A Hi-Point 995 Carbine Torture Test

My Hi-Point 995 9mm carbine torture test is complete. I didn’t set out to conduct a torture test of the Hi-Point carbine, it just happened. I wanted a cheap, pistol-caliber carbine for shooting a tactical carbine/shotgun match at Phoenix Rod & Gun Club, to see if this was a discipline I would want to spend my time and money on. The rifle retails for only around $250 or less, making it much cheaper than a 9mm AR platform rifle for “testing the water”.

Danno, over at SandCastle Scrolls, appeared at the range on the day I was sighting in my new carbine. I couldn’t stop giggling as I created a jagged hole in the upper A-zone on a USPSA target. This proved to be way too much for Danno, as he explained in his Very Short Play in Three Scenes.

I had more than 15 rounds stuffed into the ProMag magazine. The mag hit the ground when I racked the slide. I shot the same match the following week, loading the aftermarket mags with only 14 rounds, and didn’t have any malfunctions.

I’ve shot all but one of the monthly matches in the last year, but I haven’t bothered to upgrade to a different carbine. I haven’t even taken the time to clean the one that I have. Over a year, and more than 1,000 rounds later, I’ve finally started to have a small problem with my American made rifle. At last night’s match, the bolt needed a slight tap to get the gun to go into battery for the first round on each stage. Despite the extra required nudge during loading, the rifle shot flawlessly and has never had a malfunction that wasn’t traceable to aftermarket magazines.

The little burp going into battery meant the rifle was telling me something. It was ready for a cleaning and maybe some oil. Once stripped, I was surprised that there wasn’t a pile of broken parts inside, but it was filthy.

More than a year of shooting without maintenance and it’s still cruising.

It took almost two hours to get all of the gunk out. The gunk included some of the receiver paint that had peeled off and blended into the burnt powder gunk.

It turns out that over 1,000 rounds of the cheapest, nastiest ammo I could use, fired during scorching hot duststorms and freezing rainstorms, had made the rifle dirty (shocking isn’t it). That little carbine still ran and fired every time the trigger was squeezed.

I don’t think I could ask for much more from any rifle. In fact, at every carbine match in the last year, I’ve watched rifles with much better pedigrees and significantly higher price tags malfunction on every stage. This brings me to the most important reason for cleaning the little rifle that could. True Blue Sam is hosting a Hi-Point e-postal match for November. If you have a Hi-Point carbine, join in and see how your shooting skills compare to others.





I am impressed with this inexpensive American-made rifle. It works reliably every time. If you want a fun little carbine that will shoot 9mm hollow points and is compact enough for home defense, or need something for tactical pistol-caliber competition, the Hi-Point 995 is a great choice. It is a fun little rifle to shoot for grins and giggles, that also could be considered as an affordable home defense option.