[DaveH]

Longer video by J Dalton from a few years ago on the JA-9 vs C9

 

[TCB]

I actually own both of these guns and have put a lot of rounds downrange with both. I disagree with his conclusion that the Jimenez would be the better gun to grab if trouble came through the door. My Hi-Points are far more reliable. Period. The Jimenez can be temperamental and only takes certain brands of ball ammo. My Hi-Points eat everything I feed them and go bang every time.

Both guns are surprisingly accurate at close distances. Both guns are cheap, but only one of them is a "good" gun.

With that, neither of these is my go-to gun. The gun on my person is an M&P Shield and the gun by my bedside is a Glock. I keep a couple of Hi-Points stashed in strategic places around the house, just in case. The Jimenez sits unloaded on a closet shelf.

 

[Guest]

I watched that comparison a few years back - an interesting video.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the JA-9 and the C9 shared the honor of being the two lowest priced semi-auto 9mm pistols in America, both checking in under $200. No comparison in quality though.

But with Jimenez Arms probably about to be taken off life support, that honor of cheapest 9mm will soon go all to the C9.

 

[SWAGA]

I was in a pawnshop one time when a guy came in with a nickel (?) plated one and they offered him $45.
Keep that in mind next time you see one in a pawnshop.

 

[adam01364]

I'd have offered $55...

I'm actually hoping to find a cheap Jimenez or Jennings Nine for an article I want to write.

 

[Quavodus]

I looked on E gunner auctions the other day and they had a Jiminez JA9 on there with no magazine. I looked up the prices of magazines. They're not cheap. I wouldn't buy one period with no mag.

 

[84minieldo]

...that was easy...oh yeah ! imma like it here

 

[84minieldo]

 

[Quavodus]

84minieldo, is that your Jiminez? If so, just wondered how it runs with different brands of ammo?

 

[84minieldo]

Yep it’s mine..but..err not really sure on the ammo variants,I’m kinda broke so don’t shoot much but when I do it’s the cheap stuff..range reload or Winchester white box if indoor tulammo steel case crap if outside.this one gets cleaned every shooting so I’m sure that helps,and it’s probably been cleaned 8 or 9 times

 

[adam01364]

84minieldo, is that your Jiminez? If so, just wondered how it runs with different brands of ammo?

The Jimenez Arms factory suggested the following 115 gr Full Metal Jacket Ball or Round nose ammo for the J.A. Nine:
-Federal American Eagle
-Remington
-Independence
-Mag Tech
-Speer Lawman
- Self Defense Round: Remington UMC

In addition, Jimenez did NOT recommend shooting steel or aluminum case ammo. Back in the day, mine had a pretty steady diet of Remington and Federal.

 

[Quavodus]

I don't have a Jiminez but, no offense to Jiminez owners but, I hear they don't usually run as good as Hi Points.

 

[adam01364]

no offense to Jiminez owners but, I hear they don't usually run as good as Hi Points.

No offense taken here.
IMO, Looks go to Jimenez while reliability & durability go to Hi-Point.

The first thing I look for on a used Jimenez JA Nine (or Jennings Nine) is the infamous frame crack. Anyone buying one of these guns should know where and what to look for. Here's some pics.

 

[adam01364]

You can spot the crack just by removing the slide, see below.

This is a design flaw; one should never have sharp angled openings in an area that will be exposed to stress forces.

Simply making this opening an oval would have made a significant improvement in the guns durability. However, doing so would have required a new tooling, which is expensive. Simply using an insert would merely introduced other stress points.

 

[SWAGA]

You can spot the crack just by removing the slide, see below.

This is a design flaw; one should never have sharp angled openings in an area that will be exposed to stress forces.

Simply making this opening an oval would have made a significant improvement in the guns durability. However, doing so would have required a new tooling, which is expensive. Simply using an insert would merely introduced other stress points. View attachment 66671 View attachment 66673

Question:
Suppose you find a gun without a cracked frame, can you take a file and stress relief that area?

 

[adam01364]

@SWAGA I suppose you could attempt it. It might work...

 

[magnut]

JA9... Jennings nine... whatever you want to call it is one of the worst SNS pistols ever created. Fames crack....slides crack.....barrel housing hoods crack. The magazines themselves are something to behold. Non heat treated ultra thin sheet metal with a round cutout for a square peg.... undersized magazine spring.... terrible follower design. The entire magazine is an epic cluster of disaster that must be experienced to fully appreciate.

If you like to shoot these.... best to download some ammo to 380acp specs. I would say get the 380acp version but those dont work either. The wonderful magazine design lets the ACP round perform acrobatic stunts on the way to the chamber.

 

[Rabidwookie]

JA9... Jennings nine... whatever you want to call it is one of the worst SNS pistols ever created. Fames crack....slides crack.....barrel housing hoods crack. The magazines themselves are something to behold. Non heat treated ultra thin sheet metal with a round cutout for a square peg.... undersized magazine spring.... terrible follower design. The entire magazine is an epic cluster of disaster that must be experienced to fully appreciate.

If you like to shoot these.... best to download some ammo to 380acp specs. I would say get the 380acp version but those dont work either. The wonderful magazine design lets the ACP round perform acrobatic stunts on the way to the chamber.

Hate to say it, but I'd take an older Lorcin L380 before I'd have another Jennings. The one i had came apart (literally)after 5 rounds. Owned it for all of 4 hours, and was right back to the store i got it from.

 

[magnut]

Lorcin L380 is not a bad gun once worked over and replace the slide with a Cobra FS380 heavy duty offering. The L380 slide cant handle the 380acp. Now... you wont hit anything because Lorcin pioneered the use of cosmetic rifleing. No sights necessary. You simple paint the end of your striker with red fingernail polish and learn the poor mans red dot technique. It will go bang and not crack a frame or slide though. It was common back in the day for the pimps to have the workers (who had the fingernail polish) paint the strikers on their big daddy's blasters for better sight acquisition when a threat occured.

The real high end Big Daddy Pimps prized the Gold Lorcins BTW. That was a special contract run Waldorf (AKA "Big Jim") did for them back in good times. Big Jim is a very "interesting" fellow.

 

[adam01364]

Lorcin L380 is not a bad gun once worked over and replace the slide with a Cobra FS380 heavy duty offering.

The Cobra slide looks massive compared to the Lorcin, and it does have a little more beef to it -all along the squared top of the slide. (Cobra slide is on the left in these pics.)

Cobra slide

Lorcin slide

you wont hit anything because Lorcin pioneered the use of cosmetic rifleing.

Yup most Lorcins were smooth bores and the bullets tumble in the air. You won't win any marksmanship awards with a Lorcin!

The real high end Big Daddy Pimps prized the Gold Lorcins BTW. That was a special contract run Waldorf (AKA "Big Jim") did for them back in good times.

I don't know about a special contract, but Lorcin did make some gold colored 10 Year Anniversary guns.