Before I get blasted for how ridiculous of an idea this is, I'm well aware of that.  Hey, it's not like the .50GI itself is very practical either ;)

Anyway, I'm no expert on firearm conversions, but would it be theoretically possible to modify a .45 Hi Point JHP pistol to be chambered for the .50GI?  I remember reading the .50GI was designed to be loaded similar to a .45 ACP in terms of pressure...  Considering the JHP is already built for +P .45's, I'm guessing the preexisting slide/frame should already be fine for the .50GI, even with its extra recoil from being a larger, heavier projectile.  Would a simple barrel and recoil spring swap (cutting the barrel hole and ejection port on the slide to be slightly bigger if need be) in theory be enough to get one to run?

As far as magazines go, I know the JHP can be relatively easily converted to work with standard 1911 magazines, so perhaps just widening the mag well and doing a similar modification to the magazine catch could be enough make it work with the .50GI 1911 style mags.

Dibs on guns.

But in all seriousness, I think it's a horrible idea. Hi point pistols can barely handle the rds are designed for. Unless you shoot it wth a string from 15 feet back

The reviews I'm getting of Hi Point are mixed, some people swear by them and some say they're crap.

Not sure what to believe, but I figured I'd pick Hi Point since the gun itself is cheap enough as it is (and somehow is rated for +P) it almost begs to be modified.

I would not recommend it, seems like a waste of money.

I know it would be a huge waste of money, I'm just asking if, theoretically, it would be possible to do without replacing the entire gun.

The way they are made, I don't think they can handle the pressure of a 50GI.

I have a good friend that made a 9mm highpoint into a supressor host by rebarreling it. 

It actually was sort of neat, since it could take a direct threaded can. 

It makes just about as much sense as this project

Here's the thing, if you're going to go to all that trouble, I'd do it to a hipoint carbine.  Noone has one of those in 50 GI.

Not that this is in any way a good idea, but I disagree with your statement. There is a video on YouTube of a guy trying to blow his HP up with reloads, then with a huge bolt hammered into the bore. The damn thing just took the abuse without blowing up.

Now that someone agreed with me, I feel less bad about saying I'd consider it

Of course I'd need a huge excess of $$$ for this project if it were to get done, which I guess is the main thing stopping me.  I remember Salient Arms did a custom Hi Point C9 where they modified the slide, trigger group, etc. so that company seems to be my only hope for getting work done on a Hi Point.  I'll have to contact them to see if such a job would be possible (not even talking price yet, gotta wait for the wallet to fill up a bit more )

Also, @Chris_1522 thank you for the load pressure data!

EDIT: Looks Like Salient won't accept peoples' guns being sent in for work anymore, you can only buy custom guns made by them now.  Now I'm not sure where to go for a company that could do work on it ("work" as in make a barrel from scratch and make it fit), if any even exist

BullFUCKINGShit!!!

When you post a vid of screwing a bolt into the muzzle of a Glock/Sig/FN/Colt/1911/S&W/Beretta, firing it, and it not blowing up; then, I'll believe it. Otherwise, you just proven you don't know either Jack or Shit about a HiPoint. Most of HiPoint pistol problems are directly traceable to their shitty magazines. If it was a Jimenez JA9, you may be correct but not a HiPoint.  To get to this point in the pix below, had to put a bolt in the muzzle, fill the barrel with pistol powder, use a high pressure reload, and finally C-clamp the pistol so that the slide couldn't move.


And here are some YouTubes of redneck destruction testing that totally disproves DaringRaider assertion about the fragility of the HiPoint design.









Now, directly to the OP's question, the problem is getting a .50 GI  barrel made to be pinned to the frame. You could get this done with a Mini lathe yourself if so chosen. Then you're faced with getting the magazine well enlarged for the larger magazine. This would require taking a file to the inside and going to town on the frame. The JHP to 1911 magazine conversion has been well tested and is probably a political vs. a technical decision by Beemiller, Inc. to not to use at this point. And if you fuxxor it, then send it back to HiPoint under their life time warranty with a note so they can repair/replace.

This right here is the problem.  I could file the magazine well to be wider myself, maybe even file the mag catch down to compensate for the larger 50GI magazine, but machining a barrel and getting it attached to the frame is way beyond my level of knowledge and equipment at hand.  I'd feel safer (and would rather) get an expert to do it instead, so I'd know it got done right.

I'm sure there's some company or person out there capable and willing to make a barrel and attach it to the frame for the right price.  Just gotta look harder.  Maybe I'll ask on Hi Point forums...

Thank you for the videos, by the way.  Very entertaining and reassuring

I say go for it. Honestly everything that I have heard about highpoints is they function well and can take some abuse, they are just big and ugly due to the cheaper construction methods employed (casting as opposed to machining). I will be honest, I really want one of their 380 carbines (maybe with a Hightower conversion?) so I have a long gun to share ammo with my pocket pistols.

If you take apart a Hi Point, you'll see that there is only a "lollipop" of metal (unknown composition) that slides in a race in the slide.  That "lollipop" holds in the striker mechanism and is held in itself by a roll pin, which is surrounded only by the soft plastic that they use.  That and the barrel port surrounding the barrel are the only two things holding the slide onto the frame.

I have a JHP that I have fired several boxes of warmer loads that began to stretch the frame where the roll pin holds in the "lollipop", not to mention chattering in the striker channel from the slide starting to lift.  It began to have firing issues (offset primer strikes) and other issues before I gave up.  That was just warm .45ACP, not +p and all loads well within box max.  I would not trust the Hi Point design to take much more abuse than what it was designed for.

That being said:  I've had a C9 for about 10 years now that I've run about 3k rounds through with minimal issues, other than the bore being worn very smooth and subsequent accuracy issues.  It has been a trooper and has not subjected itself to inordinate wear (I actually take my HP down and clean them, this act usually separates the "it's junk" from the "no issues" HP guns).  I like it and actually keep it in the garage in case of any driveway issues, lol.  It's not my first tier of defense, but I would trust it if I had to.

And yes, I've seen videos of people shooting .45 Super and reaming to Rowland online.  I shot about 20 rounds of .45 Super out of my JHP but had frequent jamming issues (overstripping magazine capability of feeding) and the bolt face appearing very well worn after even just 15 of the rounds.

I suppose you can do it but just review the actual design of the weapon and think about what you're holding:  You're holding a piece of weapon designed for the lowest bidder, worst than government situations.  They offer a lifetime, no questions warranty on a gun that expensive is a flag, not a feature.  I like my Hi Points, I like screwing around with them, but if it does go up, I think HP will replace the arm, but maybe not function of your fingers.    Nothing wrong with one that runs, but to go outside of parameters seems like a really bad idea.