[[TASF]Maverick]

I'm looking to purchase my first rifle. I am 19 years old so a pistol is out of the question, but Overkill told me to ask around before I started throwing "hard-earned" money around. I've been looking at the Hi-Point 9mm Carbine simply because it is cheap and will do well at protecting an apartment, range shooting, and storing in my truck occasionally. Any reviews on it?

I'm pretty much in the > $300 range. If you have any other suggestions, I'm all ears... err eyes. Thanks in advance.

 

[bd]

Where do you wear your shirts?

bd

 

[hobocircus]

Hey Lil Bro! This one is a tricky question. I have the High Point 995 carbine and so far so good. I bought it a few months ago (new $175 at gunshop, probably lower at gunshows) and only put about 100 rounds of 9mm through it. No jams or any major problems so far. I like the freaky look of the thing and although a simple 9mm carbine, it does what it is suppose to do. Sights are good and the controls, like the safety and magazine release is well placed. Comes with scope mounts, sling and full instructions. Trigger is funky and clunky but works fine. Also the rifle is held together by bolts and nuts, so make sure you tighten each one up before you go shooting. The first time out, the metal handguard came off and fell on the ground. :x I havn't taken the thing apart, so I can't comment on that procedure.
Loading the magazine makes you think, "this looks like its going to jam" but it doesn't. Also when looking through the peep sights, you have to put your cheek up close to the stock and the recoil force is directed into your cheek bone and it hurts a bit. Probably just need to pull back from the sight and then it's better.
With a budget of $300, I am thinking Ruger 10/22, folding stock, 25 round mag and a ton of ammo. Or a AK or SKS style rifle.
If you are set on the hi-point, you can choose the 9mm or since your brother already has the XD-40 how about this? http://www.mkssupply.com/40_carbine.asp There is a good review in the current American Rifleman magazine and they have a list price of $200. This way you can have a .40 rifle and when the other [TASF] isn't looking you can swipe his ammo. :twisted:

Good luck, shoot safe, be safe.

P/S. Your signature quote is disturbing

 

[[TASF]Maverick]

I wear shirts like they should be worn.

Thanks for the info! I believe my brother and I are going to attend a local gunshow within 2 weeks. That should give me an idea at least about what it will feel like. I changed my signature too :roll: haha. The whole bolted together assembly kind of scares me, but i'm sure it will be okay. It will be like I'm working on my truck when I clean it! Woohoo!

Keep the reviews flowing! 8)

 

[garyk]

Maverick,
Welcome! While you are looking around, keep an eye open for an SKS. They are well built (10 million commies can't be wrong!) and cheap to feed. Should be able to find one under $200 and ammo is under $100 per thousand.

Good luck in your search.
Gary

 

[[TASF]Maverick]

Oh wow, I like it... a lot

 

[mr0w1]

I'll +1 the SKS. Right now you can get a Yugo M59/66 in crispy, minty condition for $160, or if the grenade launching hardware turns you off (it is long and heavy), you can get an excellent condition Yugo M59 for the same price.

You're going to be looking at a 10 rnd. limit with the Hi-Point anyway, so the 10 rnd. mag in the SKS shouldn't be an issue. Also, I feel that the SKS is probably better quality, more reliable, and I know it's much more versatile.

Anyway, welcome and good luck searching.

 

[[TASF]Maverick]

How about a CETME 308. Anyone know anything about these? Sorry if I seem to be asking TOO MANY DAMN QUESTIONS. But this is a very important investment!

I want to get as many opinions as I can before I get BSed by the seller at a gun show.

 

[Snake-eater 1]

There is a review of the new Hi-Point Model 4095 (chambered for the .40 S&W cartridge) in the March (latest) issue of American Rifleman. From the article:

"The 4095 proved to be rather accurate, with groups averaging about
1- 1/2 inches at 50 yards, despite the sample gun's mushy trigger. Additionally, there were no failures to feed, fire or eject with any of the ammunition tested.

