The Kel-Tec Range

[Chaz]

My buddy went looking for a KelTec the other night, and came home with a Hi-Point CF380! He got talked into buying it because the dealer "didn't have any KelTecs in stock at the moment" and convinced him they were "too hard to get anyways" (typical). Plus this one was real cheap--an apt choice of words.

When he first showed it to me, I thought it was maybe a boat anchor...but it was too big. When I realized it was a pistol, I figured the railroad rail on the top was supposed to be the slide. It was. We eventually got it to move by beating it back and forth with a hammer until the burrs on the inside wore a groove across the top of the chamber housing. Now the burrs could sort of act as guides. Smart engineering!

The fluff and buff I did to my 3AT to get it in shape was NOTHING compared to this beauty. I used a die grinder and a sharp axe to clean it up. It left enough grindings to cast two or three P3AT's. Have to admit, it did smooth it out though!

I couldn't believe how much plastic and how little metal was used. The entire frame is plastic--the slide travels on a pin in the rear, and a tiny metal chip impeded in the plastic on the front. The plastic is so cheap looking, if it were a toy I would not buy it for my kid because I would figure he would break it in a day or two. Most of the trigger system relied on metal parts moving against the plastic frame.

I suggested the best thing he could do was ship the slide over to Iraq and let them melt it down--they could probably build a tank or a few hum-vees with it.

[Flyer]

Um....
No comment.
Flyer

[pocketgun]

Chaz, I will agree with you that they are ugly pistols, but I have read a lot of posts by people who really like them. Not what I would call a CCW or pocket pistol, but for the glove, tackle, or tool box they might be worth $125, especially the 9mm. I have heard they have a good reliability record as well.

BTW, if it is in your tackle box and you lose the anchor on your boat...

[plinkertoo]

I had my P3AT and Hi-point .40 S&W at the range yesterday. They both performed flawlessly. I put 3 mags through the KT, and 4 mags through the HP. The HP is easier to aim, and if you actually take your time it'll give a good 3" group at 25'. I was actually putting them in a 5" black circle at 25 yds at first, because I was still fine tuning the sights on my Sub2k. For $180 I have nothing negative to say about the HP. It eats and shoots everything I've fed it, and I can probably use it for a backup hammer during the next hurricane season. It is within 2 ounces of any comparable full size "name brand" auto, and I didn't have to pledge my first born son to buy it. Sorry if I got on the soapbox folks, but I just can't find it in my heart to slam a reasonably priced, reliable, and easily used weapon. Especially on a KT board, where these 3 things are why I bought KT in the first place.

[PlasticGunLover]

+1 on Fugly. Not a nice- looking gun, and I got my p32 for $125.00.

--PGL

[Chaz]

You guys hit it on the head. It's a big ugly gun, but it goes bang every time. The F&B made an incredible difference in how it felt, especially the slide action. My friend was a bit miffed at himself for giving in to his immediate urge, and forgoing a P3AT. But for the money ($130?) I told him he should keep it for target shooting. He won't like shooting the P3AT just for fun if he gets one.

[steve]

If price is the main object, why not go with something with a proven military background. The makarov comes to mind. A polish one can be had brand new for $ 200. Highly reliable and battle tested gun. The 9 mm rounds are just a little shorter and almost the same punch.

[magman454]

My friend Mark has a 9mm High Point, and it amazes me every time we go to the range.

It looks cheap, and it is cheap, but it goes bang every time he pulls the trigger no matter what he puts in the mag.

While it's no target pistol, it held it's own against my P-11 in the accuracy department.

I've thought a few times about buying one just to have a reliable beater pistol around.

They are ugly, and not particularly suited to concealment, but for home, boat, or car duty they will suffice. I just think he should have either held out for the P-3AT or bought the 9mm, as they are not much bigger than their .380's.

[cloak]

Ok my 2 cents worth. I got one of these a few years ago. I gave it to my brother. We put so many rounds thru it, it quit locking back after the last round wa fired. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 plus. It has been reliable and has shot everything put thru it. It is a bear to disassemble.

