My journey into 10 with the Highpoint JXP

[Mitty38]

Been wanting to get into 10 for years. Seams like Everytime I tried. Something else took the money.
Just can't afford even a lower tear 1911 or Glockish one, at this point in my life. Seams like I just can never get together more then a couple hundred dollars.
Well had looked at the High Point before, then dismissed it.

Well, I was at The Big Box store with my Christmas bonus. Buying some gifts for my son, and they had one under the glass.
Long story short. Life is short.
So bought the High Point.

I remember some one asking me, to let them know how things went if I got it.
So figured I would document my journey into 10 mill with this budget gun. For any interested.

So was able to get the gun and 2 boxes of Blazer, to Break it in with.
Bought it Monday but was delayed. My guess?? Probably because It was 35 miles from home, there are closer shops, and I have a carry. So me buying a cheap gun that far away, and having a CIS check is just out of character. When I could have bought it locally, (if I ordered it and flashed the carry to avoid the check) as I have most of my guns.

Any how Wednesday, it went thru. So went up Thursday morning, got it. Along with some Starline brass, and a few hundred large pistol primers.

So now to start getting loading, casting stuff together. I have plenty of LongShot and H110. Plenty small primer brass, Enough primers. CW is sending me a box of bullets to try. And a surprise with it. So going to hold off on getting anything else till that arrives. Figure I can tackle the reloading, and casting stuff, a little at a time. Should be fully up and running for 10mm by summer.

Any how the gun came with a peep sight. So right away Installed that, destroying any factory sight calibration it had.

First step was just to make sure it runs. So we headed to the range. No pre cleaning or oiling. Just cheap gun out of the box.

So off to the Range with my curious Son I went. Hearing from him, that it looked like the first junk gun you got in a Certain Call of Duty Game.

The bulky gun was a little awkward at first. The gun has a pretty stiff slide, with a false sense of cocking, before you get it back all the way.
So you really have to make sure, you completely cycle the slide back. To cock the pin, and grab a cartridge. Then let it slam home, to chamber the first one right.
Well surprisingly, we were on target, but a little low. But spot on left to right at 21 Ft. So we made a few half hearted turns to the height adjustment. But... that was not our goal today. So just got it close.

One thing we. Noticed was the heavy long trigger. It gave us both, the tendency to tip down, and to the left. So there is going to be a learning curve.
We proceeded to run the ten millimeter ammo thru it.
The darn thing fired and cycled every single time. The 10 round magazine surprised me. My other gun from them, only had an 8 round mag. Also a lot of 10 mil are offered with 8 round mags only. So ten rounds plus one, was a pleasant surprise.

Everything stayed together. Nothing fell off the gun.

Well when unboxing, I had noticed the Mag said 10mm/40sw.
So I had brought along some Federal 40 caliber. (I had a partial box of 30 rounds for some reason, and I don't even have a 40.)
Darn thing fired everyone of the 40's, but had one failure to completely feed. In which a quick smack on the back of the slide took prompt care of.

This gun. Negated the Recoil well.
But had a very prominent clunnk clunnk feal, as the slide actuated. Especially with the 40 cal.
Not a race gun by any definition, but fun to shoot.
The included peep sight, kinda cheep. But very functional and easy to use.
As we were shooting with hearing protection, we thought it was raining. Here we were shooting into a muddy bank just past our 21 ft target, and getting a dirt bath. I took one ear plug out and I could hear the dirt raining down after each shot. What power for what looks like such a little round compared to the .45acp.
Id say, It defiantly made this old man and his Son, smile to shoot it. You can feel the power of the 10mm, but it don't tear you up.
Fun and Cool factor is in the upper range on this baby.
Well worth the 200 bucks for us. I would say I would not have felt bad about paying 400 for it.
Will be posting an open box video on it later.

 

[richhodg66]

I have actually heard many good things about the High Points. I've seriously considered getting one in .45 ACP more from Curiosity than anything else.

Dad gave mehis 10mm AMT Long Slide, I have loaded for it a little but never really got anywhere with it. I'm not set up to cast for it yet. That cartridge is pretty ferocious for an auto. It oughta get done anything one needs a pistol to do.

