Flame suit on...

[linksep]

Let me start this off by saying I am open to suggestions...

I really want a Hi-Point C-9. (Actually I want a safe full of 1911s, Glocks, Benellis etc. but I gotta start somewhere, and with the job market the way it is...)

Here's your chance: Sell me on something other than a Hi-Point C9.

My Arguments FOR a Hi-Pont:
Affordable (cheaper than a wheel-gun).
Lifetime warranty.
Inexpensive (less than half the cash compared to a Taurus or any other brand I have heard of).
Made in America (**** yeah).
It goes bang.
A "junk" 9mm is more effective than a cell-phone or golf club in a HD scenario.

So go ahead and sell me something else but consider:
I think $0.20/trigger pull is expensive
I know a 12ga is better for HD but it won't fit in the night-stand drawer and I don't know of any indoor shotgun ranges.
A .22 or .380 doesn't make enough of a bang to be fun or useful as a HD weapon.

[linksep]

@Paul: I WAS thinking about taking your P2C course ... All joking aside I apologize, I will re-read the forum rules (if it's even in the forum rules)... in any event I'll be watching my P's and Q's (and make sure to dot my lower-case J's). Thanks for forgiving a n00b mistake, though I would love to hear your feedback RE: my comments on the C-9 vs. cell phone when considering price (hahaha... come to think of it a C-9 is cheaper than any cell-phone I have ever had...)

@everyone else: The most accurate I ever shot was out of a .357mag with a mixed cylinder of .38 and .357mag (the guy I was shooting with thought it would be funny if I didn't know what was coming next). If you can recommend something in the new or gently used .357mag wheel-gun variety (with a 4"-6" barrel) for under $225 and cheap but reliable ammo I'd love to hear your suggestions.

[Paul]

@Paul: I WAS thinking about taking your P2C course ... All joking aside I apologize, I will re-read the forum rules (if it's even in the forum rules)... in any event I'll be watching my P's and Q's (and make sure to dot my lower-case J's). Thanks for forgiving a n00b mistake, though I would love to hear your feedback RE: my comments on the C-9 vs. cell phone when considering price (hahaha... come to think of it a C-9 is cheaper than any cell-phone I have ever had...)

@everyone else: The most accurate I ever shot was out of a .357mag with a mixed cylinder of .38 and .357mag (the guy I was shooting with thought it would be funny if I didn't know what was coming next). If you can recommend something in the new or gently used .357mag wheel-gun variety (with a 4"-6" barrel) for under $225 and cheap but reliable ammo I'd love to hear your suggestions.

No worries. I edited out the text, so no big deal.

As far as the Hi-Point is concerned, a vast majority of the folks you will talk to will tell you what a piece of junk their handguns are. I know the owner of Polar Bear Ordnance well, and he swears up and down how reliable they are. I obviously didn't believe him, but after months of him going on and on about them I decided to basically call him out on it. I bought a C9 from him and put a couple thousand rounds through it over a few month period. I didn't have one malfunction. It ran flawlessly and was exceptionally accurate.

Other instructors on the forum have said that they have never had a Hi-Point complete a course of fire without jamming. I'm not saying I don't believe them, but I have also had countless 1911's on the range with chronic jamming and malfunction issues on the range. My point... Everyone has their own experiences and biases.

I have never carried a Hi-Point for personal protection, nor do I have any intention to... But if that's what I had available to me, I wouldn't have any hesitation to do so, as long as I was confident that my personal gun was consistently reliable. So to answer your question, YES, any gun (Hi-Point included) is better than not having any gun at all.

With that being said, if you're looking to spend in the neighborhood of $225, I'd look for a used Smith & Wesson Sigma. As far as revolvers are concerned, you could get into a used Taurus revolver for that price range. Even the used ones should have a lifetime warranty.

Good luck!

[Grayskies]

I tend to believe the best hand gun for carry, is one you like, is reliable, accurate, and one you have confidence in. We are lucky to have so many good choices

[Countryfried Frank]

I respectfully disagree. The best handgun for carry is the one you actually are willing to carry. I like my 1858 replica,, there's no way I'll carry it.

[PileDriver]

I'll second Paul's recommendation of a Sigma, granted it comes from a biased point of view. I've had two Sigma's, and carried both. I had a solid 1000rds through my .40, only sold it due to no longer wanting to stock 40. I still own my 9mm, and carried that for about 2 years. I never had a failure in either.

The best handgun for carry is the one you actually are willing to carry.

Which is exactly what Grasykies described.

