Hi-Point vs. other cheap junk

walther

walther

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Noticed the Hi-Point pistols, and was immediately attracted by their price. They are made in America with American parts, so i figure for the price they can't be that bad. Yes, their ugly and heavy but i don't mind that part. What I would like to know, from people who have actually handled and/or fired them, is are they a decent handgun, would you reccommend them for a beginner, and are they better or worse than Norinco, Taurus, etc...
 
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Norincos aren't ####ty guns.

My Norinco 1911 is one nice gun. It functions 100% of the time, even with the JHPs I've tried in it and it is also very accurate.

No need to knock Norincos.

Now hi-points...

I will never buy a hi-point.
 
walther said:
Noticed the Hi-Point pistols, and was immediately attracted by their price. They are made in America with American parts, so i figure for the price they can't be that bad. Yes, their ugly and heavy but i don't mind that part. What I would like to know, from people who have actually handled and/or fired them, is are they a decent handgun, would you reccommend them for a beginner, and are they in the same pile as Norinco and Taurus?
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Did you own a Taurus or Norinco to made that statement?

Trigun
 
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Buck up the cash for all three...................Then do a range report.
The norcs aren't bad in fact for the money they are pretty darn good.
 
Taurus pistols are an excellent value. They are extremely well made - especially the PT1911.
Norinco makes good inexpensive pistols, as well. The Norc 1911s are very tough and good shooters...
I owned a Hi-Point and it was good value for the money. The mags are inexpensive and it was fun to shoot..
 
Ok so it seems not everyone shares my opinion of Norinco and Taurus. In the interest of saving this thread from a huge argument, I have rephrased my question in order to get a helpful answer
 
For the most part Tauras and Norinco's are clones of other designs, although Norinco does market it's own designs and modifies others. These guns use a locked breech design that require a fair bit of labour and skill.
The high points are blowback operated, which are simpler to make, added in that the slides are die-cast on a polymer frame, means that the costs per gun are quite low. Most blowback guns are in .380 and smaller, to keep the chamber closed till pressure has dropped the slide must have more mass and a fairly robust recoil spring. In theory the gun should be very reliable, but quality control and good design to reduce stress will be the major factors.
To be fair to Hi-point, they have their own unique design and are one of the few mass produced blowback guns in a larger calibre, making them somewhat unique. that being said I think the majority of the Norincos are made out of of better material and with better craftmanship than the Hi-points. I can't speak for Taurases.
 
GET WHAT YOU WANT AND CAN AFFORD. Period!! I don't care if its a LOW Point or Morinco Or a Baurus, lol if its CHEAP, It goes bang bang when i want it to, I will buy it.

Enough Said :D:D

Oh I own 3 Norcs, 2 taurus, and have shot my buddys High Point BTW.. for the haters :D:D
 
If looks are really important (and I wouldn't blame you if you thought they were), then go with a Norc. I personally believe that Taurus' machining and attention to detail is better than a Norc, though. And Taurus sells for more than a Norc, doesn't it? So I wouldn't compare those two side by side.
I own a Grizzly shotty, which is a chinese knock-off of a Remington 870. Not bad at all for $280 new.

I also own a Hi-Point. I dunno what I like more about the gun;

1- The fact it was only $300?

2- The fact that it seems to induce either wonderment over the price or intense vomiting over what some perceive are absolutely disgusting looks?

3- The lifetime warranty?


Mostly number 2, though number 1 sure helped. :p


Mods I've made to mine. Most admit it still looks butt-ugly, but it does look better than before.



Polished the barrel exterior

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Tapped the frame disassembly hole to accomodate an Allen screw. No need to use a hammer and punch to strip the gun anymore

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Worked on the trigger to lower the pull a bit.

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Cut down the mag to help slim the pistols' appearance. Lost one round of capacity but well worth it, in my opnion :redface:

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Removed some meat from just above the grip at the rear of the frame, sandblasted the complete frame to remove the OEM yucky plasticky smooth & shiny look, polished the slide sides, replaced the Phillips grip screws with Allen head screws.

Yeah, she's still kinda ugly. But she's mine and I had a blast "doing her". :bigHug:


Before;

Hi-PointBeforeleft.jpg


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After;

Hi-Pointafterleft.jpg



Hi-Pointafterright.jpg



This pic doesn't show the Allen head grip screws or the red highlight of the Hi-Point symbols at the botton of the grip area.
I'm betting she'll look cooler with a Red Dot or pistol,scope, that's my next project.

I've got wayyyy cooler and more expensive handguns. But this one's been the most fun I've had working on. Oh, and the fixed barrel must have something to do with the great accuracy. ;)
 
"You often get what you pay for"

While not always true, I believe a 100-350$ pistol won't have the same fit and finish of a "let's say" Sig, Glock, Beretta, etc. But comparing cheaper (as in inexpensive) Taurus, hi-point, norinco pistols, well they're most likely all in the same "range" of quality/fit/finish/QC/etc give or take. They'll go bang like any other pistol.

In the end, it all depends on what you like and how much you're willing to spend...
 
TDC said:
"great value" compared to what?

"heavy but good" compared to what and good for what?

TDC
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Great value:You get a great gun for the money, You can pay lots more for a nice fit & finish but most norincos deliver for a lot less. Heavy but good: They are heavy, being a blowback operated pistol with a larger round compared to locked actions, Good for getting a new or poorer shooter into the sport when they might not be able to afford a glock or kimber etc. Hope i made it clearer now...
 
mp5k said:
Great value:You get a great gun for the money, You can pay lots more for a nice fit & finish but most norincos deliver for a lot less. Heavy but good: They are heavy, being a blowback operated pistol with a larger round compared to locked actions, Good for getting a new or poorer shooter into the sport when they might not be able to afford a glock or kimber etc. Hope i made it clearer now...
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What constitutes a great gun for the money? One that only fails once per magazine or once per box(50 rounds)? I'm far from a Norinco fan but I wouldn't hesitate to run a Norc over a Hi-Point anyday. The price difference is negligible and the support available for Norcs is extensive. The excuse that such low dollar gear is a great for the beginner is without merit. With other low dollar options with better support, better design, and better overall quality. The Hi-Point doesn't even compare.

Although a low dollar gun may seem ideal for one who is getting started, they aren't in the long run. For the beginner spending a couple, hundred bucks on a gun is an easy "in". The problem is, should the new shooter decide to get serious about their discipline they will no doubt seek out better gear. With the addition of better gear the starter gun is no longer needed. The resale on a low dollar POS that has probably been shot alot, is next to nothing. The same problem exists should the new shooter decide to pursue other activities. Recovering ones initial investment by selling their low dollar gun will be challenging at best. If the beginner started with a quality pistol they stand to lose less should they decide to sell it. Also, starting out with a quality gun means little chance of failures or broken parts. Starting with a quality pistol eliminates the need to upgrade later when the shooter advances.

TDC
 
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