The intention of this column is to find and review affordable arms — because self defense shouldn’t only be for those who can pay premium prices. Our goal has always been $200, but it’s getting harder to find firearms under that price point without them being broken, outdated, or even worth writing about. But still, there are deals to be found if you know where to look. This Hi-Point YC380 was for sale at Cabela’s in Reno, Nevada, and made the cut as a diamond in the rough.
ABOUT HI-POINT
Like it or not, Hi-Point is one of the leading manufacturers of handguns in the United States. These inexpensive arms are manufactured in Mansfield, Ohio (we go behind the scenes in RECOIL Issue 68). Previous names of the company include Haskell Arms and Stallard Arms — and in fact, a Haskell Arms .40 S&W was previously purchased for $125 to try out. It was later sold off, mostly because of the caliber.
In terms of the name of this pistol? Hi-Point is a very customer-oriented company, and when they were debuting an upgraded model a few years ago they asked the internet to name it. True to their word, Hi-Point went with the fan favorite: Yeet Cannon.
THE BUILD
Hi-Point pistols are direct blowback firearms, using a heavy slide made of a zinc alloy to keep down costs as well as the ability to use a lighter recoil spring. The finish is a black powder coat.
The polymer frame features a rail to add accessories. This model features a threaded barrel, the ability to add a red dot sight, and it’s had some more sculpting done to streamline the look. The front sight is the same style as those found on Glock pistols, for customization like a fiber optic or night sight if you wish.
Two other noticeable additions to the YC380 are a 10-round magazine and a grip safety. While it looks a lot better than previous offerings, it still has the look and feel of a Hi-Point.
ON THE RANGE
While .380 ACP can be a snappy round in many guns, the mass of the YC380 makes it feel downright pleasant. The trigger on this pistol breaks at about 5.5 pounds. It feels somewhat like an original S&W M&P for the sake of comparison.
A few boxes of Blazer Brass 95-grain FMJ and 1 box of Hornady 90-grain XTP were spent. Two rounds of Blazer failed to fire, but the blame may lie with the ammunition over the pistol. The two rounds that failed were tried in a different pistol, and didn’t ignite in that one either. The Hornady XTP functioned flawlessly.
Groups at 50 feet were about 2.5 to 3.25 inches on average.
THE AWESOME
Hi-Point Firearms is a company that catches a lot of flak, mostly because of their price and looks. However, if you can get past that — they do work. The people running the company are some of the nicest folks you’ll ever meet in the industry, and they actually listen to their customers.
It’s ugly, but it works reliably and it’s reasonably accurate. There’s a lot of value in this pistol, as it’s a step above their past releases regarding features. The threaded barrel, ability to add a red dot, and even the easy replacement of the front sight are all major upgrades. The new 10-round magazine is a nice, too.
Several years ago, I reviewed their .380ACP Carbine, and for the life of me, could not understand why it was made. There’s no appreciable gain in velocity, .380 kind of hits a wall in barrels beyond 5 inches due to the small powder charge in the case. But Hi-Point’s answer was simple: “Most of our customers aren’t typical firearm enthusiasts. They buy a .380 pistol and wanted a carbine to shoot the same ammunition without having to invest in another caliber choice.”
They saw a need, if not a demand, coming from their customer base and filled it. Not too many other companies do that these days.
THE OK
The YC380 is a on the heavy side for a .380ACP at 34 ounces. That’s a bit heavier than a 9mm Glock 19. This will be the biggest issue for seasoned shooters: the weight and mass of the gun. Yet, that is also its strength for new shooters or the recoil sensitive.
THE AWFUL
Appearances aside, the only thing truly awful about the YC380 is the stigma from other gun owners, if you let that sort of thing bother you. If you don’t like the pistol, don’t buy it. Don’t cast shade on those who do, either.
Many new shooters can’t afford HK, SIG, or even Glock — and the old saying of “Buy a used police revolver or surplus military pistol” doesn’t work anymore, as those have risen in price as collector’s items.
The Yeet Cannon YC380 is an acceptable entry-level pistol.
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