Keep us posted on how things go with it.

 

[Mitty38]

I think the main reason people hate on them, is the fact that they are a complete different animal then any modern production gun out there. Kinda a modern day version of something that would have been made in Russia 100 years ago.

You can't field strip them easily so the tactical guys hate them. You can't dry fire them with out going thru a complicated process. Because of redundant internal safeties. They are heavy bulky and have a heavy trigger. So the Poly and 1911 guys hate them.
But they do exactly what they are designed to do. Just in a way that is outside of modern day norms.

You could blow 2 bills on something a lot worse. At least these don't loose value. The Maverick 9 (Pre High Point prototype) I got years ago. It's worth twice what I gave now. Had been ran till the spring wore out. Then they replaced it. Plus gave me an extra mag free.

 

[richhodg66]

Never shot one, so take this for what it's worth. My biggest gripe with them is that they are big and heavy, somuch so as to kind of undermine the whole purpose of a pistol which is to be easily carryable (is that a word). If I just needed a gun in the house to leave on the night stand, fine, but I'd likely get a shotgun for that purpose.

Nothing at all wrong with having a shooter around, though, and that 10mm offers a lot of things that you can do with it.

 

[Mitty38]

I knew the developer Tom. The original gun was designed to be a viable home defence gun. For those who did not know a lot about guns. And those who did not have the means to buy a gun.
So they could have a safe functional, simple gun for protection. The first ones he actually lost money on selling them for $75 each.
Designed to hide somewhere in the house, or keep on the night stand.
Ye so they were never ment as a carry.
But This I got for a range toy and a hand load glutton so it will serve me well.
I conceal carry an LCP. Light and as concealable as it gets.

 

[waco]

Mitty. That factory ammo you were shooting is nothing like what your hand loads will be. They really dumb down the factory stuff. I ran some of that Blazer stuff in my 5” 1911 over the Chrony and got an average of 1150fps.
These were the same 180gr loads you had I believe.
I then shot some of my 185gr cast loads with AA#9
These were over 1300fps. Huge difference in muzzle blast and recoil.
You’ll have fun reloading for this one.
My brother has the same rifle in 45ACP. Fun guns!!

 

[richhodg66]

Dad left me with some bullets he had cast and a box of commercial ones if I didn't already give them to my brother who loads for the .40 S&W. I could not find a mold in his stuff for a 10mm. Recommendations for a mold are welcome.

About 30 some odd years ago, right after we got back from the sand box, a buddy and I at Fort Bliss, who were both getting into loading and casting on our own (I grew up around it, he didn't) went around hgun shops commonly. One, whoch normally wasn't my fave, had a very old Lyman NOS mold for a cowboy style RFN with a good crimp groove about 200 grains for the .38-40. My buddy was really into 10mm at the time and I knew enouigh to know the .38-40 was the same bore size. Price on it was 15 bucks, had to have been from the 60's when it was new, probably been sitting there since then. Rob bought it and cast a bunch up in the living room of his bachelor pad and damn if they didn't cycle and shoot well in the 10mm semi autos he had.

 

[Rushcreek]

They simply work.
I bought a barely used Hi-point C9 a few years back. The trigger pull is the limiting factor on shooting it accurately for me; but the ugly thing has digested everything I’ve fed it.
My wife has weak hands from RA so I modified it to be easy to rack the slide.
It actually serves as nightstand gun with the 870 nearby- I trust it that much.
Someday I may pick up one in .40 or .45 just because.

 

[richhodg66]

That's an excellent idea for a mod to make it more useable.

 

[Joshua]

Some years back I was given one of these in 45acp. The previous owner had lost the magazine and had moved on to “nicer” guns. It has digested everything I have loaded for it. Because it is so heavy, the recoil is mild. Of all my pistols my son enjoys shooting the heavy/ugly Hi-Point the most. He also likes how easily the single stack magazines load. A perfectly serviceable range toy.
As far as molds go the Lee 401-175-TC has fed very reliably in my S&W 40 Shield. Accuracy has also been more than adequate in that small gun. Note: My boy doesn’t like shooting the Shield!

