The points in favor of configuring an AR-15 style pistol for use as a general-purpose, outdoor platform are rather compelling. This is especially true when the gun is chambered in .300 BLK. A 10.5-inch barrel pistol in this caliber can, when loaded properly, be used to effectively harvest whitetail deer, hogs, coyotes and other varmints out to distances of around 150 yards. It can also be employed for close-range bear defense with heavy, controlled-expansion bullets like the Barnes Bullets TAC-TX.
Hi-Point Firearms joined the budget AR marketplace with the launch of its HP-15 series in 2025.
And for those who need a stealthier platform, the .300 BLK pistols can be fitted with sound suppressors and loaded with subsonic ammunition. This ammunition and device combination is not as powerful as the supersonic loads but can generate pistol-caliber carbine levels of performance. The ARs are, by definition, takedown pistols. Just release the two captured receiver pins to split the gun in half. This allows these pistols to be easily stowed in backpacks or compact storage compartments.
The HP-15 pistols are currently available in four finishes, including the M81 camouflage shown here.
Early in 2025, Hi-Point Firearms joined the budget-priced AR platform market with the release of their HP-15 series of Mil-Spec AR-15 rifles and pistols. Chambered in 5.56 NATO/.223 Rem. or .300 BLK, the early 'basic black' models are intended to be affordable, ready-to-use semi-automatics with suggested retail prices ranging from $499.99 to $539.99. They can also serve as a solid starting point for those who prefer to conserve costs up front in order to spruce up their ARs with the components they prefer.
The 6-position blade style stabilizing brace is made here in the U. S. by Shockwave Technologies.
Later in the year, Hi-Point expanded the HP-15 line-up to include models with in-house, hydro-dipped finishes and a few factory-installed upgrades. These modifications shift the listed prices up into the $679.00 to $825.99 range but lend a touch of class and utility not found in the black guns. The model that caught my attention was the .300 BLK pistol with a classic U.S Army four-color M81 Woodland camouflage finish. Here is what I learned about this HP-15 pistol along with the shooting range evaluation results.
The threaded muzzle is capped off with an A2 flash hider at the factory.
Although Hi-Point's other gun lines are, well, 'un-traditional' in their designs, the HP-15 series is assembled using familiar and readily available Mil-Spec components. This pistol is a direct gas-impingement-operated, M4-style semi-automatic which employs an M16-spec bolt carrier group and a pistol-length gas system. The flattop upper and lower receivers are forged from 7075-T6 AR aluminum. The aluminum-alloy pieces are treated with a Type III hard-anodized coating while the carbon steel parts received a black nitride finish. The M81 hydro-dipped camouflage finish is applied over the anodizing.
The polished stainless steel single-stage trigger exhibited a clean break with 4-lbs. 15-oz. of trigger pull.
The 10.5-inch long barrel sports an M4-profile and is made from 4150 chrome-moly vanadium steel. This barrel is clearly stamped '.300 BLK 1:8' just behind the 5/8 x 24 TPI threaded muzzle. The pistol is fitted with a compatible A2 flash hider at the factory. The free-floating 9.5-inch long aluminum handguard is lightweight, topped with a full-length optics rail and features several conveniently located M-LOK slots for mounting accessories.
The receivers and components are Mil-Spec for easy upgrades and part swaps.
The HP-15s sport a forward assist button and a spring-loaded dust cover for the ejection port. The charging handle is Mil-Spec along with the lower's controls and features. This includes the safety selector, bolt release, magazine-release button and the straight profile trigger guard. Another standard feature for all models is a stainless steel, single-stage trigger group. The contact points have been polished for a noticeably better trigger feel. Breaking cleanly with 4-pounds, 15-ounces of trigger pull, it is not the lightest trigger available. But for me it’s an ideal fit for a gun in which reliability and smooth trigger pull is more important than the lightest trigger possible.
The Swampfox Liberator II red dot optic comes with an AR-15 height riser in the box.
