Scoping the Hi-Point Model 99 9mm x 19 Semi-Automatic Rifle

When a fellow brought in his Hi-Point Model 995 9mm x 19 semi-auto for a scope installation, I told him I would look it over. The gun is equipped with a fully adjustable rear peep sight and a protected post-blade front sight. The rear sight is attached to a narrow flat-top receiver with three in-line mounting screws. Beneath the receiver shell there are two internally positioned screw plates, each with two threaded 4-40 screw holes to receive the three base and one sight-adjusting screws.

On removal of the sight screws, these unattached screw plates fell loosely inside the rifle and were removable via the open bolt port. The plates were quite thin for use in threading. Removal of the Hi-Point’s rear sight housing left ample flat surface for a one-piece scope base. This workable surface was over 5 inches in length and just over 1/2-inch wide. But to provide adequate eye relief, a twoplane scope base would have to be mounted on the forward half of the flat receiver surface.

This would leave the front half of the scope base and front scope ring extending over the barrel. A scope base that would span the entire flat receiver surface would Right top: The scoped Hi-Point Model 995 rifle represents a functional and attractive package. Here, the mounted scope is shown from the right side of the rifle. Right bottom: This group was fired from 50 yards with the scoped Model 995 using CCI ammunition.

The sight housing spans the entire top of the receiver. Four screw holes were used for a sturdy mounting of the base. place the scope too far aft for proper eye relief. After a good deal of thought, I selected a dual-plane, Weaver-style scope base for mounting the scope. The base required milling to fit the flat surface of the receiver. After milling, the raised base would extend forward of the receiver, leaving one ring extended over the barrel approximately 2 inches in a forward-projecting, cantilever fashion.

I chose to drill and tap four new holes in the receiver housing for the two holes in the scope base plus the two additional holes which I added. The 9mm x 19 cartridge has very light recoil and I reasoned that the receiver would provide more than adequate screw purchase for the base. There was plenty internal clearance through the Far underside of the receiver shell for the screws to extend a bit beyond. It was not necessary to take the gun apart to accomplish the base mounting.

I really didn’t want to disassemble the complicated looking mechanism anyway, not knowing what lay beneath. As I milled the radiused surface from the scope base, I left an overhanging lip, extending downward along each side. This fit nicely over the slightly rounded edges of the top of the receiver, producing a self-aligning base. The scope base had three ring-screw slots, leaving a 4-inch center-to-center scope-ring spacing with ample room to slide the scope forward within the rings for proper eye relief.

The attached base appeared to be in perfect alignment with the bore, and the low scope rings provided perfect clearance for both the front and rear scope-lens housings, leaving the scope at an ideal height for easy sighting. The mounting job came off without a hitch, using the tools and equipment I had at hand, and the black scope and rings looked quite nice (continued on page 21)

AGV56X AG 56 Tape Course Spread Ad (coming directly from Belvoir)

AGV56X AG 56 Tape Course Spread Ad (coming directly from Belvoir)

atop the all-black rifle. I didn’t even boresight the gun, and just fired around at a fairly large 25-yard target. The point of impact was within 2 inches of the 1-inch aim point, leaving lots of adjustment for reticle centering. I always feel lucky if a newly mounted scope provides ample scope adjustment in all directions in arriving at reticle center on target. Gun receivers are not always in true alignment with the bore, which can create some real problems in scope/bore alignment.

I usually lay along, straightedge across the top of the gun receiver to check parallel alignment before mounting a scope. This is particularly true of odd or unusual scope applications. Sometimes a scope base must be milled at a slight angle to accomplish parallel alignment. The front sight is a full 2 inches high, but I left it in place. There was no obstructive visual problem and the sight housing also served to retain the barrel heat shield.

The hooded sight blade could be removed from its base but it looked better the way it was, so I left it. Conclusions The newly mounted scope made the Hi-Point rifle look pretty classy over it’s darkly blued receiver. Scope eye relief was perfect for easy aiming, and accuracy at 50 yards was surprisingly good. One five-shot group was under American Gunsmithing Association News Take a moment to review the benefits of membership in the American Gunsmithing Association.

For openers, you automatically receive American Gunsmith, the Association’s monthly magazine, featuring specific, detailed information to maintain, service, and repair your"-and your clients" firearms. Back issues and binders are also readily available. The Member’s Store: a catalog shop filled with items including shop aprons, caps, shirts, and more that highlight your affiliation with the craft of gunsmithing.

Access to the Association’s Technical Assistance Hotline with gunsmithing tips and answers to hard-to-solve, and everyday gunsmithing problems. Above top: The finished stepped scope base with four mounting holes is shown here from the under side. Above bottom: This is the Tasco scope mounted on the Hi-Point rifle receiver using a Weaver-style base and rings.

Note how the base is mounted on the front half of the receiver with the stepped base extending in cantilever fashion beyond the receiver bridge. 2 inches, using CCI FMC bullets. The owner had planned to use the gun for shooting raccoons and squirrels and general target use. He disliked the peep-sight setup and was very happy with the newly mounted Access to a number of vendors including Numrich Gun Parts, Brownells, Lyman Products Corp., and many more offering discounts and services to AGA members.

Book and video discounts from DBI and AGI. Member savings on car rentals, hotels, motels, and air travel, from some of the biggest names in the travel industry. Liability Insurance. As an AGA member, you can get $1,000,000 in annual coverage for just $1,000 per year. For membership information, contact the A smithing Association Membership S Greenwich, CT 06836-2626. Or call scope.

It’s always nice to please a customer, and it’s extremely satisfying (not to mention more profitable) if the gunsmith is able to accomplish an unusual job without complications or surprises. I AGA Corner