Hi-Point Carbine .45 ACP Rifle

I had some...

I had some reservations about buying a Hi-Point, due to very negative statements made by some of our local gun dealers. However, after reading a recent review in GunTests, I decided to take the plunge and buy a 4595, and was pleasantly surprised. Like any gun, there are pros and cons to this rifle, but it is a lot of fun to shoot, and costs MUCH less than some of the competition. Pros: I have put about 450 rounds of Federal 230 grain FMJ ammo through my rifle, and it has never failed to feed—not once. The iron sights are more than adequate for the distances at which I intend to use this carbine. Out of the box, the windage was out of line, but this was easily fixed with a small screwdriver. Once the sights were adjusted, I was breaking clay targets easily at about 40 yards, and closer paper targets showed very close grouping. As one with aging eyesight, I love the large and very visible iron sites, which seem rather rugged, and are very easy to adjust. Cons: The workmanship seems a bit rougher than I have seen in most of my other weapons, but that is primarily cosmetic. The charging handle looks suspiciously like a screw from the local hardware store, and arrives detached, but is easily put in place with the supplied wrench. The stock is not the light, hard polymer one usually sees, but has more the feel of soft plastic. The trigger is likewise plastic, but very comfortable to use. The gun cocks from the left, which feels awkward to me. I would much prefer an ambidextrous magazine release; the button on the left side of the handgrip is located in the usual spot for a pistol grip, but with the buttstock in place, my thumb isn't long enough to reach it without removing the stock from my shoulder. The recoil buffer seems rather rudimentary, and felt recoil was greater than what I had anticipated, but this is, after all, a .45 ACP. Overall, this is a nice little rifle for the budget-conscious, and a lot of fun to shoot. I am personally gratified that it is "Made in USA". We'll see how it does with the next 450 rounds. I am definitely considering another Hi-Point for my collection.