Saw an armored car guard packing a Hi Point today.

[GatorFarmer]

Thought it a bit odd. Holster looked like one of the 8 dollar ones nominally sold for airsoftuse at Walmart. Was an employee of Loomis.

 

[DeathGrip]

So that's where Gecko45 is these days.

 

[GF]

Wonder if it was loaded?

GF

 

[GatorFarmer]

So that's where Gecko45 is these days.

Nothing against Hi Point really. Though I remember guards being required to have double action only autos at most companies. At least such used to be the case. LE type security holsters also used to be a requirement.

 

[David LaPell]

Back in 1996-1997 when I was in my early 20's I worked for AMSA (Armored Motor Service of America) which was later bought out by Loomis. I worked inside as a coin processor but because I was in and out of the vault I had to be armed. When I started there were no standards for the firearms that were carried. I started off with a Llama IX-D .45 pistol which was actually a very good gun and worked with almost everything I fired through it, but I can remember some of the guns the drivers / guards would carry. I remember a Desert Eagle .44 and a Desert Eagle .50 AE, a Ruger Super Redhawk .44 (not kidding it looked like a rifle on his hip) a .22 Magnum revolver, a few Glocks, and a variety of other guns. I remember one guy who was packing three handguns, one on the hip, one in a shoulder holster and one in the ankle. About six months after I started a guy sat down in a chair in the Rochester facility wearing a 1911 and the gun went off and blew a hole through the chair and the floor. After that the company went with a set of standardized rules on carry guns. They had to be a law enforcement or military caliber, 9mm, .38, .357, .45 etc. but no more single action autos like the 1911 or Hi-Power. So I switched traded off the Llama and bought a Smith Model 19 which I carried in a nice Don Hume holster and a pair of HKS Speedloaders. I watch the occasional Loomis guy sometimes when they come into Walmart when I am there or somewhere else filling up an ATM. I noticed not long ago a guy wearing what looked like a Glock but the holster was flopping all over the place and was obviously very loose on the belt. The other thing I have seen with alot of these guys, they carry the money bags in their gun hand yet their weak hand is empty. Not smart. A friend of mine who was a former chief of police in my hometown works for Loomis and he is one of the few guys with any LE experience there. Most are retirees or wannabe's which is the same make up when I worked for AMSA, but the pay is so horribly low it is to be expected.

 

[S&WOkie]

... but the pay is so horribly low it is to be expected.

I would imagine this has a lot to do with it.

 

[novalty]

Hi-point....hmmm. Is that manufactured by the same company as Hot Point, cause I saw a local ad for a Hot Point .40 cal recently.

 

[The Last Standing Knight]

Not really that uncommon. I've seen just about everything carried on armored car drivers and security guards over the years. Many of the weapons were of so poor quality and/or so poorly maintained that if needed, they would be more of a threat to the person using it than the bad guy.

Some that had weapons issued by the company they worked for? Well, God help you....

 

[wbraswell]

The High Point I shot was a lot more reliable than the last Colt Commander I shot. I wouldn't be anymore tempted to rob an armored car, just because they were armed with inexpensive guns.

 

[StatesRightist]

HP's are clunky and the trigger's are lacking, but they go off every time you pull the trigger and their service is outstanding. I bought one of their carbines and in the 500 rounds I used to break it in, no failures. Accessories were cheap and the factory jumped anytime you wanted anything. I know several guys who own them, same experience.

The guy who owns HP grew up poor and says one of their goals is to make sure everyone could afford to defend themselves. I respect that.

 

[nipster]

In some states, security guards can only carry certain calibers. Florida is one of those states that limit security guards to .380, 38spl or 9mm ONLY. No .45, .40 no magnums. Definitely no Desert Eagle. It's written into the language of the "statewide firearms license" that security guards are required to have. Even if they have a CWP, while working, they cant carry just any gun.

Not sure I am convinced regulating them to this degree is necessary, but it is what it is...

 

[chief38]

One of my shooting buddies used to moon-light as an Armored Car Driver and the pay was pretty poor. $13.85 per hour to risk your life to guard someone else money..........NOT FOR ME! He rapidly had a reality check and quit! He said if he's going to risk his life for cash, it would have to be his.

Chief38

 

[feralmerril]

Here`s the deal: It`s a lower paying job filled by broke retiree`s or laid off engineers trying to keep eating. The company is a business that wont lay out their profits for training and equipment.
I would like to know the stats on how many robberys on them are made by employees or ex employees. I think the majority have been.
On top of that, to knock off a truck sucessfully it about has to be preplanned murder. Thats not hard. Just step out unexpectedly and exicute the guard even though his hand is on the holstered gun. Doesnt make any differance of the guards ability or what gun he is packing.
No reason to make fun of the untrained poor soul who is trying to survive between other jobs. Usualy its not his first choice.

 

[sipowicz]

All the 99 cent store guards around here have hi-points. And if anything go wrong with it, they can go to aisle 3 and grab another one.

 

[feralmerril]

A company tried to hire me once. I turned a friend of mine on to them for the part time job. We both were guards together. He drove part time for them for years. The ironic part was at times he had to turn down OT with us as he was already scheuled to drive. It paid less than half of what our ot paid. A few times when he was hurting for our better money ot he would have me call them and have me tell them I had to hold him over! I knew other guards too that would work part time for them. We already had the required state guard cards and gun permits.

 

[627 city hunter]

I'd want a FN PS90. Call me "tacti-cool", but armed robbers have combat rifles too.

 

[bsg]

HP's are clunky and the trigger's are lacking, but they go off every time you pull the trigger and their service is outstanding. I bought one of their carbines and in the 500 rounds I used to break it in, no failures. Accessories were cheap and the factory jumped anytime you wanted anything. I know several guys who own them, same experience.

The guy who owns HP grew up poor and says one of their goals is to make sure everyone could afford to defend themselves. I respect that.

i have been lucky with dogs and guns, but i don't forget where i came from. i have no criticism of a man that arms himself with a Hi-Point firearm.

 

[forresth]

you don't fork out $600+ on a gun for a **** job paying in the low teens or less. You either use what you have or get the minimum to get by. Maybe later on you upgrade when you realize it will be a long term job or you can deduct your dream gun.
Many armored car jobs requite revolvers so you can shoot out the ports. I'd look hard at a Nagant M1895 for one of those jobs myself.

 

[HCF]

I have a friend that has couple hi point pistols,they go bang every time, they shoot where I aimed. Its better then nothing.

 

[S&WOkie]

No reason to make fun of the untrained poor soul who is trying to survive between other jobs. Usualy its not his first choice.

^^^THIS^^^