Hi-Point carbine
Inexpensive pistol-caliber carbine with a distinctive polymer stock.
The Hi-Point carbine is a line of pistol-caliber long guns made by Hi-Point Firearms. They are built with polymer and alloy parts and use a simple direct blowback system, which keeps production and retail costs low.
The design was created during the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. It originally came with a ten-round magazine housed in the pistol grip. After the ban expired in 2004, third-party companies began making 15- and 20-round magazines. The magazines are proprietary and only work with Hi-Point firearms. The .40 S&W model’s magazines are fully interchangeable with the Hi-Point .40 S&W pistol, but the 9mm carbine and pistol magazines are not completely compatible—owners have noted that the 8-round pistol magazine is too short for the carbine, while the 10-round carbine magazine will fit the pistol but sticks out past the grip.
In early 2009, Hi-Point released the 995TS, an updated version of the 9mm Model 995 with a new stock and a last-round hold-open feature. This TS model costs a bit more than the original 995, which fans sometimes call "the Planet of the Apes gun." The .40 S&W model (4095) and the .45 ACP model (4595) are only sold in the TS configuration. By September 2010, the original 4095 Classic was no longer listed on Hi-Point’s website. In November 2017, Hi-Point began producing a 10mm Auto carbine, the Model 1095TS, based on the 4595TS. It uses a 10-round single-stack magazine and a telescoping bolt with blowback action.
Aftermarket accessories are available for these carbines. Hi-Point itself makes a muzzle brake and laser system for first-generation models. Other companies produce accessories for the second-generation 995. The 995TS has Picatinny rails and a redesigned stock that allows more modularity than the first generation.
Models include the 995 (9mm), 3895 (.380 ACP), 1095 (10mm Auto), 4095 (.40 S&W), 4595 (.45 ACP), and 3095 (.30 Super Carry). There are also pistol versions: the 995P (9mm), 1095P (10mm Auto), and 4595P (.45 ACP).
Legally, the Hi-Point carbine was classified as an assault weapon in Connecticut under Public Act 13-3, signed on April 4, 2013. New York’s SAFE Act also designated it as such, and by mid-2013, unaltered versions could only be sold to law enforcement in that state. In 2014, a company created a shield that prevents the shooter from wrapping their hand around the pistol grip.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Designer
- Tom Deeb
- Design Date
- Hi-Point Firearms
- Production Date
- 1994-present
- Variants
- 995, 995TS, 995P, 4095, 4095TS, 4595, 4595TS, 4595P, 1095TS, 1095P, 3895TS, 3095TS
- Weight
- (995) 5.75 lb / (4095) 7 lb
- Length
- 32.5 in
- Part Length
- (995) 16.5 in / (4095) 17.5 in
- Cartridge
- 9×19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, 10mm Auto, .45 ACP, .380 ACP, .30 Super Carry
- Action
- Blowback
- Velocity
- 9×19mm NATO, 1,400 feet per second (~427 metre per second)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Developed during the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban, the Hi-Point carbine originally came with a ten-round magazine that fits into the pistol grip. After the ban expired in 2004, aftermarket third-party 15- and 20-round magazines were created. The proprietary magazines are usable only with Hi-Point firearms. The pistol-style magazines for the 4095 .40 S&W carbine are fully interchangeable with the Hi-Point .40 S&W pistol, but owners have reported that the 9mm carbine and pistol magazines are not completely interchangeable.
In the first quarter of 2009, a new model of the 995 carbine was released, the 995TS, featuring a new stock and last round hold open. The TS model is slightly more expensive than the '995 Classic,' affectionately known as 'the Planet of the Apes gun.' The 4095 model in .40 S&W and the Model 4595 in .45 ACP are available only in the TS configuration. As of September 2010, the '4095 Classic' was no longer featured on the Hi-Point website. As of November 2017, a new carbine in 10mm Auto, the Model 1095TS, went into production, based on the 4595TS.
The Hi-Point carbine has been designated an assault weapon in Connecticut with the April 4, 2013 signing of Public Act 13-3, and in New York under the NY SAFE Act. In 2014, a company developed a shield that prevents the operator from wrapping their hand around the pistol grip, allowing the carbine to be legal in New York state.
Reader's Guide
The Hi-Point carbine occupies a unique niche as an inexpensive, blowback-operated pistol-caliber carbine. Its polymer and alloy construction kept manufacturing costs low, making it accessible to a wide market. The carbine's popularity is reflected in its consistent high scores in evaluations run by Gun Tests Magazine and its listing as the seventh most popular pistol caliber carbine in 2019. The success of the 9mm Model 995 led to the creation of the Model 4095 in .40 S&W, which shared much of that success, and later the Model 4595TS in .45 ACP. The carbine's notoriety also stems from its use by Eric Harris during the Columbine High School massacre. Legal restrictions in Connecticut and New York have limited its availability in those states, though aftermarket modifications have allowed compliance with New York's SAFE Act. The carbine's design evolved over time, with the TS models introducing a last round hold open and picatinny rails for greater modularity.
Did You Know?
- The Hi-Point carbine was developed during the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban.
- The 995 Classic model is affectionately known as 'the Planet of the Apes gun.'
- A shield developed in 2014 allows the carbine to comply with New York's SAFE Act.
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