RE: high point pistols?
From what I have heard and read the pistols are pretty much cheap junk and not very trustworthy. If you wanted a cheap gun to plink with they might be ok, but something to carry or stake your life, no way.
However for some reason people seem to have good luck with the carbines for the money. I still wouldn't stake my families life on one.
My personal opinion is if you can't afford a better pistol and are willing to settle for a highpoint because of the price you would be better off looking at used revolvers. I would rather have a single action revolver in .357 than a 9 mil or .40 cal auto that I couldn't depend on.
Paul