Mechanics
If I was a betting man, I'd imagine what Hi-Point did to make the Model 995 Carbine was simply use the pistol action and "upgrade" it into a carbine. The inside bits are heavy castings and appear to operate on a simple blow-back system. There is an external extractor and a nice, big ejection port to clear the trash out after the bang.
The safety seemed to work well and basic function and fit was actually very impressive as it was played with a bit to get familiar with the controls. It felt good against the shoulder and, in all honesty, felt very much like another gun we all know so well, only at about 15 percent of the cost involved in the "other" gun.
Taking apart the Hi-Point Carbine involves some "stuff," so read the supplied book and trust us when we say to take your time. This may be the only place where the high-dollar guns take an easy lead. But then again, how often are you going to have to take this thing apart? Shoot it, blast it clean with some spray cleaner, a shot of lube, load up, and you're back in business.
The laser turned on and off nicely and the firing pin went "click" every time we pulled the trigger. After assembling some 9mm ammo, off we went to the range.
Jam Free
Front sight: The front sight assembly is robust and has a lower rail that can mount a laser or light. Notice the compensator.
Our Hi-Point ran just fine from the moment we began until the end of the day. Exactly 557 rounds of 9mm (give or take one) went through it and there were no jams of any kind. I was surprised, the crew was surprised, and frankly, we really wanted it to be bad so we could all nod knowingly and say, "See, we told you so." But it didn't work out that way at all.
As a matter of fact, we're all a bit embarrassed to admit we liked it and now we all want one to play with. We're not alone in this. It seems some 60-odd actual police agencies have already adopted the Hi-Point Carbine for a duty rifle and more are following suit. I saw the list and Hi-Point will supply you their names and phone numbers if you want to check on how the guns are doing for yourself.
At 25 yards and closer (where most of the police rifle fights occur) the carbine printed ragged, tea-cup sized groups if we didn't screw up. Quick work on multiple targets was a snap. Even shooters who are handgun-challenged found the carbine easy to run and the bullets found the right spots on the targets with pleasing regularity.
Rear sight: Bold and functional, the rear sight is fully adjustable and can be removed to attach the Weaver scope mount.
The Model 995 was easy to keep on target and fun to shoot, and as a former cop with over 20 years in the field, I wouldn't hesitate to stick one of these in my trunk and put it to work. At this price, even if you simply get your agency to approve them, you can buy one yourself out of your beer and pizza money.
As a home defense gun, this carbine just can't be beat. Virtually no recoil, low muzzle report, low (virtually non-existent) muzzle flash, and accuracy that is right at the top make it easy to transition to and great for small-statured shooters.
The longer barrel generally delivers slightly higher muzzle velocities, so if you have a plus-p load now, you might want to investigate whether the bullet will hold together in tissue at the higher velocity the rifle will deliver. The Hi-Point Carbine is rated for any plus-p load.
This ain't rocket science. The Model 995 is simply a tough-as-a-tank, basic package for delivering your duty handgun ammo quickly and accurately.
Hi-Point Firearms
Model 995 Carbine
Caliber: 9mm and .40 S&W
Stock: Black Zytel plastic
Weight unloaded: 6 pounds
Capacity: 10 + 1
Trigger pull: 6.5 pounds as tested
Barrel length: 16.5 inches
Overall length: 31.5 inches
Cost: Approx. $250 as tested
www.hi-pointFirearms.com
Roy Huntington is a long-time member of the POLICE Advisory Board, a former editor of POLICE, and the current editor of American Handgunner magazine.