Hi-Point Model 1095 Edge 10mm Auto

Defined as a “lightweight, short-barreled variation of an existing rifle model,” the carbine was first employed by cavalry. Fighting in a very confined area, they needed something much shorter than an infantry rifle. Shorter barrels affect muzzle velocity negatively, as did the recoil on the shoulders with a standard cartridge in a trimmed down rifle — sometimes to the point where different ammo had to be loaded for the carbines. Still, the newer versions were shorter, lighter, easier to manipulate and carry on horseback.

Now we’re seeing a completely different class of carbines in which barrels are lengthened, thus making them more powerful, easier to control, and shoot accurately. This new class is starting with pistols instead of battle rifles, adding a shoulder stock, plenty of real estate for a fore end and a light, if desired, as well as providing for the easy mounting of an optic. Stretching the barrels from 4 or 5 inches out to 16 (or just a hair more) often yields a higher muzzle velocity and greatly approved energy delivered from what is still a very compact firearm. We think most will agree that a good Marlin Model 94 in 357 Magnum or 44 Magnum constitutes a serious defensive firearm.

We wanted to know if the same thing would happen with lighter, pistol-caliber carbines. We’ve recorded some longer-barreled 9mms that demonstrated very little velocity increase. Recoil was almost nonexistent, and they were easier to shoot accurately at distance, but we weren’t impressed enough with the hitting power to carry those out into the woods. Could a pistol cartridge that packed a bit more powder and worked at a higher pressure be a solution? We wanted to find out and grabbed a selection of 10mm carbines for you, including Ruger’s new rifle chambered in 10mm Auto, the LC10 carbine with a 16.25-inch barrel. It ships complete with a side-charging handle, lots of real estate for mounting optics, and is compatible with extended Glock-type magazines with a street price around $800 (No. 19307). It’s sad, but that sounds reasonably inexpensive these days — until you compare it to the Hi-Point 1095. Also with a Picatinny rail, iron sight, and adjustable buttstock, the street price on this semi-auto 10mm is around $350. The next selection in this test group is the Aero Survival Rifle from TNW Firearms. Much more reminiscent of an AR-15 — and some of the parts in the buffer system are compatible — the ASR is actually a blowback-operated take-down rifle originally designed as a survival tool for bush pilots. Street prices run as low as $575. Last we tested the latest model from Just Right Carbines. Sporting a 16.25-inch barrel, as do the other rifles in our test, the Just Right Carbine offers some additional versatility that can make this rifle very easy to operate for left-handers. It is also in the sub-$700 range.

Bearing in mind the anticipated use of these carbines, we mounted one of the Holosun AEMS enclosed red-dot sights (Brownells.com, $400). We shot multiple weights of ammunition to look for energy improvements versus a pistol. That selection included Hornady 155-grain XTPs, Federal 180-grain VHPs (Versatile Hollow Point designed to “Train & Protect”), along with the Doubletap 200-grain Controlled Expansion JHPs. We used a SIG P320 XTen for the pistol baseline velocities, all of which were measured by a new Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph (MidwayUSA.com, $600).

Part of our stated goal was to find out if the longer barrels on these carbines developed more velocity and, therefore, more energy, than the same rounds launched from a 5-inch pistol barrel. The increases, as hoped, were substantial. The average for the Hornady 155-grain loads generated 1380 fps from the SIG Sauer X10 pistol and averaged 1669 fps from the carbines. That’s a 21% increase in velocity and an almost 35% increase in muzzle energy. The Federal 180-grain loads showed an 18% velocity increase and 39% energy increase, while the Doubletap 200-grainers yielded 11% and 23%. Some of these loads were pushing 1000 foot pounds of energy — not too shabby from a pistol cartridge. Here’s what we thought of the rifles individually.

Hi-Point Model 1095 Edge 10mm Auto

$349

Gun Tests grade: B [best buy]

Not quite as trim as the other models in this test, this inexpensive carbine shot and functioned well for our team. Its magazines had the lowest round counts, but they also worked just fine

The first test piece was a Model 1095 from Hi-Point Firearms. Construction is different than what some firms use as is the metal alloy used for parts other than the barrel. The result is one of the least-expensive carbines on the market today. Our requirements are that the firearm goes bang every time and that it hits what we aim at. Could this slightly different mousetrap do both and handle the 10mm cartridge?