One word of warning to those of our readers who cannot leave a dirty gun alone. Most of the internal parts of the Hi-Point carbine, such as the trigger assembly, are not staked in or otherwise captured, so they are prone to falling out after the receiver is separated from the stock. Needless to say, even routine disassembly for cleaning proved to be a pop quiz in abstract reasoning and gun mechanics.

The Hi-Point 4095 carbine is not a gun with a lot of ambition. It does what it says and little more. That said, if you are looking for an economical no-nonsense plinker, there is no sense in buying more gun than you need."

Not the most glowing of reports, I'd say. I believe I'd give more consideration to a Kel-Tec folding carbine; they are not that much more expensive, and can be had in configurations that allow higher capacity magazines, such as 17 round or 33 round 9mm Glock mags!!

The SKS, FAL, CETME, etc recommendations are fine, but those are rifle caliber carbines, not pistol caliber carbines. The designs and the uses are different.

 

[panther308]

I have a 995 for my wife to use instead of a shotgun, I was somewhat reluctant at first but for the money you can't beat it.
I have pushed over a 1000rnds thru it with only a couple of FTF and that was the ammo (milsurp 9mm) it's always loaded and by the beside it's also a fun cheap range gun and accuracy is pretty descent, me and a buddy wer playing around with it and managed to hit 8" targets at 100 yrds. not all the time but this is pretty good on what I consider to be a throw away gun, yes the stock is uglyier than hell and it is a real MF to clean but I have made some modifications to mine to make it easier.
It also carries a lifetime warranty even if your not the orig. owner and from what I have heard if you have trouble they fix it free and send you some extras for you trouble, also always use the factory mags as I have tried after market ones and they don't feed so good.

 

[TBone-XD40]

Go for the SKS. They are great guns. Well worth the price, you cant beat it. Had thousands of rounds through mine and not any problems.

 

[[TASF]Overkill]

P.S., his sig (unless he changed it) is a reference to the stupid "It's a jeep thing, you wouldn't understand." stickers people seem to like. I own a Jeep. And I don't understand.

 

[hobocircus]

Overkill]P.S., his sig (unless he changed it)

I have a Jeep too and I understand. The previous sig was disturbing. :shock:

 

[BlenderWizard]

Again, I'm going to go +1 on the SKS. It was my first rifle when I was 19.

 

[[TASF]Overkill]

Well, I don't know that he's so much looking for a rifle...

Those of you who have seen "the video" know what we consider plinking...

I'm sold on him getting some kind of carbine or carbine-esque rig... something that gives you the ability to move AND take your time on shots out to 100 yards.

I have never handled an SKS, but they look kind of... cumbersome...

 

[Snake-eater 1]

Overkill]...................snip...............................

I have never handled an SKS, but they look kind of... cumbersome...

Compared to a pistol caliber carbine, they are. Like I said, different purposes.

 

[[TASF]Maverick]

I think the search is pretty much over. Unless I get financially helped out in this situation, I can't justify spending 50% of my current assets on this. I greatly appreciate all of your advice and input. :?

 

[hobocircus]

Maverick]I think the search is pretty much over. Unless I get financially helped out in this situation, I can't justify spending 50% of my current assets on this. I greatly appreciate all of your advice and input. :?

So you are getting the Hi-Point or nothing right now? Still along the lines of the SKS, if you can find a short carbine, they are not too cumbersome. Years ago they were called a "cowboy carbine". not sure why? :?

 

[jlwatts3]

If it were me, I would save my money for something a little nicer. I just can't get past the grotesque look of that thing. SKS's are good. You could save up for the ruger carbines.
Why not get a shotgun?

 

[manygunner]

I just shot one tonight. A guy at my range had bought one for $159 including scope and rings. I had been thinking about one for a while, they got great marks from Gun Tests magazien a while back. The action cycles smooth and the accuracy is about 1"group of 8 shots at 25 yards for me shooting offhand. The gun is light and handles well. I was using the scope that came with the rifle as this was how it was set up by its owner. My chief complaints were that the trigger felt bad, not nice and crisp, the magazine did not want to pop out when being released and there seems not to be any bolt hold open. Then again one can get used to a trigger with practice, probably get used to the other faultss too. . I am going to seriously think about getting one of these.