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Old September 4, 2012, 02:09 PM   #1
rebs
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Hi Point and High Standard ?

Are these brands very good, are they recommended ?
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Old September 4, 2012, 02:57 PM   #2
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High Standard is a company that's been around since the 30s and has gone through numerous owners... they are currently based in Texas and all their products, from originally styled .22 target pistols, to 1911s to ARs are made in the US. I have some experience with their 1911 models, and personally consider them to be of good quality and on par with any of their competitors mid-priced firearms.

Hi Point is also a US company who's claim to fame are relatively simple firearms that, although not considered very attractive or cutting edge, are extremely reasonably priced and typically fairly reliable. I know... damning with faint praise and all that, but if I had a restricted budget and needed a gun, a Hi Point would be on my list.
They have a lifetime transferable warranty... and a motto of: "Value means offering the most gun for the dollar, and Hi-Point proudly delivers".

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Old September 4, 2012, 03:12 PM   #3
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Excellent, and to the point reply creeper! Of course you know as well as I the Hi-Pointaphobes can't be far behind!

To the OP, What is your budget for a gun, and your intended purpose. As mentioned the H-Point, while certainly servicable is a very low price alternative in the $150-$200 range for a brand new, in the box model with a no questions asked lifetime guarantee. The High Standard is in the mid price range being around $500. I can't say I've had any experience with the newest incarnation of High Standard, but they seem to be OK, and a reasonable pistol in that price range. The Hi-Points are fixed barrel handguns, somewhat heavy for caliber. a bit cumbersome, a trigger that is far from crisp, and are to most just plain ugly. They use a zinc,aluminum magnesium alloy for the slide, and have a polymer frame. But my experience is they do shoot well, are accurate, and reliable.
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Old September 4, 2012, 04:05 PM   #4
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Quote:
High Standard is a company that's been around since the 30s and has gone through numerous owners... [Hi-Point has] a lifetime transferable warranty...
FWIW I have never personally dealt with the latest incarnation of High Standard, but I would assume that you won't get a comparable level of service for a "legacy" High Standard product that you would get for a new Hi-Point product (or S&W, Ruger, etc.)

Most major gunmakers, including Hi-Point, will service recently-manufactured and new-purchased products for free, and they'll often pay for shipping; the latter is potentially a Big Deal because it's more difficult and expensive to legally ship a handgun than you might assume if you haven't tried it. Although High Standard advertises that they will service legacy products from older incarnations of the company- which is unusual as gunmakers go- I can't imagine that they do it for free... or even for cheap. YMMV.*

*If anyone has recently tried to get factory service for an older High Standard and wants to share their story, feel free to enlighten me.
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Old September 4, 2012, 04:12 PM   #5
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The company calling itself High Standard claims to be the same as the old Hamden, Connecticut, based High Standard that made excellent quality pistols back in the 1960s. I don't buy the claims -- I don't think there is anything there in the way of continuity other than taking over the name. Which, for me, puts them in the same category (as regards truth in advertising) as Springfield Armory and Henry Repeating Arms -- both companies trying to create the impression that they are the continuation of companies that never existed.

High Standard, of course, did exist -- but I don't think the current company is a continuation of the old company. The 1911s offered by the "new" High Standard are made in the Philippines by Armscor (Rock Island). The quality is equal to that of Rock Island, but you can get the same gun for less money buying the Rock Island brand, and get better customer support at the same time. A friend of mine did business with High Standard a few years ago and found their business ethics to be sadly lacking.
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Old September 4, 2012, 08:27 PM   #6
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If looking for a High Standard go for an old used not abused they are good.
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Old September 4, 2012, 08:46 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheapshooter
Excellent, and to the point reply creeper! Of course you know as well as I the Hi-Pointaphobes can't be far behind!
Ah well... I have no burning desire to own one, but to put them down because they are inexpensive is just way to narrow minded and elitist for me.
Every law abiding citizen who wants or needs a gun should be able to obtain one... and they shouldn't have to suffer high prices, crap reliability or smug intolerance from us "gun X-spurts" to achieve that goal.

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Old September 4, 2012, 10:11 PM   #8
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I have a Hi-Point that is reliable and accurate. It has a lot in common with me. We are both heavy, ugly, cheap and made in the United States. Match made in heaven.
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Old September 5, 2012, 01:00 AM   #9
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I love the vintage high standards but I assume you are looking at their newer stuff which I have no experience with.

Nothing wrong with hi points for what they are intended to be, but they shouldn't be in the same sentence with high standard IMO.

Here are a few high standards from yester-year - The world's finest .22 caliber auto loading pistol





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Old September 5, 2012, 08:45 AM   #10
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Short answer, the new High Standard is selling "adequate" guns, like their .22s and they are just importing their Filipino-made 1911s. The High Standard you see and hear about now is nothing in comparison to the early High Standard company. Same name, completely different ownership and quality. They sell decent guns, but in no way are they the works of art target 22s produced by the early High Standard.
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Old September 5, 2012, 09:01 AM   #11
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Quote:
The High Standard you see and hear about now is nothing in comparison to the early High Standard company. Same name, completely different ownership and quality. They sell decent guns, but in no way are they the works of art target 22s produced by the early High Standard.
That's a shame too. It was hard to beat those old HS target models. I've never seen any 22s that could compete with my mid 70s Victor.

I guess that's why you see some many Ruger's showing up at Bullseye Matches and other Matches now.

Ruger's arn't the same either, they've improved in the competition department.

I don't know anything about Hi Points.
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Old September 5, 2012, 06:26 PM   #12
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Whats to say about hi-point...

They are cheap... ugly... heavy... horrible triggers...

The go bang every time... are accurate... pretty tough... and reliable (they may need a short break in though)

I will probably never own a hi-point pistol, but I would not tell someone not to get one if that is all that is available to them that they can afford.

A used revolver might be better, or a used quality semiauto (like glock or springfield) may be a better choice, but they cost more, and they might not be available in a local shop when you go to purchase.
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