Yes Chaz, it is a ugly ugly gun, but it serves a purpose. Every time you pull the trigger, it will go bang. Not many people can afford a high dollar gun, but if you need one for a nightstand, and you need a cheap one, then get a hi-point. or a makarov.
And speaking of hi-points, the carbines are fugly also but they have edged out the ruger carbines in accuracy. I have one of the carbines and just like the handguns, it will fire any thing I can think of to put thru it. If you break it, send it to hi-point and they will fix it.

[Chaz]

After we got the major burrs out from inside, it stopped feeling "cheap". It's actually a fun gun to shoot, because it has a lot of weight for a .380. I would never have thought you could put 10K rounds through it the way the parts move against the plastic!

If he didn't want to hunt up a P3AT, I am wondering if he would have been better off with a 9mm, even for plinking. I would guess that 9mm ammo is plentiful and cheap. Don't know for sure, since all I ever shot was .38 handloads in combat competition.

.380 is a real bugger to get here in the boonies. NOT cheap, hard to find, and most everyone stocks WWB and UMC only. I guess I will have to stock up on internet.

[plinkertoo]

But the nice thing about the Hi-points is they don't care if it's WWB. Snake out the barrel with the slide locked open, and feed 'em some more!

[Phila PD]

Good Guns at very fair prices with excellent customer service equal a outstanding buy!

[TxCajun]

A coworker has a HP 9 and a 40. He bought them because they were cheap. The 9mm was $99 and the 40cal a few bucks more. He's not really a gun guy but likes to come shooting with a couple of us who are. Those HPs have always worked and shot reasonably well. They are big, not quite as heavy as they look, and they won't win any beauty contest. However, I'm quite sure the guy does not own a cleaning kit and they must each have several hundred rounds through them by now.

[plinkertoo]

I'm getting an HP 9mm carbine from a coworker next week for $60. He say's it has about 200 rds through it. He was hoping to trade it for a small .25 auto, and freaked out when he saw my P3AT. How could I say no to an almost new $60 carbine?
I want to compare it to my Sub2K .40 S&W (Glock), and hopefully I can get my wife to use it and start shooting it with me on weekends. Heck, maybe it'll justify me getting a P11, since I don't have any 9mm in the house yet. But I am leaning hard at a Glock 22 right now, to go with the Sub.

[TxCajun]

[tedmug]

The High-Points are made fairly close to home. Cool. They are ugly. Have we established that? I do not own one but I will keep my eyes peeled and if I get a deal I will give one a try. Help the local economy.

[Robert302]

I bought two 15rnd single stack Hi-point 9mm carbine mags from ammoclip.com..

Do Not buy them! They jam every single shot, failure to feed.
I wasted $40 for those 2 mags..

If anyone wants my 15rnd mags, I'll sell them for $5 each plus a small fee for shipping. They are new, I only tried to get a few rnds to work with them..

It's best to stick with the 10rnd factory magazines for the hi-point 995 carbine 9mm.

[MT Lad]

[KeysBear]

LOL,
I can't believe we had a Hi-Point/Kel-Tec/Makarov thread going on and I missed it.
I must be having a flashback from my days at The High Road.
Why don't you guys talk about something useful, like your favorite recipes for cooking 'possum.

Regards, Keys
(proud owner of flawless shooting Hi-Point 9mm carbine, Kel-Tec P-3AT, and 2 Makarovs)

[plinkertoo]

Now, now Mr. Keys. Possum is a right fine dish when served with the proper side dishes. 'Specially if you put a little crawfish garnish over it. And a proper vintage of wine of course. Say Thunderbird, or one of those other fine weeks.

[KeysBear]

[MT Lad]

how bout if we talk about shooting possum? (dont care for eating them)

[KeysBear]

[byron]

boy keys, you're living dangerously. as soon as TxC gets thru dabbing at his lips with that greasy napkin, you'll surely hear from him.

[plinkertoo]

It's not so bad. Tastes like chicken....................

[MT Lad]

I Hate chicken there aint nuthin that tastes like chicken

[mr surveyor]

If'n God had intended us to eat chicken.... He wouldn't have called them FOULs