Soliciting Comments on the Hi-Point .45ACP

[theGinsue]

Does anyone know anything about the Hi-Point 45ACP handgun?

I have a co-worker who is considering getting one. Mostly, he doesn't have a lot of $ but wants a .45. He found this one for about $165 (new) and is very interested in the gun. Since I really don't know much about this particular firearm, I told him some of the pro's/con's I've heard about Hi-Point in general.

Here is a link to the model he's interested in:
http://www.hi-pointfirearms.com/handguns/45acp/hi_point_45acp.html

[Bailey Guns]

They're big, ugly, bulky and aren't finished very well. But they generally work according to people I know that have them. And if they don't, the company is quick to fix them or replace them.

I sold many Hi Points when I had the shop. Very few performance complaints and nothing but praise for their customer service.

The only one I've ever actually fired was a 9mm carbine. It worked quite well.

[68Charger]

I've not experienced their .45, but I have experienced their customer service, which is top-notch.. no questions asked, they just service & return it..

they're mostly constructed of a Al-Zinc alloy.. rather than polymers or fancy alloys- that's why they're bulky.. they're designed for mass production- so fit & finish is sloppy, but functional.

to sum it up, almost all that complain about them have never touched one.. most owners really like them, and you can't go wrong with their customer service.

[ryanek9freak]

I had the .40 S&W a while ago, and man, was that an ugly POS, but it did always work with no issues. I guess if you really need a gun, it will fit the bill if you're on a budget.

[Bailey Guns]

they're mostly constructed of a Al-Zinc alloy.. rather than polymers or fancy alloys- that's why they're bulky.. they're designed for mass production- so fit & finish is sloppy, but functional.

Just an added note...

I believe the main reason they're so bulky is not so much a function of the material from which they're made, it's more so because of the function. The Hi Point handguns are of a straight blow-back design with fixed barrels. They have to have heavier/larger than normal slides to compensate for the blow-back design.

[Tora]

He can do much better. The Bersa in 45ACP is not much more, but a much better weapon.
http://www.bersapistols.com/item/629_Bersa_Hand_Guns_Pistols_Bersa_THUN45UCM_Pistol .aspx
You can find them cheeper. My son shoots one of these in 9MM for 3Gun.

[Ranger353]

I have a friend who got the 9mm Hi-Point for Christmas last year and he brings it out to the range along with his other guns. It fires well, never seen it jam, but man is it ugly, I mean f**king ugly. It's like putting a piece of broom stick on an old beat up tennis shoe upside down and shooting rounds out of it - Ugly!

The finish sucks too, every time I see it I find more rust pits in the upper receiver. I told him to spend some money and have it refinished before it disintegrates.

[Irving]

Everyone once in a while I hear people talk about having had one that jams frequently, but for what it's worth, I think I hear that in 9mm and not 45acp. Just check around a little more and you should be able to get a feel for which models have reported problems. I've read far more praise from people who've owned them then not.

[Elhuero]

tell him to save up and guy a glock.

[Circuits]

I have a co-worker who is considering getting one. Mostly, he doesn't have a lot of $ but wants a .45. He found this one for about $165 (new) and is very interested in the gun. Since I really don't know much about this particular firearm, I told him some of the pro's/con's I've heard about Hi-Point in general.

They're big, heavy, ugly, and his friends will all laugh at him. But the .45 model, at least, is reported to be extremely reliable, and reasonably accurate. It's the "Yugo" of .45 semi auto firearms.

He'd be much happer with a Glock, or possibly the bersa mentioned above, but those are 2x to 3x the price.

My own personal experience USING hi-points has been limited to fixing other people's 9mm's when they break them or get them to jam, and declining to accept them in trade for better guns. I've never had or used a 9mm hi-point handgun or carbine that worked reliably. But the .45 model got (grudging) good marks from Gun Reports.

[theGinsue]

Thanks for all of the comments folks. I presented him with the info and he's going to go ahead and buy the Hi-Point. He could buy 2 of the Hi-Points for the price of the Bersa.

He's looking to get a really decent .45 later, but this will just be a "load and leave in the bedside table" supplemental home defense gun. (He's also got a decent 12ga for home defense.)

[68Charger]

at least he made an informed decision, and it's better than being unarmed..

(there are some pistols out there that you're better off being unarmed, IHMO)

just make sure he tries it out, and if he has any issues, don't hesitate to call Beemiller- they'll do whatever they can to make it right.

[Ridge]

Like others have said. Ugly as hell, but it'll eat anything you feed it, and the warranty cant be beat...

[SSChameleon]

I've shot the C9 and 995 and both worked great. Highpoints are a lot like fat girls. They're fun until your friends catch you with them. If your budget only allows for a Highpoint I say go with it until you can afford something better. It's like shooting a really fun brick.

[DOC]

I had the 9mm version and it was my first handgun after my .22 and it shot really well. There wasn't much capacity in it that is the only downside to it. Its heavy so if you run out of bullets in a fight you can still throw and kill at least 2 more zombies with it. I would call it ugly but I'm not really one to talk. I'm glad it was made the way it was. I thought I was going to die the being the ugliest thing on the planet until I met my first highpoint. Now I'm not so worried about it anymore. lol