looking for a little advice. I've never had a lot of experience with defense caliber sized handguns, all I own is an older .22 revolver, which has seen a ton of use plinking. I have been thinking that my next gun purchase should be a newer semi-auto chambered in either 9mm or .40 cal. (leaning towards the .40 and don't want to bring up the 9VS40 argument)
My question is, should I hold out for a Springfield XD or a Glock, or should I just go buy a hi-point. This wouldn't be an issue in that I usually go by the saying you get what you pay for and my initial instinct would be the XD. However I just put most of my savings down on a house and am a little strapped at the moment. That combined with my feeling that every homeowner should have a sidearm readily available, and also the recent gun and ammo craze (be it hysteria or not) have led me to consider hi-point.
My experience with such pistols is, Glock and Berretta 9mm, 1911 .45 (can't remember who it was made by) and .44 magnum. Basically I have fired and tinkered with enough different makes and calibers to feel competent in becoming comfortable with whatever I buy, but haven't had enough experience to form any particular favoritisms or bad habits. If I get something that works, I plan to familiarize myself and use it. So I guess I'm asking what you all think of Hi-Point.
Oh by the way, I kind of like the idea of being able to buy a carbine in the same caliber, that also takes the same mags. Don't know why really, but that's just cool.
Welcome to the Gun and Game. If you just want it for home defense and not concealed carry I would say the Hi-Point would do the job. (never mind I see you live in Illinois so no concealed carry,sorry) Also just for home defense don't rule out a good dependable revolver, you can pick them at a reasonable price and they hardly ever fail to fire. You buy a .357 and you can also shoot 38 specials with it. Just a thought.
If this gun is going to be for fome safety and protecting you and your family I'd stay far away from High Point. They might have a great warranty but the bad guy isn't going to come back next month so you can shoot him when your High Point returns from the factory being repaired. I bought my first XD and 9 months later I own 3 XD's and a Springfield 1911. Not a Glock fan here at all. I know many people who own them and love them. I'm sure the millions of Glock owners can't be wrong but I don't care for them myself. If you are dead set on an Auto and want a pistol and want to save money I'd suggest a Taurus Millennium. I own a 9MM Millennium and love it. Looking at buying one in .45 too. If this gun is soley for home protection I agree with FS00008 in saying get a good 12 gage. I have a Mossberg with an 18" barrel that lives next to my bed loaded with Slug, 00 Buck, Slug, 00 Buck, Slug in that order.
Highpoint is American made, and I believe they have a full lifetime warranty. I would not be too worried about picking one up, even for self defense.
I have had some very expensive handguns that were not reliable enough to carry, and I sometimes still carry an Astra I paid $175 for that has never failed, so price isn't everything.
now for the unsolicited opinions:
be wary of the Taurus Millennium's. KW's post is the first time I have heard anyone, outside of Guns and Ammo, talking them up. The one I had I couldn't sell fast enough.
KW also mentioned not liking Glocks. I recently began to grow fond of them personally, but would recommend spending some time with one before you buy it, if you haven't yet. They seem to be in the love or hate, no middle ground, arena. I have heard from a lot of people that they hate the way it fits, or in this case does not fit, their hand. They seem to be incredibly reliable though.
Anyway, after all that, if you are going to get a handgun instead of the already mentioned shotguns, I would not be afraid of Highpoint.
Sorry for picking on your post a little KW
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Wow, thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. Guess I should have mentioned this isn't gonna be a primary defense weapon. I suppose it will find a home in the nightstand but if I actually need it to fight my way to my Winchester SXP 12 gauge or my old Browning 20, then I'm screwed no matter what I paid for the pistol. Upon thinking about this I am inclined to buy one and see what I think. There is no concealed carry in IL, but I can have a gun in the work truck as long as it's in a case and unloaded (no chambered round with the clip out). Perhaps a new HiPoint would free up some space in the truck and I can clean that old .22 up and retire it to the bottom dresser drawer.
Might want to look at a Taurus 24/7 Compact...I bought one in 9mm for my gal...she's a teacher and we both feel the 17 rounds per mag would do the job. (there will be no Columbine's in NW Florida Schools, the teachers are far better armed than the students) Price is between that of the HiPoint and the Glock, but with a lifetime warranty and a LOT less headaches than the Millenium while having the same concealability.