Hi-Point Firearms’ primary goal is to offer a price-conscious product in a market where inexpensive can easily preclude quality. We needed to know if that was the case here.

Our Hi-Point carbine had, by a small margin, the heaviest empty weight in our test group. Not quite as trim in design as our other carbines, sources tell us that the Hi-Point is constructed primarily of Zamak-3, an alloy containing magnesium, zinc, aluminum, and copper. It is known to be well suited for casting to tight tolerances and great fluidity, but it also seems to require more bulk to contain pressures than, say, 7075-T6 aluminum. Don’t worry, the barrel is solid steel. 

The Hi-Point is one of the two test samples that use a design that utilizes a magazine feeding through the pistol grip — the other being the Ruger LC10. The Hi-Point uses a proprietary 10-round magazine (they supply three) that are reminiscent of a 1911 magazine. An extended pad protrudes from the bottom of the mag, ensuring complete seating. The pistol grip, as well as much of the rest of the stock, has a pebble-grain texture that provided a firm hold without being abrasive. The fore end, both top and bottom, is ribbed, with a Picatinny rail section being supplied closest to the muzzle. The stock provides a cheek piece and a spring-loaded recoil pad for comfort. Both help with a recoil impulse that is noticeably greater than with a standard 9mm sub-gun. Most of the stock is finished with a well-applied RealTree Edge camo pattern. 

Controls were set up correctly for a right-handed shooter. The magazine release was high and forward on the left side of the grip. The safety was also high and on the left side of the receiver, where we could almost reach it with our thumbs. The operating handle was on the left side, allowing manipulation with the carbine still firmly in the shooting hand — at least for five out of six shooters. The knurling on the op handle was a bit sharp, and we left some skin on it as we learned how to best operate it. The top of the receiver has another Pic rail, on which was mounted a functional and adjustable aperture rear sight. We were able to mount the Holosun AEMS forward of the iron sights with no problem. The front sight is a tall, protected post. The muzzle is threaded 0.578×24 for a suppressor or a muzzle brake, and a thread protector is supplied. 

Most of the semi-auto carbines/rifles we have handled use some type of mechanical lock to contain the firing event. Once the peak pressures have passed, the lock opens, allowing the bolt to move to the rear and complete the firing process. All four of these carbines use a blowback method instead, whereby the mass of the bolt and the tension of the springs contain pressures until they reach a safe level and the action cycles for the next shot. The blowback method frequently adds weight to the firearm — versus one with a conventional action — and often causes more recoil impulse. It also provides for a much simpler design that comes to you at less cost. 

We are not going to describe disassembly of the Hi-Point as intuitive and strongly suggest you read the manual — several times — before attempting to take this carbine apart. Pins must be removed. Some clips had to be slid out and others removed, but come apart it did. Once inside, we saw some cost-saving indications. The seams of the stock did not all fit tightly together and we saw a bit of rough machining, but none of that seemed to matter once we started shooting.

With a 10-round capacity, the proprietary magazines with the Hi-Point carried the lowest round count of the carbines tested. They also worked just fine, performing as needed each and every shot. Required trigger compression at just under 6 pounds was the heaviest in this group, and we had to work to manage the trigger response correctly.

Our Team Said: The Hi-Point managed the second-best average group size in these tests, coming in under 2 inches for the five-shot strings on three different kinds of ammo. Frankly, we were surprised and pleased by what we accomplished with this inexpensive carbine.

We tested at American Shooting Centers (AmericanShootingCenters.com) in west Houston. We used a Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph (Garmin.com, $600) to determine muzzle velocities. We shot the rifles using a Caldwell TackDriver Pro (Brownells 100-027-023, $49), further supported by a large rear bag, heavy from Tab Gear(TabGear.com, $34). We calculated averages from five-shot groups fired at 50 yards. 

Written and photographed by Joe Woolley, using evaluations from Gun Tests Team members. GT