Has anyone used or owned any firearms from Hi-pont Firearms? I really want to get a .45 but cant shell out Glock bucks yet. Any feedback is appreciated.

It is the first pistol I bought when I turned 21.  I got the 9mm.

Many jams have needed clearing through the years.  I wouldnt put my life on the line with it, but it's still fun to shoot.  Rapid firing seems to be where the problem is.

In general, the folks who own them seem to like them and they come with a lifetime warranty.

My question is this...how much is your life worth? How much are the lives of your kids or wife worth to you?

There are plenty of areas in life where you can save a buck or two, but in the world of firearms, you get what you pay for.

I dont know what your budget is but take a look at Rock Island Armory 1911's.  You can get the GI version for not much more than $300.

I have never shot a Hi Point but I have heard they are fairly accurate and fairly reliable but they are big, heavy, and UGLY.

I dont know what your budget is but take a look at Rock Island Armory 1911's. You can get the GI version for not much more than $300.

I have never shot a Hi Point but I have heard they are fairly accurate and fairly reliable but they are big, heavy, and UGLY.

My 9 MM isn't too heavy , too big or too heavy. It's just the right color and the right size. Just joking, it's ok just to plink around with.

I'd buy a used Glock, or some other brand, before I'd buy a Hi Point.  IMO, Hi Points seem clunky and cheap.

+1 on the Rock Island Armory 1911s.  I've never owned one, but I've gotten to handle them and they seem very nicely made.  They are made by Armscor in the Philippines and Armscor has a good reputation.

Bersa is another company that makes affordable, quality guns.  Check them out.

Now, if you would consider a Chinese gun, and you can find one, Norinco makes a 1911 knock-off that was cheap, well made and very highly regarded.

I'd buy a used Glock, or some other brand, before I'd buy a Hi Point. IMO, Hi Points seem clunky and cheap.

+1 on the Rock Island Armory 1911s. I've never owned one, but I've gotten to handle them and they seem very nicely made. They are made by Armscor in the Philippines and Armscor has a good reputation.

Bersa is another company that makes affordable, quality guns. Check them out.

Now, if you would consider a Chinese gun, and you can find one, Norinco makes a 1911 knock-off that was cheap, well made and very highly regarded.

The Norinco 1911s are no longer available new in the US due to a ban on the importation of firearms from China. (It's okay to import everything else from China, though. : ) Last time I checked, they were still available in Canada thru Marstar, they just can't be brought over the border.

I looked at the Hi- Points but ended up getting a Taurus 9mm and now having it I'm glad I spent a few bucks more. I go to the woods and target shoot for fun and I shoot hundreds of bullets out of it and it never jammed.

Don't go real cheap your life might on the line one day and that's all you need is your gun jamming. Just a thought.

Id say its worth waiting a little longer to save up for the Glock, or even a Sig.

IMO Glocks are pure junk. I've been issued and carried a plethera of sidearms (if you are wondering TACLET while in the USCG, Federal Bureau of Prisons, and some private work). The nicer ones were Berettas, and Rugers. That said I have a Hi point, got it in a trade, the accuracy is good, I've not had a jam, but I also don't try to shoot 9 rounds as quickly as possible. The worst gun I had for jamming was a 1911 Colt, that thing stove piped all the time. When the change over was complete the amount of jams was reduced. All handguns I've ever shot jammed, that includes Berettas, Rugers, Glocks, Colts, Hi-Points, etc. Then again when I went to the range for recertification we would put a couple hundred rounds through them in short order. It seems that the hotter the gun gets the more suseptable to jamming they are. Good luck. FWIW a hi-point is a gun you would want to buy new, any polymer framed gun is inferior to steel, and is more likely to jam, and yes that most definitely includes Glocks. I can't say that enough, Glocks were the biggest piece of crap I was ever forced to carry, absolutely hated them and am so glad I never had to use it. BTW Hi-Points are heavy, have a small grip, and aren't the best balanced things in the world, but for a belly gun they are alright.

IMO, Berettas and Rugers both suffer from the same problem...size. They're fine guns, but much larger than necessary and difficult to carry concealed unless you're the size of a grizzly bear.

retiredbosn, what problems did you have with your Glock? Were they reliability problems or were they design/ergonomic problems? I have several friends in LE and the only brands they recommend unconditionally are Glock and Sig.   

Stasher,

I guess it was a combination of a design problem that resulted in a reliability issue.  I have very wide hands, and the gun's safety on the tang wasn't automatically engaged the way it is for some shooters.  It resulted in a very akward for me posture to get the gun to fire.  Also being a polymer frame I did not like getting the gun hot, ie at the range.  When any gun gets hot it loosens up, which results in misfires, the glock seemed to me to be very prone to this, I was no where near as accurate with the gun due to the weird hand grip I had to adopt.  Lets just say I was really glad to get another gun in the holster.

My question is this...how much is your life worth? How much are the lives of your kids or wife worth to you?

.

I would not put the life of my family into a <$200 firearm. I have a 9mm i keep close to the bed side, but its the only one I have. Sigma 9. Love it, but want to shoot other things when I go to the range. As usual, mixed reviews. Thanks guys.

Stasher,

I guess it was a combination of a design problem that resulted in a reliability issue. I have very wide hands, and the gun's safety on the tang wasn't automatically engaged the way it is for some shooters. It resulted in a very akward for me posture to get the gun to fire. Also being a polymer frame I did not like getting the gun hot, ie at the range. When any gun gets hot it loosens up, which results in misfires, the glock seemed to me to be very prone to this, I was no where near as accurate with the gun due to the weird hand grip I had to adopt. Lets just say I was really glad to get another gun in the holster.

What safety on the tang? The only external safety on a Glock is the little lever on the trigger.

hi point makes good target pistols

if your useing it for self defence dont buy it

get a colt

What they now call the safety lock, used to be on the back at the top on the rear of the grip, not the same as on a 1911, and the trigger safety, the safety lock was released with an allen wrench looking thing, and was depressed when you gripped the gun.  The combination resulted in my not pulling DIRECTLY back on the trigger safety, which as I'm sure you know, if you do not pull directly back on the trigger safety and the thing will not fire.  Also in self defensive postures, ie behind barricades, if the finger doesn't exactly engage the finger safety and it doesn't fire.  For me it was just akward.

You've lost me. I've handled 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gen Glocks but I've never seen anything like what you're talking about, nor can I find any info on it. How long ago was this?

I'm not trying to start an argument, I'm genuinely curious. 

I'm lost, too.  No Glock I know of has ever had an external safety in that position. 

Perhaps it was a feature added specifically for a certain department that demanded it?  Or maybe it was something like this?

http://www.glock.com/english/safetypack_lock.htm

For what it's worth, Glocks, if anything, are known for their reliability.  I've owned a Glock 21, 17, 36, an currently own a 21SF and a 30SF.  I can honestly say I've never had any malfunction with any of them except maybe one or two on my first 21.  My first Glock, a 21, had over 20,000 rounds through it, and don't remember any problems at all.  The only other gun I've ever owned that has been as reliable was the Beretta 92FS. 

any polymer framed gun is inferior to steel, and is more likely to jam

Stop before you remove all doubt...

I'm lost too, I could have sworn it was a glock, but I've been issued different makes, and obviously I'm wrong,  sorry. 

Burley,

I've always been told it is better to have people think you are an idiot, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.  Obviously on this thread I have removed all doubt. :-X