9 Milli On The Cheap

A lot of people out there are quick to decry something that is cheap. As if an item being inexpensive somehow has any bearing on whether or not said item is worth owning. Really it's all just a matter of opinion, and this is mine: so long as I get what I pay for, and occasionally more, I am happy with any purchase I might make.

I am first and foremost a fan of long guns. My whole exuberance in shooting comes from the concentration it requires to make a sick shot from 50-100 yards. Shooting rifles, whether bolt action hunting rigs or assault rifles owned for no purpose other than challenging plinking and a potential "if the shit hits the fan" scenario, provides me with a zen I've never gotten from traditional meditation. But I do believe that people living in urban sprawls ought to take care... of themselves, their family, their property. And so I picked up this little piece, the Hi-Point C9.

This 9mm piece is deceptive in it's appearance. Not a pretty gun by any stretch of the imagination, I prefer to call it fugly. Of course, when I'm pointing it at an intruder, I won't be fishing for compliments on my firearm. Instead I'll be hoping, as anyone would in such a scenario, that the gun shoots. And shoot it does. I have so far fed it ammo ranging from Wolf (cheap and dirty) to Glaser Blue Safety slugs (which I got yelled at for discharging on the range... fine by me since 6 slugs will run you $10 easy). I can report that none of the ammo I have thus far tried discharging from this gun has failed to fire or failed to feed. Like a billy goat, it will eat anything, and in my mind, that's a huge plus since I am sporadic at the store and will pretty much try any ammo at least once.

For the gun itself, it is put together simply, like all my favorite things. A straight forward weapon that operates on a blowback design and single action trigger, it is easy to shoot, and due to the weight poses no real recoil. It is a comfortable fit in the hand, even more so once I added the Hogue grip as I'm a sucker for a pistol with grooves for my fingers. The frame itself is polymer, with a die-cast slide which boasts an observation port that will tell the user whether or not a round is chambered without having to pull it back. It's not too light, and not too heavy, which is in line with appeasing me as I have a huge dislike for guns that feel like toys. While the factory sights aren't the greatest thing since sliced bread by any stretch of the imagination, they are sufficient and easy to pick up due to the red on the rear sights and the bright yellow on the front sight post. I can quick draw from 25 yards with this piece and still nail center mass every time, though like any home defense weapon, this thing really succeeds at close range. I'm talking 3 inch groups at 10-15 yards and 1-2 inch goups at five yards. That alone pacifies me, really.

I think what gets most critics of this weapon riled up is the price point... MSRP is $150, which is all that I paid before tax myself. Deemed a throw away gun by naysayers and ridiculed by gun snobs who have never fired one themselves. Even if I had been able to afford a Sig or HK, I wouldn't have to be honest. When it comes to home defense I've pretty much got my bases covered between this piece and my Saiga. I picked it up primarily because I did want a handgun, a reliable handgun, and with 1000 rounds out the pipe and still no problems with firing or feeding, I can't thus far say I've made a mistake in my investment. I do at some point intend to obtain a Walther P22 for plinking and concealed carry purposes, but as far as a nightstand gun, the Hi-Point is perfect. Sometimes you do get what you pay for, and sometimes you get more. In this case, with an American company producing the gun using American made materials and a no questions asked lifetime warranty, I would tend to lean to the latter... call me frugal, but I'm not winning any fashion shows anyway.