Coming in at the $300 and below price point, there are some from the hunting fraternity who look at the Hi Point Carbine 9mm and sneer. Occupying the economy end of the pricing scale, the supposition is that in order to create a carbine that’s this cost-effective must mean that it’s an ugly, poorly performing rifle.
You’ll get some who will attest to that fact, but for us, we had to actually take a look at it before we decided to dismiss it. So, we bought one and put it through its paces.
This is an incredibly popular carbine with lots of features, and yes, you can tell that they perhaps haven’t used the highest quality materials to make the weapon – but what do you expect for 300 bucks?
Fully Loaded With Features
You’ll struggle to buy a carbine for $300 when you look away from Hi-Point, and you typically won’t get a product that has many in-built features. However, despite being so cheap, it has so many different features that enhance the user experience. They include:
- Picatinny rails top and bottom
- A spring-loaded butt stock that absorbs recoil
- Camo or black coloring
- Foldable front handle
- 10-shot magazine
When you buy a Hi Point Carbine 9mm, you get the kind of features you’d normally have to pay top dollar for. It even has a threaded barrel for a silencer. What can’t be denied is that this baby comes stacked! The camo version also looks kinda nice!
So, How Does It Fare When Used For Hunting?
Obviously, to understand the suitability for hunting of this popular carbine deeply enough, we had to try it out on some targets – which we did. Over about 60 yards, we had absolutely no issues with accuracy, as every target gave out a satisfying audible ‘TING!’ as each successful shot hit home.
As hunters know, penetration matters, as the last thing you want to happen is for your prey to suffer. Instead, you want your well-aimed shots to kill cleanly and as bloodlessly as you can – so how did the Hi-Point get on? Not too shabbily is the answer.
We fired at some toughened glass that our AK47 failed to get through and believe it or not, Hi-Point rounds made it right the way through. The AK bullets didn’t even come close! Food for thought, right?
…Consistency?
An hour or so of firing the Hi Point Carbine 9mm later, I can report that we had zero stoppages. There were no misfires, no jams – nothing. All we got was consistent firing every time. We got through over 500 rounds both in single shot and auto, and it just kept on going.
Essentially, that’s what rifles are for, so we can’t fault it in that regard. Some users may have a problem with how the gun looks, but it’s an honest weapon that won’t let you down. What more could you want?
The Hi Point Carbine 9mm Represents a Sound Buy
When all is said and done, don’t let anyone tell you that this Hi Point Carbine is garbage, because it just isn’t. Don’t let the price point fool you – as what it can do for you belies the cost.
