Hi-Point Carbine
| Hi-Point 995 Carbine | |
|---|---|
| File:995carbine.gif 995 Carbine w/ optional laser | |
| Type | Carbine |
| Place of origin | Ohio |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Hi-Point Firearms |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 5.75lbs |
| Length | 825.5 mm (32.5 in) |
| Barrel length | 419.1 mm (16.5 in) |
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Action | blowback |
| Muzzle velocity | 390 m/s |
| Effective firing range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Feed system | 10-round detachable box magazine |
| Sights | blade front, notch rear (adjustable) |
Tom Deeb of Beemiller Inc. of Ohio developed the Hi-Point 995 carbine, a very inexpensive semi-automatic rifle. It is constructed using polymers and alloyed metals as much as possible, resulting in a reduction of the production costs and sale prices. It is worth noting that the Hi-point carbine is sometimes incorrectly referred to as an assault rifle, in fact it is just a semiautomatic pistol caliber carbine. It functions via a simple direct blowback action, and it is chambered for the ubiquitous 9 mm parabellum pistol cartridge. It also has appeared in a version chambered in .40 Smith & Wesson.
Developed during the now defunct Federal assault weapons ban, the Hi-Point carbine comes with a standard ten round magazine that inserts into the pistol grip. No large capacity magazines exist. The magazines used are a proprietary design only usable with Hi-Point firearms. Those pistol-style magazines for the 4095 .40 S&W carbine are fully interchangeable with the Hi-Point .40 S&W pistol. No such compatibility was advertised by Hi-point regarding the original 995 carbine and the C-9 9 mm pistol, however some owners of both designs have reported that they are interchangeable.
In spite of the military appearance of this rifle, it was developed for the civilian market and wasn't aimed at police department use. Nevertheless, it has been approved and purchased by a small number of local police departments that cannot easily afford to outfit all of their officers with more expensive long guns.
Suggested retail price for the most basic version of the carbine is $199. Gun shops have prices ranging from twenty to thirty dollars lower than that, bringing the cost down to nearly half the price of other inexpensive pistol caliber carbines.
The carbine has proven popular, and it has established a solid reputation as a plinking rifle. Some 28,000 were made and sold just in 1998, and there are reports that it sold very well as part of the preparations some people made for the societal upheaval anticipated as a result of the Year 2000 problem. Unfortunately, the popular carbine has also gained a level of infamy. A weapon of this type was used by one of the Columbine murderers after he acquired it through an illegal straw purchase at a gun show.