In fact, to a certain extent I have - my 995 carbine was my 'bump in the night' gun until I got a shtogun that is set up for HD use. I have heard a rumor here and there that, in a reversal of their past decision, HiPoint might actually release a slightly higher capacity factory mag option for the carbines. To my mind, that would really increase the appeal of their carbines.

Edited May 31, 2011 by JAB

[R1100R]

I was told by my Cousin, BTW is a Captain on a Metro Atlanta Police Dept that over half the guns they confiscate and offer up for bids are Hi Point's. Anything nice that is taken up usually on the stolen list.

I've posted this up before, but while at a range with the Army in Atlanta. I watched the instructor for a police department spank all comers with a Hi Point .45. His point was training not the gun causes accuracy. It was a great class they let us sit in on.

[Guest smileyguy]

I would'nt say all HiPoints are junk, but the only one I ever shot was junk. I kinda poked my buddy about getting one. He put a couple hundred rounds through it with no problems and told me how great it was. Well I finally went over and tried it out. Of course one mag would'nt work. No biggie. We loaded the other mag, put a few rounds through it, and it locks up. Not a ftf or fte. The slide just locked to the rear. Never seen anything like that happen before. We both worked on it a bit but couldn't get it back in action. He said he eventually got it working.

Again, I'm not bashing hipoints. My one experience was not awe inspiring. Hell, for the money I might consider buying one just to beat up. I don't think I'd be confident using one for HD though. I don't care for the "only gun someone can afford" line. There are plenty of used 38s or pump guns to be had for few bucks more.

EDIT:

I don't wanna get flamed by hi point owners. So, again, I'm not calling hi points junk. I have only shot one. That particular gun failed in a manner in which I have never seen a handgun fail. IMHO, I wouldn't consider one for HD.

Edited June 1, 2011 by smileyguy

[Guest ArmaDeFuego]

EDIT:

I don't wanna get flamed by hi point owners. So, again, I'm not calling hi points junk. I have only shot one. That particular gun failed in a manner in which I have never seen a handgun fail. IMHO, I wouldn't consider one for HD.

You can say that about anything. My parents bought a brand new Ford a few years back & the head gasket blew out on it in the first couple months they had it. They will never buy a Ford again.

I put 50 rounds through a Glock 19 Gen 4 when I was trying out guns to buy & I had 2-3 FTEs with it. Does that mean Glocks are junk? Nope, just means the one I shot was junk lol

If your Hi Point ever messes up you can send it back in no questions asked & they will repair it for free. Not sure what the warranty on a Glock is.

[Oh Shoot]

....

If your Hi Point ever messes up you can send it back in no questions asked & they will repair it for free. Not sure what the warranty on a Glock is.

Most of the time, if you think you know what the prob is, they'll send you the part for free.

Firing pin/spring design has been re-done in last few years, just call and report a light strike and they send them por nada, for example.

If I knew the date for EOTWAWKI, I'd buy about a hundred 995s and C9s, and start rounding up a group.

- OS

Edited June 1, 2011 by OhShoot

[Guest smileyguy]

You can say that about anything. My parents bought a brand new Ford a few years back & the head gasket blew out on it in the first couple months they had it. They will never buy a Ford again.

I put 50 rounds through a Glock 19 Gen 4 when I was trying out guns to buy & I had 2-3 FTEs with it. Does that mean Glocks are junk? Nope, just means the one I shot was junk lol

Wow! I thought after the edit stating for the third time that hi points aren't junk and that the only one I ever shot was bad everyone would understand what I meant…lol . Yeah we all know everyone makes a lemon ever now and then. I really only posted my experience because the way the gun malfunctioned was so bizarre.

If your Hi Point ever messes up you can send it back in no questions asked & they will repair it for free. Not sure what the warranty on a Glock is.

That statement about sums it up. How’s Glock’s warranty? How’s Glock’s Customer service? Who knows? Glocks rarely need repair. The fact that so many people know first hand about how good Hi Point is at customer service is the biggest indictment of Hi Point. That tells me a lot of Hi Point owners have had to used their customer service because they have had problems with their firearms.

Again. They’re not junk. They are what they are, a fun, cheap beater. I wouldn’t mind having one if I didn’t have more important purchases.