On Gun Snobbery

Okay, first off I’d like to say that Google docs is about the coolest damn thing I’ve ever played with. I know that Google is the devil and everything, but my goodness it sure is nice having everything integrated into one interface.

But enough with that, let me get on to the topic at hand. I have always been something of a gun snob. For the longest time, I’ve sneered down my nose at “cheap guns”, Saturday night specials, etc. I always had this vague sense that no handgun that runs less than $200 is worth its salt. As I’ve gotten older and more disposable income, my attitude has only gotten worse.

Before I continue, I should emphasize the “handgun” in my above statement. Plenty of fine .22 rifles are less than $200, as are some very nice rifles that I have my eye on for C&R, as well as some goofy surplus handguns. Additionally, New England Firearms manufactures some excellent single shot rifles (if that’s your bailiwick) for less than $200. If put to the task I could probably come up with a few good handguns that retailed for less than two hundred smackers, but I’d have a hard time doing so.

So, what’s a boy to do? I figured I could start with handguns, because curing me of my wine snobbery will be a lot more difficult although less expensive in the long run. With that in mind, while attending the local gun show, I laid my hands on a Hi Point C9 9mm for the bargain price of $120 before taxes.

I did my homework before I bought this gun, and oddly enough Combat Handguns had a review of it in their (I think) November issue. According to its owners, it’s reliable and accurate, although they will admit that the magazines are its weakest point. The detractors of the gun say that it’s ugly (which it is), heavy (guilty), and a jam-o-matic. I haven’t had the opportunity to get it out to the range yet (you’ll know when I do), but it is definitely working on my snobbery issues.

The weirdest thing is that it’s growing on me. I’ve always had love for the “ugly duckling”, especially when that ugly ducking does what it’s designed to do every time. When I first purchased the pistol, my thoughts were “Well, let’s see if it shoots” while I idly hoped that it would turn into a piece of shit; thereby justifying my snotty attitude.

All that’s changed now that I’ve owned it for about a week. Now I’m hoping that it runs like a tank. I can’t explain it. Maybe I’m just rooting for the underdog, or maybe that I’m hoping that this will turn out to be that “functional but ugly” pistol that I have a soft spot for. Who knows? I will turn out a range report for everyone once I finally get out there and shoot the sucker. I’ve got magazines and 9mm ball ammo on the way for the break in period.

All this has gotten me to thinking about something else. Why shouldn’t someone make a low cost reliable handgun? Is there some rule that only people that can afford the $500 CQB-Tactical-Destroyer should be able to defend themselves? Or would it not stand to reason that financially disadvantaged (nice word for “poor”) folk have just as much a right to self-defense as you and I.

If this gun runs like I hope, than Hi Point firearms will get a Bravo Zulu from me. An American company that wisely uses available resources to manufacture a pistol that Johnny Everyman can keep and carry for self defense is a good company in Ahab’s book. So if this pistol works as advertised, than John Wayne should be smiling.

5 Comments

  1. Welcome to the Dark Side:)
    Just load 5 or 6 rounds at first to avoid problems….
    you may have to tweak the feed lips on the magazine, too. Check out the Hi-Point forums for lots of good info and friendly people.

    2dogs

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