But honestly, since you are more familiar with a revolver...perhaps a .357 might be more in line with what you are used to...use .38 Special rounds in it for more control. With a wheelgun you don't have to worry about mag springs going bad or much maintenance at all...they just WORK.
__________________ Marlin & Calico Specialist
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Big Shrek - that is really cool. When I was working as a Para out here to make ends meet I was an advocate for teacher carrying. I stayed under the radar on the subject mostly, but when it came up I seemed to be the only one for it.
Why would you send your kids to a school where you were afraid of the teachers? Why would giving a teacher a gun magically transform them into killing machines, or give them the desire to hurt children suddenly? I never understood the resistance to this. Before the 68 bill this wasn't even an issue and I do not think we had the doomsday problems that are being predicted.
Anyway, back on topic before it turns into a full fledged rant...Big Shrek brought up a good point with the revolvers.
Buying a revolver round like the 357 or 44, 45 colt might be what you are looking for tclu. You can get lever actions in all of these calibers. It is not quite like being able to use the same mags for your carbine, but still pretty cool.
__________________
"It is useless for the sheep
to pass resolutions in favour of
vegetarianism" ~ R. W. Inge
Wow, thanks guys. I appreciate the feedback. Guess I should have mentioned this isn't gonna be a primary defense weapon. I suppose it will find a home in the nightstand but if I actually need it to fight my way to my Winchester SXP 12 gauge or my old Browning 20, then I'm screwed no matter what I paid for the pistol. Upon thinking about this I am inclined to buy one and see what I think. There is no concealed carry in IL, but I can have a gun in the work truck as long as it's in a case and unloaded (no chambered round with the clip out). Perhaps a new HiPoint would free up some space in the truck and I can clean that old .22 up and retire it to the bottom dresser drawer.
Check the deals at some gun shops. The one here is giving 6 months same as cash deals on the higher end guns. I'm not a big advocate of buying things on credit cards, but if someone is offering extended terms for the same price as cash, and if you think you could save up enough to step up in quality over a few more months, it seems like the way to go.
When I bought my tractor, I could either pay cash or 36 payments that added up to the same price -- no contest. Take the payments.
__________________ Teach
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Check the deals at some gun shops. The one here is giving 6 months same as cash deals on the higher end guns. I'm not a big advocate of buying things on credit cards, but if someone is offering extended terms for the same price as cash, and if you think you could save up enough to step up in quality over a few more months, it seems like the way to go.
When I bought my tractor, I could either pay cash or 36 payments that added up to the same price -- no contest. Take the payments.
Bud's will finance for 30, 90, 180 days or even up to one year. I'd rather buy a more reliable gun and make payments than trust the lives of myself and my family to a High Point. Even if all the High Point bashing is incorrect, which I AM NOT saying is the case, I just value my life and my family to take that risk. Smith & Wesson, Colt, Ruger, Springfield have all been around for 100 years. Has High Point? 100 years from now will High Point still be selling guns due to their quality? Do you really want to bargan shop when buying a tool to enhance the safety of your loved ones? I don't.
hell naw, its the land of chicago.......obama and many other unfriendly gun congress d-bags come from there
if you want to open carry i think vermont and Arizona are the places to go
Arizona, yes. Vermont? My uncle lives in Vermont and the way I hear it the gun laws out there are even worse than IL--if that can be possible.
thanks for the feedback though, for $150 bucks i think I'm just gonna grab one and see if I like it. If I don't like it I guess I'll just suck it up, I mean gee whiz, I've bought work boots that I didn't like for that kind of money!
Bud's will finance for 30, 90, 180 days or even up to one year. I'd rather buy a more reliable gun and make payments than trust the lives of myself and my family to a High Point. Even if all the High Point bashing is incorrect, which I AM NOT saying is the case, I just value my life and my family to take that risk. Smith & Wesson, Colt, Ruger, Springfield have all been around for 100 years. Has High Point? 100 years from now will High Point still be selling guns due to their quality? Do you really want to bargan shop when buying a tool to enhance the safety of your loved ones? I don't.
It's advice like this that I'm looking for (not the financing part because I pride myself on being one of the only debt free people in my circle of peers, but the quality part). I think all this election malarky has just gone to my head and got me wanting to go buy another gun. Maybe I should just spend that HiPoint $ on ammo for the longguns I already own. After all, I can't unload everything all at the same time anyway!
Teach
