I originally planned on titling this thread "Beauty and the Beast" but decided against it.
So recently, in a trade transaction where the other party was a bit short on funds , I accepted his cash plus a Hi-Point .45 to boot. I have heard of and seen Hi-Points online but never handled or owned one... until now.
Being a "gun guy" I have owned, shot and fondled hundreds of handguns. Large frame, small frame, micro frame - just about everything. I will be honest and tell you that I was astonished when I picked this gun up for the first time. It was massive, heavy, cumbersome, bulky, long... and it is just a .45ACP. When I got home I pulled it out and layed it next to my Glocks, Sigs, Kimbers and it still dwarfed anything I had. Being a CCW holder I have been on a mission for years to find the perfect marriage between size and firepower. I alternate between daily carrying a Kimber Solo, Kahr PM9 and Glock 26. Granted these are all 9mm guns and my new Hi-Point is a .45 - but the specs on the Hi-Point 9mm are the same as my new acquisition. By the way, you might be thinking that 8" long grip holds mass rounds - nope, it holds 8.
I joked with a friend that you would think that after manufacturing Hi-Points for over 20 years the company would eventually (either from boredom or embarrassment) try to design/build something smaller, lighter, thinner... nope - they just keep pumping out handguns that double as boat anchor in an emergency. To Hi-Points credit, I read on their website that they are warranteed for LIFE! That is pretty impressive... And let's not forget that these are under $200 brand new. Hi Points are also in the top 5 in terms of handguns sold in the US. (i will link the article I found yesterday when I find it again).
Don't get me wrong - I can definately see the niche that Hi-Point is going after... Like I said, a $200 handgun is pretty rare. But my money would still have to go towards looking for a used gen 1 Glock, Beretta 92, Taurus... you will have maybe a bit more money in it but will have literally HALF the gun (not referring to half the quality or firepower - but half the weight and size).
Anyway, below are a few more side-by-side pics for anyone on the fence between carrying a Kimber Solo or Hi-Point as their daily carry I will wrap this up by saying "you go!" to Hi-Point and I guess I do appreciate your resolute pursuit to overbuild a handgun in every way possible (except for your installing a thin, plastic trigger that wobbles and shakes when you handle the gun - I guess they didn't want to tip into the "over 10 pound handgun" catagory and chose to save a little weight here.
Enjoy: