Hi-Point Firearms offers semi-automatic handguns in four calibers
.380 ACP, 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP.
All Hi-Point Firearms are made in the United States of America with no imported components or parts. Every gun is test-fired prior to shipment to ensure proper and safe functioning. Hi-Point has one of the lowest return/repair rates in the firearms industry (according to Hi-Point). Each year Hi-Point produces about 50,000 pistols and 15,000 carbines (based on 2004 ATF records).
Hi-Point Firearms offer semi-automatic carbines in two calibers: 9mm and 40S&W. There is a 45ACP caliber carbine in the works.
Is there a Forum for Hi-Point Firearms?
Yes, http://hipointfirearmsforums.com/Forum/index.php
There is also a Yahoo Hi-Point Group.
How Was The 995 Carbine Developed?
From the Wikipedia article....
Tom Deeb of Beemiller Inc. of Ohio developed the Hi-Point 995 carbine, a very inexpensive semi-automatic rifle, during the era of the now-defunct 1994 Federal assault weapons ban. It is constructed using polymers and alloyed metals as much as possible, resulting in a reduction of the production costs and sale price. It is worth noting that the Hi-Point carbine is sometimes incorrectly referred to as an assault rifle; in fact it is just a semiautomatic pistol-caliber carbine. It functions via a simple direct blowback action, and it is chambered for the common 9mm parabellum pistol cartridge. The same company manufactures a version chambered in .40 Smith & Wesson. In spite of the military appearance of this rifle, it was developed for the civilian market.
General Information About Hi-Point Firearms, Inc., and Owner Thomas Deeb
From A 2nd Amendment News article, and other articles...
Hi-Point Firearms is owned by Thomas Deeb. Deeb makes inexpensive handguns so everyone - particularly the poor - can afford one for protection or recreation. "Say a guy goes fishing and wants to carry a gun in his tackle box. You don't want to put a $700 Glock in a tackle box," says Deeb. "I didn't have a lot of money growing up to buy firearms, and I wanted working people to be able to afford a weapon without having to take out a mortgage on their house. Poor people need protection more than other people."
Deeb knows the low price tag on his guns may attract criminals, too. "The dope dealers and gang bangers don't like to spend a lot of money on weapons," Deeb said. "They tend to throw them away." Because of that, Deeb designs his guns to make them easily identifiable through ballistics testing and a second, hidden serial number. He also provides trigger locks, and stopped making a chrome-plated handgun that appealed to the criminal element. "Money isn't everything in life. I feel I bear some responsibility, and that's why I do everything possible to catch the bad guys," he said.
When Deeb learned that a Hi-Point rifle was used in the shooting at Columbine in 1999, he closed his factory for a day and considered leaving the gun business. "I was just sick over it," he said. "I thought about quitting, but then I thought I'm not going to be defeated by evil."
Hi-Point owner Thomas Deeb was a television repairman before becoming a firearms manufacturer. He was raised in Wabash, Indiana, one of six children, son of a barber. He bought his first handgun, a Ruger, at the age of 17. Soon afterward he dropped out of high school and joined the Air Force, serving during the Vietnam War. After his military service, he opened a television repair service center and video rental store. After spending a couple of years designing the handguns and rifles he wanted to mass produce, he opened his Hi-Point factory near Mansfield, Ohio in 1992.
The thirty employees in the Hi-Point factory earn $11 an hour plus health benefits, and are proud of their products. Hi-Point firearms has produced nearly a million weapons since 1992, and is now the fourth-largest handgun maker in the country. "Real, hard-working guns for real, hard-working people," said Mark Weber, 35, a Hi-Point employee. "I own one of all the pistols he makes - five of them"
Deeb makes $1 million a year, and lives in a $400,000, 5,600-square-foot house on 16 acres of land. Deeb's answer to gun violence is to enforce existing laws - not to further restrict gun sales or production. "If you have punishment, the crime decreases," says Deeb. He is a fan of President Bush, and gave Republicans $30,000 in the 2004 election. Deeb says, "I support George W. Bush. He's really empowered federal agents to put pressure on people who commit firearms crimes, and that's why crime is decreasing."
Deeb's 27-year-old son helps run the plant. "They say we're making guns for criminals. The truth is, my dad is one of the best, most caring people you ever met," said Thomas Deeb II. "Guns don't kill. People do."
All handgun models feature:
All carbines feature:
The 995 barrels are 8 land & groove 1 in 8" twist RH.
Contact Information for Hi-Point Firearms
MKS Supply: Marketer of Hi-Point Firearms
8611-A North Dixie Drive
Dayton, OH 45414
Phone: 1-877-425-4867
Fax: (937) 454-0503
Email: info@mkssupply.com
What Are Hi-Point Pistols Made Of?
"Our frames & slides are made of a zinc alloy. They are a die cast molded part, not an
investment casting. The material is called (Zamac 3),it is a pretty standard die casting
material. There are allot of critics out there of our firearms, but there are many more
people who are very pleased with them. We have been die casting our parts for almost
20 years with very good results. We use zinc because it is cost efective to manufacture,it
is elastic which keeps the slides from breaking, and the weight is very similar to steel,
which is needed in a direct blow back firearm. All I can say is try one of our firearms
and see what you think. Also, our firearms do hold up well. We have had many guns with
thousands of rounds on them returned because the barrel had been shot out. We replace the
barrel and return the gun at no charge. The barrels are a very good alloy steel...not zinc."
Mike Strassell at H.P.
A Tip About What Ammo Works Best (from Mike Strassell, toolmaker and designer at H.P.)
"I have found that the short, stub nosed hollow points have trouble feeding in all of our guns, and a lot of other guns. I would suggest using a longer more cone-shaped hollow point. I was just testing some in a repair gun yesterday, and found some that worked great. Hornady makes one and I think federal was one. Sometimes you can open the front lips of the clip a little to help on feeding. Also polish the sharp edge of the inside of the rear lips with a smooth file or sand paper, mostly on the far back radius of the lips."
Mike can be emailed at: mikestrassell@neo.rr.com and he reads and posts on GunBoards and on the Hi-Point Forum as "HP995." Mike designed the original 995 carbine stock, and is working on a new stock, which he believes will cost in the $30 range.
More recent news about Mike Strassell. Mike is President of Strassell's Machine, Inc.
Phone: +1-(419)-747-1088
Address: 1015 Springmill St., Mansfield, Ohio 44906-1571, USA
How Do Hi-Point Pistols Operate?
Hi-Point pistol slides are die cast from an aluminum/zinc alloy with steel inserts reinforcing the entire breech area and other stress points. Hi-Point was one of the first American manufacturers to use a polymer frame for firearms. In 1992-93 Hi-Point offered a 9mm pistol in polymer, then the .380, and lastly the .40 and .45 pistols.
The barrel is mounted permanently to the frame while the recoil spring is located in a groove beneath the barrel where a downward extension of the slide bears upon it during recoil. Separate grip panels are held in place by screws and tabs on their bottom edges that enter cutouts in the frame.
This design depends primarily upon the slide's mass to prevent it from moving to the rear until chamber pressure has dropped to a safe level while the recoil spring provides a secondary means of preventing slide movement.
Hi-Point pistols are striker fired and utilize a single-action trigger mechanism. Trigger letoff is approximately four pounds. A thumb safety on the left side of the frame blocks the sear when engaged. To provide additional protection, the design includes a spring-loaded sear block that falls under the sear pin arm and prevents sear movement if the pistol is dropped while a weight counteracts sear movement.
A simple magazine safety, consisting of a steel bar (magazine lockout, part No. 35) underneath the right grip panel, blocks the trigger bar from pushing the sear cam if the magazine is removed. When a magazine is inserted, it bears against a curved portion of the lockout bar, pushing it sideways so the trigger bar can move to engage the sear cam. In addition, a clearance cut at the rear of the chamber, near the extractor, allows one to visually ascertain if a cartridge is in the chamber.
How Are Hi-Point Pistols Field-stripped?
First remove the magazine and retract the slide to verify the chamber is empty. Then move the slide to its rearmost position, push the manual safety up in the small, forward notch and lock the slide to the rear. The slide retainer pin at the rear of the frame is now exposed through the large (rear) safety notch in the slide. Using a 1/8-inch pin punch, remove the retainer pin from the frame. Pull the safety down and ease the slide forward. Retract the slide about 3/8 inch and pull upward. Hold the rear of the slide and push forward, removing it from the frame. Reassemble in reverse order. For more information on disassembling a Hi-Point pistol, click here.
Where can I find replacement or extended-capacity magazines?
BeeMiller Inc.
1015 Springmill Rd.
Mansfield, OH 44906
(419) 747-9444
What kind of ammo should be used in a Hi-Point pistol?
Experiment for whatever works best in your particular pistol. +P ammo is OK. Some say that Remington Golden Saber frequently jams.
Are the 40S&W and 9mm carbine stocks the same size?
No they are not. The 40 is 1" longer, and the hand grip is a little larger than the 9.
What can I do about my round-chambering problems?
As true for most semi-automatic pistols, many feeding problems have to do with the feed lips that hold the round as it is being chambered: Using 400 grit sand paper, remove and rough edges or burrs along the feed lips to smooth them. You can also polish the feed ramp using 600 grit sand paper, or a Dremel buffing attachment. Be very careful to simply polish, and not to remove much metal.
What if I need factory service?
Depending on what model Hi-Point you own, your return address will vary accordingly. Call before Shipping, if you receive a recording leave a very brief message and they will return your call ASAP.
The info below about return addresses is from the Hi-Point Forum FAQ.
.45acp Pistols Only,
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Haskell Manufacturer
585 E. BlueLick Rd.
Lima, OH. 45801
1-419-225-8297
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.40S&W Pistols Only,
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Iberia Firearms
3929 St. Rt. 309
Galion, OH. 44833
1-419-468-3746
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All other Hi-Point Firearms, Pistols & Carbines
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Beemiller Inc.
1015 SpringMill st.
Mansfield, OH. 44906
1-419-747-6095
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"Please call the Hi-Point factory toll-free at (866)948-4867 (Mon - Thurs 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 7 a.m. to noon Eastern Time)"
Note: This information has been gathered from several different sources, including the Hi-Point Forum, the best place online to go with your Hi-Point problems. If you find something in this FAQ that is wrong or out of date, please email me with the correct information, and I will modify this page.
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