Here is where the standard features end and the upgrades begin. The M81 camouflage has been applied to the handguard, both receivers and the polymer six-position blade style stabilizing brace produced by the U.S. based Shockwave Technologies. This application is conducted in house in order to save on costs and to maintain quality control. Other available finish options currently include the Operation Desert Storm Six-Color Desert Pattern camouflage (aka. Chocolate Chip) or a shiny gold anodized finish.
This pistol proved to be utterly reliable with all loads and magazines tested.
The camouflage guns are topped off with a set of metallic UTG flip-up sights. The front sight's post is adjustable for height while the rear sight sports a windage adjustable dual aperture. The basic A2 pistol grip has been replaced with one from B5 Systems. The polymer P-Grip is effectively textured and lightweight. The pistol arrived with one 5.56 polymer 30-round magazine made for Hi-Point by Pyramid Plastics. I requested one more for testing. Not all 5.56 magazines will feed .300 BLK reliably. But in this case, they both proved to be reliable feeders. The other three 30-round test magazines included an aluminum Duramag, a translucent Elite Tactical Systems (ETS) and a smoked Mission First Tactical (MFT) magazine which all operated properly without any feeding issues.
A Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph was used to measure bullet velocities for 10-shot strings.
For the performance evaluation, this pistol was fitted with a Swampfox Liberator II (RDLR122-2RD; $149) red-dot optic using the taller AR-15 mount provided in the box. This is a fully enclosed, rifle-style 2 MOA red-dot that arrives with a pair of flip-up lens caps and a short-height rail mount as well. The compact 6061 aluminum housing is fitted with lenses featuring an anti-scratch, anti-fog and hydrophobic coating. Other features include up to 10,000 hours of run time using a single CR2032 button cell battery, ten manual brightness settings and Shake N' Wake automatic on/off technology.
This 0.49-inch ragged hole and 0.63-inch 3-shot group were punched out using the Gorilla Ammunition load.
The formal bench-rested performance testing consisted of using three loads to fire three 3-shot groups into paper targets posted at a pistol distance of 25 yards. A Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph was used to measure bullet velocities for 10-shot strings. The supersonic ammunition used consisted of one target load from Gorilla Ammunition along with two hunting loads from Barnes Bullets and Sig Sauer. Here are the results:
One of the features of large-format, rifle-action pistols that keeps drawing me back to the platform is their inherent accuracy. Even when they have been trimmed down they can still produce more rifle like group sizes than typical semi-automatic pistols or revolvers. This gun exhibited sub MOA accuracy almost across the board with groups much closer to half an inch being common place with some loads.
The new Hi-Point Firearms HP-15 .300 BLK pistol proved to be well made, reliable and provides a useful set of features at a fair price. I really liked the better-than-Mil-Spec polished stainless steel trigger. It's a reliable design that works nicely in the field right out of the box. Is an AR pistol the right multi-purpose field gun for you? You'll have to do your homework and decide for yourself. If so, then the HP-15 models deserve a closer look. For more information, visit hi-pointfirearms.com.
Hi-Point Firearms HP-15 Pistol Specifications:
- Type: direct-impingement, semi-automatic, centerfire pistol
- Caliber: .300 BLK
- Magazine: polymer AR-15; 30-round detachable box
- Receivers: Mil-Spec, forged 7075 T6 aluminum; hydro-dipped finish
- Barrel: 10.5" 4150V chrome-moly vanadium steel; M4 profile, Nitride finish, A2 flash hider
- Trigger: single-stage, polished stainless steel, 4-lbs., 15-oz. pull
- Sights: UTG flip up, adjustable post front, aperture rear
- Safety: left side mil-spec selector switch
- Stocks: 9.5" aluminum M-LOK slot handguard, adjustable Shockwave Technologies Blade pistol stabilizer
- Overall Length: adjustable; 26.25" to 29.5"
- Weight: 5 lbs., 13.9 ozs.
- Accessories: magazine, lock, owner’s manual
- MSRP: $679
