Hi-Points are to firearms design what Olive Garden is to Italian food. They’ll get the job done and…that’s about it. No surprise, then, that Hi-Point’s guns rarely appear on the top of anyone’s want firearms list. Our reviews have been a mixed bag where HP’s guns are concerned. The C9 pistol didn’t fare well. But the 1095 TS 10mm carbine and the Yeet Cannon G1 did better. But there are at least three good reasons (besides their lifetime warranty) to buy one.
1. You can treat it mean and not worry about a post-DGU confiscation
No one will ever mistake a Hi-Point for a safe queen. They’re not known for their graceful good looks or elegant lines. You’ll never bring your BFF out to the garage, open the safe and brag on your new Desert Digital .45. That’s a good thing, not a bad thing.
Thanks to Hi-Points’ homeliness and low cost of acquisition you’re not gonna baby their guns. Use one as a truck gun. Shoot them, carry them, drop them, scratch them, run over them with the ATV. You’ll never shed a tear.
If, heaven forbid, you ever have to use a Hi-Point as a CCW to protect yourself from a bad guy, you won’t hesitate if a cop says “drop your weapon!” And you won’t be very heartbroken when the police confiscate it as evidence.
You’ll just go down to your local gun store or upcoming gun show and buy yourself a new one. Going to a lot of trouble to get the first one back just isn’t worth the time and effort. Ladies and gentlemen, the BIC lighter of guns.
2. They’re Cheap
There are all kinds of euphemisms for the price point of a Hi-Point firearm: It’s affordable, won’t drain your wallet, has a low barrier to entry, a great value. Let’s cut the crap: Hi-Points are cheap.
A lot of people (ie: gun snobs) think that higher-end firearms from GLOCK, Smith, Ruger, SIG Sauer or Beretta will improve their speed and accuracy. The world doesn’t work that way. For most people, mastering marksmanship takes time, patience and a pile of ammunition that makes Scrooge McDuck’s vault look like a piggy bank.
A Hi-Point pistol or carbine may not have the best trigger or the largest magazine capacity (hint: they don’t), but the money saved versus, say, a GLOCK 19 directly translates into your ability to buy more ammo and range time to practice. And a lot of people who can’t afford a “better” gun can pick up a Hi-Point for home or personal defense.
I get the feeling that someone who buys a C9 as their first gun will spend much more time on the range than someone who lays down the cash for an X-Tac Elite. But maybe that’s just me.
Plus, you can “work” on your gun without worrying about ruining an expensive piece. Want to try your hand at DIY stippling? Have at it! Always wanted to Cerakote a gun? Gopher it! If you screw up, it won’t ruin your weekend.
3. Hi-Points Just Work
The best argument for a Hi-Point is that their guns just run — with the notable exception of one we tested in 2011. Which may have been a fluke. The Hi-Point carbine ran flawlessly without a single malfunction. The Hi-Point 9mm handguns consistently go bang and have well-earned reputations for reliability.
Bottom Line: If you’re light in the pocket, need a cheap gun for self defense and don’t care about anything else, you can do a lot worse (and many people have) than picking up a Hi-Point at the gun shop. How great is that?
More from The Truth About Guns:
Gun Review: Hi-Point C9 9mm Pistol [Updated 2018]
Hi-Point .45 ACP Carbine: Are Handgun Caliber Rifles the New Home Defense Shotgun?
The Best 9mm Carbines Under $500
Cheap Gun Showdown: Hi-Point C9 vs Taurus G2s
This post was originally published in 2017.