HiPoint .380's advice for a friend (not a troll thread)

[Cygnus]

OK First off this a question so I can help a friend make a decision. So please don't turn this into a HiPoint bash/defender thread. (Although I'd subscribe to a new one if started elsewhere!) So no dueling pictures of blown up HiPoints and Glocks please


A friend of mine from Michigan just called and wanted advice on a possible purchase. He is new to guns but got offered a HiPoint .380 for $115 from a guy at work. I told him he should offer $100 and likely couldn;t go wrong as far as getting his money back out of it. He's on a tight budget and can maybe do $200 tops.
Anyone have any experience with these? Good bad or ugly? But please make it your own experience not someone elses...no friend's,cousin's uncle's ex-roomate type stuff please.


As a side note I told him that the C-9 is a better choice for a first gun as I have shot and not hated these. Also have never seen one malfunction.
I explained the many reason's to go with the 9mm over the .380 (power/price ratio) as he intends it to be mainly a bedroom and range gun. Yes I told him to get a .20gauge SB for him and the wife. Yes I suggested a Taurus,Ruger, or Kel-Tec 9mm too but he's on a very tight budget up in Detroit and is currently relying on a menacing hockey player -like stare and an alluminum bat.

Thoughts?

 

[slacker]

I would go for the c9 since ammo is cheaper and there are more of them around.

 

[Wesley Willis]

I have a Hi Point. I bought it because it was a cheap gun, and I wanted to compare it to other more expensive guns. I haven't had a single issue with it, it's ugly and pretty heavy, but to keep it on the nightstand at night, it'd work out nicely. It seems pretty accurate too. I would rather have the 9mm over the 380, because of ammo cost and availability, but if he can get it for $100, go for it. He should be able to pick up a new 9mm for $160 plus tax for reference.

 

[emrock32]

I would also go with the c9. Hi-points are horrible guns in the first place. You would be much better with a gun that didn't jam or break while in self defense areas...

 

[Cygnus]

Thanks guys!

I agree the $100 is an easy buy but the ammo????

I'm trying to push him into a C-9 or possibly a Makarov. He just thinks that "oddball" ammo will be hard to find. I told him to call around to gun shops and sporting goods stores and ask if they have .380, 9x19, and 9x18 to gt a perspective on that!e

Anyway I am looking at our board as well and told him how we can do the FFL transfer in Michigan.
He's also supposed to shop around and report back. I encouraged him to wait till I'm back up and to come to the range and try out everyone else's gun first.
I agree the C-9 for a sub $200 gun is a decent option when low on cash.

emrock, please elaborate on your experiences with HiPoints breaking or jamming. I have not seen this happen personally although I'm sure it does from time to time. My experience's are only with their 9mm prodducts which seem to work fine. I actually like the rifle a lot. I have never even seen the .380 hence my thread........


OK. Where's Crystalship1????? or someone whose used the HP .380?

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I'm sorry to say this, but high-points are better off being thrown then shot. Your friend lives in Detroit you said? I would save, and find a good used Beretta, CZ, Xd, M&P, etc. I would not trust my life to any high-point except a carbine. You get what you pay for my.

 

[Cygnus]

Patriot. I understand the need for reliabilty. I feel you are not here to bash and appreciate where you're coming from. However as you said he lives in Metro Detroit ( to be clear 12 miles form the border but in the the Metro nonetheless; FWIW we grew up in a border burb so he does have street sense). He is currently without a firearm and has never owned one. He called because of the HiPoint opportunity. I am just trying to see of anyone has any REAL experience with one of their .380's. With only $200 I would go for a 9x18 Mak or Mak copy for a proven reliable handgun. Although I have personally seen c-9's go through 500 flawless rounds.For that matter $200 could buy him a used 20gauge but he's set on a pistol for some reason.

Still waiting for someone who has experience with their .380.....

Maybe tomorrow. ,,,,,,

 

[Cygnus]

Really?

No one has shot one of these?

Not even the HiPoint group folks?????

 

[nate77]

With the price and avalibility of .380 ammo, I don't see the point of it for anything but use in a pocket gun.

As for the C9 my father-in-law has one. It shot fine for me but when he shoots it, he has a few FTE's; with the weight of that slide, it must be pretty suceptible to limp wristing.

 

[CombatVet]

I own a High Point 380 and I'm pretty happy with it. I like shooting it. It's lighter than the M-9 I used with the Military and as accurate. I bought mine new for 250. Thought it was a pretty good deal, but I don't know much about prices.

 

[IndianasFinest]

I use to have one a long time ago, and never had a problem with it. My Wife used to shoot it fairly often, and liked it. The only reason I sold it was the cost of .380 ammo, and it didn't get shot enough for me to justify reloading for it.

 

[Cygnus]

Thanks guys.

He did not listen to me about shopping around. He is picking it up in a few days.
He got it for $115.

I stopped by Meijer's on a whim and found a box of wwb .380 for $19.99. I picked it up for him. He'll need all the .380's he can find.
Oh well thanks again for the replies. etc.

 

[rocketscience]

i bought a .45 on a whim, to see if they really were junk. I was at the local gun shop nib $165 +tax. took it home pulled it apart and was wow these really are junk. stamped out trigger group was sharp on edges ect. ect. ect. took an evening filed the edges on everything stoned, polished the mating surfaces, polished the feed ramp and did the same with the mags. cleaned it oiled it and put it back together.
i now have about 200 rnd through it and not 1 ftf.
i shot it side by side with my glock and colt commander and at 12 to 15 yds all 3 guns had all rnds in the bottom of a pop can group.
they are large and they are not really pretty but it hides in my bathroom for a home defense gun.
the trigger is sloppy on the pin called hp and they sent a new trigger, pin and arm. no questions no cost had it in 4 days.
i did also buy a .380 same treatment same results.
while they are not $600 guns i am pleased with mine and think they fill a need for me. no thoughts about treating them rough throwing them in the tractor box or the truck floor ect.

 

[theweakerbrother]

Any functional gun is better than no gun. Welcome him to the wonderful world of firearms!

 

[Cygnus]

Any functional gun is better than no gun. Welcome him to the wonderful world of firearms!

We are! Supposed to go to the range up in Day-twa this weekend. It's be quite a mix of people and guns. My trusty Ruger P95, my new to me Keltec P-11, my other friend's Python Detective Special .357, the guy with the HiPoint, and his co-woker's new Berretta.

The .380 is interested in checking out the P-11 as a future option for CCW.