[srtolly]

I have a couple of HiPoints that function great and I would trust them for HD any time (and do). Kinda heavy for carry. Had an issue with my JCP and HiPoint had it taken care of with no questions asked. I don't think I could steer you in a different direction and feel god about it. Sorry.

[Shipyard]

for the price point you're not going to do better than the hi-point. period. can't argue that. you can argue the merits of hi-point vs sigma vs glock all day long. and people have. lots. no, really. go look. lot of good infomration in those threads....

if that's what you got, it's what you got. get it. i own a couple. never had an issue.


and also - all local indoor ranges allow shotguns for what it's worth.


rock on man.

[rugersol]

9mm's a good choice!

I don't even know what a HiPoint goes fer ... I'll guess $200ish?! I have no doubt folks have luck with 'em ... few years back, we had a guy show up with one fer USPSA ... and fer 3 - 4 matches, he did very well! ... started bragging about how he was beating Glocks 'n stuff with the cheapest gun ever made ... then it failed (can't recall exactly what happened) ... he went from 60 - 0 in NO TIME ... he borrowed one of my Glocks ... probly a couple others ... ended up with a CZ 75 a few weeks later! Rugers and Kel-Tecs are inexpensive ... HiPoints is jest plain cheap!

Didn't see the Sigma recommendation ... but that'd be 1,000,000x better than a HiPoint!

A few others ...

$245 Kel-Tec P-11

$252 EAA Windicator .38

~$269 EAA/SAR?! ... I've seen recent ads fer these ... know nothing more 'bout 'em ... and I'd still take one over a HiPoint!

$291 EAA Witness Poly

... gettin' into the $300's ...

$329 Ruger P95 ... for carry I'd probly choose the Sigma ... but otherwise, this is a solid gun!

~$353 Bersa ... also new ... also know nothing ... also still take it over a HiPoint!

~$341 Tri-Star CZ clone made in Turkey ... honorable mention!

No question though! ... the #1 best gun fer under $300 ...

$269 S&W 10 (used)

If it was me, if not the S&W, I'd probly either go with the Ruger P95, EAA Poly 'er the Turkish CZ clone!

[sgruenhagen44]

You can probably pick up a ruger LC9 for just over three hundred. I had one and never had a malfuntion in about 800 rounds. Very concealabe too. For what it's worth, I have only seen a hi point shot once. I was on a hog hunt and our guide at one in .45, it must have run fine cuz he was doing a lot of shooting.

[Drizzle]

Bills Robbinsdale still has $299.00 Model 10 Smiths in the case. They've been selling them for a while, must have bought a crapload. Probably the same weight as a Hi Point, and about as pretty, but oh so reliable (not that an HiP might not be, just bragging on the Smith)

Hard to go wrong with a four inch .38. You could even spend some money and have it cropped, recrowned and resighted as a two inch, but there's not much point to that.

[Evo]

First what is this gun going to be used for?


I think you may need to ask yourself, why a Hi-point is priced the way it is and then ask what shortcuts or cheaper measures had to be taken?

I have no doubt that there have been people that have had some decent experiences with them. They have a loyal and sometimes cultish following. But the majority of people will have to agree that it is a sub par gun for any type of duty or serious use. The low price buy in is the only positive that people can agree on.

My experience with a Hi-point(buddies plinking gun) left me with what I had initially thought about the gun. Let's jut say it was not positive.

I would say you are better off saving a little more and buying a police trade in older Glock 19 or 17. You could respring the gun for $20 and have a proven reliable platform that you will be able to buy holsters,sights,magazines,spare parts, accessories, etc. you get the idea.


Also there is a website called gun nuts media were someone is actually doing a 2000 round challenge. Check it out because I think they explain why they are doing it and they are unbiased. The results so far are not positive.

[Ron Burgundy]

If a HiPoint retails for sub $200 new, used values must be around $100. Any dealers care to share cost? Might be fun to pick one up as a plinker in a caliber I don't have.

[acerpower]

If a HiPoint retails for sub $200 new, used values must be around $100. Any dealers care to share cost? Might be fun to pick one up as a plinker in a caliber I don't have.

I saw one in the pawn shop for $125 last spring.
I must say I was tempted to bring it home as a spare, but I figured $125 was still a little steep for a used gun that I've seen in catalogs go for under $200 new.
Probably should have given it a try.

[rukwikenuf]

I dunno... I don't like the FEEL of a hi point, my 6" 357 feels like it weights less. And hi points don't fit my hand.
I'm sure you could find a Taurus model 66 in your price range.
my .o2