 

[Mitty38]

CW is sending me some 401-175's plus at least one other to try. So I can run a few before marrying a mould. I hear a lot of good reports using the 175 with Longshot.

 

[Hawk]

I've got a 10MM in a Glock 20 that I bought primarily to carry at the deer lease for dispatching 300 to 400 pound hogs and anything else that thinks I might be easy prey (they have reintroduced bears in our county).
I'm casting an MP 402-200 grain mold that drops a 188 gr. shallow HP, that I powder coat. I've got the Lee 401-175 and it is a good bullet for plinking and feeds well, I just want something for the 10MM that has a bigger meplat and the shallow HP does expand.
Powder is a generous amount of Blue Dot for top velocity and because I've got a lot of it.
The only problem with Blue Dot is the huge, bushel basket sized fireball it produces. I need a flash suppressed powder or at least one less flashy than Blue Dot for shots at night.
I've been trying to find some Accurate No.7, but it has been unobtanium for the last couple of years.
Any suggestions for other powders?

 

[waco]

CW is sending me some 401-175's plus at least one other to try. So I can run a few before marrying a mould. I hear a lot of good reports using the 175 with Longshot.

My 185gr was averaging about 1150 with 8.0gr of Longshot.

 

[waco]

I've got a 10MM in a Glock 20 that I bought primarily to carry at the deer lease for dispatching 300 to 400 pound hogs and anything else that thinks I might be easy prey (they have reintroduced bears in our county).
I'm casting an MP 402-200 grain mold that drops a 188 gr. shallow HP, that I powder coat. I've got the Lee 401-175 and it is a good bullet for plinking and feeds well, I just want something for the 10MM that has a bigger meplat and the shallow HP does expand.
Powder is a generous amount of Blue Dot for top velocity and because I've got a lot of it.
The only problem with Blue Dot is the huge, bushel basket sized fireball it produces. I need a flash suppressed powder or at least one less flashy than Blue Dot for shots at night.
I've been trying to find some Accurate No.7, but it has been unobtanium for the last couple of years.
Any suggestions for other powders?

AA#9 gives high velocities.

 

[Mitty38]

@Hawk
I have not loaded 10 mm yet but what about trying Good old W231. Not too flashy in my 45. No where near as much as Longshot. And I am seeing a lot of 10 mm loads for it.Of course they are all maxed at around1180 fps. Might not be fast enough for you.

 

[Hawk]

According to Ramshot, their flash suppressed powders are #5, #7, #11FS, TCM and Silhouette.
If I can finally find some #7, I can use it in everything, including 9MM, .38 SPL, 357 Mag, 40 S&W and 10MM.
Is Power Pistol flash surpressed?

 

[Winelover]

According to Ramshot, their flash suppressed powders are #5, #7, #11FS, TCM and Silhouette.
If I can finally find some #7, I can use it in everything, including 9MM, .38 SPL, 357 Mag, 40 S&W and 10MM.
Is Power Pistol flash surpressed?

Accurate No. 7 Smokeless Gun Powder

Hit the bullseye, shot after shot, with Accurate #7 smokeless powder from Powder Valley. This high-quality pistol powder is formulated for consistency.

www.powdervalley.com

At $26/ pound for 8 pounder. What's not to like? I use it in 9mm & 44 Special,

 

[waco]

Eight pounders are out of stock.

 

[Winelover]

In that case:

Accurate No. 7 Smokeless Powder (8 Lbs)

Accurate No. 7 Smokeless Powder (8 Lbs) by WESTERN & ACCURATE POWDERAccurate No. 7 is an intermediate burning, double-base, spherical powder suitable for a wide range of handgun calibers. No. 7 is an excellent choice for high performance semi-auto handguns such as the 357 Sig, 38 Super, and 40...

www.midsouthshooterssupply.com

BTW, they are also showing Unique in stock.

 

[Joshua]

Mitty,
I know you collect old shotgun powders. Do you have any Herco? There is plenty of older Alliant data out there for Herco in 10mm. You won’t get top velocity with it, but it will make a serviceable load with the 175’s.